"I guess it comes down to a simple choice, really. Get busy living, or get busy dying." - Andy Dufresne, The Shawshank Redemption
OK people. It's been a while since this has been updated. It has been a crazy summer and it is time to start updating. On one hand, I feel bad that it has been so long since I've added a new post, but on the other hand it's has been because I've been so busy living life! I will try and add new posts on a regular basis now, but I have to tell you that since my last post, I feel like a different person.
Since you've last read an update, I have traveled to Europe for the first time in my life (amazing and life changing), attended Bhakti Fest Midwest (awesome experience), spent some serious quality time with my sons, Grant and Ben (they are growing up way too fast, and becoming incredible young men), raced the half iron distance Superior Man Triathlon with some great friends (top ten in my age group and new PR by 26 minutes!), met my fundraising goal for the Chicago Marathon with Team in Training (now I can focus on the running and the Marathon on October 13), found out I was selected as a Ragnar Ambassador for Madison to Chicago next year (see previous blog for Ragnar Report), got the chance to go to Atlanta for the Alabama vs. Virginia Tech Game (Roll Tide Roll!), finished the Burpee Challenge for the third time (and starting a new one next Monday ending New Year's Eve...who's in??), and am really starting to get pumped (and nervous) for the Go Ruck Challenge in St. Louis!
It hasn't all been sunshine and rainbows. I've struggled with some personal issues, wondering if some of the life decisions I've made have been the right ones, missed my boys so bad it hurt when they went back home, lost one of my favorite personal trainers and motivators when she moved to Austi , tried to help others with their own struggles, and had many days when I just felt down, sad, tired, or all of the above.
Each one of these probably deserves it's own blog post, and I'm sure as the days and weeks go by I'll share my thoughts and feelings on all of them, for those who care to know. But one must never get caught up in living through others, and spending to much time comparing your life to the life of people you know or hear about. Live your own life, get out and make your own memories. Become the person you want to be.
“Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.”
― Eckhart Tolle
Last night I attended a Team in Training event. It was a combination celebration for all the athletes that completed events this past season, and a kick off for all new athletes starting their training for the current season. I was in the unique position of fitting in both groups in different ways. I was celebrating finishing my first season as a Team in Training cycling coach, having coached some amazing athletes to finishes at America's Most Beautiful Bike Ride in Lake Tahoe, and I was also kicking off my training as a participant this season preparing to run the Chicago Marathon in October.
As part of the program, everyone gave a little information into their background and whether or not this was their first time with TnT, or their first endurance event. For the great majority of people, it was not their first event. Many people had multiple endurance finishes, and/or multiple TnT experiences. This led the Campaign Manager, Naomi, to remark how most of us are overachievers. This simple remark started a chain of thoughts through my head. I began to wonder why we are like this? I know I can be. If a little is good, a lot is better. If I can run a 5K, why not a 10K? A half ironman? Why not Ironman Wisconsin? And on, and on.
I wondered why do I need more? Why can't I be happy with what I have accomplished, rather than always wanting more? Every major world religion, and most of the minor ones, have strong beliefs about the importance of gratitude. The belief that the way to have an abundance of good things is to be grateful for what you have. This can be a difficult concept in today's society. Trying to keep up with people we know, wanting the newest and best technology, more money, a better relationship, all the things that we see in others. It's easy to get caught up in that game. But no matter what, that's a game we can't win. Because even when we get what we think we want, there is always something bigger or better. So, what is the answer? I think for me, the answer is understanding that if I'm grateful for what I have instead of envious of what I don't have, my life will be happier and more fulfilling.
This is a concept that is much easier to say than to put into practice. And that is the operative word here... "practice".
prac-tice: (verb) Perform an activity or exercise a skill repeatedly or regularly in order to improve or maintain one's proficiency.
I need to spend a few minutes every day just being thankful for the things I have. My health, my children, my friends, my job. The things that I have and tend to take for granted are the things that so many other people dream of and wish they had.
Do your best to practice an attitude of gratitude.
Please consider a donation...it's easier than chemotherapy!
