95 Days til RACE DAY...Let The Training Get Serious!

Today is March 1st and it's the official 'buckle up Perry, the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon is just around the corner' day!  Today I kicked off the official start of training w/ a great P90X workout this morning of Arms and Shoulders followed by the Ab Ripper!! And then post work it was hot yoga!  Felt awesome and tomorrow morning it's 7 miles on the treadmill and then possibly my first swim since last summer.  I hope I haven't forgotten how to swim. :)

I can't believe this will be my fourth year doing this incredible race.  I'm truly blessed to be able to do it AND so lucky to have been selected every single year via the lottery.  Guess it was meant to be.

Kristen & me pre-race 2010

I'll also be doing the race with my cousin Kristen. Her story is incredible! She came to cheer me on along the sidelines for the first two years and then she got a wild hair to throw her name in the hat for last years race, having never even competed in a triathlon...let alone the most trecherous one.  And she gets selected, trains like a rock star and did an incredible job last year in the race! From sidelines cheerleader (which was awesome btw) to rock star competitor in one year...amazing!  She's a true inspiration to me! And I'm so glad she got selected again this year.  She also did 8 or so other triathlons last year, in addition to Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon.

A few of your have been inquiring on the P90X program complimenting the tri training.  Send me a note or leave a comment if you would like more information on it. It will make your core strong beyond belief and I was able to get personal bests last year in the bike, run and swim portions as a result and am certain it's because I threw P90X into the training mix! 

Stay tuned and for those of you who are doing the race as well, good luck w/ the training and HAVE FUN with it! 

35 Days Away!! Start Taking Cold Showers!! Another Personal Best!!

Can't believe we're so close to the race.  For all of you doing the race, trust your training has been going well.  At this point prior to race, the die hards are now suggest'n that we start sleeping with the windows open and turning the hot water off for the last minute or two of our showers to get us used to the cold temp of the San Francisco Bay.  I must admit, I will do the windows open for a few nights and do play a bit w/ the cold water in the shower, but nothing too extreme.  I think it does help to condition the body.  In Seattle, some of us will (or already have) start jumping into the lake or Sound.

I broke my personal best in the 1/4 mile swim this week.  6:52!!!  It amazes me, as I haven't been spending my typical amount of time in the pool.  I'm day 59 into P90X and as I'm mentioned before, I'm certain this program is what's making me break these records.  The core is solid beyond belief.  Diet has been stellar.

I''ve been doing P90X with a buddy of mine (who is also doing Escape for the first time ever....actually first triathlon ever) and he just got his body fat measured on Thursday and it went from 18% in Sept '09 to 7%.  Talk about an incredible transformation.  A huge congrats to him!

Keep up the great training you all and keep sending me notes if you have any questions along the way.

Cheers, Perry
sjogren@gmail.com

58 Days and it's the great leap off of that huge boat parked right next to Alcatraz.

I can't believe the race is less than two months away.  Holy smokes....exciting! Trust everyone's training is going well. Time to kick it up a notch in all categories.  Everything's going great in my arena.  Minor set back w/ my foot sprain, but it's on the mend.  Swim is crank'n.  Spin class is crank'n (yes....I know...I need to get on the actual bike outside now).  I'll try running again tomorrow.  I've had to lay off of it for the past week.

The most exciting part of this training is the P90X program I am doing.  It has strengthened my core beyond belief, which is helping me tremendously in all three sports, not to mention the kind of transformation that's taking place w/ my body.  I can give you the specs if email me at sjogren@gmail.com. I'll be putting up a site shortly for that program, which will have all of the great info.

This week I'll be making my bike rental arrangements.  Bay City Bike is a great group to rent from.  I also am keeping an eye out for a good air fare and will nab that in a the next week or two.

Also excited about the road crew that's coming out to support me and my family/friends doing the race.  Pretty darn cool to have cheer leaders in the crowd.

Be well and happy training!!

25:53....a new personal best for my Beacon Hill running loop!! Core Training is Paying Off!

