Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon - TriathlonOlympic

Jump from the Hornblower into the moving current of San Francisco Bay right in front of Alcatraz Island. I looked out the back windows of the boat at the island and it was magical. Steep rocky outcrops, seagulls and trees clinging to the cliffside made me feel like it was a scene out of a movie...except it was my own life!!! I was about to escape from Alcatraz! The number of kayak support boats was unbelievable, they were everywhere, but once in the water, you were lucky if you could see one or two at any given time.

The course headed to St. Francic Yacht club. Sighting was initially towards some tower that I never found, so I sighted left of Fort Mason. As I got closer, and the current took me out towards the Golden Gate bridge, I had to adjust my sighting to just left of the Palace of Fine Arts, an enormous Golden Dome about 1/4 off the shoreline. My line was pretty decent and it got crowded at the exit as well.

The swim itself was marvelous. I had a great time, never got freaked out, the water wasn't too cold, no sharks bit me, no seals investigated, but a flock of pelicans swooped overhead pretty close. There really aren't any words to describe the swim, it was the most amazing thing in the world. I tried to roll over on my back several times to look back at the island, over to the golden gate bridge and to the San Francisco skyline.

My sighting was going well, and the only time I really had to sit up/breaststroke was to let other swimmers by who were headed on a different course than I was. Otherwise I was very pleased with my sighting and staying on a fairly straight course while swimming.

The water was a nice greenish color and visibility about 5 feet, just enough to see feet in front of me and bodies to eh side so I could avoid getting kicked.

Suddenly, the beautiful green color turned into a dark murkey gray...I looked up and fog had enveloped the skyline. I looked for my landmarks again, and even the palace of fine arts had become shrouded in fog. I rolled over onto my back one more time to get a last look at the island, and it was not visible anymore. How cool this was! To be swimming in the bay, totally enveloped in fog, but not so much that I couldn't see the shoreline. Finally the finish was in sight, and the speed of the current was obvious as I cruised past the yacht club at several miles per hour.

The feeling of seeing and hearing the crowd as I climbed up onto the sand and the mossy steps was just amazing. I felt like I had finished a marathon. It was truley the pinnacle of my atheletic career up to this point!

But...there was more to come...26 more miles of adventure ahead!

This was actually 2 transitions, the first out of the wetsuit, and into running shoes right at the swim exit, then a 1/2 - 3/4 mile run to the true transition area to change into bike shoes and start the bike leg

THis was a stiff bike course. Overall the elevation gain was not too bad compared to my training rides in Pittsurgh, but there were fewer, steeper hills. The climb from Great Highway on the beach up to the top of Seal Rock road was KILLER! I laughed when I got to the last bit...I truley felt like I was in San Francisco. Everyoen was standing on their pedals and it just looked strgith up. I put my head down, stomped on the pedals and cranked my way up the hill.

Overall, my time was average for me. Given the hills I am pleased. But I got passed by tons of people. I had moments where I was able to blow past people going up hills, but these bursts were short lived. In my future training, I'll need to up the intensity to learn how to hold onto it longer, and not worry about using up energy pushing and cranking on flats.

The entire transition area was about 1/4 mile long because there were SO MANY athletes. By this time I was pretty tired, and walked the entire transition which added some time. Took time to douse myself with spray on sunscreen as well, which was good.

Not much I don't think.

I knew the run was going to be hard. I ended up running (slow jog) to each water station, drank some water and walked for a minute then jogged again. Of course, this plan only lasted 2 miles, because all of mile 3 was uphill. Ugh! Mile 4 down to baker beach was OK, but the turnaround seemed sadistically far away. Finally up to the sand ladder! My plan was to run up the entire ladder since I had spent a lot of time this winter doing steps, even if it burnt me out for the rest of the run. Well, I lasted about 1/3 of the way up, caught my second wind and finished the rest. I beat a few folks in my group up the sand ladder. :) The rest of the run was just a slow mental slog, especially the last 2 miles, which were flat and on sidewalk. As the finish line got closer I had to try harder and harder to keep moving because it just didn't seem to get closer. But by that time the crowd kept me in.

The most awesome part of the whole race, even better than finishing the swim, was running down the finishing chute. I felt my pace quicken, my stride lengthen, and all my pain was temporarily vanished! I heard my chip register and then my name annouced as I smiled for the cameras and pumped my fist in the air a few times...look for it on the video soon. ;)

Continue my run training like I have been. More strenght training overall to continue throughout the spring training season (like my coach wanted!)

Put on a long sleeved T-shirt for the sun, had some whole foods handouts (bagels, lentil soup). Got a post race massage.


This race was my longest yet for the swim and the run. Overall endurance for this distance was limiting. Even though my run is the slowest, I think I have more capacity for improvement in the bike. If I could hold my place in the pack after finishing the swim somewhat mid-pack, my overall race time would be very much improved.


By far my biggest improvement for this race, even more so than generaly fitness gains, was my mental preparation, positive visualization, and pre-race nerve calming ability. This was a constant active process throughout the last several weeks and months culminating in these past few days. Read my race reports for the Shamrock Shuffle, and the Great Lake Escape to read how lack of control over negative thinking affected my overall races. I was incredibly pleased that this technique worked to my advantange and now that I know it works, will continue to use it and improve on it in the future.

Finally, I just can't say how incredible it was to have finished this race. I wasn't always sure I could do it. Those last few miles of the run were so mentally challenging, that to finish the race, makes me think I can really do anything I set my mind to.