One of the coolest things in triathlon is to be able to tell people "I Escaped Alcatraz". The swim is the most famous part of the course, and can range from a tough fight against wind and chop (2003) to a fast, easy ride on the current (2004). The tension builds as you wait to jump from the boat into the cold waters off Alcatraz. You hit the water and are jolted into the reality of having to swim 1.5 miles in the cold, strong currents. It's critical to attend the athlete's briefings with the latest details on currents and the optimal swim routes. Once out of the water you have a 1/2 mile run to defrost and then it's onto the bike. A couple of flat miles are followed by hills, then a quick ride through Golden Gate Park and the loop back to transition - the ride is short but hilly. The final part of the race is deceptively tough. The run starts flat, then climbs and drops back to the beach. It's about a 1/2 mile on the sand to the turn around, then back and to what some consider the toughest challenge of the course - the sand ladder - a brutal climb up 400 sand steps, and then a couple more miles back to the finish. The crowds are great, and if you live in San Francisco you'll have huge fan support - though visitors get a lot of cheers too. The only reasons I rate this a 4 instead of 5 are that: 1) entry is now through lottery or qualifying races; and 2) the price is steep - nearly $300 for 2005.