Alcatraz Challenge - July 22nd 2012

Alcatraz Challenge 2012 was my 5^th time to participate in the San Francisco Bay's (only?) aquathlon, and my 10^th swim from (near) The Rock back to shore. (For some perspective, Gary Emich has done the swim 926 times...sans wetsuit).


Prologue:

I need to remember to clean my gear more regularly, or prepare it earlier than just the day before the event. Covering my bedroom in dust 24 hours prior to racing does not conduce optimal lung function...


Race Day:

Swim (40:02): By the time we jumped off the California Hornblower, the sun had cleared most of the early-morning fog; I was glad I wore my tinted swim-goggles. The San Francisco Bay wasn't too choppy, and the water temperature was reportedly around 61 ℉, about 16 ℃, relatively warm either way. I stopped twice, fearful I would lose my timing-chip-anklet. I was also redirected twice by kayakers to swim closer to shore (lesson learned from zigzagging in 2011). I made for the beach as soon as I thought it was safe (i.e. rock-fee) and race-legal, but I suspect I could have exited even sooner. My swim split was two minutes slower than 2011, roughly in line with a generally slower swim in 2012.

Transition (1:20): Kiddy pools were provided to rinse sandy feet; bib number 22 gifted me a transition spot near swim-in and run-out; and a new Dakine rash guard meant sunscreen re-application could be skipped. All that meant my transformation was 30 seconds faster than the previous year, and about 3^rd fastest overall.

Run (50:28): Competitor 266, Blake "Magic Mike" Corbin, (nickname used only by me until I found his real name) provided encouraging words up the steps to the Golden Gate Bridge. Corbin also trailed me across the span until the turnaround; then he increased his pace and broke away, back up the bridge incline. Jacques Lu Cont's "Thunderstruck" remix on HeadMusic^TM ushered me home. My run time was similar to 2011, but still about 4 minutes slower than 2009. It was great to be cheered across the finish by friends and girlfriend; Lucky Luke. :-)

Nutrition: Two Gu Roctane and some lemon and lime flavored Gatorade at each of the three water stops. I carried Thermolyte Metasalt tablets but didn't use them.

The 2012 event featured 49 fewer aquathlon racers than in 2011; 295 versus 246. I hope that decline does not continue.

My bib number was 22.

Results (pdf). My finish time was 1:31:50, about a minute slower than 2011.

Photos. (The black stain under my chin is from my old, neoprene wetsuit-cap, which needs to be replaced).

Bay to Breakers - May 20th 2012

2012 marked my 4^th (and the series 101^st) Bay to Breakers.

My "training" was limited to about 21 miles in 2012 (after 32 total in 2011). I also flew back from a work trip to Sydney, Australia, less than 48 hours prior. That didn't prevent a huge grin as I walked to the start and my first foot-race since October 2009. 6:20am arrival at Corral A allowed me to begin directly behind seeded runners, and avoid a line at the porta-potties (unlike previous years). The weather was sunny but not too warm, with little wind.

A few highlights before the horn included:

• meeting an excited MMA trainee on his way to his first B2B; he gave up Gilbert Melendez's (IIRC) victory party to focus on his race (last time I knowingly raced an MMA-guy)
• one of the volunteers poking fun via megaphone at the Google velocipede. To paraphrase "Please make room for the Google team...Trust them...like we all trust Google."
• a handful of costumes among the early arrivals, especially from 4137

An energy gel was inhaled at about 6:50am, atop two Clif Builder Bars forced down around 5:10am. I carried more gels but didn't use them.

Lack of music on most of the course was disappointing, but understandable, given the 7am start and San Francisco rules against noise before 8am. The early hour did make for a drunk/stoner-free run.

The Google-guys passed me at the half-way point.

Similar to 2009, my stamina waned as we moved through Golden Gate Park. Searching for inspiration, I chased 5353's glorious "Catch me if you can"-emblazoned bum; I kept pace until about a half mile from the finish. :-)

Event results. My bib number was 2561. My chip time was 51:35. (In the video, I cross the finish line at 24:39 wearing white baseball-hat, white shirt, black shorts). Garmin record.

Official event photos. (I need to remember to remove sunglasses for post-race snaps).

PS We found the parked car blocked in by Muni on Great Highway, but they helpfully and politely moved several buses to allow us to leave.

PPS Nob Hill Grille brunch of croque madame, sweet potato fries, and seasonal fruit was fantastic!

Alcatraz Challenge - July 17th 2011

Prologue:

Alcatraz Challenge 2011 was never going to be easy. It was my first multisport event in two years, and my first competitive run & open water swim since knee surgery. To raise the bar further, it was preceded by a work trip to Orlando; thunderstorms meant I spent six hours in MCO airport (aka The Disney Family House of Horror) waiting for a delayed flight to LAX. When the plane eventually arrived on the west coast, my wings to SFO had already flown without me (and most of my fellow passengers). This left me 24 hours until race start and still 350 miles from the ferry to Alcatraz.

To add firstWorldProblem insult to injury, a Microsoft convention and LA Highway 405's "Carmaggedon" construction meant I struggled to sleep on a chair in terminal 7 until a 7am flight. In the eight hours I spent there, the elevator-style-mood-music paused only for security announcements...

The trip wasn't all bad news. My recently reacquired United Airlines frequent flier "Premier" status granted me roomier seats and priority boarding. (Kudos to United's prompt mileage updates). Flying as a standard passenger would have meant submitting my laptop bag & work equipment to the vagaries of luggage handling; my checked baggage flew separately anyway.

After incessant (but required) Florida air conditioning, and having to yell during a presentation sans microphone, a sore throat worried me, but resolved itself in time for Sunday's race...


Race day:

I completed this event three times before, but this was my first under new Tri-California management. Registering early (still) pays dividends; it grants competitors a seat on a later bus to the ferry i.e. marginally more sleep. Also Tri-Cal kept race day registration; especially welcome in 2011, given my travel issues.