Ragnar is over. What a cool and amazing experience. Especially when you consider that 8 days ago I didn't even know I'd be doing it. Taking a group of 12 people and running nonstop from Madison to Chicago is a logistical masterpiece when done right! Luckily, I had the opportunity to join Rank Strangers, the only team that has run this relay every year it has been in existence. That makes for some serious experience! For those of you that don't understand how it works, it's about 200 miles from Madison to Chicago, and it is divided into 36 running legs. There are two vans of runners with six runners in each, so each runner runs 3 legs. Van 1 started at 9 am in Madison. Each leg there is a bracelet that is handed off to the next runner. Van 1 took legs one through six, then handed off to Van 2. They ran 7-12, and handed back off to Van 1. This continued all day Friday, overnight Friday night and throughout the day Saturday until reaching Chicago just after 4 pm. Saturday.
I ended up having one of the shortest totals mileage wise. My first leg was only 2.7 miles. It was early on in the day as I was runner 3. I started to find a rhythm about mile two, then it was almost over. I handed off to the next runner and got back in the van. My next turn was leg 15. It started between 10:30 and 11:00 pm and was 5.3 miles. Weather was cool, and it was dark. It was a pretty cool experience looking ahead and just seeing red blinking lights of other runners ahead. After Van 1 finished that round, we headed to the next major transfer point. We got to the YMCA in Racine in the middle of the night, and were able to pay $2 for a shower and a spot on the floor for a little shut eye. A couple of hours later, it was up and back into the van as we got ready for our last legs. My final leg was 5.6 miles that started along Lake Michigan and wound through some nice tree lined neighborhood streets. Teammates were asking me how I felt. I was tired, stiff and a little sore. I was pretty sure one of two things was going to happen. Either, 1. I was going to start slow, loosen up and have a great run, or b. Stay tight and crash and burn spectacularly. It was really a 50/50 chance. I was hoping for the former, but totally prepared for the latter. As I started, the temps were cool and the views of the lake amazing. I started out at what felt comfortable, and after a half mile or so checked my watch and realized I was at about a 9:30 per mile pace. As I continued, I was feeling better and stronger, and noticed my pace was improving. 9:22, 9:13, 8:57. When I hit the one mile to go mark, I was feeling pretty good and "Sweet Home Alabama" came on the iPod. I decided to pick it up and finish as strong as I could, and my last mile I ran the fastest of all miles on the entire relay, about an 8:30 per mile pace! All in all almost 14 miles of running over 3 segments with an average pace of 9:20 - 9:30. Considering it was 5 days after my 100 mile ride around Lake Tahoe, I'm pretty happy with it.
Rank Strangers 2013 Ragnar Team Madison - Chicago
For the first time in a long time (quite possible EVER) I consider myself a runner. I've always considered myself a triathlete, or a cyclist, or even a swimmer. But even though I've done countless 5K and 10K races, and three half marathons, I've never really considered myself a runner until this weekend. It's a pretty good feeling! And, I think I'm well prepared for the second half of my year with events that includes the Dairyland Udder Half Iron Triathlon, a Go Ruck Challenge, The Door County Century Bike Ride, and the Chicago Marathon!
Now, in addition to continuing to train, I need to set my sights on fundraising. I am doing the Chicago Marathon in memory of a friend, Jenny Boyce, and doing it the same way she did it. Fundraising for charity. I have chosen Team in Training, part of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I coach cyclists for TNT, and decided to do my first stand alone marathon as a participant. I have agreed to raise a minimum of $1,900.00 for research and patient services for blood cancers.My goal is to raise twice that. I'm asking for your help. You can click on the link below to go to my fundraising page. If you enjoy reading about my adventures, then please take a moment and donate what you can. Even $5 or $10 helps. Please pass the link along to friends, coworkers, family members, anyone you know. It's a great cause and well worth it. Thanks for your help!
It's been a while since my last post, and I hate that. I think most of us start off with the best of intentions, then start to slide back into old habits. Once we do that, it's difficult to get back on track. Now, I've had a lot of things going in my life between work, training and personal stuff, but that's really no excuse. So, while I have written this post in my head numerous times, it's time to get back on track and do it for real.
My first season as a Team in Training Cycling Coach has come to a close, and what an amazing season it was! Being able to coach some dedicated, amazing athletes, to a finish at America's Most Beautiful Bike Ride has been one of the most satisfying and rewarding things I have ever done! At the inspiration dinner we learned that there were 1,200 Team in Training Cyclists participating in the ride that had raised $4.4 million for blood cancer research and patient services. That is AMAZING!
