Top Training Locations in U.S. - Flagstaff, then Big Bear, then Boulder

I live in boulder and love it here. I've never seen so many people out running. Not just running either. People are active via cycling, hiking, walking, kyaking, climbing etc. Very fun comunity, and the weather is runner friendly most of the year. Yes it's going to be 98 today but as long as you run early like i did you can head out when its still 61.

I live in Boulder and agree with the previous remarks.

Now let's watch the haters come out ...

I just recently moved out here, but I live closer to Denver...I have been up to Boulder, but not seen a whole lot of it. For whatever reason, the difference between Boulder and the Denver suburbs seems worlds away. It sucks here. I see fat people out walking, but no serious runners around...very few good places to run (except concrete bike paths, and that's not very good). Why did my stupid job have to be in Denver? Why couldn't the CU medical school have just stayed in Boulder? AARRRGH!

what are the best winter training locations?

are there any altitude options with no snow?

back to work wrote:

I live in boulder and love it here.

Yes it's going to be 98 today but as long as you run early like i did you can head out when its still 61.

I had no idea it got that hot in Boulder, at altitude?

Rochester Hills, MI

It hits high 90s here most days. It is like living in a broiler, because there's so few trees and it is ALWAYS sunny. I grew up in FLORIDA for god's sake, and it is miserably hot here, even to me. The saving grace is like the other poster wrote...it was about 64 degrees at 6 am today. Nice.

observer of all... wrote:

I had no idea it got that hot in Boulder, at altitude?

I lived in Boulder for a summer, and it was worse, in terms of heat, than where I'm originally from in the southwest. Boulder is a high desert with little to no tree coverage. If you didn't get out by 7am, you were screwed. I actually had to wear sunscreen because it was so bright! If I went to train at altitude again, I'd go to Flagstaff or Alamosa.

What about east of the mississippi. Anything out here that can compare?

It has actually begun to "cool" off a bit July had a couple of 100 degree days in and around Denver and a couple of series of 8 - 10 days with temps in the mid/upper 90s.There is practically ZERO shade in the Denver / Boulder metro area. Take a peek at the satellite view Google Maps in and around Boulder, Boulder Res, Denver, etc. There are some cottonwood trees along creeks, and non-native trees in the neighborhoods.Boulder This Week:Tuesday[Partly Cloudy]89° F | 61° F32° C | 16° CWednesday [Chance of a Thunderstorm]90° F | 61° F32° C | 16° CThursday[Chance of a Thunderstorm]88° F | 62° F31° C | 17° 0CFriday[Partly Cloudy]90° F | 63° F32° C | 17° CSaturday [Partly Cloudy]90° F | 64° F32° C | 18° C

observer of all... wrote:

I had no idea it got that hot in Boulder, at altitude?

Take a close look at where the people (mens side) who made the US team for Osaka live:

MEN

800:

1. Los Angeles

2. Eugene

3. Los Angeles

1500:

1. Virginia

2. Tucson

3. Austin

5000:

1. Tucson

2. Madison

3. Portland, Or

10000

1. Mammoth Lakes

2. Boulder

3. Eugene

The womens' side is similiar, with even more people (Deena Kastor and Jen Rhines) from Mammoth Lakes.

The two primary places are Mammoth Lakes and Eugene/Portland for distance people, and mid distance people are in Los Angeles, Tucson, or Knoxville. And keep in mind why athletes often live where the live: Lagat is in Tucson because Dr. James Li is at U of Arizona, Treniere Clement and Hazel Clark are in Knoxville becasue JJ Clark is there, and it's the same thing for Alan Webb. 3 of the 6 people in the 10000 are in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Massachusetts.

Geography and Altitude are secondary. The most important thing is the availability of a top-flight coach, access to facilities and physical therapy, and a good cultural situation.

Practically nobody who is anybody in the US comes from the places you mentioned (except Madison).

Boulder? It has become the wannabe-has been capital of the US, where you can find a whole environment full of people with outsized egos who don't want to train very hard and sit around coffee shops and whine about how everyone who actually goes out and works for their results are all on drugs--the same attitude you find mostly on letsrun. Dr, Vigil would not even coach in Boulder for the reasons I've mentioned. The whole place just feels sleazy, and I don't even want to spend a day there to race (nice track at CU); I'd rather go to Provo (nicer track at BYU).

sfgesrhsrth wrote:

what are the best winter training locations?

are there any altitude options with no snow?

San Luis Obispo, CA!!! No altitude though.

It has everything...wish I could manage to find a way to live there.

Only in the 80's today in Albuquerque, NM. (not that it doesn't ever get hot there)

I really liked training in monterey when i was there. The weather is perfect for training and there are miles and miles and miles of great trails. Some shaded really well and some just out in a sandy former military base. Either way that was a great place to train. I prefer it here in boulder though. The community is more supportive of our efforts. Any of you guys in boulder want to go for a run some time?

HUNAN_HOUSE wrote:

Rochester Hills, MI

I have to agree that running in the Rochester Hills, Troy, and Birmingham areas of Michigan is awesome. Fortunately for me work takes me up there a couple of times a year and I always enjoy going out for a run. Great weather every time I've been in town too (normally June).

Tony wrote:

I just recently moved out here, but I live closer to Denver...I have been up to Boulder, but not seen a whole lot of it. For whatever reason, the difference between Boulder and the Denver suburbs seems worlds away. It sucks here. I see fat people out walking, but no serious runners around...very few good places to run (except concrete bike paths, and that's not very good). Why did my stupid job have to be in Denver? Why couldn't the CU medical school have just stayed in Boulder? AARRRGH!

There's plenty of good places to run besides concrete bike paths. The Highline Canal, trails around the Table Mesas near Golden, the Big Dry Creek trail in Westminster, and others near Superior are all examples of good runs.