Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon - TriathlonOlympic


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San Francisco, California
United States
Tricalifornia
70F / 21C
Sunny
Total Time = 3h 12m 56s
Overall Rank = 648/1900
Age Group = F25-29
Age Group Rank = 11/40
Pre-race routine:

Came in San Francisco On thrusday night. Swam in aquatic park friday morning, and rode the first hill of the bike course. Rode half the bike course on Saturday and spent the afternoon at expo. Dinner with family and was asleep by 9:45.
Event warmup:

Up at 4:15 and chowed down on vector, yogurt and a banana. Dropped your stuff and on the bus at 5am. Everyone was quiet and chatted with the guy next to me. The bus driver wished us all good luck and some little kids body marked us. Then it was the waiting game. Chatted with two women and finally admited to them it was my first triathlon. THEN ON THE BOAT!!! grabbed wall space near a window on the jump side with the corporate teams (this was key!). And we all chatted about where to go and how to spot as the boat positioned. Peed like 4 times!!!and had 2 more bananas and a cookie on the oat and drank water. Then the national anthem was played and the pros were off. Then it was a push and shove herding fest to the jump off the boat!!
Swim
  • 43m 23s
  • 2414 meters
  • 01m 48s / 100 meters
Comments:

WOW!!!! The stepping off the boat was fun and then the first few minutes were were just a heard of skittles in the bay with our bright colored caps. Found I was passing a lot of people. Then it thinned out a lot! I kept aiming for just left of sutro and soon found myself totally alone. I thought about following the heard to my right but the race directors said to always swim your own race so I started aiming just for the tower. I was still way left though and at one point a kayak told me to aim towards the yacht club. So I aimed for the palace of fine arts, still paranoid about missing the swim exit and having to do the embarrasing run on the beach. There were several minutes where the palace would get bigger and then it seemed like it wasn't and I was getting tired. and I swallowed A TON of salt water. The chop was kind of unpredictable so it was hard to find a rythm to miss the waves. With about 300m to go I found a buddy and followed him in! We were right near the rocks by the yacht club and it the beach to the far east instead of coming right up the middle. I had to run a ways on the beach! But I MADE IT!!!!
What would you do differently?:

Spot just to the right of Sutro. I swam it to conservatively and probably lost a minute. OH and I would swim 3000m workout more than 3 times before the race :)
Transition 1
  • 00m
Comments:

Out of the water I couldn't get my wetsuit off my wrists. But was moving well :) put my shoes on and didn't tie them, slammed a gel and was off on the .5mile run to transition. It was here I realized how much I am not a runner. I was passed left and right!! IT WAS PACKED WITH PEOPLE. Took a moment to switch shoes and catch my breath. Load the gels, start the computers and I was off
What would you do differently?:

hustle a bit more
Bike
  • 1h 00m 59s
  • 28.97 kms
  • 28.50 km/hr
Comments:

FLAT Up down around Up down around Down Flat False Flat, up down false flat, flat up, REALLY steep, down Up down UP down and FLAT.

OK TRIATHLETES SERIOUSLY NEED TO LEARN TO RIDE!!!! I would have been under an hour if the guys in front of me knew how to corner and descend! Teh bike was really frustrating as we were so packed together. There wasn't a possibility of NOT drafting since everyone came out of the water at abotu the same time. A few guys flew past and some women passed me but I passed them at the half way point and got stronger towards the end as my legs finally warmed up :) frog hopped a woman at the end, passing her on downhills, she passed me on up hills, passed her on downhill, she passed me on the flat and then I showed her how to really time trial, and then she just had to pass me with 30m to transition :) Beautiful course though and definity a huge challenge!
What would you do differently?:

Bring clip on aero bars.
Transition 2
  • 00m
Comments:

Saw my dad by transition and stopped to give him a hug. Chatted with them as I attempted to put shoes on but motor skills weren't quite functioning. Said "I'll see ya in 8 miles" and ran off, got 30ft and realized I forgot to get the heart monitor off teh bike and said forget it and kept going. Saw my mom and step dad on the run out and gave them a stuck out tounge and a thumbs up.