A brief rundown of the weekend, we fly from Milwaukee to Reno and take a bus into South Lake Tahoe. We pick up our bikes and try to relax. Saturday morning the Wisconsin team takes a short 17 mile shakedown ride to make sure the bikes are all working properly and to get acclimated. When you're at 6,500 ft above sea level, you get out of breath much quicker due to the fact that there is less oxygen in the air. Good thing to know and get used to! So while on the ride, about 20 yards in front of me, a bear darts across the road and stops. Yep. A BEAR! I pass by the beast on the side of the road and realize she is about to cross back because her cub is in a tree. I stop because part of my team is behind me. They stopped, and the bear crossed back to her cub and we all proceeded on. Totally cool experience, but kind scary too!
Saturday night we had the inspiration dinner and then a team get together to sign and decorate jerseys. I then had the chance to meet an incredible young man, Connor Cosgrove. Connor is the nephew of one of our team members, Patti.
In 2010, Connor was a Division I athlete playing football at the University of Minnesota, when he was diagnosed with Leukemia. Through Patti, I had the opportunity this season to learn more about him when she would share pictures and links to speeches he made. I was always impressed by his humor, strength, and positive attitude through these videos and pictures. I was hoping to get the opportunity to meet him when Patti said he and his family would be coming to Tahoe, and I'm so glad I did. In person, Connor has ten times the charm and charisma he has digitally. I got the chance to spend some time with him and we talked about a lot of stuff in a short amount of time. What a great, fun guy. Besides being inspirational, he's just so cool and funny. I shared with him that if I ever had a life changing event like that happen to me, I would only hope I could handle it with the strength and grace that he shows. Connor, if you happen to read this, I'm proud to call you a friend. Follow the link below for more on Connor.
On to Sunday morning and America's Most Beautiful Bike Ride! The Wisconsin Team had a 6:20 start time and we headed out for 100 miles of fun, beauty, and hills! As a way to have a little fun, the Team in Training Chapters all have items on their bike helmets to represent their location and be more identifiable. For instance, the Los Angeles chapter had small Oscar Statues, Washington DC had a Capitol, Seattle had Starbucks cups, and Kansas had Flying Monkeys (Wizard of Oz...and the monkeys were sitting on beer cans. Try and figure out why...) And from Wisconsin, we had...what else? Cheese wedges! And since a coach has to have all the answers, I knew I needed help, so I brought a Jedi Master along for the entire 100 miles.
Take a look at the ride profile:
Starting at mile 11 is the climb to Emerald Bay. Steep, technical, and with switchbacks, but once to the top, the view makes it worth it!
After the climb, we get the descent. Fast and fun! Until, I get a flat. And I don't mean, just a flat, a loud, explosive blowout! Luckily, I made emergency repairs to get to the next rest stop, where I was able to buy a new tire, get it on the wheel and carry on! Nothing stops us!
As the day wears on and the miles click by, we pass beautiful views, lots of bikes, and Squaw Valley, the site of the 1960 Winter Olympics, all before getting to the lunch stop at King's Beach at mile 70. At King's Beach, you get to look out at the most amazing views of the lake and snow capped mountains. The pictures just don't capture the beauty.
After lunch at mile 70, there's a short climb, then riding along the lake until getting to mile 80. Mile 80 is significant because that's where the real climb of the day starts. 1,000 feet and 8 miles long. Wow. 8 miles can be a long way on a bike. It can be an especially long way when it's all uphill! No problem here, I had the force with me, and my Jedi Master gave me the strength I needed!
The last 12 miles are downhill, with the exception of a few little rolling hills that seem much tougher than they actually are. Finally rolling back into South Lake Tahoe, the team all met a short way from the finish line, and we all rode in together. On Wisconsin! Coach Art provided us with a breakdown of stats and numbers from his GPS. It's well worth a look!
All in all, AMBBR was an amazing, incredible experience. Now, it's on to the next challenge...
While in Tahoe, Coach Art approached me with an "opportunity". The team he's on for the Madison to Chicago Ragnar relay needed a fill in runner. Team "Rank Strangers". If you're not familiar with Ragnar, here's a description from the Ragnar webite:
Ragnar is the overnight running relay race that makes testing your limits a team sport.
You and 11 of your craziest friends (or 5 of your crazier
friends for an ultra team) pile into two vans and tag team running
200(ish) miles, day and night, relay-style. Only one runner hits the
road at a time. Each participant runs three times, with each leg ranging
between 3-8 miles and varying in difficulty. So, from the elite runner
down to the novice jogger, it's the perfect race for anyone.
