Sea Lions, Tigers and Bears.....Oh My

I forgot to mention that over the weekend I had my first 'creature encounter during my swim' dream . . . . . and it wasn't too bad of an experience. It was a sea lion (about 6x bigger than the one in this picture) and it went underneath the swimmer in from of me and threw them up in the air about 20 feet . . . . . then I woke up. :) So no sharks, no jaws movie soundtrack . . . . . just a friendly, large sea lion. :)

Best Commercial Ever if You're a Triathlete

He also needed to have had someone kicking him in the face, pulling at his feet and another clawing at his face while pulling off his goggles to get the 100% experience of the Human Washing Machine triathlon swim start.

Yeahhh....I Have Race Support!

My dad called over the weekend and said he'll be able to take a break from farming and fly out from Minnesota to watch the race. That's great news.....thanks Ed!

I kind of have a feeling that he's thinking he'll be perched at Fisherman's Wharf with one of those yummy clam chowder bread bowls in one hand and a Starbuck's honey latte in the other, watching the race go by and then doing touristy things during the interim.

Now I'm thinking...man.....maybe I can leverage him a bit and have him:
1) get up with me at 4am for moral support
2) assist at the start before the boat departs (not sure what he can assist w/...guess more moral support)
3) assist at the shore once I make it in from the swim (to give me a GU)
4) assist at all of the transitions to give me a quick shoulder massage
5) and then at the finish line w/ my bike case.

Just kidding dad, I'll make sure I don't work you too hard.

Monday's Training:
I went to the gym at lunch and worked on chest and triceps and then in the evening I went to what I call 'sweaty, smelly yoga'. There were way too many people in the 7 o'clock class, so after 106 degrees for an hour and a half and being packed like sardines, the room was quite fragrant afterwards. I'll be writing more about this yoga class in the next few weeks to share some of my 'class experiences' since I started doing this in early February.

Picture is of pops and my niece Annie having fun at Christmas.

Walter....My Loyal, Dedicated Running Partner

Yesterday I had a great run. My running buddy joined me as he always does, so I thought it would be appropriate to formally introduce him since he never misses a run and is the most incredible, loyal, non-complaining running partner a person could ask for. He always adjusts to my pace and will only leave my side when a squirrel catches his attention. His name is Walter and that's him on the right posing on his 3rd birthday. I've even added him to the right strip of this blog since he's definitely a part of my training.

I'm ran 9 miles yesterday and everything felt great. The left knee was bit tender, so hoping that doesn't start to cause issues. It's given me problems in the past.

Now Walt.......he did about 6. He took the winter off from running and also gained a few extra pounds, so he's gradually amp'n up the miles again.

The Shark and Helicopter Incident

I guess I should be talking about my training, but I’m too amused and entertained with all the Alcatraz photos and video clips out there on the www and would rather post those. Sooo with that said, I found this snap over the weekend which gave me a nice little adrenaline burst (even if it’s not real…..or maybe it is……kind of recall hearing about a shark and a helicopter last year). Swimming in the same pool as sharks FREAKS ME OUT…. even if they rarely swim in SFO Bay. And up until recently (guess I’ve heard it so many times) I cringe every time someone says ‘you’re going to be swimming with the Sharks’. And now it’s the whole “don’t be surprised if a 2 ton sea lion comes from under and gives you a big bump, they just think your wet suit is a female sea lion that they’d like to mate.’ Now that wouldn’t freak me out in the least bit…..not at all. POOP! :)

Training today is a run in a bit and hoping to do around 9 miles.

I’m starting to hear from peeps that I need to be thinking of jumping in the Puget Sound or Lake Washington to get a feel for the cold and open water. Not to be a Negative Nancy, but that doesn’t sound too enjoyable.

Stay tuned for that first jump in the water. Maybe I can borrow a buddies video camera so can witness the LOUD 'shreak' at first plunge.

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)

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!

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!!!

Training Begins......

.....first swim in the pool. 26 laps!! Felt like 87 laps. Oh my....the training begins.

Alacatraz Swim Camp

Signed up today.....April 5-6th......this should help me sleep a bit better at night and hopefully stop dreaming about sharks. :)

New Year.......New Adventures

Top 10 Resolutions

1) Complete Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon

Still have to come up w/ the other 9 .....actually, I think my #1 covers the other 9 too!!

New Years Eve

I think I know what's going to be on top of my new year resolutions list.

Holy Smokes....I Signed Up....I Must be Crazy!

Congratulations! You are now Registered for the Accenture Escape From Alcatraz Triathlon 2008. Please check the Tri-California Events website in 2-3 weeks in order to verify your registration information on the participants lists.

Your Invoice Number is: 462072334
Sex: MALE
Age: 41 (Age on 12/31 of race year, used by USAT to determine racing age group)
Race: Escape from Alcatraz TriathlonRace
Category: Individual Age Group

Still Deciding......but had first glimpse of excitement...

...watching the clip below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GvOOn8Lxhs

Renting the movie Escape from Alcatraz......

.....in the spirit of it all.......guessing it will freak me out a bit more about the swim by watching this movie.

What the heck do I do?......

....I've been waking up the last 3 mornings and first thing I think about is swimming that scary swim from Alcatrez. Does this mean, I must conquer my fears and do it? I have til the 31st to decide.

Can I really swim w/ the sharks?

escape from alcatraz, escape from alcatraz triathlon, escape from alcatraz triathlon blog, triathlon blog, triathlon escape from alcatraz blog, triathlon training

The Lottery......I certainly won't get selected......

On December 9th, I was ran across a link for the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon and it mentioned how it’s currently taking names for the lottery to be held on December 15th for one of the coveted slots in the June 9th. 2008 annual race.

Well……I had heard that quite a few people apply for that lottery, so chances are pretty slim to nil that I’d get selected. I said to myself, highly unlikely that I would get selected but if I do, it was meant to be and I would now have an opportunity to do the race that is the most fearful to me in regards to the swim portion. Swimming is my weakness of the three sports, not to mention open water swims…..at freezing cold temperatures…..going against 6 miles per hour currents……in the same body of water as sharks…..and swimming from the Alcatraz to mainland, which was created so prisoners couldn’t escape from the island and if they tried, they would surely die. I would never get selected but what the heck.

Well……guess what……December 15th rolls around and I check my email and look what I find:


2008 Accenture Escape from Alcatraz Random Drawing Winners

You are one of the lucky triathletes that have been selected as a winner the December 15, 2007 random drawing for a slot in the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon to be held in San Francisco on June 8, 2008. You have until December 31, 2007 at 11:59 pm to register for the race and pay your registration fee. Your slot is not transferable and will be void on January 1st. We recommend that you register right away to make sure that you are able to complete the process, don't wait until December 31.

On June 8th, you will get to jump off a perfectly good boat into the frigid water of the San Francisco Bay, swim with 1800 of your best friends from Alcatraz to Little Marina Green. You will climb out of the water and run (with or without shoes) one half mile to the transition area, jump on your bike and ride 18 miles (most people say that it is all up hill) and then run 8 miles (under the Golden Gate Bridge, through the sands of baker beach, up the infamous sand ladder and back to Marina Green to the finish line. What a great way to spend your life.

The qualifier winners at the Escape to Alcatraz qualifier races and the winners from last years Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon and the will be send out separately next week.

God Bless!

Terry Davis, Race Director