Swim (38:09): I jumped off the boat after about 30 other swimmers. Concerns about fog meant the race directors and their kayakers herded us much closer to shore than normal. Having said that, I screwed up my sighting at the start by aiming slightly behind the lead boat; I ended up on the left border of the field (having started on the right). I also allowed the close shoreline to become a distraction and worried to much about where I would land rather than focusing on pushing my swim pace. Having said that, I exited the water as soon as the beach was accessible, and made up some time on those who decided to stick with the bay.

T1 (1:52): The normally ultra-organized Tri-California neglected to provide a kiddie pool to rinse our sandy feet; I need to add a rinse-water bottle to my equipment checklist. After sunburn the previous weekend, I reapplied sunscreen in the transition area.

Run (50:44): My run split was four minutes slower than in 2009. That might not seem like much to some, but it's about 30 seconds per mile, a significant difference. I felt surprisingly good out of transition but I began to flag while crossing the Golden Gate Bridge. After finally getting some Gatorade at the Marin turnaround, I got a nice buzz on the return leg; my face hurt from smiling by the time I was halfway back.My bib number was 412.

Results (pdf). My finish time was 1:30:45.

Photos. Of me. Swim exit 1, 2, 3.

PS Several friends competed and kicked a$$. Donncha. Jen.

Bridge to Bridge Run - October 4th 2009

By the time race day for Bridge to Bridge Run 2009 arrived, I'd been on competition-hiatus for nearly 3 months. I skipped Escape from the Rock due to first-rain-provoked water quality concerns. My previous event, Alcatraz Challenge 2009, was fun, but I didn't expect to do as well in this pure footrace. Brunch at Zazie and some time at Lovevolution on Saturday didn't qualify as recommended preparation either! (The unexpected tween-fest at the music-fest may be worth a whole other post at some point...)

Weather was forecast to be cool (about 52 F) and breezy (gusting to about 14 mph), blowing against runners for most of the exposed course. In practice, the wind was hardly noticeable and sunshine temperatures were comfortable. Speaking of sun, I was grateful for my hat and sunglasses!

After walking to the Ferry Building (local races are so awesome), I found a spot a few yards from the start line. The Garmin 405 (sans heart rate monitor) proved useful in a concerted effort to control my initial speed and avoid a repeat of my pace collapse in 2008. Thanks to Pink-Shirt-Girl, Blue-Shirt-Guy and Grey-Shirt-Guy for their help! (The latter two dropped me on Marina Boulevard and Crissy Field respectively).

In spite of this, my pace still flagged a little around mile 6 (as others hit the throttle for the home leg). On the long, uphill, final stretch, the clock read around 49 minutes. In my relief, I eased off too much and was passed by two sprinters in the final yards.

My official finish time was 49:18, my fastest 12 km to date. (My 2008 time was 50:28).

Results. Photos. My bib number was 262.


PS While writing this I found a useful resource.

Alcatraz Challenge - July 12th 2009

I'm an Alcatraz Challenge fan. No bike, hotel or camping needed. Same day packet pickup for everyone. Run across the east side of the Golden Gate Bridge. If the Bay water was guaranteed to be clean and warm, it would be perfect!

This was my third consecutive year to participate. I hoped for a luckier day than previous outings. Swim conditions in 2007 were the toughest I've experienced. My timing chip failed in 2008. The 2009 event was advertised as sold-out but as in the previous year, it clashed with another local race; this time it was Tri-California's renamed, rebranded, rescheduled San Francisco Triathlon.

I hadn't run since Escape From Alcatraz on June 14th. I traveled to Italy for a wedding from June 16th to 22nd. On July 1st I cut both feet while swim training at YMCA Embarcadero wearing "zoomers" that were a little too big. A bachelor party in San Diego kept me busy July 3rd to 5th.

During the same YMCA swim session on July 1st, I had to exit the pool early due to persistent coughing and breathing difficulties. I tried USF Koret three times in the week prior to 'Challenge and I think I'm a convert.

The day before the race, I realized my old watch had finally given up the ghost after leaking at Lake San Antonio in March. Lombardi Sports supplied a Timex T5E901 replacement.

In an unexpected coincidence, my parents were in town and made the early morning trip to Crissy Field to lend their support.

Swim (40:59.7): Faster swimmers were advised to jump out the left door of the boat and swim/sight right while slower swimmers were advised to do the opposite...This meant a little traffic navigation was necessary after the start but I got off the boat early so wasn't delayed. The organizers' post-race review read "water conditions were a little rougher than normal, the clouds a little grayer and the currents a little slower". Sighting was a little difficult but the surf was a more of a problem than the fog. Driven by the wind, the waves consistently pushed me farther left than I intended.

T1 (1:23.2): After a brief assessment of the weather, I left my sunglasses behind and didn't bother to reapply sunscreen.

Run (46:44.4): Several runners passed me during the climb to the Golden Gate. The southwest wind helped me across the bridge but it was strong enough that I removed my hat for the return journey for fear of losing it. In spite of the foggy, cold, windy weather, there were a number of tourists out. As ever, many seemed oblivious to the race but I didn't see or experience any collisions. Back on Crissy Field, I spotted a familiar figure (another regular participant) and closed the gap but couldn't catch him before the finish. Some head-music favorites kept my pace up - it must have shown on my face as several people remarked on my big grin as took it home.

My bib number was 245.

Results. (Archive pdf). My finish time was 1:29:07.3. (Some versions of the results mistakenly report me as winning the Male 30-34 age group. I was third. There were extra, separate awards for the overall winners and two were in my division so the results got a little messy).

Photos. Swim. Run 1, 2.

PS Staffan Westerberg, one of the guys who beat me, won his age group on Treasure Island the previous day.