For those of you that know me, there was only one answer. So, 5 days after riding 100 miles on my bike, I will start running in a 200 mile relay race to Chicago. I couldn't say no. I think I might be crazy. Not crazy fun, or Steve Martin "Wild and Crazy guy" crazy, but completely, totally, clinically crazy, as in suffering from a mental defect. What makes me do these things? Century bike rides, triathlons, Ironman, Tough Mudder, Escape from Alcatraz, etc., etc., etc. Oh well, that's another question for another day. Until then I need to channel my "Inner Ninja". Enjoy!
What motivates you? This past Saturday morning, the Madison, Wisconsin Team in Training Cycling Team was scheduled to have its first outdoor ride of the season. It was supposed to be 30 miles. Mother Nature, however, had other ideas. While we had no new snow, we did have a wind chill of 10 degrees and some ice on the road. As coaches, we made the decision to do a "hybrid" workout. An hour spin class followed by a short 8 mile ride outside. That way, we got a decent workout in and got to spend some time on the road, and for that there is truly no substitute.
Rebecca, another Team in Training Coach, and our spin instructor asked us during the workout "What motivates you?" She was asking for the reason we get up early on a Saturday to come to spin class and ride to nowhere and follow that up with a cold ride in the elements? That was a good question, and one I thought about for the rest of the ride.
We all have our reasons for doing the things we do. Figuring out why we do them can be a difficult task. For me, I think it comes down to the title of this post "Winners always want the ball." This is a quote from the 2000 movie "The Replacements" starring Keanu Reeves as Shane Falco, a professional football replacement quarterback, and Gene Hackman playing Jimmy McGinty, his coach. In the movie, The coach has called a pass play, and Falco calls an audible changing the play. He hands the ball off to the running back who fails to score and the game is lost. The coach tells Falco, "If I wanted him to have the ball, I'd have called it that way." McGinty goes on to tell Falco that he got scared. He finishes by saying "Winners always want the ball...when the game is on the line."
That is true. Winners do want the ball. I'm not necessarily talking about sports figures, and the people that score the most points. I'm talking about successful people. They always seek out opportunities for growth and success. They want to have the responsibility for what happens. No matter the outcome, they own it.
That's what motivates me. Success. When I was a Detective with the Mobile County, Alabama Sheriff's Office, and there was a big investigation, I wanted the case. If there was a bad guy that needed to be interrogated, I wanted to do it. I had faith in my ability, and my training, and I wanted the responsibility. I wanted the ball!
In coaching, I want the responsibility of helping athletes cross the finish line. Again, I have faith in my ability. I want the weight on my shoulders because I can succeed and I can help others succeed. I want the ball!
Now for the hard part. How do you cultivate that faith? How do you get that confidence to ask for the ball? I think it's different for everyone. For me it comes down to two things. First, hard work. Doing more than necessary, more than expected. It's putting forth that little bit of extra effort needed to make you better. I think this will explain it better than I could...
That one extra degree makes all the difference. A series of small efforts add up to huge successes.
The second thing that helps me have the confidence to step up and be successful is not being afraid to fail. You must embrace the idea of growth and attempting those things you've never tried. To get what we've never had, we must do what we've never done. Contrary to the famous line in Apollo 13, failure is ALWAYS an option. The person who never fails, has never tried. If you knew before you tried something that success was guaranteed, then what's the point?
Thomas Edison said that many of life's failures are people who didn't realize how close to success they were when they gave up. Never give up. You haven't failed, you just eliminated another way that doesn't work.
Start cultivating that winning attitude today! "Winners always want the ball." Believe that you can do it. You won't always win, you can't always win. But that's ok. Knowing that you can do it is what puts you ahead of the competition. That's the "extra degree". Great actors want the lead role. Great speakers want the tough audience. Great detectives want the bad guy that refuses to confess. And, when the game is on the line, winners always want the ball!
Spring
is in the air (at least everywhere but Wisconsin,
apparently) and it’s just about time to get on our bikes and head outside!Here in Madison,
the Team in Training America’s Most Beautiful Bike Ride Team is preparing for
our first outdoor group ride!With this
being the current weather forecast…
this
may or may not happen, but it’s time to be prepared anyway!It’s time to start thinking cyclogically! The
purpose of this post is to throw out some basics of group riding.Riding in a group can be very fun and social
but you have to be safe.Every regular
group I’ve ever ridden with has its own personality, and its own way of doing
things.If you join an existing group,
you’ll figure it out pretty quickly.If
you start your own group, it will develop its own personality over time.These are general tips that should apply in
any group at any time!
