I just found out I have to transfer to Stamford. Anyone know of some good pools or gyms (or tri groups) near the Stamford/Greenwich area? I keep finding places with “junior olympic pools” that are 20 yds…not quite what I was looking for. 
I am the RD of a local sprint tri. There are a bunch of tri clubs and organized group training. I will be happy to include you on various email distribution lists. All of the YMCA’s have 25yd pools with one 50yd pool in the area. Feel free to PM me and I will fill you in.
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Which tri would that be? club race? I don’t know of any races in Stamford. sorry, can’t help OP with anything down that way.
How about in New Haven? I’m moving there in . . . geez, 2 weeks (it really crept up on me).
CT is a great tri state despite its size. Lots of great races. Mr Wilkas himself puts on what the athletes have called ‘the unofficial championship of everything’, the Pat Griskus Tri.
If youre moving to new haven theres a masters swim program out of yale that meets 5 days a week, if youre looking for a place to swim.
other races in the area include: the hammerfest triathlon, madison triathlon, griskus sprint and olympic, mystic tri, mossman series of races (theyve got a sprint, and two olympics i think)…theres also tons of racing in Mass so you wont be looking hard for race opportunities…
if you have more specific questions fire away…
Firing…
Swimming, Yale, check. Do you know anything about the Woodbridge JCC, or the Hopkins School? Apparently the previous owner of our house swam there a few days a week.
Running, places to go around Westville? East Rock is a nice place to run but I don’t relish getting there, on foot, from the other side of town. Is West Rock comparable,and/or safe?
Biking, know any good route resources? I’m really clueless here. I really just need a map or a few people that aren’t total hammerheads to show me around.
Do you have any views on Extrememan vs. Nutmeg HIM vs. Half Montauk? I’m trying to keep it local.
Thanks.
The CT DOT publishes a map of the better roads for cycling. You can view or order a copy here: http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?a=1380&q=259662
I live in Middletown and will ride down route 17 into New Haven. That is a nice road and there are some other CT numbered highways that intersect with it that are decent.
I can’t help with comparing those races, however I do know that this year’s Nutmeg HIM is the first one.
i think there is a 25 yd pool at the Y in stamford and know that tri groups get together there. i belong to the New Canaan Y that has a beautiful 25 yd pool. Darien is nice too, i hear. not sure about greenwich.
Welcome to the area. i’m right over the stamford border in pound ridge.
I live in Darien and work in Stamford. I moved here a few months ago from upper Fairfield County (Danbury area).
I swim at the Darien Y (about 30 seconds over the Stamford border) which has a 25-yard pool. It’s a great pool.
There are lots of nice places to ride around here. I usually ride up into Westchester County or just get the miles in locally. For long rides on the weekend I head up north via automobile or I’ve been over to Harriman a bunch of times this spring, which is only an hour from here. There are plenty of places within a 30 minute drive that are quite suburban and very low traffic.
As for running, everything’s very neighborhoody here and you have your choice of terrain, hilly or flat.
Plenty of good racing in our backyard. As others mentioned, Pat Griskus series, Mossman, the SBR series at Harriman, Lake Terramuggus up near Hartford, and Litchfield Hills Olympic. A fair amount of local duathlons too and lots of running every weekend. There’s a weekly Tuesday cross-country race in New Canaan too. The Nutmeg half iron distance is debuting this September and I believe it’s run by one of the nicest girls in the sport of triathlon.
In short, CT is definitely a great place to be a triathlete. You’ll feel right at home! The tri scene here is a very tight-knit but welcoming community.
Where are you moving from and to what area of Stamford?
If you’re going to live in Stamford pay a visit to Cycle Center up on High Ridge Rd, just above the Merritt Pkway (Route 15.) Ten minutes from downtown max.
They know the local tri/bike/run race scene very well and they even have a cycling -slash- triathlon team (of which i’m a member.) The guys are incredibly knowledgaeble & friendly, and they stock more enthusiast-oriented gear than most other bike shops I’ve been in (though they do also carry tons of kids & recreational bikes.) They’ll be able to steer you in the right direction on group rides, races, etc. as well as places to ride on your own.
Wow, sounds like some really good training options. Are there organized swims or masters groups at any of these pools? I’m moving from Houston and we’re not sure where we’re going to live yet. The job is in Stamford but we still have to take a trip up to decide where to live since not familiar with the area. Any advice from you guys on areas to live around there are much appreciated as well! I’ll just be glad to be in an area where I might be able to ride on the road. You have to drive pretty far out from central Houston to have a decent stretch of road, i.e. no rednecks in monster trucks trying to force you off the road or throwing things at you.
Thanks for the tip!
The woodbridge JCC is supposedly a decent pool but has no masters program. not sure exactly where youre living but theres a group of us who swim at the cheshire pool a handful of days a week. depending on where in westville you are it could be as little as 15 mins or so…there is a group who swims at hopkins and theyre all triathletes i just dont know any of the details to be honest…
i probably wouldnt recommend running from westville to east rock park. youd have to go through some nasty parts of new haven to get there. there is however a flat paved linear trail which starts in hamden and runs about 10 or 12 miles up through cheshire…gotta be careful in the west rocks area too (well as well as eastrock)…youre right near a college but go the wrong way a few streets and youre in the projects. i think westville in general is a safe place…
extrememan and nutmeg are brand new races and ive never heard of either of the race directors so i cant comment. ive heard phenomenal things about montauk but have never done it myself…though i think the weather can be unpredictable.
While I live in a different neighborhood here in the Nutmeg State, I simply vouch for the “triathlon community” that I have encountered. There are great places to get out and train (my favorite is in the northwest corner of the state near the Barkhamstead Resevoir) - and New England is home to some quality races, like Timberman 70.3 in Gilford, NH. This Saturday is the date for the Griskus Olympic distance race in Woodbury, CT.
Anyway – welcome to Connecticut…
I grew up in Greenwich, work in Greenwich, and live in Stamford. You can do Master’s swim in the early mornings at the Greenwich YWCA… the YMCA is currently building a new pool; both Olympic…TONS of great riding, trail running, plenty of races both running and tris…PM me! I know EVERYTHING! hahaha
darcy
I live in Newtown (North/Central Farfield Cty), and work in Shelton and Stamford. I also am the tri club manager for the Bethel Cycle Club, so I’m a bit biased about who the best folks to train with are! The riding in Fairfield Cty and Westchester is nice (certainly nicer than the options that the folks in NYC have), but it’s still pretty lousy when compared to Litchfield Cty. and the rides North of Route 84. Many folks who work in Stamford live where I do; the cycling/running is waaaay better, and the housing is much cheaper (a 3500 sq. foot colonial in my town is about $800K vs. $1.25-$1.5 in Southern Fairfield Cty), but the commute to Stamford can be terrible. I’m 38 miles from the office in Stamford (far side of Newtown to far side of Stamford - I only go there 1X per week) and it’s 1-2 hours each way depending on traffic - 1:35 is about average.
If you want more details on the area, PM me and I’ll send you my cell phone. I’m pretty familiar with all of the town between here and Stamford.
My tri club did our 20-week “winter” swim progam at the Woodbridge JCC the past couple of years. Pretty decent pool. Not sure about availability and cost since I’ve only been there with the club. But it’s certainly perfectly fine place to swim.