Does anyone know a link to the alcatraz run course profile, or at least have a description of it. I know we climb the stairs @ baker beach but are there many other tough climbs? How much is on sand and is the sand part very soft?
Thanks a lot.
Patricia
Patricia:
Go to: www.tricalifornia.com and click on the Accenture Escape icon, then look on the left side of the page for the course info. & click on that. There is both a picture & a description of the course. See you at the race! It is a beautiful day in the Bay Area today!
-Tim
Hi Patrica,
Here is a link to my club's run tips page that has a lot of info. http://www.ggtc.org/GGTC/Programs/static/EFA/EFARun.aspx
From memory there are some difficult sections. The climb at the end of the Marina from the Warming Hut is challenging, but not too bad. The hardest part is sand ladder and then the big up hill to the highest point of the run run course. I am going to run it on the 29th and can send you a profile then if you'd like, just shoot me a pm or an email.
Tilden
I looked on the tricalifornia website and only got the bike profile. Anyway the ggtc link is great.
Pat
Patricia,
The most difficult part of the run course isn’t the sand stairs in my opinion. There is a section on a very narrow trail that can be difficult when people are going in both directions. A couple of times last year I had to practically run sideways otherwise I would have knocked people into the brush. Be ready for it. Besides, if you’ve been running hills the sand stairs aren’t as bad as the flat part on the sand.
DC
Hi all,
Was hoping my data would look a little better, but I guess it is okay. A few wrong turns too, but this is pretty darn close to the real profile.
Tilden
Which portion, if you know, are the famous stairs. Do the little bumps feel like hills or just blips? I’m from Illinois so a highway overpass feels like a mountain to me LOL
The second long climb are most of the sand ladder. The first long climb is the stairs from the Marina up to the Presidio. They are certainly hills, and you will feel them. Hard, but not crazy hard… Overall about 1000 feet of climbing, with most of that on Sand Ladder and the climb up Presidio.
Based on my experience at Alcatraz:
The first part is flat and beautiful. look over your right shoulder at the Prison, you just came from there! Awesome. No wonder so many people love this race.
Up a hill and under the bridge. Also spectacular. This part may have been changed now for security reasons. I did the race before 9/11.
When you enter the trail section it is (was?) narrow. The race leaders are coming back toward you at this point. It is is kind of scary since you don’t want to be responsible for running head on into what ever pro happens to be winning the race. It is cool to be on the same course at the same time rubbing shoulders (literally) with the best in the sport.
Once you exit the trail you run down a steep paved hill. This is where you make a right and go down on the beach. The section on sand is (was) soft and is slow going- but it is slow going for everyone.
Once you cross the beach and approach the sand ladder try to find the area of the sand ladder that is the firmest. Also, walking and using the rope along the side seems to be faster than trying to run up the middle. At the top it is basically back the way you came, but faster. Be careful on the running descents on the trail- especially where it re-enters the pavement. It can be tricky.
On the way to the finish line you can see the prison again, and then you get to thinking that maybe Clint Eastwood could have swam it…
I suspect the pros will be in by the time I get to the run course. All this info really helps with my pacing plans, thanks. You know, it’s funny, I always look to do races in cool places and the truth is when racing all I look at is two feet in front of me. I hope I remember to “soak it in”.
Pat