I just qualified and entered the Escape from Alcatraz race. If anyone has any experiences or info, please share them with me. I have never been to the area, so I don’t know what to expect on the bike course or the run. I am used to open water swims, so the swim is not the biggest concern for me.
Recommendations for hotel and restaurants would be appreciated as well. We are thinking of staying in the Fisherman’s Wharf area.
Thanks in advance
----->Trent
Don’t stay in Fishermans Wharf. Nothing but tourist schlock and bad overpriced restaurants.
Check out North Beach where there’s a great restaurant on ever block…2 or 3 great restaurants on every block. If you are travelling on a budget there are good motels on Lombard Street that won’t break the bank.
Go and have dinner at the Cliff House which happens to be on one of the fastest parts of the bike course and has great views of the beach and the ocean.
Run the sand ladder at least once before race day.
Have fun.
Thanks for the tips. We were looking at Fisherman’s Wharf just for the close vacinity to the race site. Is the North Beach area also close by?
----->Trent
North Beach is real close to all the festivities. San Francisco is a condensed, small area and everything is real accessible. I would stay as close to the race venue as possible and taxi to a restaurant of your liking.
I have two regrets (I did the race last year for the first time)
I listened to the guys who are the experts about the swim course. They said to head straight for the beach and not angle myself towards the finish line --due to the current. The result is that I hit the shore way short of the actual finish line and I had to run over rocks, people, debris, etc to get to the actual swim finsih. I am a strong swimmer and usually finish in the top few in my age group out of the water (then all the bikers catch me and then the runners). Anyways: If yo are a strong swimmer you should aim more to the right than straight to shore. As I thought about it post race, a weaker swimmer will be in the water longer and therefore the current will carry them farther and therefore they will need to aim more to the left than towards the finishi line
The whole boat thing. I am in the 40-45 age group and I was hanging in the back of the boat and when it came my time to jump off the boat I realized that there were plenty of people in my age group who had been in the water for quite a while. I honestly think that some of them pushed their way up into other age groups.
I hope this helps.
Matt is right, the Cliff House does have great views, but it still is tourist schlock.
I’ve stayed at the Hotel del Sol (www.thehoteldelsol.com) a couple times when racing Alcatraz and been pleased. Its also a short walk to Plumpjack Restaurant which, IMHO, has far better food than Cliff House.
If you must stay in the Fishermans Wharf area, the Argonaut Hotel is good (www.argonauthotel.com). The Argonaut is just a couple blocks away from Restaurant Gary Danko, one of the finest places to eat in SF.
I could go on all day about places to eat in SF…
The swim isn’t that tough. Yeah the current is there, but mostly it’s a little cool (at least for a Southern Boy). Better have a full wetsuit. I felt the bike was hilly and technical and opted to race my road bike instead of tri bike. Use race wheels. I still used a disc on the course. The run was scenic and enjoyable. Hilly, but with sections of off road so not so rough on the legs.
I’ve been racing triathlons for 10 years and this is by far the coolest race I’ve ever done!! The race organizers do a fantastic job. Enjoy the experience
Here’s a few from a two timer at Alcatraz ('03 with a crazy washing machine-like swim, :50 min; '04 smooth as glass with a crazy fast current heading out the Gate, :29 min)
On the boat, try to relax and enjoy the scene and sights. You’ll get lots of warning when it’s time to head down for the big plunge BUT per the previous post, if you want a true record of your swim time and especially if you are looking for a top ten AG finish, GET UP FRONT WITH YOUR FELLOW WAVE MATES. It’s truly a cattle chute to get to the gunwales and jump in and since they start the official clock for your wave with the first one in, your swim time could be as much as two minutes slower depending on where you are in line.
WEAR BOOTIES. I don’t know if it’s just me and my dumb luck but stepping on sharp crap in the water seems to be a strength of mine. Last year I got a nasty dime sized (and ragged) puncture wound coming out of the surf and didn’t really notice til my feet warmed up on the longish run to T1. There are barnacle encrusted chunks of riprap, concrete chunks with rusting rebar, bottles, and god knows what else along that long breakwater. Don’t let a foot injury take you out of the race. (I still did OK despite the foot wound but it took 2 freakin’ months to heal completely even with professional medical care. My doc said it was loaded with bacteria and silt and when I continued to race on it it all got well pushed in there.)
WARNING. RANT AHEAD.- I got a 1/2 "piece of wire from a boat trailer cable in my foot at another race (started on a boat launch ramp) and another cut from something sharp while wading out into Lexington Reservior for Catfish and finally a stubbed toe exiting onto the ramp at TriOne. I’m now an official advocate of AquaSox or booties for all open water swims; JOIN ME IN PROTECTING THE FEET OF AMERICA’S TRIATHLETES. HELP ME SPREAD THE WORD!
Cheers!
Tim
I thought the Cliff House was closed for remodeling??
You will bike past the Cliff House twice. First time flying down past it on the way back pit of the saddle. Watch the tourist crossing infront of the Cliff House. I saw an old couple almost get hit by a women biker coming down the hill doing at least 40mph. There is a greasy spoon right next to the Cliff House. Try a place called Asia SF you will have a good laugh & some great finger food there.
No one runs the sand stairs unless you are one of the first pros being flimed. Everyone walks it.
The Cliff House recently reopened after an extensive remodel and speaking as someone who abhors tourist schlock I can safely say you’ll get a good meal there and have a nice experience.
Its nothing like the old Cliff House and is definitely worth visiting.
North Beach is a 5-10 minute cab ride from the start/finish area and is the Italian neighborhood, you’re also close to downtown, Chinatown, Union Square, and all the major hotels.
A cool funky place to stay is the Seal Rock Inn which is also on the course and just up the hill from the Cliff House. The late HUnter S Thompson used to lock himself in a room there with a lot of drugs to write his Rolling Stone articles. You’ll be about 20 minutes drive to the start line.
I think it was but now it’s all done and stunning (re-opened Fall ,04). Check it out!
Tim
Wear throw away sandles on the boat because every MOFO pisses in their wetsuits and the floor is covered in urine. I don’t know how the boat captains allow their boats to be pissed on year in & year out.
No one runs the sand stairs unless you are one of the first pros being flimed. Everyone walks it.
Thats why you run em beforehand…so you know there’s no way you’ll be able to run em during the race and you won’t feel so bad when you stop and walk.
I see now. What a killer they are. That’s a good idea. Never thought of doing that. Hell of a work out.
Smitty
I’m from NY but my favorite city is SF. What a town.
Smitty
You should try running Dipsea…makes those sand stairs look like a mole hill.
200 yards into the race you climb the equivalent of a 30 story building on wooden stairs…and thats the little hill.
Matt,
Thanks. I’ll try to get in to do the race. Stinson beach is such a great area.
Smitty
Thanks to everyone for the great information. I appreciate the insight and will use this to plan my trip. We are going to stay for a full week, since we have never been in the area.
Any sites we should not miss while there? Of course, we are going to see Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge, but anything else that is worth a visit?
Thanks again