I recently participated in a training camp on Maui and I couldn’t have been more impressed with the training conditions on the island. With the exception of two waterlogged days, we had sunny skies and warm weather for the duration of the three-week camp. With great, hilly roads (including a 10,000 foot climb up Mt. Haleakala!) and nice, flat stretches, all of our cycling needs were addressed. The clear, open water and easy pool access made for fantastic swimming, just as limitless dirt roads winding through cane fields provided for ideal running conditions. While we did have to contend with some angry locals in pick-up trucks, the fear of sharks, the cane monster, and road debris, I couldn’t have imagined a more ideal place to train.
Still, I couldn’t help but be struck by the question of sustainability. With the high number of island inhabitants and visitors, combined with the amenities expected by both groups, I soon realized that almost everything that ends up on Maui comes from the mainland. Although some agricultural products grown on Maui stay on the island, such as the incredible fruit and grass-fed beef, a staggering 80-90% of food comes from the mainland. Likewise, energy is supplied almost entirely by coal plants (the coal coming from the mainland, naturally). With the ideal growing conditions and alternative energy capability from wave, solar and wind power, I was disappointed to find out how much product was being shipped in via sea and air.
When gas prices eventually increase to the point that importing so many goods from the mainland is no longer an option, it will be interesting to see how Hawaiians address sustainability on their island. It seems as though the momentum is starting, as evidenced by the number of home solar panels and the development of a wave-generated energy plant, as well as the significant presence of local food producers. While the future of Hawaii may not directly affect me, it does bring up the question of my role in selecting places to train.
Colorado, Australia, Southern California, Hawaii are all incredible places where I have been fortunate enough to train since I’ve started triathlon. Not surprisingly, these warm, sunny places are well-known sporting hot beds. Just think of the number of times you’ve heard of Boulder or San Diego referred to as a “triathlon Mecca!” Some of the characteristics that make these locations so great for training, however, are also the same traits that make them questionable in terms of sustainability, especially since athletes and non-athletes alike flock in droves to live, play and work in these locations. While sunny skies are great for training (as well as one’s serotonin levels!), for example, the lack of precipitation also means that freshwater is in shorter supply.
Torn between my environmental conscience and my knowledge that training year-round in a place like Vermont just isn’t an option, what am I supposed to do?
The truth is, as long as I am doing triathlon, I will most likely continue to live in these environmentally stressed areas. How do I reconcile my feelings of hypocrisy with this lifestyle choice? I realize that I am not the only one who struggles with this dilemma, as most of us are willing to make small gestures towards sustainability — recycling, buying carbon offsets, eating locally — but have difficulty making major changes in the way we live.
I don’t pretend to have the answers to my dilemma but would like to hear your views and opinions.
Sarah
February 27th, 2009 
Posted by
Bruce in
News 