Be
Smooth and Predictable.Make sure you don’t
have sudden accelerations or slowdowns.If
a gap opens up in front of you, close it slowly and gradually. Use sharp
braking ONLY in emergencies! Always check your blind spot and know what is
going on around you.
Communicate!
Learn the hand and voice signals of the group you are riding with. Let everyone
know if the group is slowing or stopping.Signal all turns with hands and voice.Let other riders know when hazards are approaching by pointing to them
and calling out whatever the hazard may be. Let others know where vehicles are
(Car back, Car up, Car right).Communication
may be the single most important factor in riding in a group!
Be
considerate to others in the group.If
not everyone makes it through a stop light, slow down to wait for those that didn’t
make it through.We should all be
following the rules of the road and not violating traffic laws, so this will
also encourage safe behavior since people won’t have to worry about losing the
group.
Let
others know when you are passing them.Always pass on the left. Never pass on the right.As you approach a slower rider call out “On
your left”, so they know you are there, and they don’t pull out to pass a
slower rider and crash into you.
Watch
out for those riders that may be less experienced, or a little squirrely.Increase your following distance around
them.Find those riders who are
comfortable and steady, and try and position yourself around them.
Never
ride in aerobars in a group. You need to be in complete control of your bike,
and that’s not possible if you’re in areo position.
If
you’re like most people, when you first start riding with a group, you’ll be
nervous and a little scared.Don’t worry.
As you spend more time riding with a group, you’ll become more comfortable and
really begin to enjoy it.Before you
know it, you’ll be group riding like a pro!
Alright, Ninja followers!Here it is…the report you’ve all been waiting for.How I Escaped from Alcatraz!
Pre Race:
Flew into San
Francisco on Friday and made it to the hotel.The Argonaut, close to Fisherman’s
Wharf.It ended up being the perfect
place to stay because it was walking distance from where I rented my bike, and
about a mile from Marina Green, where transition and the finish line is
located.After checking in, I went and got
the bike from San Francisco Bike Rentals (I know…creative, right?) and went for
a ride across the Golden Gate
Bridge.It was an awesome and beautiful ride, and
definitely recommended for anyone visiting San Fran!After crossing the bridge, we rolled down to Sausalito for a nice stroll and coffee before taking the
Golden Gate Ferry back across the bay to San
Francisco.The
ferry was $9.75 and well worth it.You
can find boats offering $20 tours of the bay, but in my mind, the ferry back
across is a better deal.There are
amazing views and you pass right by Alcatraz.That gave me a good look at where I’d be
swimming on Sunday.The first thing you
realize is that it’s a LONG way from the prison to the swim exit.Looking at the wind, waves and current, I
realized why this swim is regarded as so tough.
Friday night and a trip to Sports Basement was in
order.As many of you may know, my
current favorite pro is Jesse Thomas.Love reading his race reports, and I'm a big fan of Picky Bars! If you don’t
know about either, the appropriate links are here --> http://leapdaysports.com/ and http://pickybars.com/ If you’re an athlete you
need to try Picky Bars!Anyway, I had
tweeted Jesse earlier asking for the possibility of a meet and photo…and to my
surprise…
So I get to Sports Basement and find Jesse at the Picky Bar
table with his better half, Lauren.We
talk for a few minutes, and I give Jesse some pointers for the race and then we
have a photo op.
Jesse’s trademark are
the aviator glasses.I see them, and the idea strikes.I
tell him “This may be in bad form, but could I get a picture wearing the
aviators?”He takes them off his head
and says “This may be a first.”He hands
them over saying “Be careful, I don’t want to have to go back to Walgreens!”
Classic!What can I say…he’s a great guy!And my advice must have helped.He took third place and was the first American finisher.This is one of the things I love about this
sport, the opportunity to race with and against the professionals and to find
out how down to earth, real, and genuine they actually are.Jesse, if you somehow manage to read
this…Thanks (and add a comment to give me some street cred!).You made my weekend! If you
ever come to Madison,
I owe you big time.
Saturday dawned and we decided to see some of the city by
bike.Farmers Market, Fisherman’s Wharf,
Golden Gate Park, Haight Ashbury, we saw it all.A trip to packet pickup to get body marked
(they mark your hands? Really?)
and then a short walk to the swim exit.Now, you’ll recall I thought it was a long
swim when I saw it from the ferry at Alcatraz?
