The third running of the Starvation Xtri Triathlon took place on Saturday, July 29, 2023 in the Rocky Mountains in and around Park City, Utah. It’s one of the world’s toughest triathlons, and the only US race that serves as a qualifier for the Norseman Xtri in Norway.
It was started by James Lawrence, more commonly known as the Iron Cowboy, and Race Director Casey Robles in 2021.
Hybrid athletes Hunter McIntyre and Kris Rugloski were among the 41 athletes who toed the start line at Starvation State Park to begin the 2.4-mile swim in the dark.
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- 17 athletes would finish
- 24 would DNF
Hunter took 3rd with a time of 15:59:12. Kris was 10 minutes behind in 16:10:30, taking 4th overall and 1st female.
Hybrid + Triathlon
It’s rare that you see athletes who dominate 30-60 minute hybrid races also perform so well in the 16-hour time domain… not to mention a race with over 2 miles of swimming in open water. But Hunter & Kris are not your typical athletes.
Hunter completed an Ironman Triathlon last fall, is a 3x HYROX world champion and current record holder, and used to dominate obstacle course races before “hybrid” was even a thing. I’d also put Hunter’s strength against anyone else that can run as fast as he can. His ability to run fast & lift incredibly heavy weight is unlike anyone else on the planet.
Kris competes in all 3 variations of Spartan DEKA events, ranging from 12 to 30 minutes. She was the youngest and fastest woman to complete the Grand Slam of Ultrarunning (4 100-mile races in one year). And perhaps most memorable was in May 2022 when she won the HYROX World Championship in Las Vegas, and less than 12 hours later, after driving through the night, took 3rd place in a Spartan US National Series race in Big Bear, California.
The Starvation Xtri Course
The entire race takes place 6,100 feet above sea level and athletes peak at 10,700 feet. The race is mostly self-supported by the athlete’s crew, but the race does provide some aid at T2 and mile 16 of the run course.
Swim – 2.4 mi / 3.8 km
The swim starts at 5am at Starvation State Park. Because it’s still dark at that time, lights are placed on the turn buoys so athletes can spot their turns.
The average water temperature is 62°F (16°C).
Bike – 100 mi / 161 km (vert: 9,246 ft / 2,873 m)
The bike course starts at 5,749 ft and climbs to 9,757 ft, accumulating a total of 9,246 vertical feet (2,873 meters). There are 5 total climbs on the course, two of which climb over 3,000 feet. The final climb is just under 11 miles long with 4,000 ft of climbing and an average grade of 7% 🤯.
You can get an idea of the climbs from the elevation chart below.
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Run – 25.3 mi / 40.7 km (vert: 7,543 ft / 2,286 m)
The run course takes place in and around Solitude Mountain Ski Resort in Solitude, UT. It is entirely off-road on trails and dirt paths around the resort. Athletes climb 7,543 ft of total vert over the course of 25.3 miles (40.7 km). Aside from one minimally stocked aid station at mile 16, all athletes lean on their crew to provide aid.
Hunter McIntyre’s Performance
Hunter finished in just under 16 hours, with a total time of 15:59:12, securing a 3rd place finish.
Hunter stayed pretty consistent throughout the entire race. He didn’t crush any particular part of the course, and kept moving while others slowed. He did pick up a little steam as the day went on, with his run being the most impressive of the three legs.
Consistency usually pays off when you’re dealing with 16-hour endurance events.
Several days after the race, Hunter joined his buddy Kyle Cokinos (@kidcoki) on the Morning Wood Radio Podcast to recap their experience. They shoot the shit for a bit at the beginning, but fast forward to 16:00 for the Starvation Xtri recap.
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Here’s another video about Hunter’s race:
Kris Rugloski’s Performance
Kris finished in just over 16 hours, with a total time of 16:10:30, sitting atop the podium as first place female. She was also the 4th overall finisher. This performance qualifies her for the Norseman Xtri in Norway next year.
Of all 17 finishers, Kris was the last person to begin her bike. She finished the swim and left on her bike at the 1-hour, 46-minute mark. She continued to move up the ranks on the bike, passing several athletes during that stretch. Next up, the run…
Those who know Kris, know the girl can RUN. The course provided 3 run splits—miles 0-10, 10-20, and 20 to the finish. Kris put down some of the best splits out of anyone on these three sections, running faster than Hunter in all of them. Give this girl another 5 miles and she just might’ve caught him!
Kris joined Matt Davis of Obstacle Racing Media to recap her experience.
I think these types of performances are going to become more and more common. There will always be traditional triathlons where endurance athletes will train specifically for that one distance, that one race, and they’ll reign supreme. But the more difficult endurance challenges, the ones that require another level of physical & mental toughness… these are the events where hybrid athletes like Kris & Hunter shine.
Mental Toughness
Hunter & Kris have very different personalities, but the one thing they both have in common is incredible mental toughness. Hunter kicks ass, takes names, and talks shit in the process. But that self talk is a big part of why he’s as good as he is. Kris’ mental toughness comes from a place of pure joy, where she let’s her love of adventure guide her training.
Two drastically different approaches shine light on two important pieces of an athlete’s mental game:
- Confidence: Tell yourself you’re a badass, believe it, and prove it.
- Joy: You have to love what you’re doing. The more you love the process, the farther it will take you.
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