Looking forward to getting out of the 0 C bike commutes and being in shorts in some warm temps and swimming in the harbour in Christiansted in a week from now… I may finally get enough courage to shave off my winter layer of hibernation fur and look like a triathlete. Hopefully your training is going well. We have a front page article that went up last week to help some of you guys visualize and get ready:
If you have more questions, myself and others will be able to answer here on this thread. Here are some pictures from various spots on the bike and run courses
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.
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.
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.
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!!!
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.
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
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.
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).
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!!!
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…
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.
Good luck on nabbing a Kona slot again. I see you back in STX in 2015.