I honestly can't believe it!!  Today I did my neighborhood running loop (Beacon Hill, which is about 1 mile from downtown Seattle) for the first time since last Fall and I beat my personal best of 27 minutes, 3 seconds by 1 minute and 10 seconds.  Holy smokes....first course run of the season and it's my best ever.  I now know that core conditioning in addition to the regular tri training is key.  I'm on Day 19 of a core workout program that has been doing some amazing things.  It's hard work and I had a constant sore for the first seven days of it, but it's that good sore feeling.  So with that being said....I'm totally stoked!!

If any of you want the specs on the program, shoot me an email to sjogren@gmail.com and I'll send you the specs and answer any questions you might have.

Hope everyone else's training is going awesome too.  

Cheers! 

Second Chance to get into Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon

Hey swim with the sharks enthusiasts,

If you didn’t make the first round picks, the second and final drawing will be Tuesday, January 26th. Those selected in the second lottery will be notified via email with registration instructions by the end of the day January 29, 2010. Visit the official site at http://www.escapefromalcatraztriathlon.com for the latest event details. Good Luck!

Fees Have Been Paid, Body Fast Tested.....1,2,3....Lets Go!

It's official now. I'll be swimming with the sharks on May 2nd. I paid the registration fees today. Whhoooohooooo!!! The training needs to start now, especially since the race is early this year. Holiday's over, so no more excuses for not working out.

I got my body fat tested yesterday (yep, that's me in the this pic getting the fat measured) and it wasn't pretty,so some race training is exactly what I need to get it back down. The last time I got my body fat tested was in 2007 and it was at 17%. My weight has remained the same. It might not sound that bad, but the news I didn't like is that my lean muscles has dropped 10 pounds from 150 to 140. That ain't good. They said I should be eating about 120 grams of protien a day and to make sure they're little meals throughout the day. I do the little meal thing, but I think the protein has been lacking.

Chop chop......the fun is about to begin. Truly, I'm so excited for this race. For me, the swim is absolutely surreal. My biggest fear in life is now one of my most incredible joys. Funny how that works eh.

Happy New Year!!

30th Anniversary Escape From Alcatraz Triathlon Set to Take Place on Sunday, May 2, 2010 Random Lottery To Open December 1, 2009

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- The Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon will celebrate its 30th year as one of the premier triathlons in the world on Sunday, May 2, 2010. For 30 years, this legendary race has attracted professional and amateur athletes from around the world with its challenging course including the infamous swim from Alcatraz Island to the shore, the hilly bike ride and grueling run through San Francisco. The world's leading sports, entertainment and media company IMG Worldwide once again promises a stellar race ideal for athletes and spectators alike.

"The Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon is my favorite race," said Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon Three-Time Winner and Professional Triathlete Andy Potts. "IMG puts on a first class race that attracts top athletes from around the world and takes place on a truly unique course only made possible in a great city like San Francisco. I look forward to participating in the 30th Annual Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon and being a part of its ongoing history."

Similar to the world-renowned Kona Ironman race, the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon is one of the hardest triathlons to get into and one of only a few triathlons to be nationally televised. Interested participants can qualify to participate by placing in one of the Escape TO Alcatraz Triathlon Series races: Triathlon de Gerardmer France, September 5, 2009; The Triathlon at Pacific Grove, September 11-13, 2009; Jarden Westchester Triathlon, September 29, 2009; San Diego Triathlon, March 20-21, 2010; and GateWay to the Bay, April 10-11, 2010, or by entering the random lottery beginning on December 1, 2009. Due to the race's extreme popularity, the lottery fills up quickly, with thousands of hopeful participants attempting to secure one of the few coveted spots. Additionally, top men and women from the previous Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon automatically qualify for the race.

"From the London Triathlon - the world's largest, to the brand new Abu Dhabi International Triathlon, The Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon is one of nearly a dozen renowned triathlons owned and produced by IMG," said IMG's Senior Vice President James Leitz. "IMG is dedicated to the sport of Triathlon and developing world class experiences for athletes around the world."

Featuring a 1.5 mile swim from Alcatraz Island to the shore, an 18-mile bike and an 8-mile run through San Francisco, this race is considered one of the most difficult triathlons in the world. More than 2,000 amateur and professional athletes from dozens of countries will attempt to conquer the icy cold swim from Alcatraz Island to the shore, the hilly bike ride and grueling run through San Francisco for the 30th Annual Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon.

