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What do I need to do at the Saturday check-in?
When you first arrive at the west end of Crissy field in the Presidio on Saturday, you may rack your bike anywhere in the
bike transition area. Then come over to our check-in tables. You will need to show your ID in order to receive your race packet.
Your packet should contain:
- Velcro ankle-strap timing chip (which you must wear for the duration of the event).
- Run bib number (which must be worn on the front of your jersey for the final run).
- Bike number (which goes over the top tube of your bike near the handlebars).
- Bike helmet number (a small sticker which you must place on the front of your helmet).
You will also receive a T-shirt and swim cap at this check-in. Before
leaving the registration area, you should grab a few safety pins and a plastic garbage bag. A table will be set up with markers, so you can
label the plastic bag with your race number. This will be your Swim Finish Bag (see How does the swim finish work? below).
After you've received these items, you may finish setting up your transition area.
What do I need to do on raceday morning?
If you successfully checked in Saturday, there is no need to check-in on raceday morning.
You can proceed directly to the swim transition set-up area. If your hand markings washed away or faded, please make sure one of our staff re-marks you prior to boarding the ferry.
Can we change the members of our relay team?
Substitutions on relay teams costs $25 for each time a substitution is made. Please email us if you plan on changing any of your relay team members so we can email you special registration instructions.
What if I want to wear shoes or a sweatshirt during the
walk to the ferry (or on the ferry)?
We strongly recommend that you simplify by wearing your wetsuit, carrying your swim cap and goggles and and a pair of flip-flops to Pier
41 to catch the ferry. If you want to wear shoes or a sweatshirt, please grab an extra plastic bag at the Saturday check-in, mark it with
your race number and bring it with you on the ferry. You may put your extra items in this bag during the ferry ride to the island and our
volunteer crew will make sure these bags get back to the finish area along with the wetsuit bags.
Will there be restrooms or changing facilities on raceday morning?
Yes there will be restrooms. There will not be any private changing rooms available raceday morning. Arrive wearing what you plan
to race in under your warm-ups.
Where should I park?
TBD in the Crissy Field area.
Where should spectators park?
The best place for spectators to park is at the Commissary/PX building located at the west end of the lagoon in Crissy Field.
There is ample free parking available in this lot. Spectators should walk west down Mason Street to the transition/finish area.
Where is the best location for spectators to catch me in
action?
Many of your friends and family will want to see you exit the water at Crissy Field. If that is the case, they may park on one of the
surface streets near Crissy Field. Please mind the posted signs and obey parking laws/restrictions. A short walk west toward the
transition/finish area will take them to the epicenter of the action.
Your
friends may see you up to three times. The most popular spot to catch the action is along Crissy Field Hill located at the first
intersection next to the Transition area (at Crissy Field Ave). The bike course will be closed to all car traffic.
When and where is the awards ceremony?
The informal awards ceremony will take place at noon near the finish at the west end of Crissy Field. Personalized plaque awards
will be mailed to the winners a few weeks after the race when the results have been finalized.
Swim Questions
I'm worried about the swim.
The Alcatraz swim course may have a notorious reputation, but we can assure you that over the past 27 years, we've safely
escorted more than 15,000 swimmers along this course. The biggest variable is the tides. Luckily, our race director, Dave Horning,
has swum the course 75 times and knows the San Francisco Bay tides well. We specifically plan the date of our Alcatraz events
around the tides. Alcatraz is little less than 2 miles from the swim finish at Crissy Field as the crow flies. The extra distance on
the this year's swim course will disappear as you are pushed by the tides.
When the ferry drops you off on the east side of the island,
and as you round the south end of the island when you start your swim, the copper dome of the Palace of Fine Arts (your target) will
come into view. You will be given instructions raceday morning on which buildings to spot off of during the swim.
These instructions are based on a test swim conducted the day before during similar tidal conditions. These buildings will likely be
left of the swim finish at Crissy Field. Mind these instructions.
If you aim directly for
Aquatic Park without accounting for the
current, the tide will sweep you west past the finish beach and a boat will have to pick you up. If you aim too far left, the worst
that can happen is that you may swim slightly farther (with the current behind you) until you reach the finish. If you aim too far right,
you'll end up west of the finish, swimming in place against an unbeatable current and trying to get back.
Use your common sense and practical judgment and you'll be fine!
Any other advice on the swim?
- Swim gloves and booties are not allowed on this swim. They actually fill with water and make it more difficult to swim.
- Neoprene swim hoods are allowed. Please wear the swim cap given to you over your swim hood. It is advisable that you
bring an extra swim cap and wear it under your event swim cap if you're not wearing a hood. A second cap will keep your head warmer.
- Hold on to your goggles as you jump from the ferry – they can easily pop off as you hit the water.
- Swim away from the boat immediately after entering the water to make way for the next participants. The faster everyone disembarks,
the sooner the race can start.
- The startline will be marked by a row of kayakers. Swim up to the startline, but please don't hang on kayaks or crowd around them.
You may swim around to warm up behind the startline, but keep in mind, everything starts rather quickly -- 6 to 8 minutes after we start
disembarkation. The race starts at the sound of the ferry's horn.
What if I panic during the swim?
If you find when you start to swim that your heart is beating rapidly and your breathing feels out of control, this is perfectly normal.
It's just the adrenaline rush of raceday paired with the shock of the cold bay water. Use your own judgment on whether to continue,
especially if you have any medical conditions, but most people find that if they continue to swim, they warm up, get their breathing back
under control and are able to get back into a groove and finish the swim. You may backstroke, or swim with your head out of the water
until your comfortable to swim freestyle again.
If you feel that you cannot complete the swim or you need the
assistance of a kayaker, stay put and put one arm straight up in the air. A kayaker will come to you and discuss your options. It is
perfectly legal to grab the nose of a kayak and wait out a cramp, get your breathing under control, etc. Don’t hesitate to take the
measures you need to finish your swim.
A smart athlete will know when it’s not their day.
You’ll always be welcome to come back and try again. There’s no shame in taking a rain check on this event.
How does the swim finish work?
At the Saturday Check-In, you will pick up a plastic garbage bag and label it with your race number. On raceday morning you will
bring this bag and your run gear to Aquatic Park. When you exit the water, you’ll take off your wetsuit and stash it along
with your goggles, swim cap and any other gear you no longer need in one of your numbered plastic bags and tie it closed.
You'll put on your run gear and head out on the 2.5-mile warm-up run to the Crissy Field
bike transition area. Our volunteer team will
round up the bags you left behind and bring them back to the finish area, where you will be able to pick them up after the race.
Of
course, when you arrive at the short run-to-bike transition area you
will take off your run shoes (if they are different from your bike
shoes) and leave them in your area. When you return from the bike ride,
they will be right where you left them, so you can lace up and take off
for the final leg of the event.
Which relay member runs from the swim finish to the bike transition?
Any member of the relay team may run the warm-up run from the swim finish to the bike transition area. Just make sure you receive the timing chip from your teammate.
Can we substitute for a member of the relay team?
There is a $25 fee to substitute a new person for a member on your relay team.
Any substitutions need to be made prior to raceday. Please send us an email at
info@envirosports.com asap if you
think you need to change any members of your relay team.
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