Alcatraz and Holiday Musings
Posted by Admin on December 22, 2009 in Training
I tend to not want to post for the sake of doing so; I figure the things that friends/family most care about or want updates on are the big things in my life which, for the past decade or so, have had to do with this triathlon hobby. Yes, there have been lots of other goings-on with my various employers, my various relationships, and all the life changes along the way, but since is the public domain, I tend to clutch onto those elements with notions of privacy. Put a couple of drinks in me and I’ll tell you my social security number, but I won’t write it here; that’s the difference.
On the training/racing front, I recently got into the Escape From Alcatraz Triathlon. Getting in, as it turns out, is a small victory itself since the only way to participate is to either qualify through a handful of other events held in the US, or to enter the lottery and get selected. The latter was really the only option for me; the former is nearly-impossible given the breadth of talent within my age group. I entered the lottery a couple of times in the past, but 2009 appears to be my lucky year (or really 2010 since the race is on May 2nd of next year).
The race is indeed a brutal one, and it didn’t dawn on me that my privilege to race was moreso an invitation to suffer until I discussed it with a work colleague. When asked if I was having a good day, I excitedly said yes and explained my lottery selection. Naturally, I was asked what makes up this event and I explained that you have to jump off a boat in the middle of San Francisco Bay in early May and swim a mile and a half in frigid temps (I’m thinking something like 50 degree water) and with unpredictable cross-currents to shore, then run a mile to the transition area, then bike 18-ish miles, the majority of which is hilly (it is SF after all!), then run 8 miles including a section in deep sand and a 400 step climb up a “sand ladder” as it described. That latter portion of the run apparently makes even the pros walk.
So there it is; a really, really hard race, but one that is legendary within the triathlon circuit. Once I complete it (note the message of positivity here), it will be triathlon number 70 for me. I’ll build a few days before and after the event to visit good friends in the area, and of course to drink in Napa/Sonoma. Should be a great little vacation for me, and set me up for the half-Ironman that follows 6 weeks later.
With respect to the holidays, I’m excited to see my brother and sister for the Christmas holiday, but moreso to see Mom and Dad. Despite living a mere 20 miles or so from one another, I only see them once a month or so. Believe it or not, they are often too busy for me, so it’s not just my calendar that creates obstacles. I suspect that Dad and I will play hookey from our respective work situations in January and February to hit the slopes, but only if just snowed. Now I just have to figure out a way to do fun things with Mom. She has such diverse interests in culture, so maybe I’ll just invite her to the city to go museums on Sundays, followed by a nice lunch. She’d love that.
For the New Years holiday, it’ll be a brief respite from the diet/training regimen that has had me losing weight and getting fit again. With friends coming in from various parts of the country, it’ll be great to ring in 2010 with loved ones abound. Come Monday, January 4, 2010, I’ll likely have already joined a triathlon team and will be on a very disciplined training schedule with initial designs on the Miami Triathlon on March 14th. Later that month, I’ll be competing in a ski-bike-run triathlon (more to come on that in later posts), a half-marathon, and a run-bike-run duathlon. It’ll be 4 events in the span of 14 days, but I live for that kind of thing.
I have no idea who visits this site. There may be a mechanism out there to track it, but I kind of like the anonymity of things. I still have ideas on expanding this domain, but for now, it does the job. Plus, I’d rather spend my time living life than creating an homage to it. Nonetheless, to my old and new friends who read this, thanks for all your support this year. While I close out 2009 with great humility and appreciation for my good fortunes, I have to believe that 2010 is going to be my best year in all ways. I hope you believe the same and that our paths will cross.
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