Well, looking at it from the swim exit, I realized it’s a REALLY LONG way!
It
was fun watching others walk up and make the same realization. Since the hotel
was so close to Aquatic
Park, we saw a lot of
people trying out the water and getting in practice swims.I decided that at this point it wasn’t going
to make any difference anyway, so there’s no point in unnecessary pain and
discomfort!So, it was off to bed in
preparation for the escape attempt!
Race Day:
Let me begin this by saying it was an amazing day and an
awesome experience.As I try to describe
it, I realize that this is a lot like a beautiful view.You stand in amazement while looking at it,
but as soon as you try and take a photo, you realize there is no way you can
capture the true beauty and wonder.I
don’t think there are any words to fully describe the experience and on some
level, I know this will be wholly inadequate, but here goes!
As I leave the hotel in the darkness of the morning, I know
it feels cold.Air temperature is about
52, but with the wind it feels mid 40’s.Now that’s not cold at all for Wisconsin,
but for race morning it was chilly.I
plan to ride the mile or so to transition, and as I leave the hotel, I fall in
with other triathletes also riding there.It’s dark and quiet as everyone get into their own “race space”.I make it to transition and get everything
set up rather quickly.Once that’s done,
I make my way to the buses.At this
race, since it starts from a boat, organizers bus you from transition to the
boat landing.Getting on the bus, we’re
thankful for the warmth, and people start the usual nervous pre race
chatter…Where are you from? Are you ready? Why are we doing this?We get to the landing, and since I’ve heard
the boat described as a “ferry” I’m not sure what to expect.This is what I see
She’s a beautiful boat, and our home for the next hour or
so.Again, thankful for the warmth,
athletes make our way onto the boat and volunteers direct us to different decks
based on our swim cap color.I have a
yellow swim cap and I’m directed to the second deck.Once there, there’s a bar at one end,
carpeted floors and real bathrooms! (if you’re used to thepre race port-a-potty you understand the
joy).Athletes are talking, sleeping,
doing yoga, eating energy bars and generally trying to contain pre race
nerves.The boat leaves the dock at 6:30
and the race is scheduled to start at 7:30.That means, we get on site and have a lot of time before the race
starts.Everyone crowds to the side to
look at the conditions.We see white
caps in the bay, and a strong current pushing kayaks around. We also start to look at our sighting land marks.Now, because of the current in SF Bay, you
can’t swim directly toward the swim exit.If you do, you may be pushed so far of course you can’t make it back,
and you risk being swept out to sea. (not really, there’s too may safety boats
for that, but without the safety boats, kayaks, etc. it’s a real risk).After looking at the current, the waves, and
the distance one woman near me starts to freak out and her friend calms her
down telling her “You can do this.You’ve trained. You’re ready.”And this has a calming effect on everyone around. We hear a voice
reminding us that this is no time to be weak.The water is cold, there is a current, there are 2,000 athletes that
need to be off the boat in 6 minutes.The tension is getting thicker as race time approaches.Then we see a cruise ship entering the bay
under the Golden Gate
Bridge.As we all watch the ship, we’re wondering
what this means…surely we won’t have to dodge a cruise ship too?Not with the wind,the cold water (51 degrees), the current, the
waves, and the “marine life” (sharks)?Then we’re told the race will start a few minutes late to let the cruise
ship pass.Finally we hear the national
anthem, and from the side of the boat watch as the pros dive in and take
off.Then, about 30 seconds later the
age groupers start.We’re able to watch
the first few and we see that nobody seems to be swimming the way they told us
to.Everybody is swimming straight to
the swim exit.Then we realize, no,
their bodies are pointed the right way, but the current is pushing them.It’s that strong!Oh well…too late to do anything about it
now.I thought that Ironman was the
craziest swim start in triathlon.I was
wrong!This is crazy.Everyone starts moving towards the stairs and
being herded like cattle.The mass of
humanity moves slowly but steadily down the stairs.As we approach the first deck, I can see the
door.As I make the turn, I realize the
jump off point is right there. Nothing else to do, no time to think.You cross the timing mat and jump…
The Swim:
Two thoughts occur almost simultaneously 1. %#&$ it’s
COLD!!!! And b. someone is about to jump on top of me!Without a doubt the craziest swim start
ever.The jump is only a few feet, but
seems much farther.The water is
amazingly, incredibly, unbelievably cold!At first it hurts to put your face in it.You take a moment and find your landmarks.
