Santa Cruz Triathlon Official Website

The "Nitty Gritty" Details (User Opinions)

Brett M.
San Francisco, CA

  (09-27-2011)

"Hi all! This is my first attempt at a race report, so hopefully you'll find it somewhat interesting...

Conditions were perfect for the Santa Cruz Olympic triathlon yesterday - 60 degrees in the air, 60 degrees in the water, a bit of cloud cover interspersed with sun, and a slight breeze at times. I'd driven down to Santa Cruz on the Friday night with some friends so that we could make something of a weekend of it, and having never been there before, was totally taken in by the cutesy surf town vibe and beautiful natural surroundings. I headed over to the start really early on Sunday (as instructed!) and luckily ran into Shannon, a fellow SF Tri club member, who really calmed my nerves.

I'd never done an official triathlon before (my first tri ever was the Labor Day SF Tri picnic/mini tri, so very informal) so I was extremely excited and a little bit manic, to say the least. After much internal debate, I had decided to race as an Athena in the hopes that I might place somewhat well and thus gain some confidence in the sport. A few months ago I pulled a muscle in my foot and had also been diagnosed with plantar fasciitis, so had only been running a handful of times since June. My cycling training pretty much consisted of one long ride a month ago and my 5 mile daily commute to and from work on my single speed, so I wasn't exactly in top racing form. But I HAD been swimming in Aquatic Park. A lot. So I figured I was ready enough!

The Athenas and Clydesdales (deemed "The Fatties" by those of us racing in those groups) were meant to start at 8:35 am, so we were able to bounce around on the beach for awhile while the other triathletes warmed up in the ocean and started their waves. The other waves seemed to go off without a hitch, but when The Fatties entered the pen, I don't know if it was the ocean preparing for us or what, but the incoming waves suddenly kicked into high gear. The spectators standing near the pen got drenched by waves as they came farther and farther up the beach. Lots of laughter and shrieking ensued. And then we were off! Kind of. As we were all running into the ocean, a few people in the front shouted "Wave!" and stopped. In my excitement, I raced passed them and got absolutely pummeled by an enormous wave, and ended up back at the beach, laughing. I literally washed ashore. Oops! Start number two went a bit smoother. I headed back into the ocean and made it past the break this time. We swam out to the end of the pier, where all the sea lions were barking to cheer us on - such an inspiring sound. I had been aiming to complete all the legs in negative splits, so after reaching the pier, I picked up my pace a bit. I ended up swimming next to someone who I thought was a lady in a very nice pink cap, until we reached the beach and I realized he was wearing a speedo and not much else. Turns out the person I was chasing down was a 14 year-old boy! A speedy one to say the least. I congratulated him on his swim and when he turned to say thanks and I saw his mouth was full of braces, I thought, "No way am I getting beaten by a child!" and sprinted down to the transition area.

I quickly found my bike (I had rented a road bike from Sports Basement and wasn't super familiar with what it looked like, so I'd had visions of me wandering around the transition area, searching for a leftover bike) and was off! The ride was absolutely beautiful - flat, fast roads through a neighborhoody area, and then a turn onto Highway 1. There were some nice, rolling hills before the turnaround at the top of a hill in Davenport, and the whole time you could see the beautiful Pacific Ocean. Absolutely gorgeous. I lost some time gazing out at the ocean, and I got my bicycle stuck in a low gear in the front so I couldn't pick up as much speed as I wanted to on the descents, but I dominated on the hills. Yay San Francisco legs!

On the way back into the transition area, I saw my friends who were excitedly shouting and cheering for me/making me laugh with their hilarious commentary, which was a great pick-me-up. I grabbed my running shoes and was off! I have run in road races before and always start too fast, so I made a very concerted effort to hold back. The run was gorgeous - an out-and-back on West Cliff Drive, so beautiful houses on one side and the Pacific Ocean on the other. The waves were crashing onto the rocks, sometimes spraying ocean water all the way up to the runners, and there were tons of surfers to ogle, so it was once again hard to remember I was in a race! Triathletes in earlier waves were running back towards the finish and all looked really strong and happy. I found a few different people to run with who were excellent pace setters, and eased into a nice pace. Finally at Mile 5, I kicked it up a notch. I started picking people off, one by one, and then set my sights on a 40 year-old man (how weird is it to see everyone's ages written on their calves? My friends think we should start doing this in real life. I think not.) who had passed me earlier. I reached him and then passed him. He looked at me and said "Oh, as long as you're not a 40 year-old man," and then passed me and stepped in front of me. Not so fast, buddy! I sidestepped him and it was ON. We both sprinted towards the end and I finished about 3 strides ahead of him.

