How physically active can one be in Ecuador?

IT1 wrote:

currently have a room in a town that's approaching 40% Hispanic and many of them still live like they did in Central America. The taxis outside of the local Walmart are waiting. The last time in Walmart so many of the staff were Hispanic that it was easier to ask for what I wanted in Spanish. I may not have to leave the USA to have that second or third world experience while living here.

Chico, California?

IT1 wrote:

It sounds like it's a challenge to find a safe place to run. Perhaps if I ran before sun up?  Are there indoor equivalents, like an LA Fitness, with a pool, spin bikes and treadmills along with weight equipment?

Welcome to the Ecuador forum, IT.  You ask some great questions.  With your language skills and previous experience overseas, you should adapt to life in Ecuador much easier than most Expats.

Ecuador has lots of parks where you can run.  But not before sun up, no.  That's the malditos hour.  Although with your regimen, you're probably fit enough to fend them off.

Quito has two major parks good for running -- Parque la Carolina...and Parque Metropolitano.  The latter is enormous, several times larger than PLC, but most foreign visitors don't even know it exists because it's slightly off the beaten Gringo path.

Surely you don't want to run long distances daily on an indoor track in a fitness gym.  Qué aburrida.

There are fitness gyms in Ecuador cities, though most do not have a pool.  More on swimming later, after I have a glass of jugo de maracuyá.  Seems I worked up a thirst just reading about your fitness program.

cccmedia in Quito

IT1 wrote:

Thinking of moving to Ecuador but could I continue to swim (like swim team swimming), bike (road racing or triathlon) and run (daily training and road races). Currently swim, bike and run about 22 miles a day.

You won't be duplicating the same daily marathon every day in highlands Ecuador as you do now, at least not at first.

Everybody from lower altitudes needs time to adjust, and some never do.

And whether you are in Quito at 9,300 feet altitude, its suburbs at about 8,000' or Cuenca at 8,250...you won't be able to predict your ability to adjust before being here a while.

Another factor is the hilliness.  If your running route is uphill, even if partly so, breathing ability is taxed.  I know healthy Ecuadorian men in their 30s who have been in the highlands all their lives who find it difficult to walk uphill here in Centro Histórico more than a couple of blocks.

Being an athlete of your stamina, you may find that you can adjust quickly.  Swimming, especially, should be an easy adjustment if you're not doing an hour of the butterfly stroke.

cccmedia in Quito

IT1 wrote:

Medical is a concern. While healthy now, my plan B is to go elsewhere (like Ecuador) when I'm slowing down or in case of an emergency.

Given your language ability and need to keep within a budget, the optimal move for healthcare is a city where it is known that IESS government healthcare ($73 per month) is good.

We have gotten generally high marks on this forum for Cuenca in this regard.  Quito reports have yet to be posted.  The program was expanded last year to allow in virtually all Expats.

Get your residency visa and national ID card, then enroll at www.iess.gob.ec ...

cccmedia in Quito

IT1 wrote:

There are some large lane pools. Are they heated? Chlorinated? If there are swim teams there, then I could be alright; yet, I can't take cold water.

I like to swim weekly at one such pool here, at Academía Natación Valencia.

The water is always temperature-comfortable.  The pool water is treated with chlorine or equivalent.

Ecuadorian kids love to swim and the schedule is programmed to accommodate them.  Often the only other adults at the pool when I swim are the lifeguards. 

There are no adult swim teams at my pool.  But it's a city of two million, so I imagine that you can find such.  More likely here than in smaller places.

cccmedia in Quito

IT1 wrote:

I find little information in regards to regular triathlon training. The few races or organizations seem to sprout up around an event but they don't seem to last year after year....If there are swim teams there, then I could be alright....Right now tending towards Cuenca or Loja though I would like the temperatures to be warmer, especially as I get older.

If you want warmer weather and the likelihood of connecting with similar-minded athletes, the Quito suburbs such as Tumbaco and Cumbayá might be optimal for this combination.  The suburbs for warmer weather, Quito for groups or teams or workout buddies.  Get a car, or find a place near a bus route into the city.

cccmedia in Quito

IT1 wrote:

Thinking of moving to Ecuador but could I continue to swim (like swim team swimming), bike (road racing or triathlon) and run (daily training and road races). Currently swim, bike and run about 22 miles a day.
....
However, when I search the Web (in Spanish too) I find little information in regards to regular triathlon training. The few races or organizations seem to sprout up around an event but they don't seem to last year after year.
....
There seems to be more mountain biking than road biking. I see a few road races and few racers. The cycling stores tend to advertise the mountain bikes much more though. In Colombia we also had a car following us so we weren't robbed of our bikes.
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Where to run? It sounds like it's a challenge to find a safe place to run. Perhaps if I ran before sun up?

Are their indoor equivalents, like an LA Fitness, with a pool, spin bikes and treadmills along with weight equipment?

Right now tending towards Cuenca or Loja though I would like the temperatures to be warmer, especially as I get older.
....
Thank you in advance for your answers.

Hi there!  I will try to help with what little I know on this topic for the Loja area, since you mentioned that you are considering that city.  The fact that you already speak Spanish is a huge advantage for Loja.  I don't know if Loja has a swim team, but I do know that they have an indoor pool at Jipiro park on the north end of town.  The entry fee was $1 at the time we were there, though we never went to swim in the pool.  As of a couple of months ago the pool was shut down and in the process of renovation/repair.  Here's a news clip about it:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTeDd5UjiUQ

There are two city parks in Loja with trails suitable for running.  Parque Lineal La Tebaida on the south end of town, near Supermaxi, has a 2km loop where people walk, jog and run every morning.  We used to live right next to this park and my husband would go running there (he has done some serious races in the past, including many marathons and ultra Marathons--the longest being the Leadville Trail 100; however while we were in Loja he was not training for any races).  On the north end of town there is a nice trail along the river from Jipiro Park to Orillas del Zamora Park, which I believe is about 4 km long.  If you enjoy trail running and hill training there are also quite a few maintained trails that climb up the hills at PUEAR, a park on the southern edge of town across the road from the Botanical gardens.  Additionally, once you get outside of the heavy traffic of town, there are plenty of dirt roads on the edges of town where you could run for a good distance.  There did not appear to be any regular organized running races for Loja when we checked, however one of my friends there is in the process now of planning and organizing a 10K race.  I am not sure if he is planning it as an annual event or as a one-time race but if you want more information I can ask him about it.  We met several people there who like to run. 

Cycling also seems to be increasing in popularity; the same friend who is organizing a running race has also been involved in several cycling events.  A few weeks ago they organized a ride from Loja to Vilcabamba.

I'd recommend looking up a group in Loja called "LojAventura" (search for them on Facebook).  They organize regular adventures around the Province--mostly hiking, but other things as well.  You would likely find some members in this group with interests similar to yours who might be able to give you a lot more specific information on what you can find in Loja. 

Good luck!