Alcatraz Challenge Aquathlon & Swim - June 19, 2011

I've done Escape. It was my first Alcatraz swim. I wore a wetsuit for the first time because it was a tri and it had been years since I swam sub 64° water. It ended in Crissy field. My impressions: 1) the bay had a lot more waves than I expected. I thought the start was early for my liking, but as we headed out and motored to alcatraz I watched the wind pick up and I wished we had started an hour earlier. 2) I was returning to swimming and this was only my second OW swim in 10 years & the other one was 2 years before this. I transition to OW easily but if you don't you should get into some rough water for a training session to relax you on race day. 3) you can't sink in a wetsuit and you bob up and down in the salt water bay 4) I underestimated my swimming ability and aimed much further to the left than everyone else. I couldn't figure why everyone was so far west 5) I made an mid may correction and I was still east of everyone else 6) I ended up too far east, near the finish I headed west and the current swept me right to the finish. However when I went back the next day it looked like my line was significantly better than the one the mass of people 7) I think a lot of people headed to far to the right and were swept west to the beach and had to run back. I ended up 138 out of 1600 and I think my conservative line helped a lot. I also think it kept me clear of the masses which was good because I probably passed over 600 people. 8) you don't swim any further than you would going into Aquatic park. The current makes up the distance.

I've done Escape. It was my first Alcatraz swim. I wore a wetsuit for the first time because it was a tri and it had been years since I swam sub 64° water. It ended in Crissy field. My impressions: 1) the bay had a lot more waves than I expected. I thought the start was early for my liking, but as we headed out and motored to alcatraz I watched the wind pick up and I wished we had started an hour earlier. 2) I was returning to swimming and this was only my second OW swim in 10 years & the other one was 2 years before this. I transition to OW easily but if you don't you should get into some rough water for a training session to relax you on race day. 3) you can't sink in a wetsuit and you bob up and down in the salt water bay 4) I underestimated my swimming ability and aimed much further to the left than everyone else. I couldn't figure why everyone was so far west 5) I made an mid may correction and I was still east of everyone else 6) I ended up too far east, near the finish I headed west and the current swept me right to the finish. However when I went back the next day it looked like my line was significantly better than the one the mass of people 7) I think a lot of people headed to far to the right and were swept west to the beach and had to run back. I ended up 138 out of 1600 and I think my conservative line helped a lot. I also think it kept me clear of the masses which was good because I probably passed over 600 people. 8) you don't swim any further than you would going into Aquatic park. The current makes up the distance.