This will be a two post installment. How not to and how to Escape from Alcatraz.
Alcatraz has been a bucket list race since the first time I heard about it in 2008. Who wouldn’t want to jump off a boat into the San Fran bay with the most gorgeous backdrop, frigid waters, sharks, and currents?! I’m really selling it here. The original escape race significantly increased the registration cost after a switch in ownership ($750!) and along with the lottery system, I had basically written off a chance at doing the race. Until Tri California brought back their version of the Alcatraz triathlon and announced the comback last year. TCSD had a promotion last fall and I jumped at the opportunity, and convinced some friends to do so as well!
So I booked my flight a couple weeks ago and did no other planning. Packing for a destination triathlon?! You mean I can’t take everything and the kitchen sink? What bike should I ride? Where are we staying? Wait, how long is this race?
I worked a full day on Friday and took an evening flight from O’hare. Mistake. The 1am arrival was less than perfect. As it was 3am central time I had little patience with the Uber-pool driver and my co-poolers. Alas, I made it to the hotel and Cory was nicely waiting in the lobby for me. Bunked up with his daughter for an uneventful night’s sleep.
Okay. Here’s how not to do the day before a triathlon. Coming from a recovering triathlete who knows better.
1) Go to Alcatraz as a tourist. {this is awesome btw and I definitely recommend visiting, but…} Mistake:
Get freaked out about how cold it is on the boat, and on the island. Watch the very choppy water and crazy swells and currents from the boat trip and freak out more. Ask the boat captain the water temp. All bad ideas the day before you chose to jump off a boat. And paid to do it.
2) Cory ever so nicely picked up Noko’s Tri bike who ever so nicely let me borrow it for the race. {yeah for solving the bike issue!} But there was no room for the wheels. So I brought Kyle’s Zipp 404 tubulars. Mistake:
Be that person who shows up to the expo with a tubular tire that won’t inflate because the pit stop is clogging the valve extender. Oh yeah, while wearing tri shorts and the race tech-t. I didn’t even want to admit to the mechanic that I work at a bike shop and know better. After trying to explain and watching them struggle he finally took off the valve extender and the tire deflated (a good sign, and something I wasn’t brave enough to try on my own) and he saw the clog I was talking about. A little de-greaser and fishing for the actual valve and we were back in business. With a properly inflated tubular. Only after plenty of “where the f am I going to find a rear wheel” panic thoughts racing through my mind.
3) Listen to your friend (Erin!) and agree to an easy stroll along the bay and across the Golden Gate Bridge. {It was gorgeous, though!} Mistake:
It wasn’t easy nor flat. Not remotely safe. I was fearing for my life every 50 feet. I was again that triathlete riding the day before a race in my kit, race t-shirt, race wheels, aero helmet, and {borrowed} triathlon bike on a public bike path in a ridiculously busy tourist location. On a summer Saturday. Dodging tourists on rental bikes who cannot go up hill in a straight line. Nor who could walk in a straight line, 5 people + pets wide, as we were coming back down. Descending on a tri bike with brakes that aren’t optimal, trying not to crash into anyone or anything or go over the bars. I owe Noko some new brake pads. And a big hug for this entry not being about the hassles of traveling with a bike.
4) Riding across the beautiful Golden Gate Bridge {really, it was awesome but…} Mistake:
Did I mention I was on a Tri bike with race wheels and there were tourists? I’ll also mention there was a very stiff wind blowing across the bridge into the bay. Narrow path = okay I’m really fearing for my life. We made it half way across and I had to bail. Made the group turn back and back through the madness to our hotel.
Definitely needed to de-stress after that hour long ride. But at least my tire was fixed?
5) When in San Fran one must eat clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl. Mistake:
That was just lunch. Then I had Italian seafood for dinner. And a glass of wine or two. Suffice to say my stomach wasn’t happy before bed or in the morning.
But, I slept well and woke up happy. No real breakfast plans meant I had downed one of those mushy oatmeal/banana Clif food pouches that were in our goodie bag. Gag me.
6) Triathlon training. Mistake:
Haha, what training? I’ve swam once since coming to Chicago. I did a 10k at a bachelorette party and ran maybe 6 times since the move. Zero brick workouts. One Tri bike interval session. Otherwise it was me and my road bike, being a tourist in my own city. Suffice to say, I was underprepared for this race and had a bit of underlying nerves. But the old veteran in me knew I’d be okay.
We were off to the race site via our bikes, set up transition, and hopped on the bus to Pier 3.
Next up: my Alcatraz race report. Spoiler: it went a hell of a lot better than expected.
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