Best Place in the US for Triathletes (Page 3)

Florida! My last open water swim was oh you know, last month and the only reason I haven't done it recently is because I'm focusing on running... although I did start to overheat on a run last week. And the biking is amazing this time of year.

The thing I love about Florida is the weather is predictable. Like in the summer, you can pretty much count on it not raining in the morning and rain in the afternoon so you can plan your workouts around that. Also good for races!

I'd vote for Central AZ, around Prescott Valley as the best place, it's 4,000 ft altitude, temps on avg. 10 to 15 degrees cooler than Phx, and only 60 miles from Phx.  You've got access to more altitude and cooler temps in Flagstaff about another 60 miles away, public and private pools, lakes, mountains, etc.  Tucson has turned into a winter professional training ground, PHX is not too bad, very hot in the summer, but if you get out early enough, it's adaptable.

I'd love to be in Prescott Valley - Sedona area, nuff said.

Those have to be some freakishly fast AGers to beat where I am in Northern CA, honestly. 

Sami Inkinen (2011 Kona M30-35) AG champ won the AG for the oly tri I entered down here and not by a fair margin (sub-2), and also won Wildflower at a record AG pace, I think. (He lives in San Francisco.) It would be one thing if he won by huge margins, but there's a lot of guys breathing right down his back in local races.

Even in the Big Kahuna HIM triathlon this past Sep, where I didn't recognize any of the names in my AG (it's considered a smaller race, and doesn't sell out), it would have taken a 4:35 to get 4th in the M30-35 division AG. Yikes!

I believe a podium in the Oly I did in Silicon valley for M30-35 was about a 2:03-2:05 on a hilly course (very few flats on the bike), and that wasnt even for 1st AG. I've completely given up even on trying to podium an AG over here in Norcal despite the fact that I don't think my results are too shabby. 

Northern California is a region, Madison is a city, and Sami Inkinen I believe is Belgian and only recently moved to SF. That said, Madison has produced 4 pros that I can rattle of the top of my head who were all Ag'ers within the past 2-3 years, oh and Gwen Jorgenson who now resides in Milwaukee. 

IMWI M18-24 podium had 2 Madison residents both under 10:15 on a hard course, first time IM'ers one ran a 3:05 marathon. We also have a very deep elite AG field, check out the Door County triathlon and how many local racers went sub 5:00 on that course. 

Want to win a sprint in Madison? Better be able to go sub 60 mins

Madison is the hidden Boulder of the midwest, not just from an awesome training standpoint, but the athletic base as well. 

I'm biased but Michigan is pretty good.  Lots of good places for OWS (races in one of the Great Lakes are tough to beat), no sharks, no alligators.  A fair number of bike trails and metroparks for good riding in the Detroit area.  Running outside in the winter is no problem most of the time.  It's a bit of a drag being stuck on the trainer or in the pool in the winter.  However, I very much enjoy that first run of the spring  when it's warm enough to put the shorts on, a feeling I wouldn't get to experience if it was nice all year round.  Of course oftentimes then it will turn around and snow the next week.

I have visited Wisconsin where some relatives have a place in a rural area not too far outside of Green Bay.  Some excellent riding to be had out there with lightly traveled country roads on perfectly smooth asphalt with some decent hills.

Am def biased somewhat here, but having lived on both East Coast (NY) and now West Coast (Norcal and Socal), I think that ignoring cost of living and other life factors, I can't see how one can consider anywhere that snows as "best" for triathlon, and that takes out most of the East Coast and Midwest. 

Pros prefer boulder, CO despite the snow because they have exposure to fellow pro triathletes and coaches, but that doesn't mean that San Diego is worse than Boulder for year-round training by any stretch, particularly during winter months.

That said, if you factor in life concerns, the best place will likely have little to do with triathlon-friendliness and everything to do with your job and family concerns.

Even today?? 

Not Payson, AZ, that I can guarantee.  Portland, OR was pretty darn good if you were ok with the rain.  Tons of hills, nice long flats, open water, and lots of races near by.  Never too hot nor too cold.  Tucson, AZ was a great training place, but not a great racing place.  You pretty much had to travel if you wanted anything other then a sprint with a pool swim.  But races were not that far away but an overnight stay usually.  Great running races though. 

I think when it comes to training, as long as you have pool access every place is a great place.  You make it what you want.  But for me I want easy access to races that I can travel to and back without an overnight stay and I want the swim to be open water.  So that leaves a lot of good places to be a triathlete in.