February 23, 2010 – St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands

 

            Over a thousand miles southeast of Miami about 83 square miles of dirt, rocks and tropical paradise jut out of the Caribbean Sea.  I landed on St. Croix in August of 2008, still sore from the Leadville 100.  Among the roughly 60,000 residents, I discovered a thriving community of triathletes.  And why not?  Almost everyday on St. Croix is a perfect training day.  The idea of running farther than a marathon, however, was still obscure if not enigmatic.  A year and a half later, I am pleased to submit the first St. Croix Scenic 50 Race Report.

The inaugural St. Croix ultramarathon was held on Sunday, January 24 with twelve runners at the start and was hosted by the island’s premier resort, The Buccaneer.  The 50 mile course from Christiansted over the Scenic Drive (Jeep Trail) to Frederiksted and back, finishing on the beach at The Buccaneer, boasts 4,700 feet of elevation change on hills with grades up to 24 percent.  The other defining aspect of the course, besides the hills and resulting amazing views, was the heat.  While some visitors from the mainland could be heard commenting on the heat before the sun even rose, everyone was reaching for salt and ice by late morning and through the afternoon.

Local runner James Dean set the course record for the men at 8:40:23.  And of the twelve runners, two were local women who ran the first 43 or so miles together.  However, in the last few miles, Carol Murphy, who decided to celebrate being 50 by running 50 miles, pulled ahead and set the women’s course record at 11:43:49. 

Among the other eight finishers was special guest Todd Crandell from Ohio, founder and Executive Director of Racing for Recovery™, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit foundation with the mission of preventing substance abuse and offering a positive alternative to those currently battling addiction.  After the race, Crandell met with residents at The Village - Virgin Islands Partners in Recovery to encourage their choice to be sober.

Crandell’s visit and the introduction of ultrarunning to St. Croix were made possible by the St. Croix Scenic 50’s host The Buccaneer; sponsors: Bohlke International Airways, IB Designs, VI PACE runners, ZombieRunner.com, St. Croix Rescue, Emergency Medical Services, the UVI Division of Nursing and SCUFA; and dozens of local volunteers from the sporting community. 

With the finish line right on Mermaid Beach at The Buccaneer, most participants did not stop long at the finish line before heading straight into water for a refreshing dip.  At sunset everyone was accounted for and participants gathered at the Mermaid Restaurant for an awards dinner.  The volunteers and spectators were in awe, and the athletes beamed with their accomplishment.  St. Croix has distinguished itself once again as an endurance sporting paradise, which now boasts an ultramarathon that is as challenging as it is beautiful!  Mark your calendars and start training for the second annual St. Croix Scenic 50 on January 23, 2011.