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Winter Training in Boulder
by Brooke Hanley Davison
People often ask me how I train for triathlon living in Boulder , Colorado in the winter. Many of the top professional triathletes in the area leave for stretches of time to warmer climes, and at the very least attend training camps outside of the state for a few weeks at a time. Given that my children are my number one priority and two of them are in school, leaving Boulder in the winter is not an option for me. Of course, the idea of being able to throw on minimal clothes and jump on my bike for a ride sounds totally appealing. Yet, I also believe training in Boulder in the winter makes us that much tougher and that much stronger. The harder we have to work for something, makes the final result all that more gratifying.
This winter is only my second true season of winter “training” in Boulder . Last year in 2008, I was dabbling in triathlon, yet wasn't entirely sure that this sport was for me. To get out on the bike in sub-freezing temperatures with winds gusting up to 20 mph just didn't seem like the right place for a mother of three. Not to mention, that I just didn't like it. So, I didn't and I didn't worry about it. Winters in Boulder can be very mild and there are days like today, where the sun is shining and the high is 50 degrees. Yet there are also typical winter days filled with snow, ice, slush, and of course, the dreaded Boulder WIND. These are the days that seemingly either make us, or break us.
Last year, I attended a weekly indoor spin class with Dave Scott. I learned a great deal about cadence, pacing, heart rate and just going flat out for 75 minutes. These indoor spin classes are an excellent alternative to riding outside. It was a great part of my week. Simon Lessing now teaches two indoor trainer classes a week at Flatiron Athletic Club (the triathlete MECCA in Boulder ) This year, Dave is not teaching the class and I can't make it to Simon's classes due to the kid's schedules. So, it is up to me to either grin and bear it and get outside, or do the one thing I am doing my best to embrace, get on the trainer. Ugh. And I do not love it. Yet, I am doing it. This year, I have had to get a lot of my riding done on the trainer. What we don't like, just makes us tougher, is what I hear.
Running, of course, is delightful in almost any condition. The cold doesn't bother me. The snow is fun to run in, and the variable conditions make for a more diverse training regime. It's all in how you look at it, right? But back to the wind – I opt for the treadmill during the blustery days, and even I, have learned to love the treadmill. It's a great tool for intervals and controlled pacing. I am learning so much during this winter season and grateful to be fortunate enough to live and train and raise my family in Boulder .
Here's to great winter training!
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