Escape from Alcatraz - June 14th 2009

My first Escape From Alcatraz was in 2007 and I was lucky to draw another spot for the 2009 event.


My right knee had been bothering me after an over aggressive brick followed by work-related flights to LA and Chicago. Advil, ice and rest meant it felt okay on race day but it still prevented me running or biking during the two weeks prior.

While sitting aboard the San Francisco Belle discussing nutrition, I realized I left my Thermolyte capsules buried in my transition bag. This explained earlier misgivings about my empty-looking inverted bike helmet (that I ignored in my rush to get on the bus). The dumb mistake cost me valuable time in T1 and T2.


Swim: This was my inaugural event wearing my Sailfish one. An Aquatic Park test-swim led to chafing so I was especially careful to seal the neck correctly this time.

I was racing in the 30-34 age group but I jumped off the boat soon after the Elite athletes. (If you're close enough to the doors, the eager crowd's pushing leaves you little choice!) Weather conditions were good. All the major sighting landmarks were visible, the wind was light and the Bay was only a little choppy. However this didn't prevent most swimmers, including the pros, having problems. Swim times were about 6 minutes slower than 2008 or 2007.

I encountered a few other issues. About halfway across the channel, my right hand plunged into what I initially hoped was seaweed but turned out to be a jellyfish...I was lucky my wetsuit was long sleeved so only my hand was mildly stung. Closer to shore I received a vigorous elbow to the face. Fortunately my pride was all that was injured.


T1: I decided not to leave running shoes at the post-swim transition area and instead jogged barefoot directly to the bike transition. The half mile on pavement worked out fine and the choice paid dividends - my split time was in the top 10 in my age group despite having to rummage in my bag for the forgotten salt pills. Getting out of the water relatively early also allowed me to run at my own pace - the route to bike transition became packed as more swimmers arrived...


Bike: Most triathlons start each wave 5 or more minutes apart. However, one of the many cool things about Escape is that everyone starts within 6 minutes of the pros - you get to race with people you would never otherwise. This is especially fun (for me anyway) when the field includes athletes like Jenny Fletcher and Kathy Winkler. I found it a little difficult to focus on my biking and was loathe to overtake either of them! Winkler acquired an entourage of a half dozen other guys before they all dropped me on the return to Legion of Honor. She also inspired a female spectator to scream "1836 [Winkler's number], come back! My neighbor loves you!...[Something unintelligible]...He has a new job!!" (Both women won their age groups and Fletcher was fastest female amateur).

The Clif Bar DJ was absent so I tuned to head music and filled the void with Leftfield's Phat Planet while descending Lincoln Boulevard.


Run: My right hamstring felt tight while running past the same spot. This passed but both my quads locked up as soon as I stepped onto the sand stairs.

My mental and emotional reserves were low going into this race. In spite of awesome support throughout, my mood deteriorated until I was truly miserable by the end. Crossing the finish line gave me no sense of accomplishment or even relief...In retrospect, maybe I bonked a little in the second half of the run but there are definitely other issues I need to work on too...



My bib number was 426.

Results. My time was 2:48:10, about 6 minutes slower than 2:42:18 in 2007.

Photos. Some favorites.


PS I've completed 7 Alcatraz crossings:

2 Escape from the Rock +
2 Alctraz Challenge +
2 Escape From Alcatraz +
1 Alcatraz 100

but some Bay Area locals are close to 600!

Bay to Breakers - May 17th 2009

Bay to Breakers 2009 featured revised rules and warm weather. The former inspired a San Francisco combination of protest and initiative. After having a blast in 2008, I hoped to repeat the run first, party later approach.

This year's event also marked the introduction of a new corral system at the race start - I lined up with the first amateur group (A - Orange) and hoped to beat 55 minutes for the 12 km run (my PR of 51:09 in 2007 was after a start directly behind the Elites). This was my first race sporting Asics Gel Kayano 15 and Skins CROM shirt.

The pre-start porta-potty line took 35 minutes...the toilets were too close to the B corral - those in line couldn't prevent inevitable queue-jumpers. The wait led to my race-buddy and I being separated but his speed would have been too much for me anyway! (Check out results for bib number 2536).


I sucked down a gel before we began but some fluid-chaser would have been welcome. During the run I managed to avoid any lasting effects of Mexican food the night before. I cleared most of the traffic before Hayes Street Hill but my lack of training showed again - those I had been keeping pace with pulled ahead as we progressed through Golden Gate Park.


The party on the walk back could not be described as subdued but it did not compare to the total mayhem of last year. It seems the new restrictions and initiatives were at least a partial success...

Results. My bib number was 941. My time was 50:11.

Photos.


PS In the days following the race I tried 2XU's Compression Recovery Socks. Unfortunately I tore a hole in one of them immediately...I flew with Southwest four times in two days and my luggage was delayed so I wore the socks longer than expected...Smelly or not, they seemed to help my aching calf muscles. :-)

Wildflower - 3rd May 2009 - Olympic

Amateur triathlete rule of thumb; train in each discipline at least twice per week. Math skillz tell us that over 15 weeks that's 30 times for each sport. Here's what I did in 2009 before Wildflower:

• swim: 21
• bike: 7
• run: 8 (including brick workouts)

So swim aside (which only amounts to about 15% of the time spent racing Olympic distance) I was completely under-prepared...I also returned from a work trip to Australia on April 24th - jetlag prevented proper sleep for the week preceding the race.

This was my first attempt at the Wildflower Olympic course. It was also my first race in the Male 30-34 age group (USAT uses racers' end-of-year age...), and my latest start to date; 9:25am. The start time might not seem like a big deal but I cannot swim with solid food in my stomach (my swim training normally begins at about 6:30am). Staying energized until that "late" was a challenge.

