What’s in My Bag?

Austin triathlete, spin instructor, and 2012 “Best of” winner (Indoor Cycling Instructor) David Garza tells AFM just what exactly is all that stuff in his bag and why he carries it.

• I want to be comfortable whenever I can squeeze in a run while I am in between teaching classes, so I include a pair of gloves and a hat to run in during the winter. 
• I love running in my lululemon Light As Air Shorts and a tech shirt or, if the awesome Texas weather permits, I like to wear my tank top. 
• When I run, I have to have sunglasses and I love my Oakley shades. And just in case I need to carry something with me, I keep my SPI belt in my bag.
• I run with my phone because it connects through Bluetooth to my JayBird headphones. I love running with music and those earphones are light and stay in my ears while running.
• Last year I made a conscious effort to remove gluten from my diet. I am not allergic but I am very sensitive to it. I found Bobo Bars, Macrobars and Thunderbird Bars as a great pre- and post-workout snack for my longer sessions  as they don’t upset my stomach.
• I carry some after-workout care with me, like Arnica gel and Rocktape, to take care of any acute issues that may pop up after any workout. I also carry a pre-workout nutrition mix to put into my water to give me a pickup for any workout.
• The ChapStick and Sharpie are “just in case”—just in case it’s windy and my lips chap or just in case I need to mark various things (like CDs, or writing your name on masking tape and putting it on you before a class).
• I love using my Soleus heart rate monitor for indoor workouts; any time I do workouts outside, I use my Garmin 910xt. LOVE IT!
• I carry my swim cap and goggles so I’m prepared whenever I have time to get in a quick swim.
• I use the Skin Strong products for running and cycling. The Silk goes on my feet to prevent blisters and I use Slather for my bike/tri shorts.
• I keep my camera in my bag to video those who want me to look at their running or swimming form (if I didn’t have my phone to use) to give immediate feedback on technique.
• I always carry a spare shirt to workout or to teach; when this photo was taken, I was working at the CG Arena, so I wore my fav red/black outfit with my Louis Garneau cycling shorts for two reasons: 1) I am a Texas Tech alumnus and 2) my nickname during class is "Diablo" (I still don’t know why they say that ;).  Since we sweat a lot in class, I also carry a spare set of socks in case I need to change.
• The most important thing I carry is my music. I teach my cycling classes using my iPad and (in case there are any technical issues) I also carry my iTouch as a backup. I mean, what’s a good cycle class with out the banging music?!
• I carry around a magazine or two in my bag (more than likely, there’s an Austin Fit Magazine and Triathlete Magazine) to enjoy during those short times where I can sit still and enjoy a cup of coffee around town.
• Lastly, the bag itself: I found the lululemon Messenger Bag last year and all this stuff fits very easily—with room to carry more. 
• The one thing that wasn’t pictured that is normally thrown on top of everything else is my pair of favorite cycling shoes, of course.