All in all, an absolutely beautiful, wonderful, fun day. The camaraderie was amazing. The other athletes were so inspiring. The course was gorgeous. The volunteers and spectators were wonderful! I am still on such a high!
Special thanks to my friends and family (Kacie, Dan, Gillian and Will especially) for coming to Santa Cruz with me and cheering me on - I literally could not have done the trip without you guys. And would not have had nearly as many laughs or superfuntimes as designated driver while you all tasted many (many) wines on Saturday. You are all highly entertaining.

Also a big thank you to Bosco for letting me borrow your bike (without ever having even met me!) a few months ago for the COGAMOYA ride. Your generosity is astounding.

Huge thank you to Victoria, for introducing me to open water swimming. I am now (proudly) one of those freaks that swims in the Bay sans wetsuit. Joy abounds!

And a final shout out to Shannon Boyle for telling me to relax and set up my bike already! on Sunday. And for pointing out the coffee. And for making me dance on the beach before the start. And for doing so well yesterday! Way to go, girl!

Lessons learnt:

1) If you live (and train) in San Francisco, You. Are. Strong. Hills, schmills!

2) Waves are big. Try not to run straight into them. You will not win. I knew that as a kid but seem to have forgotten.

3) Negative splits are the way to go. Save your legs and then finish strong!

4) It might be nice to have all the cool tri schwag, but you really don't need it. I rented a bike, swam in a $5 garage sale wetsuit, and wore some pretty funky $3 H&M sunglasses, and did just fine. You don't need all the stuff.

5) Have fun. It is SO much fun. Holy guacamole. I can't wait for the next one.


I was SO NERVOUS for my first triathlon. Right before the start, Shannon turned to me and said simply, "It's your race." She was right.

And while it was pretty flippin fantastic to do so well (smashing my time goals AND winning The Fatties group!), if nothing else, you get to wake up early in a beautiful place, head out for a little bit of a swim, ride and run, and surround yourself with inspiring, crazy people. Could life BE any better? I submit that it cannot!"

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2011

Marlene S.
Redwood City, CA

  (08-20-2010)

"See complete blog post here:
http://www.accentfitness.net/accent-fitness/2010/08/201 0-santa-cruz-international-triathlon-affinity-multisport-roc ks-the-podium.html

This was the first time Finish Line Productions hosted the Olympic distance race on this course. There was no centralized parking lot near Depot Park, where the transition and finish were located. But there was free street parking up on West Cliff Drive less than a mile away and then metered parking on the streets if you or someone with you would be able to feed the meters starting at 9am. We arrived early around 7:15AM. Packet pickup was a breeze and transition area was very wide with lots of racks and space. The swim start on the beach was located about 2 blocks from transition so you had to walk/jog/run in bare feet or bring exit shoes to the beach.

There was a pre-race meeting held on the beach around 15 minutes before the start of the first wave. The waves preceded every 10 minutes. It was a two loop swim where you had to exit the water, run around a buoy and then re-enter. My wave was 3rd to start. I had a good first lap around the buoys. My legs felt heavy though getting out and then back into the water for the second loop. I'm not a huge fan of having to exit and reenter. Second lap was good as well. As I exited the swim, I was told I was the 2nd overall female out of the water.

I got back to transition and had a quick exit onto the bike course. I was worried that everything would be really wet and slippy because it had been very misty and fogging in the AM. But it wasn't that wet and the bike course ended up drying up towards my 3rd loop. It was a 4 loop course. All of the intersection were guarded by officials to stop traffic so I felt safe despite the roads still being open. I had a nice pace on the bike and quick transition into the run.