My (conservative) goal was to beat 2:45 or roughly 23 minute swim + 82 minute bike + 50 minute run + 10 minute transitions and Wildflower "adventure time".


Swim: At the start I turned into that guy as I charged my way past or over swimmers ahead. Traffic from the 4 earlier waves was noticable but not egregious. I didn't notice until after the race but my TNT wetsuit is showing its age - it shed black rubber all over my neck and tri-suit...

T1: Sprinted out of the swim but ran past my spot again.

Bike: The mechanized portion did not begin well. I could not get my right shoe locked into the pedal and eventually had to dismount on Lynch Hill and jam it in. (After the race I discovered mud on my bike shoe cleat - oh the travails of Wildflower camping...). I also had to stop while climbing during the return leg to recover a dropped a caffeinated PowerBar Gel. In a turnabout from past performances I seemed to be stronger uphill versus flats and straights. This might be due to losing a few pounds (during a Costa Rica trip in December 2008) and not being trained properly...or maybe training while carrying extra (fluid) weight is paying dividends. I didn't stick to my nutrition plan - I paid later for failing to scarf all my Thermolytes.

T2: Forgot to re-apply sunscreen (one thick layer of factor 50 is not enough)...Luckily I was only mildly burned on both shoulders.

Run: My lack of nutrition discipline led to quad and hamstring cramps in both legs - sometimes all four muscles at once!


My bib number was 5783.

Results. My time was 2:39:46.

Photos: Event official.



This brings my tally to 13 triathlons:
2 Big Kahuna Half Ironman +
1 Sentinel (aka Santa Cruz Olympic) +
2 Treasure Island Olympic +
2 Wildflower Long Course +
1 Wildflower Olympic +
1 Escape From Alcatraz +
2 Escape from The Rock +
2 Folsom


Future thoughts:

• Gear: I need to invest in a new wetsuit.
• Gear: I've said it before but I still need to buy a new bike helmet.
• Gear: New bike shoe cleats.
• Race: Find my transition spot...
• Race: Stick to my nutrition plan.
• Race or Gear: Put sunscreen *in* my run shoes or wear a long sleeve shirt.

Bridge to Bridge Run - October 5th 2008

I raced Bridge to Bridge Run 12km distance once before, in 2005. I think the sponsor changed since then and the results from that year seem to have disappeared. [I did stumble across Athlinks.com while I searched for the records. It seems to be a (community driven) Big Brother meets MySpace for athletes.] My goal for 2008 was to finish under 50 minutes - an average of about 6:40 minutes/mile. This was probably a little ambitious given my complete lack of training since Sentinel and my inexperience with pure run-races...

After some light rain on Friday and Saturday, race day dawned with beautiful blue skies. Some of our group found a comfortable spot near the start line among the 6-7 mins/mile runners and within sight of the Elites. A glance at my Garmin Forerunner 405 about a half mile in indicated our pace was below 6 mins/mile - rather ambitious with about 7 race miles remaining...I mentioned this to one of my buddies but headphones, focus, Roctane and the sight of the leaders not far ahead kept him charging so I tried to follow. :-)

The course separated 7km runners from the 12km field just before mile 4. My speedy friend decided (due a grueling prior race schedule and nagging injuries) that discretion was the better part of valor - he chose the 7km route and finished third in his age group! I gritted my teeth and stuck with the 12km. As the course meandered closer to the shoreline and the (admittedly light) headwind become more apparent, my pace declined steadily - from an average below 6:20 mins/mile to 6:46 mins/mile by the finish...i.e. way above 7 mins/mile for much of the latter half of the race...As we progressed along the bay and the sun continued its ascent so did temperatures - I was glad for my hat.

My official finish time was 50:28. Maybe I'll break 50 minutes in 2009 and I can dream of an 70%+ Age Graded finish. :P

Results. Photos. My bib number was 107.

Future thoughts: While the Garmin was useful for monitoring my pace, the heart rate monitor was not...this time...

Sentinel Triathlon - September 21st 2008

Santa Cruz Sentinel Triathlon follows a similar course to Big Kahuna but has the appeal of being Olympic distance (~32 miles total) rather than 70.3 miles.


A bunch of TNT alumni signed up. Most of us stayed in the Lanai Lodge which has a great location and very friendly staff but may be too cheap for the faint of heart. :P


Swim: The ocean water was calm and clouds in the east kept early morning glare to a minimum. I started on the left side of the field and fought my way to the front. Unfortunately that struggle resulted in a leak in my right goggle. I sighted with one eye until, with about two thirds done, I relented and paused to fix it. My reticence turned out to be well founded - as suspected at least two guys were drafting me and barreled up on my left when I flipped over and slowed. I battled side-by-side with them to the beach. (Full disclosure: the guys I was trying to draft dropped my squinty a$$ before the halfway point!) Unfortunately my new water buddies hadn't examined the swim exit beforehand and continued to try to push us right toward the pier while I tried to steer us left. This meant elbow-to-elbow negotiations in open water for about 0.25 miles. Fun times. :-)


T1: Most of our group had joined me in line for the transition area opening at 6am. I agonized over picking a transition spot for nearly 30 minutes...I eventually chose one that was quiet, had more room and was closer to swim-run in than it was to bike out/in. It paid off - my T1 rank was higher than any other part of my race!


Bike: The day before the race I realized I hadn't cleaned my bike since the previous weekend and didn't have equipment with me or time to do so by that point. When I started cranking on race day, I remembered that my gears had been acting up a little since my rear flat the same weekend...I was lucky that none of this affected things on the day but damnit I should know better than that 12 triathlons in...To make up the full 40 km (24.8 miles) bike distance, a few miles before the finish, officials sent us down a lane constructed entirely of potholes. They assured us before the swim start that "next year it will be newly paved" but for the duration, I thought I was racing on Treasure Island.


