Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon : Official Thread

Honestly, I still need to decide if I will take part or not.  I have till tomorrow I think.

$400 is a lot for non IM race...  And I already did it once...  hmmm  If I come back to the thread, I'm in.

Signed up and payed!!! this will be my first at Alcatraz!  Is there any good training plans out there for this race???

Hola, Alcatrazers! :D

Now that Kona is over my full attention is focused on this race!  I've done it before (2009) so feel free to ask questions!

My advice is to find a high rise building and climb stairs at least once per week. :D  I did really well on the sand ladder because I worked on the 6th floor of a building and only took the stairs every single day for 4 months prior to the race.  I work in a one story building now so that won't help me.  I will have to find stairs somewhere to climb!

I need to buy airline tix and secure lodging....

Thanks!

I'm tellin' ya...if you can climb some stairs every day you will ROCK the sand ladder.  My sand ladder split was my best split placement of the day...even better than my swim swim standing and I always do well on the swim!

One story won't do it.  4-6 necessary for sure!  My backup plan is to see if my gym has one of those stairmills, but I'd rather just climb a real set of stairs.  Though I need to find some conveniently located stairs and I can't think of anywhere right now.  They don't build things very tall in Abilene.

#3 for me.  Favorite race.

Andi

You'll want to bike short steep hills if you can.  .25-.5 miles long with 15-20% grade.  Long slow climbs aren't really going to be race specific for Alcatraz!  Ditto with the run... and stairs and sand too. The run according to my Garmin last year was over 1 mile in sand on Baker Beach - and it wasn't hard packed at all!

The swim is the easy part (and I'm not a swimmer) but the most "mental" for most people.

Andi

Great advice!  Thanks!

I'm in.  Was supposed to compete in 2012 but had a family member pass the week of the race.  Happend so late, my bike was already on the TriBike Truck and got to make a trip from Kansas City to San Fran and back Only race and race director I've ever encountered that grants deferrals in these situations (they considered it a medical deferral).  Was suprised to see what the new date was - but hey, I already paid my money last year so let's do this.  Thanks for the advice already.

DiCarlo, pretty sure we did IMFL 2010 together.  Congrats on Kona - love to see real-life breathing lottery winners.  Figured they were just fictional

Transition and transpo on race morning go from Marina Green.  Zoom in on a few of San Fran in google maps...it's the green space in between Presidio and Fort Mason.

There are a BUNCH of hotels on Lombard street just a few blocks from Marina Green.  None of them are really swanky, but they are SUPER easy walking distance to all the action.  As I recall there is even a really nice street one block towards the water from Lombard that had some fabulous restaurants and even a theater (I went to see a movie while resting up prior to the race!).

Argh!  Unfortunately after taking 10 weeks off to rehab a bum hamstring I suffered a serious break in my foot on Sunday in an accident.  And I **JUST** started running again last week! lol

There's no way I'll be ready to go by March 3rd for running.  My doctor agrees since I may be looking at a pin.

I've bought plane tickets already 2 weeks ago on a deal too good to pass up ($200 RT non stop from Atlanta) because we will DEFINITELY be visiting wine country for our 20 year anniversary(planned originally for after the race).

So, I will be getting a deferral to 2014 AND volunteering for 2013!  I'd love to set up some group OWS at Aquatic Park and some riding/runs (I'll be running a tad by then).

So, I will stay part of the group but won't be racing.  When life gives you lemons, make lemonade!  I'm going to have a wicked good swim pull!

Andi

I've ridden my bike from my hotel both times I've done the race.  Everyone does this it seems!  No one (cars) is on the road and the roads are very well light.  A must do.

Andi

Hi!

I'm in, coming over from NY.  1st one, just finished up my 1st Ironman too, AZ. 

Looking forward to some different training and the real, west coast. 

Best of luck, see you there.

I just signed up!  Nothing like a last minute decision that costs over $400.00.  $400.00 to torture myself for 3 hours or more.  My wife is questioning my critical thinking ability.

I was reading through the blogs and have some info about lodging in the area.  I actually work for a restaurant company based in SF and my office is on Lombard and Fillmore.  There is a hotel on Lombard between Fillmore and Steiner called Cow Hollow Motor Lodge.  This is a very good hotel that I use when I have to stay in SF.

The restaurant scene is great in this neighborhood known as the Marina.  Most of the restaurants are on Chestnut St.  You can find just about any kind of cuisine done well.  The restaurant I work for is called Pluto's.  We have an operation on Scott. St just off of Chestnut.  We sell salads and sandwiches made to order.  Nothing fancy, but great food at lower prices.  Years ago Mike Pigg would come in when he was racing the Escape.

Off to run the very flat roads in Davis CA.  Good luck to all.

I'm in for this year (had to defer last year due to an injury). 

I've heard the run from the swim exit to T1 is a bit long.  Since it's gonna be so cold I assume most people will have neoprene booties.  Is it too far to run in these?

One of my friends doing the race forwarded me this link. It may help but i haven't had time to read it yet. Looks very helpful though..

http://www.ggtc.org/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=424851&module_id=107146

The run from the Mini transition to T-1 is about a half mile.  Lots of people have a bag there with a towel and some extra shoes to put on for the run to T-1. You can bag up your suit and anything else you want and that bag will be brought to the finish area after the race. 

I did this and stripped my wetsuit there, dried my feet put on the ratty shoes then switched to socks and bike shoes in T-1. 

I guess you could run in wetsuit booties, but i've always found them too squishy to run in. 

Most of the pros go barefoot and skip this section altogether. 

Have a great race!!!

I want to do this one again!

You'll be fine training on the trainer.  See message I just sent!

I'll be volunteering at packet pickup on Sat. from 2-7 and then I will be ON THE BOAT (yay) on Sunday morning yelling at everyone to hurry up and jump.  Can't wait to see the race from the volunteer perspective and then kill it in 2014 in my new age group.   (I have a medical deferral so I'm in for 2014!)

love the emails from them:

"This is not a time to be mentally weak, BE READY TO JUMP!!"

y'all get the 3 pairs of shoes concept?

my jump didnt go exactly as planned. it was more of a slip and fall into the water. =P