Why isn't Larmie a big distance running hub like Flagstaff?

ask Lavell Edwards

In 1981, BYU and Wyoming linked up in the middle of a snowstorm at War Memorial Stadium. The #13 Cougars ultimately fell by a score of 33-20 to the Cowboys. The loss was disappointing for the surging Cougars, but it led to one of the best quotes that Edwards ever gave.
Following the loss, Edwards was interviewed by the press. He said, "I'd rather lose and live in Provo than win and live in Laramie."

247sports.com

10 Of The Best Quotes From LaVell Edwards

LaVell Edwards is a legend. In so many different ways, Edwards is legendary. He helped pioneer the passing game in modern day college football. He turned a small religious

Open link

Yeah well Lavell Edwards was a Mormon. Enough said.

Most rational letsrun user

Danny, stop posting on letsrun

chill big bro

A little breeze? You must have never lived in Wyoming before. Wind is no joke and horrible. Wyoming has slot of pretty sky, that’s about it

depending on what you are interested in, I wouldn't automatically rule out Laramie. It does have a lot of neat things, including the running!

I don't think that many people realize that Laramie is a small city. The population is just over 30,000 - in a state with less than 600,000 people. Laramie has its good points but doesn't have a running culture to speak of. The only world class distance runner that lived in Laramie that jumps to mind was Joseph Nzau (a name few will know since he was making his living on the roads in the 80s). Maybe Laramie might be a destination for runners one day, though I doubt it.

Exactly how many runners have been shot in Laramie in the last 50 years? FYI, in Wyoming, if you get shot, you most likely deserved it and it will be justified. Just ask any of the wolves recently released in NW Colorado. They wont make it 1 mile into Wyoming should they wander that far north.

Why not train there? Well, if the wind stopped blowing everyone would fall over as they are so accustom to dealing with the wind.

Funny this thread came up because my college teammates and I spent the better part of a summer training in Laramie before our XC season. Personally, I loved the city, but I can see a few reasons why it's not a popular running spot.

1. As other have pointed out, the wind is no joke. The weather is actually quite nice during the summer, but 35 mph+ wind in your face can make even easy runs quite straining at times

2. Unlike Flagstaff our Boulder, there isn't really anywhere close with a lower elevation to drive for workouts. This means you are pretty much stuck doing everything at 7200 ft which is less than optimal especially as you get closer to competition season.

3. The city is much less cosmopolitan than Boulder or Flagstaff. Less trendy coffeeshops, small plate restaurants, you get the drift. Personally, this made it much more attractive to me, and I'm glad it keeps the Tinman Elites of the world (and other yupee social media hogs) away.

Overall though, there are lots of great running spots both in the city, and close by if you're willing to seek out some backroads. It also has great social scene with the University, but again, expect to get laughed out of the bar if you show up with some of those hideous yankee fake cowboy "Chelsea" boots or whatever they're called.

Have you been to Laramie? So many places to run right from town! Drive 10-15 up the interstate and you’re at 8500 ft with miles and miles of dirts roads. Plenty of public land around Laramie.

excessable , oh Andrew 🙄

Flagstaff is a training site. L.A./So Cal is home.

....Are you bragging?!

How come no one ever talks about Mexico when searching for the next cheap altitude training hub? Tons of high-altitude locations. Nice weather year-round. Unimproved roads are the norm. Could probably live off $10,000 a year easily. Obviously getting kidnapped by a cartel while out training is a concern, but there must be some areas they don't operate.

I had a pretty similar reaction to Laramie during my brief stay there. The wind really did stand out. At the time I thought I had just gotten there for a particularly windy stretch of days.

It did not seem all that isolated what with I-25 nearby and the big contrast I saw to Boulder was, as you mentioned, not really trendy. But I was there a good while ago and though that might have changed. Seems not, though.

I do wonder about how really necessary it is to be able to get to lower altitudes to train in racing season. As far as I know, Adams State is too far from anything appreciably lower than Alamosa and does very well. And maybe Nzau would have been better than he was if he'd gone to lower altitudes but seemed to do just fine in Laramie.

You have obviously never been to Laramie. It will eat you alive.

So many of you are so soft. I guess it is good we have drones for warfare because you guys cannot do it. You are so soft that it is a wonder you can get out of bed in the morning.

This has nothing to do with being soft. It is a jab at all of those who are commenting on the weather in Laramie and likely have never been there. Yxie, because you are so hard I assume you live in Rock Springs or some other lovely Wyo town.