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June 15, 2008
Escaping From Alcatraz, Day 2 - Orientation
More trip notes:
- Our hotel in San Francisco was the Broadway Manor. Located at the intersection of Van Ness and Broadway, it's like a lot of San Francisco - older, renovated, and central to just about everything. The hotel itself isn't much to look at, but they have free parking, clean rooms, good (basic) service and a diner on the ground floor.
- They also have super-comfortable beds - everyone slept unbelievably well.
- Saturday was a slow start - since we arrived after midnight, nobody was in any kind of hurry to get up and move around. As a result, we started flipping through cable TV and wound up watching Hillary's concession speech on MBSNC. I have to say, I think it was the best speech I've ever seen her deliver - gracious, loose, from the heart, poignant, classy (and no, I'm not just saying that because I liked the content).
- (Side note - why is it that some politicians only seem to do their best work at the end? I remember watching Al Gore give his concession speech in 2000 - he was loose, friendly, accessible, authentic - and thinking, "Where was that guy during the campaign?".)
- After rousing, we walked a couple blocks down Van Ness and got coffee at "Notes From Underground." The coffee's OK, but the breakfast - one it arrives - is to die for. Fantastic omelettes, great potatoes. You just need to budget an hour or so for the damn plates to arrive.
- Every coffee house in San Francisco has free WiFi. I love this.
- Ground Zero for all things Escape From Alcatraz is Marina Green, which is on the waterfront. We need to pick up our registration packets and attend an orientation at 1 PM. Since it's only about two miles from the hotel, we elect to walk.
- A bike shop across Van Ness has a banner up: "Welcome! Alcatraz Triathletes Good Luck!". Jeff and I start to get excited.
- Marina Green has been completely taken over with Escape stuff - vendor tents, the bike-transition area, orientation stage, finish line, signage, food stalls. The place is mobbed, too - Marina Green is a busy part of San Francisco on a given Saturday, but today it's crazy with pedestrians, triathletes (plus their families and friends), rollerbladers, bikers, kids selling lemonade, etc.
- Jeff and I get our registration packets (a duffel bag with our bib numbers, stickers, plastic bags for transition, mini-CLIF Bars, and goodies from other local businesses) and head over for orientation.
- Orientation takes about an hour, but there's only about 15 minutes worth of content. The organizers spend a bit more time than they need to in thanking sponsors and pointing out that you can take home souvenirs.
- For all that, the information is terrific. I am very impressed with how safety-oriented the event is: the swim, for instance, is planned to a T. In addition to swimming with the current, we'll be accompanied by kayaks, jetskis, boats, and a helicopter or two (just in case). The trick with the swim is to look for Sutro Tower, keep it at 12 o'clock, and swim toward it; the current will do the rest. Kayakers and others will make sure that you don't get too far off-course; if you do, they'll get you back in position.
- Headphones are not allowed on the run or the ride. (Back in my hotel room, my iPod Shuffle starts crying.)
- By the end of the orientation, the four of us are sunburned (the weather is spectacular) and a little tired.
- We head back to the hotel, jump in the car, and drive the bike course. As we're swooping up and down hills (Legion of Honor, I'm looking at YOU), I'm suddenly remembering just how frickin' crazy the ride actually is. Yowza. Thank God for training.
- Dinner is at Marnee Thai, which, if you're at all in to Thai food, is a must-try the next time you're in SF.
- We call it an early night; I want to be asleep by 9:30. After returning to the hotel, I prep my bike (pump the tires, get my number attached, fill the waterbottle) and then pack my various bags. There are three bags to worry about - one goes with you on the boat in the morning, one goes in your transition zone, and the third is available after you get out of the water from the swim. The post-swim bag gets my running shoes, socks, and a towel. The transition bag gets my bike helmet, bike jersey, and other bike stuff (e.g., puncture repair kit). The bag on the boat will contain all the stuff I will wear before I jump in the water (and will want later) like my fleece, warmup pants, and the like. I get all three bags put together, set out my clothing for the morning, and, ultimately call it a night.
- 10:30 PM. I'm staring at the ceiling. Still awake. Can't sleep.
- 11:30 PM. I'm staring at the ceiling. Still awake. Can't sleep.
- 12:30 AM. I'm staring at the ceiling. Still awake. Can't sleep.
- 1:30 AM. I'm staring at the ceiling. Still awake. Can't sleep.
2:30 AM. I'm staring at the ceiling. Still awake. Can't sleep.
(Sigh.)
Posted by Gavin Shearer at June 15, 2008 11:40 AM. Posted to Fitness | Travel.
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