Escape From Alcatraz

I never sleep well the night before a race. I'm too excited to sleep, yet for some reason, I slept well this time. Maybe it was that my body was on NJ time that weekend. Maybe it was the peace of mind that comes with experience, which is surprising because something always goes wrong. It's just a matter of what & when. Triathlons are tricky.  You are swimming in open water, not a pool, so current is an issue. You are biking & running outside so hills are an issue. There are time cut offs you have to make, so the danger of being too late is an issue. Escape from Alcatraz came with an additional concern: I needed to be on a 6:15 a.m. ferry to the swim start. 5:15 a.m. I was in taxi with my best friend, Peter & my wife Janet. 5:35 a.m. I started to set up transition. That entailed laying out my shoes & clothes for my "transition" from the swim to the bike ride. 5:45 a.m. I stared my morning prayers. It only takes me five minutes to say my mo...