Boulder XC Frozen Tundra Nationals!

You should applaud the Boulder folks for being prepared. Did you read Julian's post? It doesn't matter if it snows or not. They are ready for it.

I did just see a sweet news special on the "weird" weather and some guy said it's because it's an El Nino year (don't know how to add the "en-yea" over the 2nd 'n'). They said it's ~30 degrees warmer in Boston than normal right now.

Also, this storm today hit Boulder good. Most of Denver got about 6". The news just reported Boulder got 15". That's got to be about 4 feet in the last month. Impressive. My yard and street have big ass piles where I've been shoveling the snow.

[quote]Snooky Sn00ker wrote:

What do you think, it is going to melt? Haha! At best it will melt daily only to freeze again at night to make a 2 inch layer of ice. quote]

Actually, the chances are good that the snow will be all gone by the race in February. I lived in Boulder for a couple of years and was amazed at how often it got into the 60's in the winter and how sunny it was. I was there when we had a 24" snowstorm and it was all gone in three days. So far there hasn't been a big warmup since the snowstorms, but the snow melts quickly there when it does warm up because of the snow and the chinook (spelling?) winds that come down over the mountains.

not sure if that would have anyting to do with being the best runner though..

It's been cloudier and colder overall this winter than in past recent years. This winter is a statistical outlier so we can't say with ANY certainty whether weather trends will revert back to normal in a little over a month. It might be fine and I'd hope that they get ideal weather on February 10th but I'd still have to laugh if conditions are really shitty. Can you believe that the organizers have suggested a possible bid for worlds which would take place during what's usually the snowiest month in Boulder? The things those people believe.....

That should say the snow melts quickly because of the SUN not the snow.

I have lived in CO for 11 years, 7 of them on the Front Range, 6 in Boulder. EVERY year that I have lived on the Front Range there has been a string of 4-5 days in January where each day the temperature exceeds 65, sometimes reaching the low 70s. It's crazy, and it doesn't last long, but it happens. If any of you know anything about the intensity of the sun out here you will realize that CO will not need anything of this extreme to get rid of the snow. I know in the midwest and east coast the sun can come out in the winter and it is still freezing cold, much like in the summer where it can be deathly hot in the shade (due to the humidity and dampness in the air). In CO, when the sun comes out, it's very warm, even in the wintertime and snow disappears very quickly. Of course anything can happen when it comes to weather. It's WEATHER! In my personal experiences, I would say there is just as geat a chance of the weather being spring-like or like it is today. CO doesn't seem to care what month it is for particular weather. I have seen my garden go to shit due to a June 13th SNOWSTORM and I have sat outside in a tank top and shorts in January. Anyways, it IS an XC race, so I say bring it on for the sloppy conditions. They are only competing against each other not the clock.

Well, unless we're talking about San Diego of San Francisco. But hey, apparently the powers that be concluded that whatever conditions to be found in Boulder on Feb 10th are apt to be the best fit to be found in the US to mimicking what's expected in Mombasa, Kenya in March. No chance of runners who thrive in frigid, thin air having a problem with warm, thick air a month later.

Well, maybe in a typical year, yes. What aspect of the past 4-week block of weather has struck you as usual for winters in Boulder?

Agreed. Let's hold the marathon trials in August somewhere in the south or in January somewhere in New England while we're at it.

It could melt in a matter of days. We're still over a month away, no reason to get antsy just yet.

There is NO usual weather for CO. That was the point of me saying that the chances of it being sunny or snowy are fairly equal. 3 snowstorms in a winter for CO??...gasp!!

On another note, b/c I have no idea either way, does the USATF have a policy that they need to have the qualifying races for World XC's, or Oly Marathons (for example)in a place that has conditions that will mimic championship race day conditions? Or is this just the overwhelming opinion of most posters? I just don't see why it makes that big of a difference. Other countries, who do not enjoy the wide range of climates like the US, send runners to these same races and do fine. Sometimes much better than our teams. I would hope that by the time a runner is good enough to qualify for said events they have had some experience racing in all types of weather and can adjust their training accordingly. IDK. I know there are very valid reasons why people would support having trials in climates similar to championship race climates. I don't think that can be argued, but I just wonder how big a difference it really makes.

Either you're an airhead bimbo in saying that or you're lying. You are aware of averages right?

The winter didn't start three weeks ago and end tonight sweetie.

Shocker.

Why are you comparing the US directly to other, unnamed countries?

No you clearly don't. Welcome to the age of specialization, which only started a couple of decades ago.

