I have been in Boulder, Colorado, for almost two weeks now since arriving here with Krista and Princess (my Dalmatian) pulling a small U-haul trailer behind my Volvo wagon.
Here are my first impressions on a city that many consider the epicenter of triathlon.
No matter where I am standing in Boulder, I can see the mountains. I’m sitting her typing this blog article and looking out at the mountains. I can step outside my apartment, hop on my bike, ride for 5 minutes then start climbing for 1.5+ hours. No excuses for not being strong on the hills!
Altitude is a bitch. I definitely feel the altitude when working out at higher intensities and I feel like I’m gasping during higher intensity swim intervals. I’ve also had difficulty sleeping through the night which I’ve heard is fairly common.
The low humidity makes the hot days more bearable. 94F in Boulder feels like 94F. 94F back in Baltimore/DC feels like 109F. I have been warned to stay hydrated, as it’s easier to become dehydrated at altitude so have been drinking more.
Everyone bikes. All kinds of bikes – tri bikes, road bikes, commuter bikes, fixies, cruisers, etc. All the time. Does anyone really work here? I don’t know.
There are bike lanes and bike signs everywhere, too. From what I’ve seen, motorists respect the cyclists and the pedestrians, too. Cars will stop at crosswalks. I’ve never felt so safe riding except in Europe.
Boulder contains a virtual “Who’s Who” of the professional triathlon world. In the two weeks that I’ve been here, I’ve had a chance to swim in the outdoor pool (open year round) at Flatiron Athletic Club next to Chrissie Wellington (who just broke the world record for the Ironman-distance yesterday in a time of 8:19:13 at Challenge Roth), Timothy O’Donnell (fellow Naval Academy grad), Joanna Zeiger (Olympian), Matty Reed (Olympian), Mirinda Carfrae (2nd at Ironman Hawaii last year and 70.3 super star) to name just a few. Dave Scott (6x Ironman World Champion) coaches the swim workouts. Wow! I’ve also met a few athletes from Australia and New Zealand who come here to train through the summer.
Boulder is in a bubble. It’s its own little world. I felt this way when visting Austin, TX, too. I like the health and fitness culture. Very dog friendly. Public parks everywhere. Many great and unique restaurants. There are two coffee coffee shops and a half dozen restaurants within a 5 minute walk from where I live in north Boulder (NoBo).
Overall, I’m excited by the opportunity to live here, experience the area and meet new people. Life is good!
Live strongly and boldly!
David
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David B. Glover, MS, CSCS
Coach, Athlete and Writer
Author of Full Time and Sub-Nine: Fitting Iron Distance Training into Every Day Life
Web: enduranceworks.net
© 2010 David B. Glover
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Congrats on the move, David. As your number two fan after your mom, I don't recall giving permission to move, but I wish you all the best success and happiness out there. It sounds perfect for you!
Aprille
David:
Nice to hear you move is going well. I spent a few days in ASPEN and had the same reaction:
Beautiful scenery, excellent weather, great outdoor spirit but the altitude sucks.
BTW: read "Full Time, Sub Nine". Really enjoyed it. You're a good writer. I hope you continue to explore this.
pt
I am overdue to get to Boulder myself, and you're adding fuel to that fire. But I've got miles to go before I can do that — starting with some miles in the Shenandoahs that I'm very much looking forward to. See you in Luray!
Welcome to Boulder. It is full of athletic people…the altitude is hard, but it gets harder in CO. Springs, lol.
Send your female active friends my way to join my blog for boulder women of all types. Trying to promote fitness in females.
http://boulderactive.blogspot.com/