Race Report: Jacquie's Escape from Alcatraz!

Posted On:
Friday, August 20, 2021
Updated On:
Tuesday, July 18, 2023
Stream On:
Apple PodcastsSpotifyBuzzsproutiHeart RadioiHeart RadioPocketCasts

By Jacquie Craggett

Wow! What a race!

I originally entered the lottery for Escape from Alcatraz in the Fall of 2019 to compete in June 2020. I was turning 65 in July 2020, so this was a race to let my Medicare era know I was staying strong! I got in through the lottery and was ready to go!! With COVID-19 cancellations, the race was moved to June 2021 and ultimately to August 2021. When I looked at the date, I realized it was the 5-year anniversary of my mom’s passing after years of enduring the challenges of Alzheimer’s disease. It was very clear that I was supposed to do this race in her honor. I counted down the days on Facebook with posts of memories of my mom, Mary Fran Conley, and the things she taught me.

My sherpa husband, Mark, and I arrived in San Francisco on Thursday evening with plenty of time to get settled and enjoy the experience. There were eight athletes from my fabulous local triathlon club (Rockwall Tri Club) competing, which made it a blast. But as far as the race…

FRIDAY PRACTICE SWIM:

Jumping off of the boat!

Since the swim is notoriously challenging due to water temperature, currents, wind, waves, sea life, and difficult sighting, I decided to invest in a practice swim with Water World on Friday morning. Best decision!

We met at 6:30 a.m. and headed out to Alcatraz for two separate jumps. The first jump, near the island was initially great, but after swimming several hundred meters, the wind picked up. I couldn’t breathe and felt nauseous and was never so glad to hear the horn blow when it was time to swim back to the boat. The swim after the second jump was mediocre. As we swam the 1,000 meters to shore I was still really struggling. I thought, “If I could be teleported back to Dallas right now, I would just abandon this whole race!”

I stopped at a paddle board and asked the “local” for his advice. I told him I was a strong swimmer and comfortable in open water but strangely struggling. He said the waves were really challenging and the best thing to do was just remember my stroke. “Put your head down, swim your stroke, and let the waves adjust to you. Don’t try to adjust to the waves.”

At that moment I made a decision. I wasn’t going to let this beat me. I looked at him and said, “Ok, I got this, I can do it.” And I swam to shore. Victorious, but still nauseous. When we swam back to the boat, I spent part of the return trip leaning over the side of the boat… enough said.

RACE DAY:

SWIM:

Rockwall Tri Club on the boat at the start.

3:30 a.m. alarm. I ate breakfast, took Bonine ginger to prevent nausea, and then walked to the bus for transport to the race site. I got transition area set up, met with other tri club friends and headed to the buses for transport to Pier 3.

Arriving at around 5:30 a.m., we put on wet suits and boarded the San Francisco Belle to head out to Alcatraz. There was a lot of excited energy on the boat. Initially, it seemed we would wait forever, then suddenly the pros dove in and it was our time to JUMP! Our group went in one after another.

I had made a decision the day before: The entire race, especially the swim was going to be spectacular. I was not hoping it would be, but I believed 100% it would be. And it was!

The water temperature (62ºF) was warm for San Francisco Bay and perfect! Head down, sight, stroke, breathe, and enjoy the strength of my 66 year-old body loving the waves. Just keep swimming! I had set my Garmin to vibrate every 200 meters and it vibrated a lot! The currents are unpredictable and I found myself slightly too far from shore at the end, but swam in, just loving every minute of this fabulous adventure.

All smiles after the swim!

After the race, we learned that our jump was at a different location than usual. It resulted in a longer swim (2 miles vs 1.5) and no anticipated current to pull us along. Ben Kanute, a pro triathlete who has won the race the past 4 times said, “the chop and current that pushed us away from shore made this one of the longest and most challenging swims yet.” His time of 33:16 was 9 minutes slower than his previous swim. I was disappointed with my time of 58:37, but was told it would have been closer to 43 minutes in a “normal” year. I was 864/1327 athletes on the swim.

After the swim, there is a 1/2 mile run to transition. I opted for running in my wet suit and neoprene booties instead of using wet suit strippers and putting on shoes to run. I thought I
would be really cold and would want to warm up, but I just found the run very hard on my feet and I was warm. T1 seemed like it took me forever! But soon, I was ready for the bike.

BIKE:

Determined on the bike!

I brought my own road bike, using Tri Bike Transport, which worked fabulous. One of the club members challenged us to try to ride up ALL the hills. I felt the freedom to walk my bike if needed, but also accepted the challenge. I had watched the course video on YouTube so I knew to be in the small ring on my bike at 1.75 miles into the course. This is when we made a sharp left turn leading to a steep climb. The next 14 miles were up down, up down, up down… but magical. Gorgeous views, fun neighborhoods, great crowd support, and some VERY challenging hills. I made it up ALL of them, which meant standing up out of the saddle when I ran out of gears.

