Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon

Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon Race Tips
Some tips, in no particular order...

• Watch the instructional videos on the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon website. I didn't. That was a mistake. When I got to the "safety briefing" after the packet pickup, they said "watch the videos" but at that point, I was in San Francisco, staying in a hotel... They contain some really helpful information, and will make you feel more confident that you've got all your bases covered. Find them here: Escape from Alcatraz Videos.
• In the swim, make sure you're sighting off the correct landmarks. Since I didn't watch the videos, I wasn't really sure what I was doing in that department. I aimed for the two apartment towers for too long and got close to shore at too early a point in the course. This wasn't terrible, but I definitely could have taken better advantage of the swift current right in the middle of the bay. When I saw the professionals jump off the boat, they weren't aiming for the apartment towers, they went straight for the Palance of Fine Arts. Not recommending you do this, of course, but know your speed, and choose landmarks to aim for accordingly. There are lots of people available during the packet pickup that can answer questions - ask them!
• The "mini-transition" between the swim and T1 is far less organized than one might think. I spent an eternity trying to find my bag. Once I did, I expended time trying to cram my wetsuit into the bag that my shoes came out of - not easy. I'm going to give a tip here that could shave minutes off your finish time. I must say first, though, that I haven't tried this... Do the swim in booties. They're permitted; check the race site to make sure. I saw people wearing them. My feet never got cold, but if you had booties on, you could make the run to T1 without ever having to stop at the "mini-transition" area. I kept hearing before the race - don't run to T1 barefoot, you'll destroy your feet. The day before the race, I saw a couple guys in flip-flops taking them off and jogging on the dirt trail going toward T1. "Not worth it!" I said, "put on some shoes!" I think this run could be done in booties, and I think you'd save several minutes off your finish time. Plus, if you're prone to cold feet, it would take care of that, too! It might destroy your booties, but that's a small price to pay.
• This is going to sound vain, but you'll want to look good for the professional photographers on the course. There are probably twelve or so of them. Maybe more. I could spot them a mile away, because I'm a bit of a photographer, myself. They're the people with nice looking equipment that seem to be taking photos of everybody (not just their friends). When you see one of these people, smile! The sand ladder is brutal. But, there are two photographers at the top - there always are. When you're about 3/4 of the way to the top, put it in turbo-mode and run. You'll be the only one doing it. And, this will be hard, but smile! When you get your post-race photos, you'll see a bunch of exhausted people walking up the sand ladder near the top with you running past them, smiling. Classic. You'll pay for it for the next 1/4 mile or so after you get to the top, but just run a little slower and give yourself a chance to recover. Last thing - do your own bodymarking. They don't require that you have it done the day before at the packet pickup. I'd been running around before the packet pickup, and I ran around afterward, so by the time the race started, the numbers on my arms were pretty faded. Do it the night before. Take a nice shower, get nice and dry, then have somebody take some time and do it nicely. Maybe even use stencils for a real professional look. The numbers will be quite visible in the photos, so they should look good, too!
• If you can afford it, stay at the Fairmont Heritage Place at Ghirardelli Square. It's a beautiful hotel with spacious and comfortable residences - and just a quick bike ride to the transition area. It's about a 20-minute walk for your family to come and watch. They've got one, two, and three-bedroom residences, so you can have your family and/or friends all stay with you! They've also got a house car that will take you anywhere within a two-mile radius!