On the Road
On the Road: Burlington
For the first time, USA Triathlon’s Age Group and Sprint National Championships head to the Northeast Region as Burlington, Vt., hosts the 2011 and 2012 events. With the race venue at idyllic Burlington Waterfront Park and picturesque views of the Adirondack Mountains, competitors and spectators are set for a top-notch national championship experience.
BEST PLACES TO SWIM/BIKE/RUN
For swimming, Burlington has popular public beaches on Lake Champlain at North Beach, Leddy Park, and Oakledge Park. Water temperature is usually in the low 70s by early August... For more adventurous types seeking a long open water swim, the Shelburne Point Crossing from Red Rocks Park is high on the list... If considering this swim please do so only with support as it is nearly 2 miles round trip and there is boat traffic in and out of Shelburne Bay... Red Rocks is a great place for a run too, with about 3 miles of dirt/gravel trails... Outside Burlington quality swimming can be found at Indian Brook Reservoir in Essex. Indian Brook is approximately 1k long. While you are there, don’t miss the dirt trails around the reservoir. The main trail is about 2 miles, with generally very good footing, and there are a number of side trails... Other good places for running outside Burlington include the Catamount Outdoor Center in Williston... Catamount has weekly 5k XC races on Tuesday nights—if you are in town early for Nationals these are highly recommended... Another good place for a run starts out at UVM’s Gutterson Field House. From there, proceed south on the bike path and you’ll have multiple options... For cycling, your choices out of Burlington are north, south, and east. The east will generally force you to contend with a bit more traffic the first few miles, but once you get past Williston or Essex Junction, the roads are good and there is less traffic. To the south, lots of good options along Spear Street and Dorset Street, and if you take Route 7 down to Shelburne you can ride east or west of Route 7 on some very nice roads. North of Burlington Route 7 through the Lake Champlain Islands (South Hero, North Hero, etc.) is a flatter ride with some beautiful views of the lake.
FOOD
We expect you’ll find the downtown core restaurants, pubs and clubs on your own. Places off the beaten path that we like include Great Harvest Bread on Pine Street in Burlington... Papa Frank’s in Winooski for your pre-race pasta fix... Junior’s in Colchester as an alternative to Papa Frank’s... Ramunto’s in Williston for the best pizza around, definitely worth the trip... Asian Bistro in Williston and Winooski... and what trip to Burlington would be complete without a trip to Lake Champlain Chocolates on Pine Street?
ENTERTAINMENT
Downtown Burlington has a vibrant music scene. For up-to-the-minute listings visit 7Days (
http://www.7nvt.com/7n/home.htm).
ACTIVITIES
Spend an afternoon pedaling the 12-mile Island Line bike trail up and down the Burlington Bike Path. Bike rentals are available at Local Motion... Rent a dinghy at the Community Sailing Center and spend the afternoon tacking around Burlington Bay... Shipwreck Tours: Head to the water for a shipwreck tour to view several shipwrecks that line the bottom of Lake Champlain. Sign up for a ride on the water to explore and discover the amazingly unspoiled wooden shipwrecks of the 1800s... Shelburne Farms: This historic 1,400 acre working farm is a National Historic Landmark and a non-profit environmental education center... ECHO Lake Aquarium & Science Center: ECHO features over 70 live species, over 100 hands-on exhibits, daily animal feedings and demos... Burlington Farmers’ Market: Wander around the Burlington Farmers’ Market and enjoy plenty of locally produced food and crafts.
GEAR & BIKE SHOPS
Hands down, our favorite is SkiRack: 85 Main Street, Burlington
www.skirack.com with excellent customer service, a large bike department and very knowledgeable shoe fitters... Also check out North Star Sports, 100 Main Street, Burlington,
www.northstarsportsvt.com... Fit Works, 4312 Main Street, Waitsfield, VT 05673
www.fitwerx.com... Earl’s Cyclery 2500 Williston Road, South Burlington
www.earlsbikes.com... For running gear, Fleet Feet in Essex Junction offers friendly service.
CONTRIBUTORS
Joe Connelly, Leandre Waldo-Johnson and Peter Delaney of RunVermont.
24 USA TRIATHLON SUMMER 2011
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