Coming from Denmark you are going to hate the traffic.....

If you were moving permanently I'd say you should take a good look at Denver, but since you're only going for a short time, and it seems like you're serious with your training, I'd say go to Boulder.

Boulder is obviously very popular on these boards, but it's also one of the most expensive places to live in CO and only getting more expensive/crowded. Training options are obviously great though and I suspect coming from Europe it will still be cheaper than what you're used to.

Highland is a lot closer to downtown and definitely has a more urban feel to it, it's a pretty hipster area which has plenty of perks if you're into that sort of thing. Training from there will definitely be worse because you'll just have to deal with more traffic and urban sprawl to get out of town.

I live in SW Denver and haven't lived here for that long so I can't really comment on if there is a good suburb on the N side of town that would be a better fit while still having some culture, hopefully someone else can chime in on that. Golden is a little further south but might be an option as well.

It's pretty hard to go wrong with Boulder though if it's in your budget.

The Denver Highlands is a cool area but it is exorbitantly expensive and not conducive to bike training. Boulder is great but it is also very pricey. Assuming your budget is not unlimited, the northern part of Boulder is somewhat affordable, Lafayette and Louisville are also good options because they are very close to Boulder and you can still get out and train without having to drive anywhere. If you are a young single guy, you can't go wrong in either location.

If you move to Lafayette, Lousville, Superior or Broomfield you get the best of both worlds. Very bike friendly for road and MTB commuting. Great access to E-470 which is a straight shot to DIA.

anyone know any good swim locations near boulder downtown? Preferably indoor pool since a lot of outdoors are about to be closed.

Not knowing budget, I would say Boulder, then one of the outer towns, Lafayette or Louisville. I would avoid the Denver metro area if you are into cycling, you would be taking a bike bath to get out of Denver and while the paths are okay, it would get old and time consuming. I would assume you could ride your bike from any of the Boulder areas to where you will be working which I think is near Interlocken

They have decent public transportation from Boulder to Denver, when and if you want to come to Denver.

If you are serious about training, avoid the Denver metro area.

Welcome to Colorado...soon!
No matter where you live I think you will enjoy it. This is a great state.
Where you live depends on your highest priority.

If airport access is highest, Denver (highlands, uptown, denver tech center) has to be your choice. Its also very easy to get out of town and have a long ride/run.

If training is your highest priority, Boulder is the best training ground. But its also about 1 hour and 15 minutes to the airport.

Denver and Boulder are among the most expensive rental markets in the US right now. I'm not totally up to date on rental costs in Boulder but I would guess they are about the same.

One thing to note; The only reservoir that has 24-hour access for open water swim training is Aurora Reservoir. If you live in Boulder you will never train there. If you live in Denver, it is a 45 minute drive from the Highlands, for example, but it is great out there. The water is snow runoff from the mountains. No motor boats are allowed so the water stays very nice all summer long. They have buoys set up for a 400 meter triangular lap and you will never be interrupted there.

If you want to talk further about life in Denver or have other questions, I have lived in denver nearly my whole life. You can email me at bcwood17@gmail.com

I moved here 3 years ago and love. Consider moving to Arvada, especially the west side. Traffic is not as bad and its close to a lot of great rides.

I agree. This is very good advice.

I know the Denver metro area pretty well.

Yep, Boulder is over-crowded and over-priced. Denver is just, well, Denver.

Louisville is awesome.

I have the same question as the OP. I've been looking at the Strava heatmaps for Denver but I don't know how fast folks are going. Can you train (i.e., 20+mph) on the trails in Denver e.g., the Cherry Creek Trail, South Platte River Trail and 470 trails? In Raleigh all the "bike" trails are winding trails filled with sharp muddy turns, kids and dogs. They're great for running but for biking you're safer on the streets even if you're just trying to get out of town.

Basically, if you lived in downtown Denver where would you do a 30/60/100 mile ride? Would you just drive your bike somewhere and ride from there? (Note, I really dislike the idea of driving to ride just on principle.)

Also, are there group rides leaving from downtown Denver? I'm sure they exist in Boulder.

I live in the middle of Denver and the trails can be OK but in general I have gotten so that I avoid them like the plague. It is hard to get a good training stimulus on them without feeling that you are taking your life and other peoples lives into your own hands. There are pedestrians walking aimlessly, dogs walking aimlessly, drunks walking aimlessly, sand, debris, etc. Going on the weekend is nuts.

I ride either up in Golden or Boulder and drive to do it 1-3 times per week. The rest of my rides are on the trainer.

