Escape from Alcatraz 2017 Race Report: No ESCAPE! (Swim)

I have had this race on my bucket list for a while now and was so excited when I got the notification email that I had been chosen from the lottery system they have.  You have to put in for this race WAY in advance as it sells out every year.  I wanted to do this one so bad because everything about this race just seemed EPIC to me!
In the morning you get barged out to the Alcatraz island and jump into the icy cold shark infested waters of San Fransisco Bay.  You have to battle the crossing currents and make sure to sight well so you don't end up under the bridge.  Once you get to shore you have a 1/2 mile run to transition where you jump on your bike and cycle the humongous hills of San Fransisco.  The run takes you out along the beach and right under the Golden Gate Bridge.  There is a 400 step sand ladder you have to climb once you hit the Pacific Ocean and start heading back.  You see!  All of it sounds AWESOME!!!

 This year was my year to do this race!  I got plane tickets for me and Rod well in advance and arranged our accommodations. Our Auto Repair shop (RAD) has been very busy this year (YAY!) and we are shorthanded (BOO) so Rod decided it would be best for him to stay home.  I asked my girlfriend Brenda if she would join me and she was all in!  GIRL TRIP!!!! 

Thankfully I have a few friends who have already done it so they had offered me some very helpful advice!  I arranged an airbnb room right by transition so I didn't have to worry about traffic. Brenda and I couldn't have picked a better location.  We were literally right next to everything!  We were close to transition and packet pickup but we were also really close to some really cool restaurants and shops.  I swear we couldn't find a bad restaurant and the views were spectacular.  We were able to walk everywhere and it made for a nice stress free stay.

 Race morning!  It was pretty chilly in the morning and they were expecting winds to start picking up.  We needed to be to out of transition early and shuttles were leaving from 4:30am- 6am to get everyone out to the barge on-time.  You are able to drop a bag before you get on the barge but they ask you not to bring anything onto the barge with you.  So we were all wet-suited up before we climbed aboard so we could stay warm. 

We were all on the barge by 6:30am and the "JUMP" was scheduled at 7:30.  I found a couple of my friends, Cindy and Jim, and I hung out on the floor just chit chatting with them.  It was pretty funny looking around the room with everyone in wetsuits, caps, and googles just hanging out on the floor on the barge. After about 30 min the captain came over the loud speaker and announced that there was a "small craft warning" and the kayakers and paddleboard support were not safe and therefor we were not safe.  SWIM CANCELED!  WHAT???  Oh my gosh.  This is what we came out here for!  How can you do Escape from Alcatraz without actually escaping from Alcatraz!?  Oh man.  We were all disappointed.  It was now going to be a time trial bike start and we were to head back to the shuttles.  I have never seen so many heads hung low.  Luckily I was with a group of friends and I think we all just wanted to keep each other positive and discuss how we will just have to come back next year and do it again!  It seemed like forever as they unloaded us from the barge and waiting for the shuttles.
Once we got back to transition things were crazy.  People were wanting to bail and go home.  I don't get that? You came all this way and yeah it is disappointing but we are triathletes!  We do more then one sport!  We still had a bike and run to do.  They were not allowing bikes out of transition so people were hopping the fence and making a run for it.  Crazy... Anyways with a time trial start they started with the pros number 1 and let everyone go in numerical order.  I was number 646... OYE!  I feel really bad for number 2000! It seemed like we were stuck in transition all day!  Finally my time had come and I was off on my bike!
Those of you who know me know this is my favorite part of a TRI! I LOVE to ride my bike!  This course was literally designed for me.  Short and STEEP swooping hills and balls out descents!  I was in heaven.  This had been just what I needed to get me right back into race mode. The views on the bike course were amazing.  I loved every minute of it.  It is a shame that it is only 18 miles!  I would have loved the bike to be longer. On to the run!
The first 2 miles of the run are pretty flat and boring.  You are running along the shore of the Bay but you have already seen those views many times by this point and you are just kind of trudging along anticipating what is yet to come. Once you get closer to the Bridge you climb a big series of stairs up to the tunnel that takes you under the bridge.  There was a lot of pretty foliage around the stairs so it gave you something to look at least while you were doing your extended bleacher climb. Once you get to the top the view is breathtaking!  There you are right at eye level with the Golden Gate bridge and you can see past the bay all the way to the Pacific Ocean.  I so wish I had my camera with me for this view.  I seriously would have stopped and taken a picture.  Once you run past the bridge you have a pretty steady climb for about 2 miles until you start dropping down into the beach.  You hit the beach and run in the soft sand all the way to the infamous "Sand Ladder"...

HA!  It was fine.  Not that big of a deal.  Kind of cool actually.  I didn't mind it at all.  Once you hit the top of the ladder you have a nice smooth decent for about 3 miles back to the Bay and onto the FINISH LINE!

There at the finish line was my friend Brenda cheering me on with a full Parka complete with hood all the way closed covering her face!  LOL!  I guess it was cold and windy out there ;).  I wish I had a picture of her.  It was pretty hilarious seeing her all bundled up as I am running around in a tanktop and shorts. Bless her heart it was so nice to have someone come with me for this amazing day.  Yes it was disappointing not to swim but I seriously think I smiled through the whole race.  Later talking to racers they said it was cold and windy on the course but honestly the weather never even crossed my mind while I was out there.  That is how much I had enjoyed this race.  I was totally zoned into it and NOTHING got in my head or way! The race director sent out an email letting us know that those who competed in this years race are guaranteed entry to next years or 2018's. I am so glad I have an excuse to do it again!