What would you do differently?:

If I want a faster time then hustle more.
Run
  • 1h 18m 26s
  • 12.87 kms
  • 06m 05s  min/km
Comments:

Ok, so I passed a few people on the bike but EVERYONE passed me on the run. I MEAN EVERYONE From beginning to end (well except for that guy I passed on teh finishing shoot :) But a spectacular run course. Flat to warm up but then I had to use the bathroom but non to be found. I stopped at the warming hut and took a minute to use the bathroom :) Then up the stairs. Overall I expected the run to be killer but I just found my "do this forever pace" and went at it. Baker beach wasn't bad at all as you were able to run in the wet sand for most of it. Honestly the sand ladder.. not a nightmare, but I also didn't push very hard on it. I passed one guy :) Chatted with another guy on the way up who then tried to run at the top only end up walking the rest of the hill (I passed him and then never saw him again). At the top the photographers were yelling "YOU GUYS PAID FOR THIS PAIN!!! YOU love it! COME ON!! GET TO THE TOP!" I gave them a smile and thumps up, they loved it. I jummped on the timing mat at the top in triumph to the delight of the crowd and was able to start running again and make it to the aid station. The trail run down was tricky and people came FLYing past me. At the end of the run people were having a lot more trouble passing me but they still did it. I was running WAY WAY WAY faster than I though I would and realized I was going to hit my goal, my secret goal and unless something went terribly wrong the secret secret goal. So Just kept and easy even pace to finish strong since I didn't want to push above my limit and blow up. The crowds along the run root were AWESOME!!!! Saw my mom at the finish shoot and my dad was in the bleachers right at the finish. Apparently I was COVERED in chocolate gu!
What would you do differently?:

TRIAL RUN A LOT! Do stairs up and down A LOT!!! DO HILLS up and down A LOT!! Being able to confidently run downhill would be a huge asset! Learn to run faster :)
Post race
Warm down:

Chatted with my mom a lot. I finished feeling GREAT, like I totally could keep going. Since my hip had been bugging me all week I went in and got it worked on in the med tent (the guy was cute!)

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Not knowing how fast i can run a long distance.

Event comments:

EVERYONE MUST DO ThIS!!!!!




Last updated: 2008-12-17 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:43:23 | 2414 meters | 01m 48s / 100meters
Age Group: 9/40
Overall: 0/1900
Performance: Good
The water was unsuually warm with 59F degrees. And the wind was pretty calm so it wasn't smooth but the conditions definitly don't get any better than what we had. The whole time you use Sutro Tower to spot. And angle to it based on how fast you swim. I spotted REALLY conservatively and probably lost a few minutes. And then there was the stopping to take a picture:)
Suit:
Course: From the boat parked next to alcatraz to the San Francisco Yacht club!!!!
Start type: Dive Plus: Waves
Water temp: 59F / 15C Current: Low
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Good
Breathing: Good Drafting: Average
Waves: Average Navigation: Average
Rounding:
T1
Time: 00:00
Performance:
Cap removal: Below average Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike:
Jump on bike:
Getting up to speed:
Biking
01:00:59 | 28.97 kms | 28.50 km/hr
Age Group: 0/40
Overall: 0/1900
Performance: Good
avg power 198
Wind: Some
Course: Beautiful!!!
Road: Potholes Dry Cadence:
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Good Hills: Good
Race pace: Drinks:
T2
Time: 00:00
Overall:
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike
Racking bike
Shoe and helmet removal
Running
01:18:26 | 12.87 kms | 06m 05s  min/km
Age Group: 0/40
Overall: 0/1900
Performance: Average
Course: FLAT for 1.5 miles. UP for 1.5miles, Down for 1 mile, on the beach and sand stairs, up again then down again then flat.
Keeping cool Drinking
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 5
Physical exertion [1-5] 5
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 5