T2: Unfortunately suntan lotion re-application is always going to hold me back but this transition still ranked better than my bike or run!


Run: A friend very kindly shared some GU Roctane the night before the race. I ditched the "nothing new on race day" rule of thumb and scarfed it halfway through the run. Cue Head Music by Eric Prydz (vs. Pink Floyd - Proper Education (Club Mix)) and Junkie XL (You Make Me Feel So Good) and I had a wonderful time all the way to the finish line and end of my last triathlon of 2008.


Next: Bridge to Bridge Run.


Results. Official Photos. My bib number was 545.
I think I'm in the top right corner of the first photo in the official slideshow and I run past 6 - 8 seconds into the video.


Future thoughts: Roctane might be worth investing in for race season 2009. I need to be more thorough about every aspect of my bike/biking and attitude toward it.

Folsom Triathlon - September 7th 2008

This year, in a departure from the schedule of the previous five years, the Folsom International Triathlon took place the first weekend in September. The date change meant a direct conflict with the Big Kahuna Triathlon in Santa Cruz. (Some have said that this was intentional, due to a fallout between race organizers. Folsom's J&A Productions recently re-branded to USA Productions and expanded their reach beyond California. Maybe Firstwave Events weren't interested?) Competitor numbers for Folsom 2008 were down more than a third from 2007. Big Kahuna entry rates were marginally higher...


At packet pick-up, I was informed Folsom tri was no longer USAT affiliated. An interesting decision for an ambitious, growing organization...This also means I won't be USAT ranked in 2008.


I stayed at the Sacramento Marriott Rancho Cordova. There's a Comfort Inn even closer to the race venue but at only $128.68 per night, the Marriott was tough to beat! I checked out soon after 4am - I wanted my choice of transition spot when the area opened at 5am. The early start was worth the effort - I claimed a rack right beside bike/run out and both my transition times were better than in 2007.


In spite of the new race date, conditions were similar to last year - glaring sunlight on the outward swim leg, light head/side-winds on the outward bike leg, heat during the run. Fortunately highs of about 102 °F (38.9 °C) arrived long after racing finished.


Swim: The Elite athletes decided (again) to start with our wave (male 20-29 at 7:06am). Race officials and announcers were apparently unaware of this and there was a little confusion...On reaching transition, I was shocked to see my unexpectedly speedy split time - that surprise may have been what caused me to stop my watch instead of simply splitting it! I realized my mistake several minutes later...


Bike: Having been in the saddle only 4-5 times since my Wildflower race three months ago, I was happy with my performance (even though it was my slowest leg, relatively speaking). About ten athletes overtook me, including some from the male 30-39 wave. I was also lucky enough to avoid a puncture at this attempt (maybe the flat I got while training in Tahoe the previous weekend helped my tire karma!). However I found it a little difficult to get my head "in gear" and this was worsened when I speculated that my fast swim was due to missing some buoys at the turnaround (even though I was with a group of competitors)...[Post-race I was assured by a race official/volunteer who claimed he was aboard the main boat - no-one he saw skipped any part of the swim course, even though sub 12 minute split times for some athletes are unbelievable].


Run: Leaving the transition area, a runner just ahead of me was told he was around 15th. About 1.5 miles in, a spectator informed me I was was 22nd. Several more runners passed me before the finish. My shins bothered me a little - I ran on the dirt at the side of the paved path where I could.


My finish time of 2:13:34 is by far my fastest Olympic distance triathlon to date. Next on my calendar is Sentinel in Santa Cruz.


Results. Official Photos. T2; run in, racking bike. My bib number was 245.


Future thoughts: More biking (and bricks). New bike helmet.

Alcatraz Challenge - August 23rd 2008

I raced Alcatraz Challenge for the first time in 2007. In spite of a tough swim, I enjoyed the event and determined to do it again in 2008. Unfortunately this forced me to forgo Outside Lands and Escape From The Rock. It seems others had the same dilemma - the overall and male aquathlon entry numbers were down about 20% and the male 25-29 age group field was over 40% smaller. [Aside: Due to scheduling snafus and organizational fallout (some of it between First Wave Events and J&A Productions), the Northern California multi-sport race calendar for 2008 is fubar. On four weekends there are established, major races scheduled for the same, or consecutive days.]


After Wildflower my training came to a halt for nearly three months. In an effort to regain fitness in August I did too much too quickly and developed "severe shin splints" in my left leg. Dr. Rabbetz and Chiro Medical Group helped again but I was told that if I raced "it's going to hurt". (Ice baths are whole new world...)


On the day prior to the event, entrants received a test-swim email update from organizer Gary Emich - the news was not good; "swim times were longer than normal. I'm basically a 29 minute miler & I've previously swum Crissy Field in as short as 40 minutes...Today, I was 54:38. In part this was due to water with "texture" (1-2 foot chop during the middle)"...However race day weather at Crissy Field was good - wind was light and it was overcast but not foggy.


Swim: In 2007, I was one of the last off. This year I made a conscious effort to get out as early as possible but the guide-boat was still long gone by the time my turn came. Conditions were great. Little or no chop made sighting easy. It was actually a little strange to be able to see other competitors in The Bay for the duration of the swim! I didn't notice anyone passing me but I was yelled at by volunteer kayakers, at least twice, to course-correct near the end. Without their help, I would have missed the beach...Currents were strong but favorable.


Transition: Last year I vaulted the partially collapsed transition area fence. This time I ran around. When I arrived at my spot, my limbs simply were not working (not unusual after open water swim). I struggled to don my left shoe while several people passed me. As I left the transition area the announcer made some quip about not knowing who I was even though my name should have shown up on his screen when I crossed the time mat...A glance at my own watch read about 44:30. In my haste I didn't even bother to split it!