Heat Exhaustion: Recognize the signs!

It doesn't matter how strong of an athlete you are and how long you have been training in your particular sport.  Heat exhaustion can hit us all!  There are a number of reasons a person can become victim to heat exhaustion and as endurance athletes who train in Arizona heat it is important for us know the signs.  Here is an example of an athlete experiencing heat exhaustion and then a refresher on the signs, risks, and treatments.

It has been extremely hot here in the Valley the last couple of weeks and I needed to get a 3 hour ride in.  I arranged a 4:30am start with some fellow riders hoping to beat the major heat although even at 4:30 it was still 87 degrees outside.  We headed off into the dark and went on our usual 45 mile route.  Right around mile 30 I started to notice my friend David, a normally very strong rider struggling a little bit.  He was breathing heavy and looked tired so I asked if he was ok and he said that the heat was bothering him but he was hydrating and taking in fuel.  We carried on and came to another stop about 5 miles from the last and this time as he rode up I noticed his skin color was almost grey and looked clammy.  I immediately got nervous and told him he did not look good and we needed him to maybe go wait in the shade somewhere until we could get back or find him a ride.  He agreed that he was probably not going to make the entire ride but he wanted to get a little closer to end of the route so we could go back and get him.  As we continued riding I mentioned to my friend Bridgit that I was really concerned about David and she expressed the same concern.  I decided to call his wife and see if she could come and get him.  I realized that his wife was out an a shorter ride at the time and then called my friend Bev a fellow rider and someone I know I can count on in an emergency situation.  I explained to her what was going on and she told me very sternly you need to get him off of his bike and into the shade NOW!  I followed her direction and he listened obediently and Bev and Jim were on there way to come and get him.  Phew.  Thankfully David is home now recovering and is going to be ok.  But let me tell you watching something like that escalate to quickly really gave me a scare.  Why did that happen to him?  He is a great athlete who knows how to hydrate and fuel.  We left early in the morning and though it was hot he has certainly rode in hotter conditions and there was even an overcast this morning. 
That is what made me want to write this blog.

Here is the reasons this could happen to you or anyone regardless of there athletic ability...
1. In David's case he had rode 7 days in a row in AZ heat and had not replenished his body enough after his rides and through out the rest of the day.  We forget that we need to hydrate and fuel not just during our workouts but also for hours after.
2. Heat Exhaustion can occur when your body is not regulating it's core temperature correctly.  Ways that this can happen are.

• Dehydration, which reduces your body's ability to sweat and maintain a normal temperature
• Alcohol use, which can affect your body's ability to regulate your temperature
• Overdressing, particularly in clothes that don't allow sweat to evaporate easily  

Risk factors: (MAYO Clinic)

• Young age or old age. Infants and children younger than 4 and adults older than 65 are at higher risk of heat exhaustion. The body's ability to regulate its temperature isn't fully developed in the young and may be reduced by illness, medications or other factors in older adults.
• Certain drugs. Medications that affect your body's ability to stay hydrated and respond appropriately to heat include some used to treat high blood pressure and heart problems (beta blockers, diuretics), reduce allergy symptoms (antihistamines), calm you (tranquilizers), or reduce psychiatric symptoms such as delusions (antipsychotics). Additionally, some illegal drugs, such as cocaine and amphetamines, can increase your core temperature.
• Obesity. Carrying excess weight can affect your body's ability to regulate its temperature and cause your body to retain more heat.
• Sudden temperature changes. If you're not used to the heat, you're more susceptible to heat-related illnesses, such as heat exhaustion. Traveling to a warm climate from a cold one or living in an area that's experienced an early heat wave can put you at risk of a heat-related illness because your body hasn't had a chance to get used to the higher temperatures.
• A high heat index. The heat index is a single temperature value that considers how both the outdoor temperature and humidity make you feel. When the humidity is high, your sweat can't evaporate as easily and your body has more difficulty cooling itself, making you prone to heat exhaustion and heatstroke. When the heat index is 91 F (33 C) or higher, you should take precautions to keep cool.

What are the signs or symptoms of heat exhaustion?  (From the MAYO clinic)

• Cool, moist skin with goose bumps when in the heat
• Heavy sweating
• Faintness
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Weak, rapid pulse
• Low blood pressure upon standing
• Muscle cramps
• Nausea
• Headache

Treatments for heat exhaustion are... (Mayo Clinic)

• Rest in a cool place. Getting into an air-conditioned building is best, but at the very least, find a shady spot or sit in front of a fan. Rest on your back with your legs elevated higher than your heart level.
• Drink cool fluids. Stick to water or sports drinks. Don't drink any alcoholic beverages, which can contribute to dehydration.
• Try cooling measures. If possible, take a cool shower, soak in a cool bath or put towels soaked in cool water on your skin.
• Loosen clothing. Remove any unnecessary clothing and make sure your clothes are lightweight and nonbinding.

If you don't begin to feel better within one hour of using these treatment measures, seek prompt medical attention. You may be given intravenous (IV) fluids to help you rehydrate. Immersing yourself in cold water, misting your skin, placing yourself in front of fans, or using cold or ice packs and cooling blankets are some of the techniques that may be used to bring down your body temperature.

Dawn Brooks Fitness and Endurance Coaching!

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