Escape from Fort Delaware Race Report

Member

Escape from Fort Delaware
1500 meter swim, 25 mile bike, 10k run

It was a cold and stormy night…

I just had to use that line.

Well this was like a prep for an adventure race. Just getting to the race site was challenging. The race site had over 3.6 inches of rain in the 24 hours before the race. I was going to get my bike checked the night before but was sitting in traffic for an hour and decided to do it in the morning.

The swim is from Pea Patch Island in the Delaware River. It housed a civil war prison hence the name Escape from Fort Delaware based of the more well known Escape from Alcatraz race. They try and time the race for high tide so the current is at its slowest point. However, with over twice the normal rain in the past 2 months and the monsoon we had the night before the race, nothing was going to slow the river down. So the big story was going to be the swim and it was.

Last years transition area was still under water race day so it was moved to ‘slightly’ higher ground. At least it was not raining; but, some ugly clouds were still out there. They started to ferry us out to the island at 6 AM. At 7:15 the first wave started with musket fire from 2 civil ware re-enactment solders. I was in wave 4 out of 5 with 400 total racers. The water was 67 degrees which is good; but, you get less then 10 seconds to get used to it. When she gives the go ahead to get in the water she starts counting down from 10. It does take a few seconds to get used to the water. Our gun goes off and away we go.

Still trying to get used to the water, I am hyperventilating and take in some water. I stop to cough and catch my breath and end up 50 yards downstream. Yikes. I look around and there are people even further down stream. I angle back the next buoy. Now I am used to the water and settle into my stroke; but, it does not seem like I am making much progress. I get to the second buoy and head for the third. I am almost there and then looking at the next one realize this one had to move because it is no where near in line with the rest. This seemed to be confirmed post race. This continued to the inlet. Last year the current coming out of the inlet was the strongest we had to contend with. This year you finally felt like your were moving.

About 250 people started in the waves ahead of me and about 80 people in my wave. Last year was an easy swim not pushing real hard and I was out of the water in 27 minutes. This year I hit the ramp and was told I was 174 out of the water. I passed almost 100 people plus some that had up to a 9 minute head start. Then I look at my watch 46 minutes. I should have been out in 22-23. I worked twice as hard and it took twice as long.

Long jog to T1. Wetsuit pealed down to the waist. The first reports from the volunteers were 7 people already rescued. By the end of the race, reports were 91-96 people. 25% of the field. We’ll have to check the official numbers when they are posted.

Off on the bike, my stomach was a little upset. I thought it was some of the water I swallowed. There is a huge bridge at 0.5 and 24.5 of the bike leg. I hit it and felt strong all the way up. Going down is always more fun. The rest of the bike leg went very well. Sometimes my stomach felt bloated and I tried burping to relief the pressure. I was not that thirsty; but, watched my mileage and made sure I drank one bottle in the first half and my second in the second half of the leg. The bridge on the way in is almost a 2 mile climb. The first mile is gentle and the second goes up the bridge. I felt good at this point and stayed aerobic by using all my gears.

T2 went well but then, bam, my stomach felt like it had a balloon in it. I tried to make my self burp again but to no avail. A couple times I came close to yaking and really wish I would have. It seemed starting the run was the hardest and after I settled into the run my stomach felt bad but not nauseous. We were warned about part of the run being flooded with 15 inches of water and we had to wade through that twice. Just when your shoes dried out you had to go through it again. The second time the cool water actually felt pretty good.

After a very tough swim, I knew it would be very hard to PR. Then the stomach problems hit at the beginning of the run and that chance went from slim to none. I need to get splits but, overall time 3:33:56 watch time.

Even though my time was worse then last year, I am very happy with the race. Spending a lot of time on swimming the last year I felt strong the whole swim even though it took twice as long as expected. I hit all my goals on the bike, cadence, speed, and hydration. The run was obviously less then optimal. I had great transition run workouts; but, this was not one of them. My next race is only 3 weeks away so its back to training on Monday.

Official results

Current jumped to 6 knots due to weather/rain. Thats over 100 yd every 30 seconds!

93 people pulled from the water. Only 234 of 400 finished the race.

My times

Swim: 45:42
T1: 4:04
Bike: 1:34:03
T2: 1:19
Run: 1:08

Race: 3:33:56

The Pinball

unreal. totally awesome TriBob. just the water alone would have done me in.

what an effort, congratulations. cheers

Member

Excelent

Great job Bob. The swim had to be really rough with all that rain we have had.

Member

The more I reports I read about triathlons the more I want to get into them, too cool of a race. Congrats on a great race under less than ideal conditions.

Adjunct

wow I wonder if the promoters are reconsidering their putting on the event now after all the rescues. Good job for hanging in there

Member

Awesome Job...Bob! hee-hee

See? It stories like yours that make me shy away from tri's. The swim scares me (even though I was a lifeguard!)

You can stop running or pull over when biking or running, but stop swimming and you could DIE! :shudder: Shocked

Master of Prissface

Bob, you are a real champ!!! That swim sucks every year from what I've heard but it had to be even worse this year with all the horrible weather we've had. I am so impressed with you for hanging in there....that's the sign of a true winner!

YOU ROCK BABY!!!

Are you doing Wilkes Barre or JT next??

Member

Just when I begin to think a triathalon would be fun....

Excellent job! I can't even imagine that swim. You are THE man!

Member

GREAT job Bob!! The swim sounded too scarry to me. I can't believe how many had to be rescued. Hopefully all that were rescued weren't hurt.

Member

Thanks everyone.

My next one is a B race on July 12. In Perryville, MD. It is listed as a bay/river swim and very tough bike course

Good training form my first 1/2 IM in September Cool

Member

Wow! I have to agree with the others,

When you're swimmng in such fast water, do you even feel like you're in a race or a race for your life? That's crazy! You did an excellent job! You really did.

Shelly

Gone Fishin

Kudos on the 'escape'... sounds like it literally was.
You're a man among boys there Bob, a man among boys

Member

SWEET JOB, Tri! So even though you didn't PR this course, you worked about 2x's harder, yes?

Must feel incredible crossing that finish line...
Mr. Green

joel

Member

Escape from Fort Delaware Race Report

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