Run: (I think) I caught and passed all but one of the folks who got the jump on me during transition. I chased Thrive for the whole run and got close enough to provide course directions at the Warming Hut before he bounded up the stairs while I walked and ate. My shin held up fine or at least a blister on my left foot distracted me from any other discomfort! Thrive extended his lead on me during the return leg but we were both still passing other runners a few hundred yards from finish. Some spectators dubbed me the 13th finisher but since start times are based on when each competitor jumps off the boat, this is of relative import.


On my return I was paged to report to race authorities to confirm I was still alive. A swimmer died during this race last year - they were keener than ever not to lose someone else...My chip registered me leaving the boat (hence the organizers' concern) but all the other splits were missed. The official results don't list any times for me...My watch's (conservative) estimate of 1:31:49, would have placed me 9th overall, about 14 minutes faster than 2007, and at the top of my age group by about 6 minutes.


Results. 216 was my number. My split guesstimates are: 42:00.0 swim, 2:30.0 t1, 47:00.0 run.


Photos: Swim start, finish. Run.


PS In an interesting coincidence I was grabbed by by a roving bone marrow drive on my way home, fulfilling my wish from Wildflower.

Bay to Breakers - May 18th 2008

Bay to Breakers is one of many cool things about San Francisco and represents many of the city's qualities. It's a medley of athleticism, creativity, music, teamwork and nudity...

Waiting in line to get into the start area and then for a porta-potty took about 45 minutes...This meant I missed the actual start and ended up the in middle of Zone 2/Yellow bibs i.e. late entrants, walkers, unwieldy costumes etc. The big bonus was that some friends (who were in the first category) caught up - we ran together as far as Fell Street and regrouped after the finish. The downside was having to dodge past hundreds of people for 7+ miles...

My finish time was about 7 minutes slower than 2007 but after returning to join the crew of the S.S Crab Lady, I think had at least 8 times more fun. :P

Results. My bib number was 6276. My time was 58:03.

Official Photos of me, Bill, Tatiana.

Crab Lady snaps: 1, 2, 3...


PS The number of total finishers seems to be in decline:
2005: 31,112.
2006: 24,562.
2007: 23,710.
2008: 22,439.

but whether that is a function of fewer paying participants or of more people being too drunk/tired to finish is a question I don't know the answer to...(the Chronicle claims about 33,000 registered).

Wildflower - 3rd May 2008 - Long Course

"If I didn't want to live then why did I fight so hard?!" - Team In Training Honoree message, Friday 2nd May 2008.


I recently began to suspect that my fixation on this year's Wildflower was bordering on unhealthy obsession. That might seem a dramatic statement so it demands a little explanation - I think part of the reason I enjoy triathlons is because they amount to a (relatively) short time period with clear goals and well-defined rules. The final decision to make the attempt, ultimate responsibility for the endeavour, and power to complete it, lie in the hands of a single person. It's a clarity and simplicity of purpose that daily life rarely affords.

In 2006 I missed the event after a metatarsal stress fracture on April 2nd. In 2007 I was half-way through the bike-leg and feeling great when a broken spoke effectively ended my race (even though I eventually finished). I arguably spent the better part of two years preparing for the 2008 race...Perhaps my focus was understandable or maybe I'm crazy. Either way I was looking forward to a problem-free race and crossing the finish line...


After training weekend I took care of all to-do items except for a new saddle purchase, including having my bike's rear gear cassette, gear cables and tires replaced. Some work travel to Korea and Japan disrupted my schedule a little but the hotels had small pools to help keep my swimming in order (and to be honest laziness/motivation were my biggest issues after training weekend, even when I was home...).

My trip to Coachella didn't completely break my body and the folks at Chiro Medical Group helped me back into shape on April 29th. I didn't mention my Junkie XL-inspired stomach-muscle strain but it held up okay during short attempts to swim, bike and run on April 30th. Catching up on sleep was made difficult by the release of GTA IV on April 29th...

During the preceding week weather forecasts for race-day varied wildly...Temperatures were predicted to be anywhere from about 65-79°F and wind speed estimates varied from about 2-16 mph...not very helpful but more promising than past records of 100+°F. All was finally revealed on race day - highs just short of 80°F and winds around 10mph.

Swim: I positioned myself near the front on left/outside (again) for the clockwise swim. I had to jostle a little at the start and around the halfway point but managed to avoid any major mishaps. Lake San Antonio was calm and nearly 30 minutes later (four minutes faster than in windy, choppy 2007) I exited.

T1: I struggled a little to get my wetsuit off - I thought the velcro neck-strap was open...it was not...My split was respectable but not great.

Bike: I was very pleased to see that the road that serves the opening miles of both the bike and run courses had been resurfaced. My plan for the bike was to try to get as close as possible to three hours. I chased a group of riders that included Kyle Visin (his 420 bib number made him a celebrity to Cal Poly student volunteers :P ) until about 18 miles in - probably at too fast a pace. I managed to stay ahead of one of my old teammates, Kit Colbert, until he passed me with a yell and a grin at the top of Lynch Hill (about a mile from the finish). After the race I discovered my rear tire was flat and the wheel was a little out of true. I don't know if this was a slow leak or if it blew under pressure in the afternoon heat while I was running...I do know I'm lucky it didn't affect my descent of Lynch!

T2: In spite of re-applying factor 50 sunscreen, my left shoulder burned to blistering.

Run: Long before I got off my bike I calculated that I had room to spare to beat my six hour target. However during the opening miles of the run two things occurred to me; #1 I wasn't enjoying myself, #2 I didn't want to do this [race distance] again. Thoughts like this are not uncommon during any endurance event, and amazing support from TNT teammates helped alleviate the first, but the second hit me pretty hard and still persists...Having said that, coming down the Wildflower finish chute and seeing your target time beaten are both special experiences - together they're unforgettable.

Heartfelt thanks to all who helped with this one - you know who you are!! ;-)



My bib number was 388.