The 30th Anniversary Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon will take place on Sunday, May 2, 2010, at 8 a.m., in San Francisco. The public is invited to watch the race and attend the free two-day Fitness Festival & Expo Saturday and Sunday. (Please note, the date has changed from May 30, to May 2, 2010, due to a Doyle Drive construction project and Memorial Day Weekend traffic congestion.) The Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon is owned and produced by IMG Worldwide with race direction provided, in part, by Premier Event Management. For more information visit www.escapefromalcatraztriathlon.com.

About IMG Worldwide

Operating in 30 countries, IMG Worldwide's diverse businesses include: product and brand licensing; consulting services; event ownership and management; collegiate marketing, media and licensing; fashion events and models representation; golf course design; and client representation in golf, tennis, broadcasting, speakers, European football, rugby, cricket, motor sports, coaching, Olympic and action sports. IMG Academies are the world's largest, multi-sport training and educational facilities, delivering world-class training experiences to more than 12,000 junior, collegiate, adult, and professional athletes each year. More information is available at: www.imgworld.com.

SOURCE IMG Worldwide

© 2009 PR Newswire. All Rights Reserved

Race Start Simulation

Past Week in a Nut Shell!

I think today I hit my best pool swim time ever. 25 min, 18 seconds....whoohoooo!!!

Now, must get crank'n on the bike. Biking is my week link. I think if I lived along PCF in Southern California, it would be a little bit easier to get on the bike and head out for a ride. 52 degrees, rain and wind just don't do it for me.

I'll be doing my first plunge into lake this weekend.

The run is progressing pretty good. I did a 14 mile on Friday......kicked my butt, but everything felt great.

Did a yoga class last night....the body was needing a good stretch.

That's the past week in a nutshell. Stay tuned.......32 days and counting.

So excited to be doing this race w/ friends this year. They're all doing great w/ their training too. Steve had his first tri ever over the weekend and was a rock star! Marc is ripp'n it up in Idaho....people here him go by but they don't see him because he's so fast. Chris has already had multiple swims in Lake Washington and did his first mile swim over the weekend. And James, he's Ironman so he can doesn't need to train until the week before. Great job dudes!

I'm training...I swear!!!

Alright....race is less than three months and I swear I've been training. I've been training so much I haven't had a chance to add updates to this blog. hahaha....kidding. I'll start posting more here moving forward. All body parts are working and started getting serious w/ the training this past week. Swimming is going well....haven't swam over a mile yet, but am hoping to get a 1.5 miler in this week. I did my fastest 50 yard this past week....39 seconds, so speed is there, just need to start gett'n in the distance. Cheers.

First Non-Stop Mile and a Half

Yesterday was my first mile and a half swim non-stop. I did it at the pool before work and it went pretty well. I did it in about 43 minutes. We have to complete the swim in one hour, so I'll be pushing it as the Bay elements will definitely add more minutes to that 43. If I can get down to 40 minutes before race day, I'll be pretty happy with that.

I honestly think my new suggested 'Alcatraz' swim goggles drag me down a bit because they're so huge. The brand is Aqua Seal and they have the 180 degree view and since they take up a larger portion on the face, it will keep a bit more of my face warmer.

I ran last eve and that went pretty well. Got the heart beat up to 134 beats per minute towards the end.

I'm working on a prosthetic shark fin to attach to the back of my swim cap. I'm sure all the other swimmers would get quite a chuckle out of that. Hahaha . . . . kidding . . . now that would be a terrible joke.

Ice Cream Headache

Well...this weekend I finally took the plunge into Lake Washington. It is supposed to be around 54-55 degrees right now, so it's right in synch w/ San Fran Bay. I went down the lake on Saturday and was not too excited about jumping in. I put my foot in the water and decided I'd procrastinate one more day and do it on Sunday.

Sunday rolls around and I had a great bike ride along the lake. I made it a point to climb any street that had a nice incline and hit one that was a bit too steep, so I had to do a quick jump off the bike mid way up the climb before I lost all fuel.

