San Francisco Triathlon at Alcatraz
The San Francisco Triathlon at Alcatraz has become one of, if not my favorite race venues. The swim is truly one of a kind, the bike and run are equally beautiful, and put together, they make for a tough day!
![]() |
A friend of mine took this at the Escape a few years back. |
As usual, I was in and out of T1 in a hurry and onto the bike. Then came the hills. I was definitely at a disadvantage not knowing the bike course here, especially the down-hills. For the most part, I was fine climbing, I just didn’t know how long the climbs were. Near the top of each climb, I would usually be close to a few athletes ahead, but once the windy descents began, I lost time – I couldn’t see through the corners and really didn’t want to go into one too fast. After the hills, we rode along Highway 1 to the turn-a-round, with a short loop in Golden Gate Park. Then it was back to the hills. I wouldn’t say I rode that well, but I didn’t ride all that bad either. Knowing the turns and topography would have been nice though.
Norm Nielsen
Thanks Erich! I appreciate your re-cap and allowing me to relive the race through your eyes. That was a fun race. I agree the swim was choppy. Congratulations on your excellent result!