Results.






Photos:
Event official.
swim: take it off!
run: inspiration * 2 + support == grin + smile.


This brings my tally to 10 triathlons:
2 Big Kahuna Half Ironman +
2 Escape from The Rock +
2 Treasure Island Olympic +
2 Wildflower Long Course +
1 Escape From Alcatraz +
1 Folsom.

It also finishes my fifth TNT season.

If I return to Lake San Antonio, I think I might try the Olympic distance...

PS After a chat to the folks at the Profile Design booth, it seems the Tri-Stryke Elite™ might be a good replacement for my current saddle (which is worn so badly, raw plastic is showing).

PPS I'm resolved to sign up to the Bone Marrow donor program after hearing Trevor Austin Kott's story related by his mother to the TNT dinner group on Saturday evening.

Profile Design - great customer service

After bonking during my Wildflower Long Course training ride in spring 2007, I bought a Profile Design Aqua Rack. It doubled the number of water bottles my bike can carry.

The 'Rack served me well until the evening of Wednesday April 2nd 2008. I was pedaling through traffic on Marina Boulevard when a bump sent one of my bottles flying. The bottle survived several near misses before being crushed by a car tire in a lemony, limey, Gatorade-filled explosion. I wasn't too concerned until I discovered the reason - the rubber band that held the bottle in place had snapped and its partner was badly frayed. The opening mile and a half of the bike leg at Wildflower's Long Course is rough riding - there was little chance that rack-mounted water bottles would stay put unless securely fastened...

The following day I called Profile Design. Fred was very helpful and offered to ship replacement bands free of charge. On Wednesday April 9th they arrived from Profile Design's Long Beach office. The USPS cost was $6.25. That's very impressive support for a product that retails for $30! Thank you Profile Design!

TNT Spring 2008 - Wildflower Training Weekend

2008 is a big year for me in multisport. USAT rules mean it's my last race season in the Male 25-29 age group. I'm back for my fifth stint with Team In Training this spring. (In part due to work travel commitments) I'm a TNT participant again, which allows me to concentrate a little more on training. Head Coach Chris Holland's program has been keeping me busy!

This post is mostly a record to remind me what to focus on until Wildflower. It's also a comparison between my experience this weekend and previous visits to Lake San Antonio.

Notorious hills aside, the most significant factor at Wildflower is the weather. Race day temperatures range from the 70s (2007, 2006) to above 100°F. Wind can be a factor too - last year, gusts of up to 20mph hindered athletes' efforts. This training weekend the high was a cool 67°F with light winds - 10mph maximum - imperfect for race condition simulation but a great opportunity to push for fast times.

Swim: race conditions on the lake in 2007 were choppy. This past weekend, the lake was calm and the sky overcast. I clocked in around 31 minutes compared to 33:35 on race day in 2007. (The training swim route goes northwest from the parking lot start point. On race day the course is to the southeast - an area normally used for boating).

Bike: during my first attempt at Wildflower's bike course, I bonked badly (and in part intentionally to discover my race day nutrition requirements). In my 2007 race I broke a spoke... Third time proved lucky - I was very happy with about 2 hours 59 minutes (thanks to Mike Spence for planting the "break three hours" seed! :P ). It felt so much better than my 3 hours 37 minutes crawl. I still need to invest in a more comfortable saddle but the tactical use of caffeinated gels (dropped one before Nasty Grade) seems to be working well and the 20 minute jog following the ride felt okay.

Run: in 2007, for my first jaunt around the run course I tagged along with Craig Dalton and Chris Gage. They are both awesome athletes, great motivators and tour guides, and cancer survivors! It was a highlight of that weekend, especially in comparison with the bike-bonk. My race-run that year was overshadowed by my bike mishap... This year at practice, I chased Tyler Dillavou and Ollie Ralph. They dragged me round the course in about 1 hour 36 minutes.

Ideally my training would continue as-you-were but work travel (and Coachella) loom large on my pre-race horizon so I cannot afford to become complacent. My bike needs a tune-up, especially the rear gears. The saddle and water bottle carriage also need tightening. I also need to schedule some physical maintenance.

Now, I'm off to sleep before a swim tomorrow morning!

PS Weather data courtesy of Weather Underground.

PPS Samples of Saturday evening's campground entertainment from the awesome TNT staff. :-)

San Francisco Triathlon - Nov 10th 2007

The San Francisco Triathlon (at Treasure Island) has not had an easy ride. Several years ago, the original bike course was shortened to avoid Yerba Buena Island due to construction on the Bay Bridge - the number of bike laps increased from four to six. The bike course also suffers from the general lack of maintenance of Treasure Island facilities. This year, it was changed to avoid a (frequently) flooded section of road and a burned-out building. Also in 2007, the run course was modified to avoid "hazardous waste" at the north end of the loop - required run laps increased from two to three. Then on Wednesday November 7th, disaster struck the Bay Area - a ship collided with the Bay Bridge, resulting in a 58,000 gallon oil spill. The swim leg of the triathlon was canceled...

The number of amateur finishers has dropped consistently (2003 - 1175, 2004 - 977, 2005 - 737, 2006 - 653, 2007 - 496). Team In Training is also losing interest - five teams participated in 2006, but only two in 2007. In 2008 the Marin County Triathlon will compete for Bay Area triathletes' time and cash. The Treasure Island triathlon has been re-branded to use the "San Francisco" name but will that be enough?

Swim (canceled): Unable to recall the last time he was in a swim pool, yours truly was a little relieved by this development (if not the awful circumstances). It also took the pressure off having to beat past years' results. Work related travel was unrelenting for the prior 2-3 months leaving only (tired) weekends for training time. (If the swim had taken place, this would have been my tenth triathlon).

T1: In the excitement of running without a wetsuit I missed my transition spot and had to backtrack...noob...

