After reading Mike’s response to Tom’s 95 day run streak I’d like to find out more info on the St. Croix race as I’ll be there this May for the first time.
Mike wrote: “I’m interested to see how the “mental” challenge aspect of this will impact your performance in St. Croix. The last 30 miles of the bike course and the 1/2 mary were the toughest 43 miles i’ve ever experienced in this sport.”
Is the course really this tough or is it a combination of all factors - heat, humidity, wind, & the course?
Bike/wheel recommendations: road bike with Zipp 330’s & clip on aero bars or tri bike with Zipp 330’s? Tri bike is faster on flats-moderate terrain and against the wind. Road bike would climb quicker but would be slower everywhere else. I imagine a disc is not recommended.
Does anyone have an elevation profile of the bike and run courses?
Does anyone have a computrainer file for this course? Or are there and CT courses that may be comparable?
I raced St. Croix for the first time last year and yes it is that tough…but Mike is a great athlete and raced it pretty hard (possibly too hard, as did I!)
As long as you’re smart about your pacing you’ll get through it, just expect to be ~30 min slower than a regular HIM.
Regarding equipment:
Ride the tri bike!
For wheels, last year I rode a 404/disc combo and didn’t have any problems, I’m a pretty confident bike handler and also weigh 175lbs so you may feel different. The roads are rough however so if you think you’ll be more comfortable on a spoked wheel, there are certainly lots of folks with a set-up similar to yours.
Can’t help you on the profile/computrainer stuff but just know that the race really starts at the top of the Beast, the rest of the course is still very hilly, that’s also when it starts to get windy.
All that being said, I thought the race was great. I can’t wait to go back for revenge on the second loop of that run course!
I’ll provide some insights (read: guesses) based on the intel I’ve gleaned from athletes who have been boots-on-the-ground at the event and raced there. The big caveat is I haven’t done the race myself. That said:
The course is tough. Rather tough. Among the toughest of the 70.3 races anywhere in the world. The times reflect this and so does the anecdotal insights of athletes I’ve talked to who have done the event. Most people focus on “The Beast” as being the crux of the event and I am told that is short-sighted. People tell me the combination of island wind after “summiting” The Beast and the poor pavement make the bike course downright evil. They also mentioned the “hot corner” coming back into Christensted where crashes are common. I recently saw a photo of The Buccaner from water level. It’s the resort many of us are staying at and hosts a decent section of the run. It isn’t flat. This will be a tough one, certainly worth the trip. Wheels. I’ve talked to about three wheel manufacturers and a ton of competitors about this. I’m using a Hed Singer 60 front and Hed Disk rear. I know there will be a weight pealty on The Beast with the disk, but I’ll more than make up for it on the top into the headwind. These wheels are also plenty robust enough for bad pavement. I’ll be running Continental Sprinter Gatorskins in the 22mm width. I’m riding a tri bike, either my Felt B2 Pro, a new P3C which I’m still waiting on or a Look 486 we’re reveiwing. I do think a disk is the wheel of choice here even though it will be a trifle blubbery on The Beast. I haven’t seen an elevation profile. One related factoid/rumor: Popular lore suggests that the original “Beast” (different that the homogonized version we’re going up) was so steep that only one women ever succesfully made the ascent on her bike, Erin Baker. All other female competitors were forced to dismount and walk as were the majority of males. I think a Computrainer file does exist- not sure where.
That’s most of what I know. Looking forward to it. The last time I tried to do this race I was unable to go becasue my best friend died in a bike accident. So, for me, it’s been a bit of a long road getting here.
