The Great Escape

  

On Sunday, June 9th, my son Matthew and I will participate in the infamous "Escape From Alcatraz" triathlon in San Francisco. 

A description from the race sponsor: 

"The Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon is a bucket list race known for its scenic beauty, legendary history and unconventional difficulty. Jumping into the San Francisco Bay, 2,000 athletes recreate one of the most iconic prison breaks of all time. This grueling triathlon attracts over 15,000 spectators who cheer on world champions, Olympic medalists and the best amateur athletes from over 53 countries as they push through frigid waters and rugged terrain to make their Escape."

Why take on this challenge?

For those who have followed my blog (and admittedly, updates have been haphazard at best 😏), you may recall that I began a second round of treatments for stage 3 prostate cancer in the spring of 2023. The most significant part of this treatment was 8 weeks of radiation therapy during the summer of 2023. But along with radiation came a 2-year course of additional ADT/hormone treatment. 

Since this is my second time around with ADT, I've found that daily workouts are essential to combat the effects of the drug. Fortunately, I am still able to run, bike, swim, and lift weights, albeit with slower times and lighter weights. Honestly, it has been quite humbling, but I know it is necessary. But any goals for age-group competition in running races or triathlons have been put on hold. Running, biking, and swimming while on hormone treatment is like having a parachute attached to your back. Still doable, but at a much, much slower pace than I might otherwise be used to. But hey, let's face it, I'm getting older too and that's not helping either!

When the opportunity to enter the lottery for the 2024 Escape from Alcatraz triathlon came along last fall, I jumped. As stated in the official description, this has been a bucket list event for me for some time. I'm not generally a lucky person, but imagine my surprise when both myself and my son were selected by lottery (and qualification) to be one of the 2000 entrants!

Having my son Matt join me in this event makes the occasion even more special. Not that he'll even be within eyeshot of me as I struggle at the back of the pack. But having him alongside me on the journey to the event has been quite a treat. 

And given my stage of treatment, I am quite content to just complete vs compete! Age group goals can wait.

I'll wrap this post with a link to a little fundraiser that my son Matt, daughter Meg, and I put together to raise some funds for Zero Prostate Cancer: http://support.zerocancer.org/goto/TheGreatEscape

And finally, to get a little more flavor of the event, here are some random photos from prior years. 

Jumping from the San Francisco Belle into the icy cold water

Another view of the jump!

Crazy people (with Alcatraz in the background)

The bike. No joke. Some serious hill climbing. It's San Francisco after all.

Dorky me with Jake thinking WTF? Dressed in my new thermal wetsuit, gloves, and booties. Ironically, I hate to be cold ;)