Bike time of 1:20:08 was placement of 1026/1327. T2 transition seemed to take me forever (3:30), plus I stopped at the porta potties to be more comfortable on the 8-mile run.

RUN:

Running in Golden Gate Park!

Confession - running is my least favorite of the three sports. I am thrilled to be on the swim and on the bike, but I endure the run. I’m working on my mindset on this. I knew it was hilly and hadn’t made the point to train hills on the run like I had on the bike. I had decided I would walk the uphills and the stairs and just be ok with that. The course started out flat and about 1 mile in I realized I had forgotten to take off my biking gloves! I laughed and stashed them in my back pocket and carried on.

I was pleased to find that there was so much varied terrain on the run that the time passed very quickly. Again, lots of beautiful views, crowd support. I ran close to a veteran carrying the American flag the entire run, so it was fun to hear the crowds cheer for him. I carried hydration w nutrition in it on the run and felt strong and energetic the entire race. The sand ladder (405 steps) comes at about 4.5 miles into the run. It’s an iconic part of the race with a separate time split. The pros bound up in 2 minutes and the strugglers take 6-7 minutes. I just took it steady and strong and completed it in 4:08 (908/1327).

The last 3.5 miles went by so quickly and before I knew it I was rounding a corner to the finish line. There was a woman running in front of me I had met at packet pickup. She passed me earlier on the run saying, “I’m going to be like you one day”. She had 51 on her left calf and I had 66. When I saw her at the finish chute, I said, “Come on, you can’t let a 66 year old pass you!” She picked it up and out sprinted me. So.much.fun. Run time 1:35:59 (1112/1327)

Total time 4:08:28. 1022/1327 all finishers 188/284 female finishers

In summary, this is what I loved about this race:

Honoring Mom.
  • The JOY of honoring my mom, Mary Fran Conley, as I trained and raced.
  • The SATISFACTION of seeing the results from consistent, focused training and using the expertise of my coach, Coach Laura Henry Henry.
  • The SURPRISE of my evolution as an athlete and competitor. This was the first time in my life I honestly considered myself an athlete.
  • The FUN of the Alcatraz course and race venue.
  • The ENRICHMENT of being with people I enjoy. My husband, Mark, and all my buddies at Rockwall Tri Club.


Once you complete this race, no one can ever take that away.

I have Escaped from Alcatraz!

My goal was to break 4 hours. Maybe I’ll come back one day…

All smiles after the finish with Mark!

Previous post

There is no previous post
Back to all posts

Next post

There is no next post
Back to all posts

Why Winter & Off-Season Training is Vital for Endurance Athletes - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

What to Modify in Training When Things Change or Don’t Unfold as Expected - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Why Multitasking is a Myth…Especially When it Comes to Workouts - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Why Endurance Athletes Should Strength Train Year-Round - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Rescue Me 5K

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Cold Turkey Run

Required "current" page

What Does Nothing New on Race Day Actually Mean? - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Nevada Day Classic

Required "current" page

Confidence Comes From Surviving Doing The Scary Thing - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: World Triathlon Age-Group Championships Málaga, Brooktondale Easy as Pie 5K, & Topsfield Fall Foliage Classic Road Race 

Required "current" page

Is Exercise as Good as Medicine? - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Army Ten-Miler & XTERRA WETSUITS Mission Bay Triathlon

Required "current" page

Why Switching Up Goals Can be a Positive Thing - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

What to Ask Instead of “Can I Accomplish This Goal?” - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Waterman’s Triathlon & The Bear Chase

Required "current" page

How Do Long Runs & Long Rides Work & Benefit Endurance Athletes? - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

How Masters Endurance Athletes Show Us How We Can All Thrive in Endurance Sports and in Life - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: IRONMAN 70.3 Cozumel & IRONMAN 70.3 Washington Tri-Cities

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: USA Triathlon Olympic Distance National Championship

Required "current" page

Being Hard on Yourself?  Try This Instead. - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Littlefoot Triathlon & Erie Marathon

Required "current" page

How Doing Something New Can Help You Achieve Your Endurance Sports Goals - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Why It’s Important to Look for Lessons Even When Race Day Goes Well - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Why Disappointment on Race Day Leads to Greater Success - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

How Much Does it Cost to Train for an IRONMAN 70.3? - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Coeur Outdoor Divas Sprint Triathlon & Peasantman Steel Distance Triathlon

Required "current" page

How Much Does it Cost to Train for an IRONMAN? - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Max Performance Sharon Triathlon

