Training for Escape from Alcatraz

Escape from Alcatraz triathlon: "tough" doesn't even begin to describe it. Jump off the "San Francisco Belle" steamer at Alcatraz prison and swim to the St. Francis Yacht Club, then bike up the hills to Golden Gate Park, then run 8+ miles including the dreaded "Sand Ladder". It's supposed to be one of the toughest triathlons in the world. The sea swim is in San Francisco Bay and two pieces of advice ring in my ears: 

1. swim hard when you jump into the cold water, partly to deal with the shock but also to avoid getting caught up in the swirling eddies that hold you into the island

2. the sharks are only usually quite small, and they usually swim lower than you will be swimming.

Hmm.

When I first entered this it was a long way off, and I had visions of transforming myself into a super-swimmer in the 8 months I had in hand. Since then, I've gone through 4 swim coaches, a 1:1 swim course, 2 individual 1:1 sessions; many group sessions, a masters swim class and an advanced small class swim school. My times are no better, my confidence is no better, and I've now got 4 weeks left. A couple of weeks ago I decided, with Jo's help, to take matters into my own hands and abandoned all outside, professional help. Jo and I decided that I would just keep doing open water swimming as regularly as possible so that I would get more comfortable in the water. One of my biggest fears was that I would simply disappear from view, unnoticed by anyone, and be gone forever, so Jo comes down to Aquatic Park with me 4-5 times a week, and just watches my orange swim cap go back and forth. That alone has made a massive difference to me, enabling me to tackle the other demons with some sense of perspective. Don't get me wrong, I still don't like it, but now I don't spend the whole swim chanting: "I hate this; I hate this!" Now, I am actually giving some thought to my style, controlling my breathing and controlling my effort. I'm still not quick, and I know I will lose minutes to my rivals, but I'll get to the bike in better shape to chase them down. I want to finish in the top ten for my age group, and for that I estimate I will need a total time of 2:42. The swim will take me about 46 minutes; the run is 8 hilly miles which is going to take me at least 50, leaving (assuming 3 minutes f0r transition), 1:03 for the bike. Every one of those is a big ask. My timed runs on the bike have given me a best of 1:09:49. Allowing 10% for race adrenalin that just about does it, but its all very tight, and even as I write this I know I'm not being very realistic. It would involve having the swim of my life, followed by the bike of my life, completed by the run of my life. But - I do like challenge! I've also decided that I'm going to take 20 seconds out of the swim simply looking around me at the bay. While it seems ridiculous to give away 20 seconds when I have trained so hard to gain that amount, there will be no other opportunity in my life to get that view, that experience, from that perspective. There will hardly be anyone in the world who has had that opportunity, so I'm going to take it and look back on it in years to come. If I miss 10th spot by those 20 seconds I'll be furious!

So exactly how hard am I training? Well, in the last 8 days I've done 1 triathlon, 7 runs, 3 bikes, and 4 swims. That has involved early mornings before work, lunchtimes, and evenings after work. Obviously the weekends as well. Jo has been at every swim, sitting (usually shivering) patiently watching. Without that support I wouldn't be a triathlete now. After I failed to qualify for the US Nationals a few weeks ago I was distraught. I gave away 6 minutes in the swim and then missed out on qualification by 10 seconds. I was ready to give up. Jo was having none of it, so here I am still trying. One big effort, then maybe I'll retire!