So post bike, it was time for the lake plunge. I was motivated and had a totally different attitude than the day prior. The guy fishing off the dock thought I was nuts. I tried to persuade him to join me but he just laughed. I'd say my swim lasted about two minutes. It honestly felt about 10 degrees colder than the Bay during my swim clinic, but I have a feeling it was right in sync. And I got a nice sharp ice cream headache too… so...this means...I better start doing these lake swims/plunges a couple times a week to acclimate or else I might be in for a rude awakening on June 8th.

Three more weeks to train and then the big day is here! Whoohooo!!

Course Summary via a Yelpster

Yelp.com had a member who wrote a pretty cool summary about the race course. Check it on out!
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The Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon is one of the most famous and anticipated triathlons in the world, with major-market media and TV coverage across the country. Its popularity in the triathlon community (it was picked as the #1 race in the world in a recent Inside Tri magazine poll) has made it one of the most difficult races to get entry into. At this point, you basically have to enter the lottery or do well in one of the several qualifying races to get a slot to race. There aren't many other options.

There is no other race in the world like this one - no other race where everyone boards a giant yacht/small cruise ship and heads out to a famous landmark in the middle of a large body of water (we're talking about Alcatraz Island here, the Rock), sends everybody (1500 or so) off the boat in less than two minutes for a 1.5 mile swim in the Bay ending at the St Francis Yacht club at Mariana Green (note - the Bay is usually 54-57 degrees, it can be quite rough, and the currents are usually strong - if you don't have open-water experience, I suggest you sign up for a practice swim from Alcatraz led by expert swimmers, especially if you live somewhere near the Bay Area - I've led several swims before and trust me, it will make all the difference come race day. Also, get a good wetsuit and neoprene swim cap, and swim in Aquatic Park if you get a chance). The views are spectacular from the boat, and swimming toward the city from the island is an amazing thing.

From there, it just gets better. You have 3/4 mile "warm-up" run to get to the transition area in the grassy field of Mariana Green. The bike course - 18 miles long - is one of the tougher but more scenic bike course in any triathlon you'll ever do. You head out on Marina Drive, then climb up through the Presidio on Lincoln Blvd, drop down into Sea Cliff (say hello to Robin Williams, who will be watching from just outside his house right by the course if he's not competing in the race himself or off on a movie shoot), back up to the Legion of Honor, down to Ocean Beach on The Great Highway (rough road here), then you'll do a loop in Golden Gate Park before returning the way you came. Four reasonably challenging climbs (four fun downhills!) plus some other shorter ones and terrific scenery. Keep in mind, if you're an average swimmer, there will be quite a lot of bike traffic out there. For some people, that can be a real turn-off.

The run heads toward the Golden Gate Bridge on the Crissy Field path, then takes the stairs and the hilly coastal trail, under the GG, and down to Baker Beach before turning around and heading back the way you came, with the exception that you will be going up the infamous Sand Ladder (think a very steep 200 ft vertical climb straight up a sand dune) to get back to the coastal trail. It's fairly narrow and two way traffic on the coastal trail section, so be sure to exercise caution and stay on your left. Watch out for the pro triathletes charging back as you're heading out, enjoy the spectacular cliff-side scenery.
Once you're back down to Crissy Field, you just have a two miles of flats on the trail to the finish line and eternal glory!

The volunteers, officials, and organization at this race are world-class.

If you are a triathlete, or an aspiring triathlete, try to do this race at least once. It's the best triathlon in the world, and it's right in San Francisco.

Another Great Swim

Training is coming along. Nothing new and exciting to report EXCEPT that I had my best 1,000 meter swim on Tuesday, beating my old time by 1 min, 40 seconds (from the previous week). On Tuesday I did it 14 min, 50 seconds. It just all kind of clicked as far as strength in the pull and I didn't get tired w/ keeping up the momentum so each lap was consistent at 45 seconds. Now I need to focus on distance and start doing the 1.5 non-stop.

Last night I did an hour spin then a 5 mile run. That kicked me a little harder than I excpected.