Bike: Keith Manson flagged me down in the middle of the bike leg. He needed a carbon dioxide cartridge after being lucky enough to get two flats while going uphill. My left calf locked up when I remounted to continue the climb. Fun. :-) On the final lap my right calf took its turn. I was fortunate - the cramps were relatively short-lived in both cases.

Run: A caffeinated goo experiment seemed to pay dividends. I dosed myself three miles in and then caught and passed some guys who had overtaken me during the first half of the run.

My bib number was 209.

Results: overall, age group.

Photos:

• Official.
• Courtesy of Coach Tom Davies:
  • T2: 1, 2.
  • Run: 1, 2 (best of methinks), 3 (with Irish flag!), 4.
• Run again.

PS One of the many reasons people raise money and compete for Team In Training; Maya, one of our team Honorees and greatest supporters.

Big Kahuna - September 9th 2007

"Preparedness makes us powerful..." - The Prodigy, The Fat of the Land.

"Pride goes before a fall." - ancient Hebrew proverb.

Big Kahuna was my first official triathlon and marked the end of my first Team In Training season in 2005. In that race, we swam only on the south side of the Santa Cruz pier instead of around it (due to pollution/algae growth) and one of my aerobars came loose and became unusable during the bike ride. I hoped to avoid such problems at this attempt, but as this season has taught me, anything can happen...

My preparation was less than stellar. I managed to avoid boozing during a trip to Ireland and London two weeks before the race date (apologies folks!) and do some running while I was there. However I could not shake a head cold (or maybe allergy symptoms) that returned after my visit to Folsom, my local pool was closed the preceding week and my last bike ride was three weeks before the race...It is also definitely not recommended practice to attend (and stand/dance at) a 4+ hour long concert, about 24 hours before a half ironman. But enough whining - I was lucky to be able to race at all. Three of our five person group were forced to drop out due to illness/injury, some of the folks who raced were fighting cancer and there was even a blind competitor.


Swim: I got into the athlete corral early which allowed me to get a prime spot on the start line (sharing bouy navigation thoughts with Michellie Jones, "the winningest triathlete in history"!). My entry into the water was pretty clean (Santa Cruz beach is a little shallow in spots so avoiding bumping or scraping on that first dive is important - if you pause, someone will charge over you). After I eased off and the Elites cruised by, I felt reasonnably comfortable. The overcast morning helped sighting as did the pier; it's tough to miss. :-) I decided to stick to my own route rather than try to draft with the pack (which, as ever, was not taking a straight line to each buoy...). The tide was coming in but there was little surf so exit to the beach was straightforward.

T1: was okay. Stripping off my wetsuit as soon as I cleared the beach, before the 'suit got a chance to dry, worked out but I might have been quicker, running without my arms full.

Bike: As triathlon distances increase, the bike section becomes progressively more important. It's the longest portion of the event (both in distance and in terms of time spent) and no matter how strong a runner you are, if your legs are done after the bike, then so is your race.

I felt okay for about the first quarter of the bike segment but I was progressively less comfortable as I approached the turnaround (I reached it in about 80 minutes). After I turned for home my legs just gave up; I could no longer stay in the aero position and my shifting and pace maintenance fell apart.

The bike course was made slightly more pleasant by Elite competitor and age group winner, Lesley Paterson, and her roving supporter. We leapfrogged several times before she left me for dead on a(nother) climb. :-)

A dumb nutrition mistake was to put an ice pack in the same container as my energy gels. Congealed sugary lumps do not a gourmet meal make.

T2: was quick. Getting a "first come first served" spot at 5am paid dividends (and made up for needing to re-apply sunscreen...).

Run: If I had been able to maintain my Big Kahuna 2005 pace (which was my first race after breaking my leg - I missed most of run workouts that season) I would have finished about five minutes faster. Even my Wildflower 2007 run split was better and that course is much hillier, was hotter and I was out on the bike course for nearly an hour longer! At Big Kahuna this time, my legs just didn't have enough left, and mentally I was already beating myself up for my self-imposed handicaps. I walked every aid station and much of the course in between, especially on the return leg.

This race served as a stark reminder that neither gear nor experience trump training and preparation, that half ironman triathlon is an entirely different prospect to Olympic distance racing and that the biggest obstacle to overcome is always that person in the mirror. (Common sense might scream all this but arrogance can cloud good judgment).

I need to start weight lifting and making brick workouts a regular part of my bike routine (and I need to have a "bike routine"). Trying caffeinated gels (if I can find a flavor I like) is required research. I should also consider a heart rate monitor and bike speedometer - I don't think I'm good enough at racing based on "how I feel". A more comfortable saddle might be a worthwhile investment too.


Results: overall, age group. My bib number was 676 (even though it's not listed...)

Official photos: start (Michellie and I on right side), all.


PS Apologies if this post is a even more self centered and introspective than normal. When cocky-Luke returns to read this later, I need him to remember how this went down and learn from his mistakes.

PPS In 2005 about 580 people completed Big Kahuna. The 2007 results list 815 finishers. 40% growth in two years ain't bad!

Alcatraz and San Francisco Bay Area races

I'm often asked about Alcatraz-based events. This post will serve as a list that I might even try to maintain. Feel free to point out any races you think are missing.

Some of the links are to the 2007 sites...in no particular order...here goes...

Swims:

• Alcatraz 100 "Swim of the Centurions" Swim
• Bridge to Bridge Swim
• SERC Alcatraz Invitational Swim (sells out early)
• Sharkfest (sells out early)
• Swim Around the Rock

Triathlons:

• Escape from Alcatraz (qualify or lottery only)
• Escape from the Rock

Aquathlons:

• Alcatraz Challenge (sells out early)

Organizers:

• Envirosports
• South End Rowing Club
• Tri-California
• Water World Swim