Alcatraz!

I love a challenge!  Last night at the gym I saw my friend Doug.  He was super excited to tell me that he got into the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon.  What?  What's that you say?  You're going to swim in shark infested waters with 2 ton sea lions?  Me too!  Me too!  How sick is that?  This is something that I definitely have to get in on. 

There is a lottery, which is closed for 2010.  Can I do 2011?  Maybe 2012.  California is a lot different than New Jersey.  They have hills & cliffs & aren't just at sea level!  I am definitely going to have to ramp up the fitness for this for sure!  I wonder how you would even being to train for something like this.  Lots of swimming I am guessing.  It's a 1.5 mile swim through the San Francisco Bay, 18 mile bike through the hills & area around Golden Gate Park & an 8 mile run.  I believe there's a 1 mile run from the water to the bike transition area as well.  The 8 mile run includes a run up these stairs:

Crazy, right?  I don't care.  My new motto is never stepping down from a challenge.  Not that anyone has challenged me lately, but that's not the point!  At least I think that's my new motto.  But who cares!  What else is a single girl to do?  As I near my 40th (gasp!) birthday I'm all about accomplishing goals.  Every year has to be bigger than the last!  This year it's my first 1/2 Ironman.  Next year?  Maybe Alcatraz, if I can get in.  The only thing that's going to hold me back is the damn Alcatraz lottery!