Alcatraz Challenge, San Fransico, CA

I spent two and a half weeks in July traveling around the west.  I attended the Clay Mineral Society meeting in Golden, Colorado where I presented my dissertation research.  I was then off to Albuquerque for a week to work at the Sandia National Lab on the last bit of material I need to graduate.   

View from the tram ride to the top of Sandia Peak, Albuquerque, NM

This was a great trip for my school work but also for my training.  While in CO, I was at around 6000 ft for all my workouts and in NM, around 6500 - 7500 feet.  The best part about NM was the trail running.  I ran almost everyday and it was the kind of running you do to remember how much you love running.  No goal in mind, just run, you, and the trail.  It was beautiful.  

Me at the top of Sandia Peak!

To end my trip out west, I flew to San Francisco to cross something off my bucket list - swimming across the San Francisco Bay!  So signed up for the Alcatraz Challenge - a mile and a half swim from the island and 7 mile run across the Golden Gate Bridge.

Checking out the run course and enjoying the beach

I had no idea what I was getting myself into!  I woke up around 5 am and walked the mile to the beach from my hotel to set up transition.  It was a beautiful, chilly morning with the sun burning the fog off the bay a little earlier than expected.  Buses took all the athletes to the dock where we loaded onto the boat that brought us to Alcatraz.  On the boat we were told that it was  good day to swim across the bay!   After about 20 minutes the boat stopped and I found myself 4th in line in the groups of the 3 jumping into the water.  All my friends from Colorado (Lindsey, Patrick, Charles, Kelly, and Dianne) had lined up right in front and were the first people in the water! 

Official race photo of the swim

To me, it was shocking the minute I hit the water.  You have to start swimming immediately to prevent the athletes behind you from jumping on you.  The water was the most turbulent I have ever swam in.  There were 3-4 foot swells that were tossing me around the entire way.  Several times I went to take a breath and got a face full of water instead. It caused me to swallow a lot of water several times and have to stop and throw up before continuing on.  The salt water made my throat sore.  Many times I found myself taking a stroke only for no water to be in front of me as I was tossed forward and into the water.  Or I would be kicking and find my feet were completely out of the water.  It was like swimming in a washing machine.  On top of the fantastic water conditions, there are no buoys in this swim.  You sight off of objects along the shore and are carried down the bay by a strong current.  Several times the kayakers had to stop me and point me back on course so I wouldn't overshoot the beach.    And when I finally saw the beach I couldn't be more grateful to get there!    Of the around 400 people that did the swim, I was the 234th person out of the water, it took me 53 minutes, and was absolutely terrifying.  Definitely not my best swim performance!

Run course, around mile 6, Golden gate bridge behind me

Finally, the run.  While I was in the water I just wanted to be done so badly I didn't even think about the fact that I now had 7 miles to run across the bridge and back.  So thankful to be out of the wetsuit and into my running shoes though, I took off.  I felt absolutely fantastic.  I was able to easily work my way up the field of women who had destroyed me in the swim.  About half way across the bridge I got an idea of my placement with the first people on their way back.  Despite my bad swim time I had already run myself into about 15th place overall.  

Crossing the finish line (Kelly in the background)

With about 4 miles to go I knew I could pick a few more off.  Incredibly I was able to move into 8th overall and finish 4th in my age group.  My run time of 48 mins (6:52 pace) placed me as the 20th fastest runner including men and #1 fastest female runner in the race.  My run continues to be my saving grace in multisport events!

wetsuit burn

While running across the bridge I was able to look out and see Alcatraz and think in awe that I had just swam from there.  Glad to cross it off my list, and don't know if i would do the race again, but now that I know what to expect in the swim...  meh, I probably will.  ;)   Happy to be back in flat water for the time being though!

The Alcatraz crew - Lindsey, Patrick, Charles, Laura, and Kelly, missing Dianne 

Para-sailing competition at the bay

Stay tuned later this week for my race report on the Acworth women's triathlon which I completed yesterday.  Great people, great race.   Also for some news on friends of mine gearing up for their first triathlons!