The LA Times goes to Flagstaff: “For a distance runner, there’s no place in the world like Flagstaff."

You two bros made history and don’t you ever let them forget it.

...sounds like an article you should have written then...

Boulder bro

only if the world does not extend beyond the US border

Robert: Historical background in the article was interesting. I was surprised to learn that Flagstaff was a center for altitude prep prior to the 68’ Olympics - I would have thought South Lake Tahoe, where the Oly trials were held.

After Wejo “went to Flag,” hE POpped out some fast times. Amazing what altitude, endless 8-minute miles, and a little caffeine 😉 will do for a guy.

This Piss yellow of these pages matches the Flagstaff grass very nicely.

Well done Brojos!

cliffnotes:

Its good because you can live high and train low (shortish drive to lower elevation towns). Lots of top runners there. Facilities for elites in town and at NAU. Town is built up enough now that athletes won't get bored when not training.

In all honesty, what compares? Switzerland and Kenya are lovely, but they don't check all the boxes.

Obviously a cooler (if way more expensive) town, but it's not high enough and the actual running routes don't compare.

Visit the museum club there too

It's become expensive and overrated now that everyone knows about it and LA Times is bringing more light to it. Weldon's stint was during an era where it was still relatively unknown.

The new Flagstaff (for late Spring, Summer and Fall training) is Laramie, WY. Those who know....know.

Going somewhere to train is loser/trustfund/daddys-money mentality.

Just run where you are. There does not need to be anything special about it.

You can't train low in Laramie.

And then there's the wind. Lost in all of this is the OG altitude training, Alamosa, Colorado. Also windy, but that's where Coach Vigil's crew really sank its teeth into altitude training.

why are they using old photos for that article? There is no way Rory would be training in Hoka gears 🤣

I don't think there really is an altitude training location in Europe - which is why so many europeans go to Kenya. Probably are great places to train in the rift valley - but other than for pros, it doesn't matter as its cost prohibitive in one way or another.

I don't think there is anywhere in the US where you can live high but get low so quickly with the running community of Flagstaff. If you just want an altitude town then the Colorado cities (Boulder, Co Springs, etc) and Santa Fe/los Alamos, Mammoth, Big Bear, and Tahoe are ok.

Park City and Bend are great for running but aren't high enough for altitude benefit. I think you benefit more from having great places to run than just living high, but that's another discussion. So there you have it.

No one is training in Laramie unless they are just there for the summer.

not a whole lot new or unknown within this article