Then start swimming.After about 5
minutes your face and hands go numb, and it’s not so bad.I was told that there were up to six foot
swells reported in the bay that morning, and I’m sure the last minute cruise
ship didn’t help. The current was pushing you out towards the Pacific
Ocean, and the wind was blowing in from the Pacific, so it gave
you what I heard someone very aptly describe as the sensation of swimming in a
washing machine.If you want to know
what it was really like, check out the video:
Now here’s the really freaky thing about this swim: Even
though there are 2,000 athletes out there and hundreds of boats, kayaks, etc.
because of the fact that they are no buoys for navigation (you sight entirely
on the shore) and because of the swells, ten minutes into the swim you feel entirely
alone.You don’t see anyone. It’s easy
to imagine what it would have felt like to actually attempt to escape from Alcatraz. Every now and then, if you time a breath just
right, you can see another swim cap, but there can be someone a few feet from
you and you don’t know it.In a word:
scary.In another: exhilarating!
I’m a relatively strong swimmer, and this was the toughest
swim of my life.I later found out that
they pulled and “repositioned” about 150 swimmers or around three times the
normal number.I talked to other
athletes that had done this race before and they said it was much harder then
usual.And yes, if you heard the news,
there was one death reported during the swim. (not a drowning though, cardiac arrest at the start. Water safety crews saw him immediately and attempted CPR, but unfortunately, it was not successful. My heart goes out to his family and friends). It was tough.With large swells, and wind, It was hard to
time your strokes and your breath to the waves and wind.It was hard to sight, and hard to judge the
current.I felt strong most of the race,
remembering that smooth is fast, and focusing on technique, not strength.As a result, I almost overshot the swim exit
and my last few hundred yards were against a stronger current than I would have
liked, but I made it.I got to where I
could stand and realized immediately this had been no ordinary swim. I found it
hard to stand as I had “sea legs” and trouble keeping my balance.As I tried to take off the neoprene cap and
unzip my wetsuit, I realized that my fingers were totally numb and I had no
manual dexterity whatsoever. But, the swim was complete!No matter what happened the rest of the day,
I would always have a successful Alcatraz swim
crossing on my athletic resume!
T.5 :
Escape from Alcatraz is
unique in that there is a half mile “warm up run” from the swim exit to
transition.You have the opportunity to
have a bag there for a towel, run shoes, water, etc.Because of the weather, I wasn’t sure if I
was going to wear my wetsuit (fully or partially)on the way to transition for warmth or
not.As I found my bag, I was feeling
pretty good and warm, so I opted to strip off the wetsuit and throw on a pair of
shoes.I had also put a wool knit cap in
the bag, and decided to wear that on the half mile run to keep any warmth I
generated.One of the smartest decisions
all day.So with the swim behind me, and
feeling amazing, my focus changed from survival to having fun.
T1:
I run into transition feeling good and I find my bike fairly
easily in a sea of 2,000.I take my time
getting ready and focus on being smooth.I had arm warmers in transition and compression socks available on the chance I was
cold, but decided not to use them. I went with full finger bike gloves and a
very light Team in Training windbreaker and headed out for the 18 mile
bike.T1 was slow, including the half
mile run from the swim exit, but I wouldn’t have changed a thing.
Bike:
18 miles.Doesn’t
sound like far, but on this course, It’s pretty tough.Heading out the first couple of miles is flat
and into a slight head wind.It’s not
too bad, because you realize that on the way back you get the tail wind.Then you start climbing.Up and up to the Golden Gate Bridge.At this point, I hear sirens and start to see
SFPD and CHP motorcycles coming down the hill at an amazing clip.I see the CHP bikes and get the theme song from
the 80’s show CHiPs stuck in my head where it stays for the rest of the bike,
but that’s another story. (Hopefully you'll have it stuck in your head now too!)
Seeing the cops I think "no way, not already"…and right
then, Javier Gomez flies past me on the down hill like a bullet.Within a couple of minutes,Graham O’Grady and Jesse Thomas go by like
blurs too.Man, I want to be like them
when I grow up.Top the first hill and
then head downhill again.Up and down,
right and left. Up to the Palace at the Legion of Honor, then downhill.Crazy fast downhills that seem fun until I
realize that I have to come back up these hills. Just past mile 10, I looked to
my right and there were buffalo!Buffalo on the bike course in Golden Gate Park.
