Training in Tucson, Arizona during the winter months. The place to be for cyclists and triathletes!
Looking for an ideal place to train during the winter months? If so, you need to take a serious look at Tucson, Arizona.
Tucson, Arizona is the place to train during the winter months. Many top cyclist and triathletes come to Tucson, Arizona to train during their winter training preparation. An average winter day in Tucson is sunny and 65 to 75 degrees. The mornings can be a little chilly but nothing to stop you from getting out on the road.
Lance Armstrong used Tucson as his base training camp. He rented a cabin on the top of Mt. Lemon. He would spend his day riding the back roads of Tucson and then finish his ride off with a 30 mile climb to the top of Mt. Lemon which gains a total of about 5,000 feet in 26 to 28 miles.
Tucson has one of the best group rides in the country called the ‘Shoot Out’ according to Bicycling Magazine. The 60 mile loop cuts south from Tucson into desolate, mountainous desert toward Green Valley, Arizona almost to the Mexico boarder. During January, February and March the Shoot Out is loaded with professional cyclist from all over the world. The pack ranges from 100 to 175 fit riders. You can often see local pro riders like Phil Zajicek, Gord Fraser and Curtis Gunn gracing the peloton along with pro triathlete Jimmy Riccitello.
For a map and description of the Shoot Out click the link below: www.roadbikerides.com/ride/view/shootout_/77
The other notable ride and a must do is riding to the top of Mt Lemom.
For a map and description of the ride up Mt. Lemmon click the link below: www.roadbikerides.com/ride/view/mt_lemmon_/117
For the triathletes out there, Tucson has one of the best masters swimming programs in the country. The program is called Tucson Ford Aquatics which is at the University of Arizona pool.
There are 3 daily workout times to choose from: 6 AM, 12 PM, and 6:30 PM. You can often see many top professional triathletes at the pool. The noon workout is the favorite time among the triathletes.
Triathletes like Peter Reid, Jimmy Riccitello, Hillary Biscay, Heather Gollnick, just to name a few, have utilized the Ford Aquatics program for their swim workouts.
For more information visit: http://homepage.mac.com/jimstites/FordAquatics/index.html
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Tags: Arizona, cycling in Tucson, Mt Lemmon Bike Ride, Shoot Out bike ride, Shootout bike ride, training in Tucson during the winter, Tucson Ford Aquatics, winter training for cyclists
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January 27th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
[...] weeks Shoot Out Commentary was written by Scott Biaggi of [...]
March 23rd, 2008 at 12:41 am
Hello everybody, my name is Damion, and I’m glad to join your conmunity,
and wish to assit as far as possible.
May 6th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
I want to commend the ridestrong.com website for info and tips which helped plan our trip to Tucson this past week and to Tyler Ford for his availability by phone/text while we were there. I have done other cycling trips both solo and with a few friends and Tucson rates up there as one of the two best; along with the Caribbean-French island of Guadeloupe.
So, to say that riding Tucson was nice is an understatement of enormous proportions:
The weather was sunny and warm to hot every day
The roads are in excellent condition with marked bike lanes on over 80% of the roads
The people and drivers are friendly, warm, courteous and genteel
The comraderie of the 4 man peloton was fabulous
The challenge of the terrain was extraordinary
The restaurants were very nice
The bike shops were plentiful and helpful
The hotel accomodations were reasonably priced and splendid
AC and I rode on days 1-6
Tucci on days 2-6
OC on days 2-5
Note-OC and Tucci had to limit their travel plans due to family/business obligations
Everyone rode extremely well
We all did the epic and fabulous Mt. Lemmon climb- approximately 75 miles total that day including the actual 26 mile ascent from the base to Mt. Lemmon Cafe in Summerhaven- total climbing that day was over 6600 feet!!!
All our rides started at the Hotel at Speedway and Wilmot:
We did the Saguaro Natl Park-Vail Loop- Colossal Cave-Pistol Hill ride on day 1; Gates Pass-McCain Loop on day 2;Mt. Lemmon on day 3;Saguaro Loop on day 4; River Road-Gates Pass on day 5and River-Oracle-Tangerine Loop on day 6.
Total Climbing for the full 6 days—-17,200 feet
Total Miles for the full 6 days—-330
Total Watts Produced—Lots
Total KCals burned—Lots
Total Amount of Fun—Lots and Lots
Total Supplements/Energy Bars-Gels-goos-blocks-powders consumed—Lots
I must say that this cycling experience was beyond my expectations in all aspects-
Thanks sooooo much to my compatriots for a fantabulous trip
we hope to repeat this next year with some more riders
I encourage everyone to view the rides at the ridestrong.com web site
Hope to see you on the road soon
I remain
Barry Taerbaum
May 6th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
Hi Barry,
Glad you had a good time and that I could help.
Tucson is a great place to ride!
Tyler Ford
May 17th, 2008 at 6:10 pm
Wow! It was nice to stumble upon this site and see the you tube that almost gave me chills as I remember my many rides with Ralph and the group. Nice to see that the more things change the more they seem to truly stay the same.
Ride hard guys, oh, and gals
Hope to make it over there again someday for some hammerin’
Enjoy
Ron
May 20th, 2008 at 11:38 am
I sent a list of local chicago rides from our Chicago Bike Racing Web blog to you-Tyler-hope it gives some worthwhile info for cyclists traveling to our town that want to jump in on some organized rides
Barry
May 20th, 2008 at 11:39 am
For everyone else’s info, the site is Chicagobikeracing.com
October 24th, 2008 at 7:31 am
This is my first visit to this blog. and i am impressed. this place is really great.
October 25th, 2008 at 12:06 am
Tucson is indeed a great place to ride. The atmosphere there is so serene that it never make you feel tired. My advice – ride there at least on 2-3 times annually..