Required "current" page

How Much Does it Cost to Train for a Half Marathon? - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: 174th Attack Wing Runway 5K

Required "current" page

Athelte Race Recap: IRONMAN 70.3 Maine & Donner Lake Triathlon

Required "current" page

How Much Does it Cost to Train for a Marathon? - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Tri Boulder, IRONMAN Lake Placid, & IRONMAN 70.3 Ohio

Required "current" page

Are You on Track to Reach Your Goals?  The Value of a Mid-Season Athletic Performance Review

Required "current" page

Why You Shouldn't Wear a Wetsuit in Triathlons and Open Water Swimming

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: The Best Way to Avoid Injury

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Freedom 4th Eagle Firecracker Run

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: A Longer Goal Isn't a Better Goal

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Relay for Life of Southeastern Connecticut, Loveland Lake to Lake Triathlon, & Cohasset Triathlon

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Why Race Execution Matters

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: The Best Thing for Beginner Endurance Athletes to Do

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: IRONMAN 70.3 Western Massachusetts & IRONMAN 70.3 Eagleman

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: How to Train and Perform Well in the Heat

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Bass Lake Yosemite Triathlon, Silver Serpent Multisport Festival, & Rock Hall Triathlons

Required "current" page

The Three Best Things Endurance Athletes Can Do for Training and Performance - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Using All of Your Senses in Workouts

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Are Morning or Evening Workouts Better?‍

Required "current" page

How to Train for a Sprint Triathlon

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: You Don’t Always Need to Do The Hardest or The Most

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Greenland Trail Race & Upstate Orthopedics Mountain Goat Run‍

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: How to Handle The Transition From Indoor to Outdoor Training

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: XTERRA New Jersey

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: What if You Fly?

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Carson Canyons Super-K Trail Runs & Delaware Half Marathon

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: The Case for Walking

Required "current" page

How to Handle Training When You Get Sick

Required "current" page

The Dangers of Social Media for Endurance Athletes

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Coastal Delaware Running Festival 9K & Zoo Run Run

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Seek Out Awe & Enchantment

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Smithfield Sprint Triathlon & Run as One 4M

Required "current" page

Negative Splits are Positive Things - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Multisport Transitions Explained

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Alpha Win Ocala

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Don't Pull Up on Your Bicycle Pedals

Required "current" page

Pace & Effort are NOT the Same Thing - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Demystifying Foam Rolling

Required "current" page

What Stretching Actually Is - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Cycling Cadence Matters

Required "current" page

How to Properly Conduct a Functional Threshold Power (FTP) Test - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Lake Effect Quarter Marathon

Required "current" page

Face the Discomfort Dragon - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Love Can Be Cold

Required "current" page

Live to Climb Another Day - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Is AI Coaching & Sports Training Software Actually Intelligent?

Required "current" page

Strength Training as a Backbone - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Town of Celebration Half Marathon

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Resolute Runner 5K

Required "current" page

My Top 10 Nonfiction Books of 2023

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: How Do You Answer “What’s Next?”

Required "current" page

My Top 8 Fiction Books of 2023

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: The Next Big Thing

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: What is Preventing You from Reaching Your Goals?

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: What Does It Mean to Set a Goal?

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: It’s A Wonderful Run & Run with Rudolph

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: 2023 Thanksgiving Day Races

Required "current" page

You Must Unlearn What You Have Learned - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: EOD Warrior Dash

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Exercise is Not a Punishment for What You Ate

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Include Buffers in Your Training

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Lights on the Lake 5K

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Pause Before Assessing

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Cold Turkey Run & The Burn Run

Required "current" page

Set Authentic Goals - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: What Can Be Measured Isn’t What is Most Important

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Don’t Complain About the Wind.  Embrace It.

Required "current" page

Avoid Doubling Up to Make Up

Required "current" page

What to Consider When Purchasing a New Bicycle - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Foxy’s Fall Century, Spooktacular Stroll 5K, & Eastwood 5-Mile Run

Required "current" page

About

Coach Laura Henry

Laura Henry is a Syracuse, NY-based coach who is a USA Triathlon Level II Long Course and Level II Paratriathlon Certified Coach, USA Cycling Level 2 Certified Coach, VFS Certified Bike Fitter, and has successfully completed NASM's Certified Personal Trainer course. Coach Laura is passionate about helping athletes of all ability levels reach their goals and has coached many athletes to success.

She can be reached at laura@fullcircleendurance.com.

Read Biography

Check out our other
recent Blog Posts

Start Your

Coaching Today

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Start Your

Coaching Today

Have a question or ready to get your TRAINING started?

Fill out our Contact Form to the right and we will get back to you shortly!

Check - Elements Webflow Library - BRIX Templates

Thank you

Thanks for reaching out. We will get back to you soon.
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.