Sharkfest

I have a small obsession with the Golden Gate Bridge, I am from Newcastle Upon Tyne and we have quite a famous bridge there: The Tyne Bridge, but the Golden Gate Bridge has always held a unique fascination for me. It has been over 12 years since I first saw that wonderful red structure spanning the bay in San Francisco, Corina and I were on honeymoon, it was my first time in the USA and I remember being awestruck by this bridge that I had seen a million times on TV. On a recent trip to San Francisco to celebrate our anniversary I took over 1000 images of the bridge… trust me I am obsessed, and I think that it is one of the most beautiful and iconic sights in the world. 

I studied geology at university, I graduated with an honors degree and in my final year I spent a great deal of time studying the fault patterns on the West Coast of the USA and the infamous San Andreas Fault. Maybe it is because I know that San Francisco will suffer a catastrophic earthquake, maybe it is the history of Alcatraz and Angel Island or the beautiful vibrant city overlooking the bay, there is something magical about that bridge. When I first started to date Corina she had this sweatshirt from a trip to San Francisco that had the Alcatraz Triathlon motif on, I always thought swimming from Alcatraz was insane! 

There are dozens of triathlon races that start from Alcatraz and race through San Francisco, and I have often thought about doing them. I have always wanted to swim in San Francisco Bay and when Corina and I wrote down our lifelong ambitions this was one of mine. We have researched the various races and accompanied swims that take place in the bay but never really got down to actually doing it. Most of the swims go from Alcatraz to the presidio but don’t go under the bridge. Then last week I saw the email from envirosports which announced the inaugural Golden Gate Sharkfest a 1.6mile swim from the South Tower of the bridge to Sausalito…

The plan is that myself and a bunch of other nutters will be dropped off by ferry into the water and then will swim under the bridge to Horseshoe Cove on the north side of the headland. The cut off time is 80mins, this should be achievable but I have not been in the water for 2 years! 

The race happens on October 22nd this is the Saturday following the Nike Women’s Marathon in San Francisco that Corina is running and two days after my 37th birthday! So the timing couldn’t be any more perfect, we took this as fate and a good omen. I get to watch my wife pick up a Tiffany’s necklace finishing the Nike Women’s, I get to spend my birthday in one of my favorite places and then I get to fulfill a lifetime ambition by swimming under the bridge HOW FANTASTIC IS THAT?

I will be Blogging about my journey towards Sharkfest, so please sit back in the warm and dry and enjoy the trip with me!

Alan