I supposed I should also start sleeping with the window to get used to the cold. That was a suggestion from Gary Emich (the Alcatraz swim super star) in order for us to prep for the frigid waters. What is a possum jumps through my window in the middle of the night? :)

Great Swims and Run this Week

Training is going well. I had two great 1.5 mile swims this week in the pool. Focusing on the form and what an incredible difference it makes. It's almost second nature now to rotate sides with breathing too.

I ran a 5 miles today on the treadmill in 35 minutes, which I was very satisfied with since I haven't been focusing on speed. I guess shedding 10 pounds can make a huge difference with the pace.

Bike is back from it's tune-up, so I'll be hitting that this weekend.

Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon send out a pretty informative email on training. I'll post that here too.

There are also a couple slots for the race available on ebay. I think auction is up early May. Sooooooo.....if anyone has an itch to do the race this year, you now have an opportunity.

Cheers, P

Sand Stairs.....

.....it's definitely not going to be a flat run. I believe there are around 400 stairs. We did the stairs at the training clinic, but I lost track counting after 200.

Running Vegas Style

I was in Las Vegas over the weekend for a friend's wedding and was determined to keep up the training (since I kind of took all of last week off post the training clinic). Rather than swim in the pool and having to dodge hotel guests floating around with cocktails in hand, I decided to hit the Vegas Strip both mornings for a nice run.

At first I was hesitant to run the Strip, but it turned out to be the perfect choice for a running path, with non-stop entertainment for the whole hour. As you can just imagine . . . . I came across people who had been up all night and were staggering back to their hotels or maybe they were just heading to their next adventure. And then there were people who looked like they had a really late night but were determined to start the day early and all I got from them were scowls. And I even ran by an Elvis impersonator....where in the world would an Evlis impersonator be boing at 8am on a Sunday . . . . maybe church.

I had always wanted to check out the Bellagio and Venetian hotels, so I did a quick jog into both of those to get a feel of the place.

So I must say, out of all of my training runs to date, these two over the weekend top the chart for most entertainment. I highly recommend a morning run on the Strip next time you're in Vegas.

And a Few More Snaps

Snaps from Swim at Training Clinic

My good buddy Steve Noble took some awesome snaps of the swim. Noble, thanks for hanging out for two hours in the blistery wind and taking such great snaps. Clicking on image will show you a larger version.

Awesome Training Camp

I got back this morning from San Francisco. The training camp was awesome. Reid Swanson, Gary Emich, Andy Mcwhorter and Eric from Tri-California Events did an amazing job. I'm so much more confident now by having had a successful swim in the Bay, as well as doing the actual bike and run courses. If anyone's still looking for a training camp, check their site out. Click on the 'training clinic' link on the top nav http://www.tricalifornia.com/

I'll provide more details later and even have some snaps of the swim that my friend Steve took while watching from the shore.

Aside from the incredible coaching, I also learned that:
- San Francisco Bay has five species of sharks but they're bottom feeders and they only like seals and sea lions. (Guess I'll be painting my wetsuit neon green.)
- Next to Hawaii's Ironman, this triathlon is the second hardest triathlon in the world to get into (via lottery).
- Gary Emich (the swim coach at the clinic) is the world record holder for most swims from Alcatraz to SFO w/o a wet suit and fins......currently at 510 swims. In '07 there was some type of Alactraz anniversary and he wanted to be at 500 swims on that date, so over the course of 9 months, he swam it 100x. He also said there are a couple of seals he's gotten to know pretty well in that they will come right up to him, bring their face right up to his, swim alongside him for a bit, nudging him periodically in a playful way.
- John Paul Scot is the one confirmed prisoner to reach the San-Francisco shore. He, however, collapsed due to exhaustion and hypothermia, upon reaching the shore, making his attempt unsuccessful.
- Alcatraz's biggest mystery surrounds its most infamous escapees: Frank Morris and brothers John and Clarence Anglin who have not been seen or heard from since their June 1962 prison break. Their complex plan to get off the island involved plaster dummies, fake vent coverings, a motorized drill and a raft crafted from pilfered raincoats.

More to come