I've been visiting my family in Denver, Colorado for Christmas. Lots going on, but relevant to adventure racing is the wealth of trails and parks around here. On Christmas Eve I saw several trail runners in and around Rocky Mountain National Park, passed 20 or more bikers on the mountain roads -- including one tandem. There is an outdoor ethic here that Hampton Roads doesn't share; even the small coffee shops sell bike socks and it seems like one-in-three cars has a roof rack for bikes, skis, etc. I'm sufferring from a bit of outdoor envy, I must admit!
On Christmas Day they had record warm temperaturs (65 or higher) and my family went for a hike while I did a trail run -- I wouldn't dream of coming out here without at least a pair of trail running shoes! The trailhead was only 15 minutes from our house and had amazing climbs and views -- truly gorgeous. From an exercise perspective, the 60 minute run was better than any I've done back home because the elevation gain was brutal; there were a few climbs I ended up walking the final few steps because I was out of breath. I'm sure the elevation had something to do with it (my altimeter said 6,500 at the highest point of the trail). I'd be a much stronger athlete if I could train here on a regular basis!
There is a reason many of the best adventure racers (many of the pros) come from Colorado -- terrain is accessible, very challenging, and outdoor "adventure" permeates the air. I'm hoping to tackle a fixed orienteering course before I leave, and get some more good trail runs in (of course). Team HRAdventure is looking at a race out this way later in 2006 and we have our work cut out for us if we're going to race strong on terrain such as this!