As usually, the first mile or so into the run was challenging for me. I had a decent pace but my legs felt heavy and I wondered if I had not taken enough recovery in recent weeks. The run course was nice and smooth with some minor rolling hills. Luckily, I was able to focus and I ended up with my best 10K off the bike pace ever. Yippee! It was a great team events and lots of fun!"

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2010

kasey w.
San Francisco, CA

  (10-14-2009)

"This was my first time racing the Santa Cruz Triathlon, aka the Sentinel Triathlon in previous years. Weather was typical for that time of the year-overcast in the morning (and most of the race), but warm and sunny by noon.

Santa Cruz is a small town, and hotels are somewhat limited in amenities. I stayed at the Holiday Inn Express on Ocean Dr., which was only about 2 miles from the transition area. Best way to travel to Santa Cruz for the race is to rent a house by the beach - our team had a 3-story house on E. Cliff Dr. with a magnificent view, all within walking distance of the wharf.

Check-in for the race occurs the day before (Saturday), and is not available the day of the race. Transition was arranged well, with plenty of port-o-potties and unassigned racks. Excellent security around the closed-off transition.

The start is on the south side of the wharf, and is a beach start. Waves were small, but still did damage to those who charged into them. Water was nice and blue, and the visibility was good enough to identify and draft off the competition. The swim course rounds the wharf, and the exit is on the north side. Best course strategy was to start and stay to the inside right of the pack, and take sharp turns at each of the buoys. The pack swims wide, and those stuck on the middle and outside end up fighting through the gauntlet of thrashing swimmers for an extra 200-400 meters. The run-out timing mat is about 40 yards from the water exit, but after that is 200 yards of an unwelcoming uphill run up a concrete sidewalk towards transition.

Bike course was out-and-back, with rolling hills the entire way. Pavement is smooth, but there were some loose rocks and gravel strewn about. Traffic is controlled, but still open to cars. We were told to stop for about 15 seconds at the turn-around to allow a few cars through, which then allowed a pack of about 15 riders to form. So as we all headed back, there was a little drafting going on, but the main issue was that the large pack of riders took up the entire lane - which was still open to cars zooming by at 35-40 mph!!

The run course was mostly flat, and along the ocean. Largely uneventful, although there were only a few port-o-potties at the turnaround. I missed it, and ended up having to use a bush by the course at mile 5.

Finishing area is nice, complete with tuxedo-clad staff bearing food, drink, and fruit. The bagels and the cookies disappeared very fast.

The team did a post-race bbq at the beach house. Great ending to a great weekend in Santa Cruz. Will definitely be there again next year. Santa Cruz offers a fast course, beautiful scenery, great mexican food, and awesome place to unwind and relax. And remember, if you miss the port-o-potties at the run turnaround, don't panic - there's a giant bush at mile 5!"

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2009

Brett M.
San Francisco, CA

  (09-21-2009)

"There was perfect conditions for this race. I'm not sure about what might happen if you pick up your stuff in the morning, but the packet pickup the day before was well organized with one line, but multiple stations to get your number, then shirt, then chip. The expo could have been a little better, but it was well stocked with staple items in case you forgot something.

The race starts with a swim around the pier in Santa Cruz. Hearing the sea lions yelling under the pier while you swam was a little nerve racking coming from San Fran where they like to give you a little bump for fun from time to time, but the water was calm and fast.

The bike takes you through Santa Cruz for a little bit then out on Highway 1. They allow traffic on the course, but there is a large, smooth shoulder to ride on, and with the flat course with only rollers, your speed keeps you out of much danger with the cars. I saw quite a few flats, but after talking to some people, this could be a result of people riding on old tires and tubes. There are some rough patches and if you don't maneuver properly, you will pinch a tire and flat. This out and back course is perfect for speed and I spent 90% in aerobars.

