Kelly Richard's Escape from the Gorge

Escape from the Gorge

A few seasons ago when I started doing triathlons I was inspired by a few key events. I was in awe of the strength, courage and speed others seemed to posses. One of those events was the Escape from Alcatraz. The more I read the more I was intrigued. Swimming in tough conditions, riding steep hills of San Francisco, dragging tired beaten legs up 400 sand stairs. Reading that the only way to get into this was through qualify or lottery made me nervous. To qualify I would have to work hard, race hard and especially run hard. Something I don’t do well. After two years of racing and a successful season this year I thought I would be ready to try Oregon’s Escape from the Gorge qualifier.

I headed to Oregon on my own. No kids, no husband, no friends or family. For myself, a foreign experience. A mother of four I haven’t done more than a couple hours alone in years. My husband and I lived in Portland area for years, so I wasn’t nervous about where I was going. I felt like the race was somewhat in my back yard. I left Sat. early afternoon. I wanted to get my packet on Saturday. Once I arrived in Cascade Locks I decided to find a place to stay for the night. There isn’t much in that town. I just knew I didn’t want to drive 20 miles back to Troutdale. So I choose a place about a block from Marine Park. Easy walking distance. That way I wouldn’t have to worry about parking, etc. Needless to say it has been years since I stayed somewhere so nasty. You could take a shower and use the toilet at the same time if you wanted. The bathroom was a carved out hole. Tiled large enough for a toilet and faucet. The only lamp in the room was missing a light bulb and lampshade. I had to ask a few times for an alarm clock. I was told these things were missing because they are stolen. I set out to pick up my packet and a light bulb. I could not sit in the dark. I decided my bike was safer in the auto than in the hotel. So I took it with me and got some dinner, my packet, light bulb, drove the course, and returned to my hole in the wall. Upon taking my bike out of the car I noticed I had a flat. Panic. First I had to fix the lamp so I could fix my tire. I wasn’t about to do this outside with the greasy bikers on one side and the large non- English screaming couple on the other side of me. I for some unknown reason had taken my two extra tubes out of my travel bag. I know only had one. I did have good sense to bring a spare tire. So I changed my tube and tire. The tire had a pretty good gash that went through, I didn’t want to risk riding it and getting a flat. I patched my other tube and put it in my bike bag just incase I couldn’t buy a new tube in the morning. Gathered all my gear and placed it in front of the door. Figure a good obstacle should anyone decide to try and enter. I slept with TV and light on. It helped distract the noise from the rest of the place. Amazingly I slept well.

I wasn’t groggy when I woke up. As I looked outside I was shocked that it was still pitch black. I waited and waited and decided I best go to get a good spot in the transition.
I had heard on the drive there it was expected to be a windy day. I knew I was at the Gorge. I thought I knew what wind was. I had seen the river the day before. It was breezy and fairly calm. What could change? A lot!

We lined up for the pre-race brief before boarding the Stern Wheeler. A boat I always wanted to ride while we lived in Oregon. Just never did. Now I was going to ride it and jump off it into the river. A river with huge rolling white capped waves. Splashing the rocks, spraying over the boat. The race director tried to calm our nerves with jokes about how the sighting buoys were gone. The wind and waves took them down river. The kayakers refused to come out and support us. He was waiting for someone to help with a wave runner and a boat. Finally 30 min. late we stop for the tri-it group to jump and swim to shore. I could hear others comment on how they weren’t swimming, they were being shot down stream by the waves. I finally peeked over to see them literally being shot off the boat as if going down a water slide. After watching one person being rescued by the wave runner that looked like a toy being bounced around and a boat rocking side to side I could no longer watch. I just wondered what my family would think if they were there. Would I have gotten on that boat? After 7 people rescued we were on our way. We were to be dropped somewhere up river, told stay away from little white buoys they were fishing nets. As we started out the race director got nervous and said he could not take us out 1.5 miles. He had almost no support. So we went out about ½ mile or so and this is where we were to make a small jump into the river and swim to shore.

I got in line and decided not to think about it. I just kind of shut down mentally. I thought how long it would take me and just get through it. The swim turned out to be easier than I expected. When I was lifted I coasted. Swam, a bit in the down, screamed at the crap that was burning my skin, coasted on wave, sighted, eventually saw I was headed in right direction and kept on going. Thankful to be out of the water, I know had to run .2 miles on rocky asphalt to transition. I knew the bike course was going to be hilly. I thought I was prepared for hills. I learned the Black Diamond really is a rolling hill area. Cascade was a climb up, down, up, down, and back to transition area. Next, the dreaded 8 mile run. Thankfully I have added extra running to my training plan. I very much needed it for the up down up down. Best part of run was 60 steps at the turn around. A little mental break. I had been very nervous to see I was the 8th female at that point. I saw a handful of women right behind me. Running is where I always seem to get passed. I had four miles to go. I hadn’t come all this way to get passed here. I just told myself to relax and let feet take over. I pushed as hard as I could until the finish.

I went to the result table to see where I was overall. Thought 8th female, what was my chance? It looked promising. I quickly went back to the hole in the wall to take a shower and check out. Back at the race site I watched the kids tri. They are so inspirational.
At the awards ceremony they talked about how the slots would be given out. They mentioned if you were going to Worlds in Vancouver next year it was at the same time. Through talking with others and watching others fly by I knew there were serious people there. I learned there were professional racers there too. They were not able to have the slots for Alcatraz. I don’t know how they get their slots.

Finally it came my turn. I was called up to get my award and claim my slot. The lady mentioned I looked very strong coming into the finish line and wanted to know where I got my energy. All I could think was could you please ask me my question. Do you want your slot. YES! Second place finish in age group was all I needed.