I live on St. Croix and have done the half several times. The previous posts sum it up. The course is tough, but I think you are right that it’s really a combination of the hills, wind, heat and humidity that make it brutal. As stated, the beast is the least of your worries. You still have a good 35 miles of riding into what can be a very stiff headwind. I rode most of the course last weekend, and the headwinds going east probably averaged 20-25 mph. You face some of headwinds going straight down a highway, and the rest is on rolling hills. The roads are rough, some years more so than others. It just depends on how much rain we get in the few months before and how much patching Public Works does in the days before. As much as you hear about the difficult bike course, I believe the run course is equally hard. It’s two laps of hilly and HOT. In light of these difficulties, thirty extra minutes is about right in my experience as an MOP. All that said, it’s a fun race and, not that you will spend the day sightseeing, one of the most beautiful courses anywhere. I plan on doing it this year. I cannot advise on wheel selection, but I will try to make a point of speaking to the RD about posting a profile on the web site.
I haven’t seen an elevation profile. One related factoid/rumor: Popular lore suggests that the original “Beast” (different that the homogonized version we’re going up) was so steep that only one women ever succesfully made the ascent on her bike, Erin Baker. All other female competitors were forced to dismount and walk as were the majority of males
When did they change the hill? I always though it was the same hill.
I don’t know when they changed to the current version. My source on this story is reliable though: Last week I was on a ride to Torrey Pines State Park with, among others, pro triathlete Tereza Macel. She has done St. Croix as a pro and related that story about the early version of The Beast to me. I was hoping some old timers on this forum might chime in with tales from the original Beast.
I’m like you though- I wasn’t aware there were two versions of the climb.
Here is a youtube video of an ascent of The Beast (current version) as shot from a car. As usual, it’s tought to tell relative steepness until you get to the top of the climb when it becomes pretty apparent this thing is going to be a challenge.
I’ve heard this ‘old hill’ story as well, something about it being changed last time it was paved. Either way it’s going to be a blast to ride up it! I do live in a very hilly area so that should help.
I did St. Croix last year it is a great race very hard, a lot of fun, I plan on going back next year.
Don’t worry about the beast to much it’s not bad if you have your bike setup with the right gearing. I used a compact crank 36 x 50 using Q-Rings and I will use the same setup next year. I used my TT bike but I can really see using my road bike for climbing. Keep in mind when you turn up the beast you will see people get of there bike’s at the 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, half mark just don’t look at them and keep going. Also watch out for people doing the postal route up the beast they will get in your way.
Not a lot of places to really get aero you spend a lot of time climbing. Once you get by the beast then you have to worry about the bike course, you will find many 8-13% grade hills and the last 15 miles will take it’s toll on your legs. Nobody talks about these hills I believe they are harder then the beast by the time you are done. Also there can be very strong head winds.
The descending can be technical in most places, lots of 90 degree turns at the bottom of the hills. The handling of a road bike would be a big plus in my book. Do drive the bike course before the race.
The run course is very hill and also very hot and HUMID, watch your pace and be ready for it by taking it easy on the bike course if that is possible.
I can’t even describe how bad the roads are, I have never ridden on roads so bad. Watch out and keep your eyes open, stay away from the sides of the road and watch intersections there were a number of pot holes which could take you down or damage a wheel if you hit them.
One really nice think about this race is there might be 500 racers there so you don’t have to worry about drafters, it’s really nice to do a HIM without 2000 people.
It kinda fits what i remember for when i started in the sport back in the 15-20 years ago, that THE BEAST was a a hill that even the likes of Pigg, Allen, and Welch suffered going up it. But everyone i meet now who’s done it the past few years, is like it’s not so bad.
I had a great race when I did it !!! I loved it and great vacation
When I went …my thoughts were that it’s all about the “Beast”… But it’s not … I agree with earlier post it’s the **combination of island wind after “summiting” The Beast and the poor pavement make the bike course downright evil. **
However …make sure you bike the Beast before race day !!
Maybe its like the swim at Alcatraz. By the time I got there I was so worked up over it I was simply resigned to drowning, being swept under the Golden Gate Bridge to Japan or being eaten by the thousands of 30 ft. white sharks commonly seen leaping out of the water in an attempt to eat tourists.