The run takes you along the coast on an out and back course. Some slight incline and declines, but nothing major. There are times when the "bike path" clogs up due to tourists insisting on walking along the coast during a race. I chose to jump out on the shoulder of the road to avoid these sections for fear of clocking someone coming the other way. I don't think its against the rules, but someone yelled at me about it for some reason. Only three aid station opportunities.

Finished 3rd in the Clydesdale. They got the awards ceremony started quickly which was great, but Clydesdale was first so I missed my actual podium action, but still got a cool trophy in a Beer Mug!

"

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2009

Lauren S.
San Francisco, CA

  (09-21-2009)

"Perfect weather! Overcast and warm.
Check in was disorganized, seperate line for schwag bag, then shirt, then cap, then timing chips. Check in also closed at 3, which seems early.
Transition area opened at 6, first come, first serve, not assigned racks. Narrow run in/run out entrances. Good security entering/leaving transtion before and after. They made sure your body marked number matched your bike number.
Swim- out around the pier, some seaweed, lots of fish smell all to the sound of barking sea lions. I enjoyed it, but it was pretty smelly, and on the return, no buoys caused everyone to fan out along the shore.
Bike- out and back along the coast, flat with some rollers, no big climbs! One aid station at turnaround with Hammer Gel and water bottles. Course pretty straight, but no lane or cones to buffer cars.
Run- out and back along coast, very scenic, even saw dolphins! two aid stations, one at mile 2/4 with gatorade and water, one at turnaround with water.
Finish good for spectators. For a touch of class, the event had tuxedo'd servers serving cupts of straberries, bananas, and oranges. Results posted same day on web site! "

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2009

Lynn A.
Morgan Hill, CA

  (08-13-2009)

"I wasn't exactly ready for a race today, but I had missed the Triathlon at Pacific Grove a couple weeks earlier and wasn't ready for tri season to end, so I decided just a couple days ago to do the Sentinel for a second year in a row. It helped a lot to have my friend Doug who raced with me last year encouraging me to do it again with him. This was my 5th race of the season.

Part of me didn't want to do the race unless I had a chance of beating my not so impressive time of 2:49 last year. I thought my swim had improved considerably this year, but I wasn't spending as much time as I would have liked on the bike and I've been going to physical therapy for three weeks now to help loosen up a really tight external rotation of my hip flexors. Geez, that sounds like an old guy thing.

Conditions were about perfect. 60 degrees at race time and about the same water temp. I felt comfortable throughout the swim but my wave (45 - 49) seemed to thin out rather early and I felt like I was swimming almost entirely on my own as we turned around the end of the Santa Cruz pier. Stepping onto the beach I glanced at my watch to see I was nearly five minutes ahead of my split last year. I was stoked.

I have never perfected the art of getting out of a wetsuit. Even with the wetsuit peeled down to my waist, it's like trying to get out of a straight jacket in a bad magic show hanging from a burning rope. T1 just sucks.

I kept my bike computer on my average speed. I knew the course well, so all I had to do was equal or beat my 18.6 mph last year. On Hwy. 1 we were met with a brisk headwind. All I could do was hammer the downhills at 30+ mph and look forward to a tailwind on the return. The loop through the parking lot toward the end is a bone jarring ride. It felt like either my back or my bike would snap as I rattled through that section.

I finished the bike in 18.5 mph, so I knew I had a better overall time going than last year. Now if I could just run 8-min. miles like I did last year, I'd finish with a decent time. But less than two miles into the run, my left glute and right hamstring started cramping. I was ready to quit but I have never quit. I stopped for 10 - 15 secs. to stretch my legs, and that seemed to help. Still, I struggled the entire run. Both feet were numb and I wasn't going at the pace I wanted just to avoid injury.

I crossed the finish line but was so delirious I couldn't read the time on my watch. I finally figured out I finished in 2:45, exactly my goal time. That meant I improved dramatically on the swim this year. I'll have to tell my swim coach all the work is paying off.

All in all, I'm really pleased with my tri season. Two full Olympics, two shorter ones, one half ironman, and Aluminum Man in Maui. I feel like I have put some experience under my belt to tackle a bigger prize next year."

Reviewed by a: Repeat Participant for 2008