I’m going to be going to Iowa City, IA for about a week. I searched and did not see any YMCA’s except in Cedar Rapids. Any suggestions on where to lap swim? Also, how bike friendly is the area? Would it be better to bring a mtb or road bike? Any suggestions for running paths/trails?
Thanks, Pat
if you bring a road bike, also bring a good map. a lot of the roads in rural iowa are not paved. Also, if you have ever seen the movie pet semetary- i was totes riding on the road outsed judd’s house. Semi truck after semi truck doing 60 with no shoulder, not fun. ive really only run around the city, and haven’t found really any trails (im not from IC, but i visit it a lot)
Check out the Field House pool (on campus), here’s a link to some masters info, I believe they also have normal open swim times. I think the Trihawks are the local tri club. Lake MacBride isn’t too far away and has some trail running options. There’s a triathlon that starts from the lake so those roads may work for a ride as well. It’s been too long so I can’t remember what they are like.
Thanks for the link, the university pool looks like a great place to swim. I’m now debating if I want to take the bike. I would think I can find a few spin classes an that would be less packing.
If you do bring the bike, there are group rides that leave Tuesday and Thursday from the downtown area around 5:30. There is an “A” ride and a "B’ ride. The A ride is a make-no-friends-Im-going-to-drop-you ride, the B ride is more focused on staying together. The A ride is pretty fast, a lot of Cat 1/2 cyclists, withe the B ride being some 3’s and a lot of 4’s. If you just want to roll out by yourself, there are a few easy loops you can do from IC…north is hilly, south is pretty flat. I could maybe throw a map or two together on mapmyride or something if you lug along your bike
I’m going to be going to Iowa City, IA for about a week. I searched and did not see any YMCA’s except in Cedar Rapids. Any suggestions on where to lap swim? Also, how bike friendly is the area? Would it be better to bring a mtb or road bike? Any suggestions for running paths/trails?
Thanks, Pat
It’s a little easier to get into the Mercer pool than the Fieldhouse . . . http://www.icgov.org/default/?id=1061
This is the standard road loop (called the Sugar Bottom Loop) that has some nice hills . . . http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/NL-Sugar-Bottom-loop
The fullproof don’t get lost option is to just take Gilbert Street south out of town (turns into Sand Road shortly outside of town) . . . just a very flat road with few interruptions, goes about 10 miles before it runs into a T-intersection with only one stop sign in between. It’s where I always did intervals when I lived in Iowa City.
This is the place you would go mountain biking (coincidentally, the Sugar Bottom Loop goes right by here, so you could ride your mountain bike on the road here) . . .http://www.icorrmtb.org/icorr/
My favorite place to run was always out at the Res (The Coralville Reservoir).