If money is not an issue then Boulder is the way to go. I would live there but am not willing to sacrifice an hour plus per day commuting to work.

i second louisville

I hear Denmark is a lovely country, being that Boulder has a reputation as a renowned training ground for triathletes I'd choose it over Denver. On another note did you know that when Sweden plays Denmark in sports it looks like this: Swe Den and the remaining letters make this: Den Mark. Pretty cool huh?

I live in NE Boulder and can get to the airport in 45 minutes via the toll road. Living on the South side of Boulder you could save a few minutes on that. Unless you are going to the airport an extraordinary amount, the time gained from living in the Denver area is probably not a major factor in the decision. Also, living in the Denver area probably means having to take I-70 to the airport, and that road has lots of delays. From Boulder you have the toll road option which avoids most of the traffic. (Your biggest challenge would be getting out of Boulder, if you are leaving during rush hour, which is about 4-6pm).

Thanks for all your comments and advices.


What I have found out from your comments is that finding an apartment in Highland, would not be the best choice regarding commuting to/from work in car/on bike, and the training options on bike from Highland will be limited.


Would Arvada (e.g. Olde Town) be a better option for me?
Or is Boulder just the best possible solution for me? How will the traffic be from Boulder to Westmoor Technology Park? And would I be able to commute on bike? I would love to bike on work as part of a daily training, but I dont know if that is feasible and if could work as a good training.


I would like to join some training groups and triathlon clubs and I have found Rocky Mountain Triathlon Club in Denver and Boulder
Triathlon Club. Are there any other clubs I should take into account.


My aim for next year is finish Ironman Copenhagen in sub 9.30.00 hours, and if this should succeed I need to improve my swim i.e. I need to join swim classes and in general have easy access to swim training.
Besides all that I love to bike in mountains!


I obviously love to do triathlon, but would also like to live in an area where there are other 30 years old young professionals. I know that I cannot get anything, but would like to come as close as possible :-)

You will be working across the street from my wife! Considering your location the outlying communities of Boulder are the easiest commutes to that area. We live right off of E-470 near where it intersects with I25 (the major north south highway in Colorado) and it takes her 15-20 minutes to get to work. If you are in Lafayette or Louisville the commute is easily bike-able. Plus, you will be close to Boulder Res where you can do the morning OWS swims during the summer.

If you live in Arvada you will have to take Wadsworth north and south to get to and form work, the traffic is congested and the commute times will not be favorable to you.

I live in Boulder and work in Westminster. The commute is against traffic because all the traffic goes into Boulder in the morning and out in the evening. My commute is 30min. I imagine yours would be 20-25min if you lived in Boulder. They have a new bike path along highway 36 that you could probably take to work. You will find a lot of young professionals in Denver Highlands and also in Boulder but the singles scene is better in the Highlands. That being said, the triathlon scene and biking is better in Boulder. There is Boulder Aquatic Masters that you can join or great masters swim classes at the many gyms in the area. I belong to Endurance House triathlon club located in Westminster. I think it is 80 strong. They do their training in Westminster (swimming at Lifetime Fitness) and in Boulder (biking and brick workouts). There are ironman triathletes and recreational triathletes. The vibe is supportive and pretty laid back. I think if you are into triathlon and join a club, you will hopefully meet people that way. I cannot comment on the triathlon clubs in Boulder but I am sure they are also good.
You can do triathlon and live in the Highlands and you can live in Boulder and go out with young professionals but mainly- Boulder for triathlon or Highlands for being young, single and going out.
I do not know much about Arvada- it is smaller than the other 2 places.

Actually from the west side of Arvada, you can avoid Wads altogether and there's lots of great biking. Used to do that commute myself a lot.

I vote for Arvada or Louisville if you are looking more for training opportunities than urban feel and nightlife.

Arvada has a couple indoor pools (Apex, Duncan YMCA, Meier) and you can commute up to Boulder if you want a more serious masters program.

I think you and I know each other, if only in passing. I spend a lot of time (and money) at E-House. I am on the LTF tri team but inevitably I know a lot of you guys.

if those are your only options than obviously boulder, i met crowie there it was awesome lol

Cool. small world. I do not participate on these boards often (low key recreational triathlete) but felt I could offer some perspective on this subject. did not realize Lifetime had a tri team too. I have spent some time there- it is a nice place. e house is also great- Jim the owner works so hard to make it so. There are a lot of triathletes in CO and a lot of fun tri teams to join. I made the decision to live in Highlands Denver vs Boulder back in 2010 and found a nice place in Boulder and have since called Boulder home. I also often meet friends in the highlands for dinner since many people I work with live by there. There are a lot of good places to have dinner or a drink.

Good luck with the move! Give Golden a look while you are checking things out.