When the trials are less than six weeks from the event then it's liable to make a real difference. Again, this is the age of specialization and in order just to qualify for the event and beat out all but a small number of others a runner will have to be ready to face very possible cold and snow and definitely the thin air of altitude. A runner suited to those conditions can be said to be ready for the same conditions just a few weeks later. However, a runner suited to said conditions cannot be said to be ready to race in warm, humid conditions at low altitude with any degree of confidence. On the other hand, any runner who would be ready to handle warm, humid conditions at low altitude in mid-March is probably not going to be well prepared to handle cold, snowy conditions at altitude just a few weeks before that in a qualifier (aka elimination) race. Runners who usually race well at sea level aren't always known to race as well at altitude. In an event where the US often fares poorly already without unnecessarily stacking variables against themselves, it is a real head-scratcher as to why USATF would believe that they went with the best trials location given all the possibilities available. No one should expect Boulderites or Coloradoans to see this since hubris and egoism usually are usually obstacles to the truth for them.

Am from CO, and yes the weather sucks right now. Just saw on the news, people in Michigan playing golf. damn!!! I guess we should have our XC champs in Michigan in February because in NEVER F'n snows there!!!! Just sayin is all.

COGal is right there is no usual weather in CO. We have the the following saying for a reason: If you dont like the waether in CO wait an hour.

I have seen 80 and snow in the same hour multiple times.

5 years ago when we had the 4ft snow, #2 all-time snow fall in Den, it was all gone in less than 3 weeks. Boulder is not in Northern MN where snow stays til april.

Hola amigo, that snowstorm was in late March, not December and January. Another storm is already in the forecast for next Thursday. Actually, that storm produced 30 inches, not 4 feet - Denver Blizzard 2003.

sorry wrote:

5 years ago when we had the 4ft snow, #2 all-time snow fall in Den, it was all gone in less than 3 weeks. Boulder is not in Northern MN where snow stays til april.

sorry wrote:

COGal is right there is no usual weather in CO. We have the the following saying for a reason: If you dont like the waether in CO wait an hour.

No, CO folk stole that from Texas, New England, the midwest, etc. That exaggeration isn't the sole province of Colorado. And guess what? It was fukcing cold at 5 today, it's fukcing cold now, and it was fukcing cold each and every minute between the two! I'm still waiting! How many hours will it take, hmm?

I have seen 80 and snow in the same hour multiple times.

Only if you were going up a 14er. Probably not, though.

Boulder is not in Northern MN where snow stays til april.

So?

In regards to the blizzard 03. our official snowfall here was 28.5 inches depending on who you listen to. I am sure that pretty much anyone would agree that the 03 blizzard was way worse than this one. If it was onlt 30 inches, then they measured in the driest spot in Denver. That blizzard was in march-the SNOWIEST wetest month in CO. February is the driest month.

If this last snow yesterday was instead a 45 degree day, then by next weekend the sonw would have been mostly gone.

I find it funny that the runners from CO, are not too worried about the snow being gone here. That shows that we have seen this before, and we are pretty sure all will be alright.

Another Logic Contortionist wrote:

[quote]COgal wrote:

There is NO usual weather for CO.

Either you're an airhead bimbo in saying that or you're lying. You are aware of averages right?

You are aware of outliers right? Which pretty much sums up CO weather.

That was the point of me saying that the chances of it being sunny or snowy are fairly equal. 3 snowstorms in a winter for CO??...gasp!!

The winter didn't start three weeks ago and end tonight sweetie.

How do you know? CO has been in a drought for the last few years, it is quite plausible that the amount of moisture we get for the rest of the year could be very insignificant. But whatever, it is obvious you don't know, plain and simple. You have had to use personal attacks to get your point across which only indicates that you need to hide the "meat" of your argument with statements that are irrelevant and clearly shows your lack of knowledge on the subject that normal people are trying to discuss.

Now turn your collar down and go play on myspace, Tex.

Good old "El Nino" causing all sorts of odd weather. For those of you that don't know, that's Spanish for "the Nino."

So the monthly averages are just the means of a bunch of extreme outliers? Get out much? If you bothered to acquaint yourself with the facts and the hard data, you'd see that each day's highs and lows aren't dramatically different from the monthly averages, for the most part. Dramatic weather changes happen in CO's Front Range about as often as they do in most other states. If you want to get out of your soft little universe and find out what extreme winter weather is all about, pay a visit to Alberta or Yukon Territory or even just Gunnison.

CO is not in a drought, silly girlie. Just because all your fellow immigrants on the Front Range want to dump tons of water into growing green lawns and having two golf courses within five miles of their garage door, not to mention your hot tubs and 15-minute showers, doesn't mean that the climate is in drought phase.

Yeah, whatever you say, girlie. It's obvious that your bizarro perception is your reality, so there's no use in trying to talk sense into you.

Only after you pull off the acrylic squoval French manicure and pedicure, pull on your Uggs and gloves, and get out there to shovel your walk like a good girl, Californian.

Snooky Sn00ker wrote:

Past performance does not predict future results, but if the recent month has been any indicator, chances are that Boulder will get more snow in Jan and race organizers should plan accordingly.

That is one of the most contradictory sentences I've ever read.

It snows in Michigan...just not right now. If you a mud bath then have the meet here, people will still bitch because of the mud and not the snow. You can't make everyone happy.