Friday, February 29, 2008

Remember the Blazeman...Ironman's Braveheart

Jon,

You helped make me appreciate all of the little things in life. Thank you for the wisdom and inspiration you've left for all of us. The world is a better place because you were a part of it. You will be terribly missed.

RIP Jon "Blazeman" Blais August 30, 1971 - May 27, 2007

Thursday, February 28, 2008

2008 Accenture Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon Course


SWIM
The Accenture Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon begins with a 8:00 am plunge from the ferry, into the icy cold water between the San Francisco Piers and Alcatraz Island. The boat is quite hot with 1000+ wet suit clad participants surrounding you, so we suggest you bring fluids. The currents, ebbs, and available dates make it difficult to determine the exact starting point. Participants are unloaded from the boat in less than 6 minutes. It is quite a rush when you take the leap, like a paratrooper from a plane, for the 1.5 mile swim. The swim finish is at the Marina Green Beach adjacent to the St. Francis Yacht Club. Triathletes face the risks of strong currents, treacherous 55 degree waters and two ton sea lions. Wetsuits and hoods are strongly recommended.WARM-UP RUNUpon exiting the water at the Marina Green Beach, triathletes proceed to the first transition area where they will switch to running shoes and warm clothing for the 1 mile warm-up run to the Marina Green. This run will take them beside the St. Francis Yacht Club, South on the Little Marina Green, and East on the sidewalk of Marina Blvd to the bike transition area.

BIKE
Mounting their bikes at the Marina Green, triathletes will begin the out-and-back 18 mile ride heading west into Crissy Field via Marina Boulevard. They will climb onto Lincoln Blvd., traveling through the Presidio onto Camino del Mar. They will then climb up the hill to the Palace of the Legion of Honor. They will come down the hill and make a hard right turn onto Clement Street and ride west to Seal Rock Drive. They will make a sharp down hill left turn onto 48th street and then a right turn west on Point Lobos Drive; and ride South on The Great Highway to Golden Gate Park. Triathletes will enter Golden Gate Park from Lincoln Way onto Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. They will veer left on Middle Drive and go to about the center or the park. They will then turn left on Transverse Drive and make another left turn onto John F. Kennedy Drive; and ride back to the Great Highway on the north side of the park. After going north on The Great Highway, they will retrace their course back to the Marina Green for the transition to the run. Triathletes risk disqualification for drafting and forward motion to the left of demarcation cones.

RUN
On tired legs, the triathletes will begin the 8 mile run to Baker Beach Battery by leaving the Marina Green, running West into Crissy Field to Fort Point below the Golden Gate Bridge. From Fort Point they battle the Presidio Headlands up and under the Golden Gate Bridge through the tunnel and onto the Coast Trail. Runners will be next to the Coastal Defense Batteries (Gunnery Locations from the turn of the century) until they reach Lincoln Boulevard, just past Battery Dynamite. They parallel Lincoln Blvd. on the narrow trail above the Coastal Bluffs to Baker Beach, where they return to the shoreline below. They will encounter the deep sand of Baker Beach through the turn around point until they reach the dreaded Sand Ladder (400 steps up the cliff). This experience will drain the legs of even the best professionals, as there is nothing like it anywhere in the sport of triathlon. More than one triathlete has used the hand cable to help them walk up the stairs. The stairs are to the run what the currents and waves are to the swim. After reaching the top of the Sand Ladder, runners will go left on the Coast Trail and back to the Finish line via Lincoln Blvd. They will then cross back under the Golden Gate Bridge and get to sea level, it is just a matter of endurance to the Finish Line.

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Original Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon - Via Wiki

I found this great overview on Wikipedia about the Original Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon. Check it on out:

Original Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon

The first Escape from Alcatraz was proposed by Joe Oakes after the 1979 Ironman. The race was held in June 1981, with members of the Dolphin Club testing the course, starting with a swim from Alcatraz to San Francisco, a bike ride to Mill Valley, and a Double Dipsea over Mount Tamalpais to Stinson Beach and back.

A close course compared to the original was the course used from 1990 Until 1993, which saw Only two different winners on each of the professional sides of the competition.
That course was a swim from Alcatraz Island to Aquatic Park, a mile run to warm up to Fort Mason. Fort Mason bike ride along the great highway with a sloat avenue turn around point and a ride back down the great highway to the Golden Gate Bridge, riders would ride along side on the sidewalk and then get off the bridge and ride down to Fort Baker. The run would take people though a total of sixteen different trails in the presidio and finally make their way across Rodeo Beach. The Runners on the run course would run up a 850 foot accent up Wolf Ridge and head back down to the finish. Next to the Fort Baker Transition.


The winners on both sides were Mike Pigg 1990-1991 and 1993, and Greg Welch 1992, Welch held the record on that course with a time just over 2 hours and 54 minutes.

Terry Schneider-Egger won in 1990 with Paula Newby Frasier winning 1991-1993, she held that course record with a time around the 3 hour and 24 minute mark.

Tri-California Events Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon

The annual public Escape from Alcatraz takes place in early June. It consists of a one-and-a-half mile swim starting from Alcatraz Island in the San Francisco Bay, a half-mile run from the bay to the transition zone at Marina Green, an eighteen mile bike ride, and an eight-mile run. The run portion includes a notorious section called the "sand ladder" at mile five, a climb from Baker Beach back up to the road that is a combination of sand and 400 uneven log steps.The Escape from Alcatraz triathlon was ranked as the number-one triathlon by Inside Triathlon Magazine for 2006

See the entire blurb by clicking the link below:

Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escape_from_Alcatraz_(triathlon)

Monday, February 18, 2008

Great Snap


I ran across this picture on the Internet and thought it was great. Man and his dog w/ Alcatraz in the background. Did a bit more reading and this dog actually did swim from Alcatraz to San Fran. What a stud dog!

Friday, February 1, 2008

February is here....time to join a Master's swim class.

I'm not too much of a group training type of person, but I bit the bullet and signed up for a masters group called 'the Orcas' and they swim at Seattle University in the eves. First class was pretty intimidating.....thinking I'd be the slowest person in the class but happy to learn that wasn't the case. They didn't give me the boot after the first swim....imagine that....so I must have somehow fit in with the group. Now I'll learn a thing or two about swimming. Whoohoo!!!