After I did it I was like, “That was cool!” It had been embellished by all the lore.
That said, I’m still treating St. Croix- the whole thing- with a lot of respect.
This race is really in my head. Some anecdotes–Chris McCormack said he thought he may DNF after the BIKE! He went on to win in Kona running the first half of his marathon 2 minutes FASTER than he ran in St. Croix. I struggled to finish in over 5 hours then a month later easily (relatively) won my Age Group in CdA. I raced Mac Brown 4 times last year (top Age-Grouper in St. Croix). At CdA he passed me at mile 15 of the run, at Timberman he passed me at mile 5 of the run, in Kona he passed me at mile 3 of the run. In St. Croix, he passed me at mile 35 of the bike!
On to your questions:
Yes
Tri bike with fast wheels. I used a 999 combo and will use 808’s this year.
No
No
St. Croix is a lot like Ironman and the quote from Mike Tyson: “Everyone has a plan…until they get hit.” The course hits you starting with the Beast but that climb is really just the overture to a painful opera. That’s where the race starts. Throw time goals out the window if you’ve never done this race (like Ironman) and just go with the goal of being patient and racing/finishing strong. Come to think of it, that’s my goal too ;^)
You Dirty Sandbagger!
Mike learned his lessons on the bumpy roads of St. Croix and similar to the way he has and continues to figure out Ironman racing, he WILL figure out how to do well in this years edition of St. Croix. Wish I could be there to battle it out again with you man!
I’ll offer up several additional comments based on my experience in '04.
This race has a true international flavor to it with a lot of the national teams from South America there which makes for a unique experience. The field on the average seemed to be of a higher caliber than any of the other 70.3 events i’ve done.
Also, don’t underestimate the logistics, the host hotel in '04 was ~30 to 40" from the start (downtown), we contemplated booking a second room downtown the night before the race so we wouldn’t have to deal with the commute.
You are required to swim over to the island for the swim start, the cool early morning temperatures and significant wait time prior to my wave start created a “cold start” second only to Ralph’s Cali 70.3.
For those from the northern latitudes, don’t underestimate the heat factor on hydration. The intensity of the sun made it feel like my jersey was on fire on the back side of the island during the bike. Ample water and wind on the run to cool off with. Water became very precious on the bike course.
I have raced 5 of the 70.3 courses and I have the best memories of this race due to the scenery, locals, and challenge of the course.
ROAD CONDITIONS AGAIN:
1. MY POWER TAP CAME OFF TWICE, PUT A EXTRA ZIP TIE AROUND THE COMPUTER ITSELF NOT THE MOUNT, SAW IT COME OFF THE FIRST TIME NOT THE SECOND.
2. I LOST MY TOOLS, SPARE TUBE, WERE IN A WATER BOTTLE IN MY HYDROTAIL
3. ONCE MY WATER BOTTLE CAME OUT AND I HAD TO GO GET IT
Friend of mine lost his tools, computer and gel flask within the first ten miles.
In transition after the race 1/3 of the people lost there bike computers.
TIE EVERYTHING DOWN LIKE YOU NEVER HAVE.
I’m doing some research about the old beast. The first time they did it was 1989. The Carambola beach resort was one of the sponsors and they wanted the competitors to race closer to the hotel. I think this road was a dirt road, so someone paved it. Not sure where the money came from. If it was the government or the hotel who put the money up. There were lots of people who had to walk their bikes. Not just the women, that everyone of so fond of saying. I am not sure if this course was ever used again? And we think this was the year that Lance Armstrong did it. I am looking into that to confirm. the road is rarely used now. And at the time it was a bit of a scandal because so much money was spent on a useless road. The useless road did not overshadow all the problems the race director had with closing the roads on Sunday. People had trouble getting to church. The leaders of the church screamed a lot. And occasionally, we still hear complaints. I also want to find out who the race director was? It may have been Rene Roker? Stay tuned.