Dev - what's the over/under on whether conditions will be as brutal as last year? :-) Good luck on nabbing a Kona slot again. I see you back in STX in 2015.

LOL....figure the odds are 3:2 of having weather like last year. Also I got lucky last year. My main goal is to break 5:05...if I can go sub 5 that will be very good. Training is around 6 weeks behind where I would have hoped to be by now. Definitely see you in 2015.

Dev,

Speaking for one of my athletes, your detailed analysis has really helped him. He's in the 18-24 AG and is looking to give it a real go next Sunday. Should be fun to watch him online.

---

------------------
@brooksdoughtie
USAT-L2,Y&J; USAC-L2
http://www.aomultisport.com

Please ask him to be patient and watch his nutrition on the bike...especially young 18-24 guys think they are invincible and everyone feels that way early. In St. Croix it is very hard to stay on top of nutrition because of all the gear changes and changes and turns in directs and rough pavement in places. Your athlete needs to use any flatter/benign parts of the course to stick to the nutrition plan. If he does that, it will pay dividends on the run.

Yes sir, we've gone into detail about the race, what to ride with the PM to, and just overall patience until his strength on the run.

---

------------------
@brooksdoughtie
USAT-L2,Y&J; USAC-L2
http://www.aomultisport.com

Very good. I think Jonnyo's advice on power caps on a high variabilty course the other day was pretty good (can't remember the title of the thread but it may have been in the thread where the guy was asking about doing an FTP test 13 days out from a half IM). The only exception is that it is almost impossible to do the Beast as <100% FTP unless your power to weight ratio is in the 4.5W per kilo range or you have triple/34x32. Most of us will do parts of the Beast well above 100% FTP, but you have time on the other side to recover, so no need to get too alarmed. What you don't want to do on the run is hit the early hills at >100% Vdot. That could result in walking on loop 2. I'd suggest getting all your 120% FTP short intervals done in the next 5 days (get it out of the system now)...and not do it on race day if you can have discipline. Same deal for anyone racing Wildflower next weekend so you don't do that on the climb out of T1!!!

Hey Dev,

I noticed on your Garmin file that you had an average cadence of 80. I'm definitely a spinner rather than a grinder. Is the 80 a result of a slow cadence going up the steep inclines followed by a cadence of 0 going down? Or are you normally in that range?

I learned from Whistler last year to at least do some slow cadence work if I'm going to be riding in the hills, so I'm somewhat prepared for that. Just curious as to how much grinding i'll have to do. Thanks again for all of your help. Can't wait to finally get out there.

---

______________________________________________

"Sweep the leg...Do you have a problem with that?" - John Kreese

Normally I am around 80 for full IM, 85 for half IM, 90 for Olympic (+/-). I have it set up to not include the zeros for RPM if I recall correctly (need to verify this evening), so the 80 vs 85 would be a result of the grinding/standing on the steeper climbs only.

I'm fairly certain I know the answer already but I'll ask anyway. My GF is racing and I'm heading down to spectate and enjoy the Caribbean. Any chance I would find a bike to rent/"test ride" in order to catch her a few times on the bike/run course?

I'm also perfectly fine with enjoying rum drinks while sitting on my rear near transition instead :)

Dev - no picture of the massive hill at the golf course? :-)

Rental bikes are available. Stamina Sports is renting, they will be taken by racers though. There is a shop in Fredricksted with hybrids and mountain bikes.
Course is being cleaned and "paved" this week. In average condition for STX. The run course is in good shape. Ran in the Bucc today, and they were trimming the trail. Safe travels everybody.

Dev, I see those pictures and I get jealous. I love that race. How many years have you done it? 4x for me..

Hey, never too late.....4x for me too....join in for round number 5! You just have to fly Chicago-Miami-STX!!!

Awesome pics, Dev! I can't wait for this one, it's been too long.

Indeed....it has been too long having you at that event. I think this is the first time our paths overlap (well, until the swim start and then I'll hopefully see you after you have had time for a case of beer at the finish line).

classic Dev, you kept making the same mistake year after year in this early race. How many times i have told you that you need to lose major weight leading up to this race and if you show up at 100lbs wet, you will be able to climb the Beast at below FTP...... ;)

---

Jonathan Caron / Professional Coach / ironman champions / age group world champions
Jonnyo Coaching
Instargram

I'm filling my tires with helium, and I've swallowed a tape worm. I will be prepared.

This is what i call getting the work done!!!!!!

---

Jonathan Caron / Professional Coach / ironman champions / age group world champions
Jonnyo Coaching
Instargram

Dev, the wife is tired of going to STX and spending our vacation time racing. I need to figure out something to make her happy.. I need some tips from you guys how you manage family vacation and racing at the same time.

Also, the flights are so $$$..

OK, while this was not the type of advice people were expecting on this thread, this is exactly what I need. Not sure I can get down to the the Jonnyo approved 100 lbs threshold. The tapeworm may need to totally hollow out my core. Bigred, family vacations are in the summer...any tri trips when school is on, I go solo. Also need to schedule some family trips where there is no sport involved.

Good tip, solo for STX, do up a big family vacation with no racing in the summer.

I just looked at flights, not bad $722 round trip, very tempting. Now if I was only trained up to do a half, longest run in the last 6 months is 8 miles..

When are you arriving/departing?

Sounds like you are in !!! The only diff between 8 and 13 miles is 40 min of pain!!!.....I arrive Wed, leave Mon.

Well it was not a tapeworm but this morning I was literally 8lbs on my way to the Jonnyo approved 100 lbs threshold required to ride the Beast at no more than 100% FTP. Ended up last night in a family meal at a Mexican restaurant....my aunt suggested the hot sauce there (effective to tape worm). Well, that put my mouth on fire and proceeded to empty my core this morning...then 40 min roller ride followed by 90 min run with some 1K repeats at the track with no water or nutrition...amazing how quickly 8lbs come off...well, I guess when I bike over to the pool, I'll probably drink half the pool to put my body weight back up to normal! Is there some Eganski approved on site weigh in and if you're not "under the bar" they don't even let you ride the beast?

Looking at the forecast, it's highs in the upper 80s with scattered showers each day. I assume that is what it says every day in Christiansted? Or am I going to be pleasantly surprised with somewhat mild weather? It has actually been warmer and humid as hell in Austin the last few days.

---

______________________________________________

"Sweep the leg...Do you have a problem with that?" - John Kreese