Escape from Alcatraz

San Francisco, California

On the 3^rd year of entering the lottery, on the 3^rd day of the 3^rd month of 2013, I competed in the 33^rd annual Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon.  Christian went with me on this trip. We toured Alcatraz Friday morning before the race and heard about all the failed escape attempts and those who had died trying to escape Alcatraz.

The morning of the race started at 3:00 am for me. I stretched, ate, warmed up, dressed and prayed. At 4:00 am, I headed out and rode my bike through Fisherman’s Warf and over the hill at Fort Mason to arrive at Transition on the Marina Green. It was a windy cold morning. I wouldn’t expect anything else from San Francisco. I set up my transition with several cold weather options. I wasn’t sure how cold I would be coming out of the swim and I was most worried about my hands. I had purchased a pair of neoprene diving gloves to wear in the case that my hands were cold. Having working hands is essential given that I need my fingers working properly to operate the shifters and brakes. After double checking my transition I boarded a shuttle to the Boat at about 5:00 am. Soon I was at the dock looking at the famous San Francisco Belle.

 

 

One difficult part of this race is waiting for over an hour on the cold windy dock to board the boat. I could have got on the boat earlier but I wanted to stay close to the port-a-potties for a while to complete my pre-race elimination ritual. Once I was on the boat, I knew that what few restrooms they had would be over-run by 2,000 athletes. I boarded the boat a little before 6:30. When I entered the boat it was wall to wall bodies lying or sitting on the floor. I was assigned to go to the second floor because of my age group.  I laid down and tried to relax for a while before it was time to warm up. As the start approaches the boat becomes more and more agitated with excitement. What originally looked like a morgue of wet suited bodies quickly becomes a hornet’s nest of wet suited bodies. Everyone moves to one side of the boat in anticipation of the jump and the boat actually starts to lean significantly. I knew that the water would be colder than I have ever experienced. Over 50% of the athletes were wearing booties on their feet. This was allowed for this race given the cold conditions. I chose not to wear booties after researching and reading on the subject. Once the all clear for the start occurs you push like a herd of cattle towards the open door for the jump. The closer you get to the door the wetter the carpet becomes. As a triathlete, there was no doubt in my mind where the wet was coming from. People were peeing in their wetsuits, either on purpose or out of fear. The official water temperature would be recorded as 51 degrees.

 

This You Tube Video will give you and idea of what the start is like.

 

It was cold. I have completed the Alcatraz crossing twice before in other races. This time was the coldest and most difficult. I also learned how spoiled I was on my first two crossings. The other times I honestly didn’t see the big deal. This time I jumped in and within a minute the conditions humbled me. Some people claimed six foot swells and waves. I would say that is an exaggeration, but the conditions where the worst I have personally ever faced I have to admit it was a totally new experience to actually feel fear on a swim. Because I have a swimming/water polo background I guess I have lacked a lot of empathy for other athletes who have to overcome fear during these swims. I understand that better now and will stop taking it for granted. Especially since a guy a lot like me lost his life just moments after jumping into that water with me. He was a trial lawyer like me and only about a year older than me.

                    This You Tube Video will give you an idea of the water conditions

 

The cold was shocking and hurt my hands and feet. They call this first section the washing machine for good reason, I felt like I was trying to swim in a washing machine. It was wavy with white caps and the waves seemed to come in every direction. My goggles got knocked loose by a wave that smacked me in the face, I stopped to fix them and got hit by another wave and swallowed water. I have never swallowed water in a race. I must have swallowed water 10 times in this one. I couldn’t see the shore. I couldn’t see the other swimmers. I couldn’t see the guide boats. I talked to many other athletes after the race and it felt like you were alone out there tempest tossed in the waves. I would have to stop and tread water and wait for a wave to lift me up so I could see where everything was. I was constantly getting knocked off course by the waves. What had started as a swim race for me quickly turned into a swim survival.  Siting was difficult and when I got close to shore the current was taking me towards the Golden Gate Bridge and I ended up spending some major swim energy trying not to over shoot the beach. I was glad to finally have my feet on the shore.

 

 

There is a mini transition area where I took off my wet suit and threw on pair of shoes for a half mile. The run seems longer than half a mile but it is good to get warmed up and get your cold head straight before hitting the bike.

 

 

The bike course seemed like one long 18 mile hill to me. Sure there were downhill segments, but they were impossible to enjoy because they were steep and I was on my brakes and I also knew they just meant I would have to go back up again. I have got to lighten up to be anywhere near competitive or even enjoy a bike course like this one. I felt like I was being passed by all every athlete in the race. I think I only passed one old guy and that was because he had gotten of his bike and was walking one of the steeper hills. I discovered after the race that my back brake had been rubbing the whole race. So much so that when I went to get my bike out of transition after the race the wheel was locked as I drug it across the grass. So not only were those hills miserable, I climbed them with a handicap.

The run was just plain fun. Now that doesn’t mean it is easy, in fact it is probably one of the most sadistic run courses you will ever find. But it was such an adventure. You run stairs, switch backs, asphalt, cement, dirt trails, rocky mountain paths, gravel, soft sand, packed sand, wet sand, beach, sand ladders, grass, gravel. You climb, then you descend, you turn, you twist, you duck through a tunnel. You dodge rocks and even tourists. It is windy and cool, and then it is hot. You cannot get bored on this run, there is always a new challenge just ahead. The run was difficult, but I loved it and it was over before I knew it. I came down the last set of stairs and hit the last flat two miles and the realization that there were not more hills this course had to throw at me, made me intoxicated with the joy of knowing that I had done it. I was so happy, and with the wind at my back I hit the gas for the last two miles and for the first time in the race I was passing people.

 

 

At 240 pounds I will never be very competitive on a course like this, but I loved this race. While it is not as long as a 70.3 the amount of muscle output of this race takes almost as much out of you.