One more reason this is the coolest race ever. During one of the stretches you
pass through a residential are and past the house of Robin Williams.I had read that if he’s in town, he’d be
outside cheering.Guess he wasn’t in
town.Oh well.Heading
back towards transition I have the wind at my back, the bike behind me, and I’m
looking forward to the run. Here's a video of the bike course in under 4 minutes!
T2:
Pretty uneventful, try to drink some, a change of shoes,
talking to fellow competitors, a quick bathroom stop, and I’m off for the 8
mile run.
Run:
The run is 8 miles.Like the bike, the first part is flat, and again like the bike, then the
climb starts.This is a tough run because
once the climb starts, it is virtually impossible to pass. The course is mostly
out and back, so you have to deal with runners ahead of you, behind you, and
head on. Trail run and stairs, through an old tunnel at the Presidio and up to
run under the Golden Gate
Bridge.The run continues to take its toll and you
keep climbing on a very slow and technical course.I have to watch my footing almost every
step.At the top of the hill, then there
is a long descent along the road until you turn to a trail that heads down to Baker Beach.Once you hit the beach you look and almost a
half mile away is the turn around.The
signs clearly indicate that you are to stay to the left and run in the heavy
sand, but some people aren’t paying attention and head to the water where its
harder packed and easier to run.Me, I don’t
do that.I choose the heavy sand.I’m pretty sure that there would be no
penalty, and no one would know, but I would know that I cheated the course and I
cheated myself.Running in sand like
that drains your muscles and your spirit.I make the turn around and get to run along the water.It feels much better on my legs, but the sand
I pick up on my shoes is wet and heavier.Then comes the sand ladder. One
of the things that makes this race so tough, so punishing, so challenging, and
so fun. About 400 “steps”.Actually logs
or landscape timbers chained together and covered with sand. Here's a video I found of the experience.
People groaning, bitching and moaning.I, on the other hand am loving every second
of it.To everyone that complains, I
say, “Come on, you know this is one of the reasons you signed up for this
race!Let’s get our money’s worth!”“This is why we’re here!” “Enjoy the moment!”Halfway up the sand ladder is a race photographer.
This should give you an idea of my mental state at this point…
Once you get to the top of the sand ladder, it’s still not
over.You still have about a half mile
of climbing before reaching the top.During this point, you're again on the out and back portion so people are
heading downhill to the beach.You can
tell that a lot of them are looking for signs of pain on the athletes coming
back up.I refuse to give it to
them.Instead I start encouraging them,
telling them it’s worth every step.I
know from experience how much of a difference it can make hearing things like
that.I also know that you never know
who you’re going to inspire!
After cresting the hill and taking a moment at the mile 5
aid station to empty sand from my shoes and thank as many volunteers as
possible, (Especially the guy dressed up as cookie monster)
I head off for the last three miles.I
come around a bend and see an amazing view.Up on a bluff, with the Pacific Ocean stretched out forever, and the
most beautiful view of the Golden
Gate Bridge
I’ve ever seen, I slow down and realize how lucky I am to be there at that
moment.Just a few minutes later, I run
back under the Bridge and can see Alcatraz Island in the distance and am awestruck
for a moment that I actually swam from there to start the day.The last couple of miles were flat with a
tailwind and I try and spend the time reflecting on the day and everything it
took to get there since finding out I won a lottery slot.Approaching the finish at Marina Green, is very
cool…more and more people are lining the route cheering you on.The finishing chute is long and ends with
grandstands on both sides.I crossed the
finish line and, being careful to make sure I wasn’t blocking anyone, I dropped to the
ground.I think a few volunteers started
heading my way thinking I was in trouble and had collapsed, but then I did my
push up and jumped back up to finish my burpee… with a whole lot of gratitude.
Post Race:
I’ll post all my splits, even though they are
incredibly unimpressive.My goal was to
have fun, finish, and enjoy every moment. I did that.Looking back, I could have been faster.I could have pushed myself harder.But I honestly don’t think I could have had any
more fun!This is a race that every
triathlete should do once.It’s tough,
it’s challenging, and it’s fun.
Feel free to leave a comment and if you have any questions, please ask. All in all, it was a great first race of the season, and I can't wait to see what else the year will bring!
