{"id":16784,"date":"2023-06-13T10:43:29","date_gmt":"2023-06-13T17:43:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.drjimtaylor.com\/4.0\/?p=16784"},"modified":"2025-06-19T06:55:35","modified_gmt":"2025-06-19T06:55:35","slug":"i-practice-what-i-preach-i-escaped-from-alcatrazfirst","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.drjimtaylor.com\/4.0\/i-practice-what-i-preach-i-escaped-from-alcatrazfirst\/","title":{"rendered":"I Practice What I Preach: I Escaped from Alcatraz\u2026First"},"content":{"rendered":"

Just a quick follow-up to my last post<\/a> about my return to the Escape from Alcatraz triathlon after a 15-year absence. The race was definitely a challenge with, as I noted in my last article, all three legs of the race\"\"<\/a> being difficult. Particularly tough was the swim which was about ten minutes longer than in recent years, had rough water in the Bay, I experienced calf and hamstring cramps, and sighting was really difficult.<\/p>\n

Before I dive in with details, many thanks to Dr. Kevin Stone and The Stone Clinic<\/a> (a sponsor of Escape from Alcatraz and my sports medicine provider) for offering me an entry into the race. I’ve known Dr. Stone for more than 20 years (we wrote a book on sports-injury management some years ago) and The Stone Clinic has been instrumental in getting me back to health after my hit-and-run incident in 2021 and keeping me healthy since then.<\/p>\n

I felt well prepared for the race, especially having swum in Aquatic Park (a semi-enclosed part of the Bay) four times, ridden the bike course seven times, and run the run course four times in the previous month. \"\"<\/a>My race morning went smoothly (though it started at 3:45am!), I set up my transition, warmed up physically, and boarded the bus, and then the ferry to go to the swim start just of Alcatraz Island.<\/p>\n

I did a lot of mental imagery and had a good physical activation shortly before the swim started. I was relaxed and focused as I jumped into the water (I didn\u2019t even notice the cold water). Despite the longer than expected swim due to the difficult water conditions, I stayed positive, and\"\"<\/a> emerged from the Bay cold, but with good energy. I ran the \u00bd mile from the swim exit to the transition area, had a fast T1, and began the bike leg of the race.<\/p>\n

Having ridden the bike course so often, I felt confident in having chosen to ride my triathlon bike, instead of my road bike, even though I ride a 1x up front. The vast majority of competitors rode their road bikes, but the pros and the competitive age groupers mostly chose tri-bikes. I pushed hard throughout the bike and focused on fueling, hydration, and staying safe on the crowded course. Arriving at \"\"<\/a>T2, I had trouble getting my race shoes on because both my hands and feet were numb from the cold, but I wasn\u2019t too concerned because a race of this length (just over three hours for me) is rarely decided in transitions (and it wasn\u2019t for me).<\/p>\n

My legs felt a bit tired as I began the run, but I found that I was able to maintain my stride start to finish, attacked the climbs, and, important to me, once again ran up the infamous Sand Ladder (a VERY steep,\"\"<\/a> 360-step climb consisting of sand and steps made of wooden posts held in place by cables), something few age groupers do, but is a point of pride for me. The last two miles of the race were flat, so I just relaxed and steadily increased my pace and ended strong.<\/p>\n

I soon learned that I won my age group which was very gratifying given the prestige and competitiveness \"\"<\/a>of Escape from Alcatraz. My victory ups my 2023 race record to four wins in six races (I was 2nd<\/sup> in the other two). My exceptional training leading into the race (thanks to my coach, Dr. Greg Rhodes<\/a>!), feeling rested and motivated on race day, a well-executed race plan, and the satisfying result, have all given me both confidence and momentum as I enter the last phase\"\"<\/a> of my current training block before I leave for the World Sprint Triathlon Championships in Germany in mid-July.<\/p>\n

The keys to my successful Escape from Alcatraz included:<\/p>\n