ATHLETES WHO HAVE TRAINED IN FLAGSTAFF
2016 Summer Olympics & Paralympic Games.
High Altitude Training for Olympians & Other Serious Athletes
Flagstaff is a legendary, world-class, athlete-tested destination.
LOCATION
Flagstaff is located at a “perfect” 2100m elevation (sport science research says the most effective altitude training occurs between 2000-2500m), at which the desired physiological adaptations and subsequent increases in aerobic and anaerobic performance are most likely to occur. In addition, Flagstaff also has convenient access to lower training elevations, allowing teams to modify their altitude training plans so as to be able to take advantage of hi-lo training protocols.
Visiting teams' primary training site is located within a vibrant city environment, with easy access to shopping, eating out, and other things to do to break up the rigor and routine of the typical 3-4 week altitude-training stay. Athletes can also visit world-class locales like Grand Canyon and Sedona on days off from training.
SERVICES
24-7 support and centralized services through the HYPO2 high performance management offices, whereby every single altitude training plan component is centrally coordinated and monitored on an ongoing basis throughout the duration of the altitude camp. This allows coaches, athletes, and team support staff to concentrate on their specific roles and not worry about the complex day-to-day logistics necessary for the efficient and effective management of a training program. Having access to HYPO2's in-house high performance team members also means visiting teams can quickly get everything from physiotherapy, blood testing, coaching, physiological testing, mental performance care and much more.
FACILITIES
Altitude training camps for elite athletes cannot occur in the absence of high quality places for them to train and HYPO2's partnership with NAU means that teams can secure dedicated access to a myriad of venues, including an Olympic 50m aquatic center, a 400m outdoor track, an indoor 300m track, modern strength and conditioning facilities and more. Pair that with HYPO2's partnerships in the community that offering highly specialized training tools like the Alter G Anti-Gravity treadmill, and teams are not lacking for high performance training venue options.
Content provided by Sean Anthony, Founder & CEO of HYPO2
356 Olympic medals and counting, from athletes who trained in Flagstaff since we started tracking in 1996.
FLAGSTAFF CRACKS THE TOP 10 PLACES TO GET PHYSICALLY FIT IN 2021.
HIGH ALTITUDE TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR GENERAL ATHLETES
You don't have to be an Olympic athlete to realize beneficial training effects from Flagstaff's high altitude. All athletes are welcome to come to Flagstaff to challenge themselves and realize new heights in their chosen sport! If you are an avid hiker, runner, biker, or winter sports enthusiast, come train on the high-altitude trails in Arizona's favorite outdoor playground. Take your fitness to the next level and have fun while doing it!
Runners will love the Annual Flagstaff Summer Running Series, which offers a variety of high-altitude running experiences (7,000 feet / 2,135 meters) on different terrains.
Flagstaff is also the ideal Arizona location for ski and snowboard racing. The Flagstaff Ski Club hosts competitions for all ages at the Arizona Snowbowl and offers training for those who wish to improve their ski and snowboard racing skills. If you are not a downhill skier, but want to participate in winter racing, the Arizona Nordic Village offers cross-country and snow-shoe competitions for all skill levels.
The Arizona National Scenic Trail
Clocking in at 800 miles, the Arizona Trail spans from Mexico to Utah, traversing two national parks and no less than ten mountain ranges.
South-to-north through-hikers strike out in the spring, taking advantage of cooler, wetter conditions during southern desert stretches. Starting from Utah? The logic is reversed. Begin in the fall to beat the high-elevation snow and tackle the deserts as winter descends.
In northern Arizona’s high country, the trail is crowned with firs, aspen patches, and the world’s largest stand of ponderosa pine. South of Flagstaff the AZT dives into a shag carpet of juniper-chaparral woodlands. Sedona’s red rocks intermingle with dramatic canyon fissures and endless ribbons of distant purple mountains (several of which you’ll summit along your path). Eventually, these mesas descend into an alien desert floor, toy soldier-green with bountiful life. Saguaros cover the landscape like stubble on a chiseled jaw. Lush palo verdes, their bark brightly lime-colored, fill the washes and canyons. The rocky soils hide beneath endless prickly pear, teddy bear cholla, and jojoba. Creosote bushes climb the hills, smelling of rolling thunder and desert rain.
Flagstaff Train Section:
The AZT cuts right through town. A tourist destination all its own, Flagstaff makes a great basecamp for casual day hikers and wearier through-hikers looking for a place to wash clothes and grab a civilized meal. Be sure to check out Lowell Observatory, where recently down-graded dwarf planet Pluto was discovered. Nearby, three National Monuments will reward day explorers with truly delightful and unique visits. Walnut Canyon boasts of cliff dwellings peppering the sides of deep gorges. Sunset Crater will transport visitors to a pleasant but alien volcanic landscape that feels far more Hawaiian than Southwestern. And Wupatki National Monument is a cultural delight with impressive and large-scale native American ruins and a truly otherworldly “blow hole” that has to experienced to be appreciated.
