Kenyan distance runners have long made themselves at home in Santa Fe -- recall the local pride and excitement when Caroline Rotich won the Boston Marathon in 2015. Now we have another team to root for: Members of the UK Triathlon team are wrapping up an intensive four-week training session here as part of their Olympic preparations.
Alastair Brownlee took gold in London (2012) and Rio (2016), to brother Jonny's silver in Rio. Jonny is flying straight to Tokyo for a warm-up race next week. He had such a wonderful experience here that he may return to tune up for the Olympics there this summer.
Each week, the squad of five put in 10 hours of running, 15-20 biking, and 7-8 hours in the Salvador Perez Pool; the Governing Body will consider when to reopen the pool to the public starting next week. "The facilities, the people, the natural trails, the culture, and the weather are all brilliant," said Jonny Brownlee. "It's become our special place."
Pictured with team members above are their hosts, Recreation Specialists Mark Hussey and Michael Lucero, and Recreation Complex Manager Liz Roybal, who welcomes visiting elite endurance athletes with open arms. "This has been a goal for a long time," she said. "This might be the beginning of a bigger picture here for high-altitude training."
