Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon - TriathlonOther

Everyone is so worked up about this swim, the water temps, the current, the sharks or whatever. This was the one part of the race I was least concerned about. Partly because swimming is my strongest discipline, also because I was more worked up and nervous about the hilly bike and run.

Unfortunately, the conditions were apparently not very good this day. There was the usual strong current heading out, but strong winds coming in which I think cancelled out the advantage. I felt pretty darn good on the swim, felt like I took a good line and didn't go quite so wide as everyone else. During the pre-race meetings they really stress how you need to swim this like an L, not a strait shot from the boat to the exit. I cut the corner more than everyone else, I could see a few people further towards the Golden Gate than myself, but the majority were further within the L formation. I knew the sighting landmarks really well, and they had a half dozen very visible yellow inflatable buoys at the exit, so you couldn't miss it.

I missed my time goal of 30 minutes. I had based that on previous years' results and where I usually fall within my age group. I was exactly where I usually am in my age group, but this year it was just simply a slower swim. The one positive in all this is that I did find myself swimming amongst (and passing!) a handful of white swim caps, which I know were reserved for the pro field who left a minute or two ahead of us (all yellow, green and other colors).

Not much I could do different. Although I did't get my goal time, I still was where I usually find myself with my age group rank.

T1 time includes stopping at the swim exit to remove wetsuit, rinse salt water off and out of my mouth, put on running shoes and run half a mile over to the bike racks. Then of course remove running shoes, helmet on grab Hammer gel and go.

I suppose I could shave a minute off this if I really had to. My balance was off and my heart rate high at the swim exit, makes it hard to stand up and put on shoes.

What an amazing, super fun bike course! I was so worried about the hills, because I'm terrible at hills and just don't have any good ones to train on, and I felt great and was not getting passed by everyone like I though would happen. In fact, I actually found myself passing a few other racers on the uphills which does not happen often for me. I figured in my head that the bike course would probably take me at best 1:05, so at 1:02 I'm quite happy with my performance. The downhills were thrilling and I found myself yelling and shouting with glee as I flew down them. Garmin top speed for me was 35 mph, I think anything more than that on the downhills would have been simply dangerous. I saw the pros coming in on my way out, and they were absolutely flying down those hills, they had to have been doing over 40. Scary stuff!

I did this race on a rented Trek Madone 5.5, I really liked this bike. It was light, fast and very easy to ride. I'm glad I used it instead of flying out my tri bike, or worse my aluminum road bike.

Nothing really, maybe a touch faster on the downhills. I had some shifting problems getting from the small chainring back to the large ring up front, so I had no power to the bike on a couple of the downhills because I was just spinning an absurdly high cadence doing nothing.

The size of the transition area for 2000 racers simply adds time, having to run the entire length of it to get in and out. I also put on socks for the run, I didn't want to end up with blisters, which I would get without socks.

Again, I was dreading this run, and instead I had a blast and was talking, yelling and whooping the whole time! The scenery and the course are just so awesome I just can't imagine anyone not have a great time out here. There's so much to look at that you can't focus on the pain at all! I was planning on, at best, averaging 10 minute miles, I came in at 9:38ish, so I'm again very pleased with that. I also feel as though I gave it everything I had. I had nothing left for the last mile, but kept on plugging away because I wanted to be under the 1:20:00 mark for the run. I did develop a really bad side/front stomach stitch for that last 1.5 miles, not sure what from or how to avoid it. It was so bad that I spent the first 5 minutes after finishing resting my head on the fence trying to get the pain to go away so I could stand up strait. As far as hydration goes, I think anything more and I would have had too much. I drank cytomax at every water station, except one where I just had water. I also ate one hammer gel during the first mile of the run.

Nothing really, not sure what the cost would have been if I pushed it harder in the first climb to the Golden Gate bridge.

Drank 3 bottles of water and 2 bottles of Muscle Milk. Stood in line for a massage and stretched while I waited. Walked around alot, then got the bike and rode back to the hotel.


Conditions on the swim killed my ability to meet my stretch time goal. I was hoping for sub-30 minutes on the swim, according to past years' results and my usual age group standing, and this year nobody went sub-30 from my age group. My stretch time goal was to break 3 hours. I missed that my 7:56, and my swim was 7:47 over the 30 minute mark. So I had it done with the bike and run I posted, the swim this year just didn't happen.


This was absolutely the best, most fun race I've ever done. If I had the time and resources (and luck with the lottery) I would do this race every year.

It's a very difficult course, very technical and can be just a little crowded at times. But I had no problems with that and it did not lessen my experience one bit. For a race with potentially 2000 racers it was very organized. The line was a bit long and annoying for packet pickup, but I had to be there anyway for the pre-race meeting, so I was able to listen in while standing in line. Plenty of aid stations, both on the bike and run. Post-race activities were ok, not much really going on except the vendors open again. Lots of good food! No problem getting our dropped off sweats bags at a reasonable time after the race.