Oh, and the training.

So I'll have to do more of a formal page on the swimming pools here in Chiang Mai. But the short of it is that there are plenty of them. Two 50 meter pools that I've found. One of which is at the 700 year sports complex, which was built for the S.E. Asia games held here in the early '90s. But there are at least 6 other pools that I know of. Four of which I've seen.

Currently I'm swimming at the pool at the Physical Education College's sport complex. (which is only a couple minutes away by bike or run) The pool is pretty nice, clean, but wicked cold. None of the pools are heated, and this one happens to have a big open air roof over it, so it gets very little sun. But it's only 30 baht, despite the sign that says for members and Thai people only. I'm neither.

And there are plenty of lovely (steep) hills to ride through. Since Chiang Mai is a pretty big town there is a fair amount of traffic 'till you get deeper into the country. But never the less the roads are in good condition and there's flatter farm land to roll through that breaks up the hill ridding.

(this is a shot of the traffic waiting at a light to cross the 'superhighway')

So far good running has proven to be the toughest thing to find. Running through the city is abysmal. Way too many street crossing and traffic etc. The best bet close to town is to do loops around the big stadium that also happens to be at the Phys Ed grounds. Boring yes. But the smell of squid grilling keeps you from staying in one place.

To be fair I've that on the edge of town by Doi Suthep there are trails to run on. I know there's a lot of mtb biking the comes down the mountain. But w/o a motorbike the trails are neither easy to find nor very accessible.