Kristofferson escapes with triathlon win

Kristofferson, a 15-year-old Burlingame resident and a sophomore-to-be at Sacred Heart Prep in Atherton, finished the 1.5-mile swim, 18-mile bike ride and eight-mile run in a time of 2 hours, 47 minutes and 50 seconds. Not only was that mark six minutes off the age-group record, it represented Kristofferson's best triathlon time ever as he shaved 20 minutes off his personal best.

"I pushed myself really hard. I had to have an I.V. after the event," Kristofferson said. "You push yourself to, really, your limit."

Kristofferson, who has been swimming since he was 11, started training for triathlons a couple of years ago. Not only was he inspired watching his dad compete in triathlons, he saw it as something to excel in.

"I saw my dad do a triathlon and I thought it was just cool," Kristofferson said. "I'm a club swimmer and I'm not necessarily the best club swimmer, so I decided to add the other events."

When the casual observer hears about a triathlon, they probably think about the Hawaiian Ironman that is contested each year in which participants swim 2.4 miles, ride 111 miles and then run a marathon.

"The Ironman (distances) are more of survival of the fittest," Kristofferson said.

While the Alcatraz triathlon is not nearly as grueling, it is just as intense. Bay waters are notorious for its temperature (cold) and currents (shifting). The bike portion takes riders up and down the famous hills of San Francisco while the run is partially contested over sand and culminates with the "sand ladder" - a sandy hill that competitors must climb before running for the finish line.

Kristofferson considers the swim the strongest part of his game as he finished in 24 minutes and one second. But the wet suit he wore to ward off the cold Bay waters of the Bay caused the ugly-looking cuts on his neck. And while swimming may be his forté, it's definitely not easy.

"It is the hardest swim I've ever dealt with," Kristofferson said. "Most triathlons don't have that long of a swim. After you get out of the swim, it took me a while to get oriented. I couldn't walk a straight line to the transition area."

Kristofferson then spent more than an hour on his bike as he negotiated the hills and streets of San Francisco.

"The biking is no walk in the park. It's definitely a biter," Kristofferson said. "Especially when you're coming back. [Race organizers] set it up where you have to go up these impossibly steep hills."

The run is probably the most difficult, not only for Kristofferson, but for everybody. Kristofferson said the biggest factor is the mental aspect as competitors have been going nonstop for nearly an hour and half. He completed the eight miles in an hour and 11 minutes.

"The hardest part is the run," Kristofferson said. "Some people might say the swim but I do a lot of swimming. But the run, you're not thinking straight.

"I thought I was good on swim, but the pros still have three minutes on me. I don't know how much faster I can get (in the swim) but I see great improvement in the biking and running."

To that extent, Kristofferson trains every day. A typical day includes a 30- to 50-mile bike ride in the morning followed by either a six- to eight-mile run or 8,000 yards in the pool in the afternoon. To put that in perspective, the longest running event in high school is the 3,200 or about two miles. In swimming, the 500-yard freestyle is the longest race.

"I usually ramp up training about three months before (an event)," Kristofferson said. "A week before, I practically do nothing."

The rest he takes after events depends on how he feels. He said it could take anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of weeks.

"I'm taking (this) week off," he said.

When Kristofferson first started training and competing in triathlons, he looked at it as something fun. While he still has fun, his success is making him start thinking about taking triathlons more seriously. He said he would like to try the Hawaiian Ironman at some point but his immediate goal next year is to set the 16-and-under record for the Escape from Alcatraz.

"I see constant improvement every single time (I compete). I just drop more time every event so I get really motivated," Kristofferson said. "When I first started (triathlons), I was trying to have some fun. Ever since the Alcatraz, I was really inspired. Yeah, I want to be a pro triathlete."