Baseball’s Eric Byrnes to Race The San Francisco Triathlon at Alcatraz

San Francisco, Calif. (July 21, 2016) – Tri-California Events is proud to bring back The San Francisco Triathlon at Alcatraz on August 21, 2016. This race “designed for athletes by athletes” will be welcoming one very accomplished athlete, former Major League Baseball outfielder, ultra-runner, and triathlete, Eric Byrnes. Byrnes will step away from the desk where he works as an analyst for MLB Network and join fellow world-class and amateur athletes as hey attempt a race that is not for the faint of heart. 

With such a busy schedule, Byrnes puts a lot of thought into the races that he chooses. “I am thrilled to be racing the San Francisco Triathlon at Alcatraz, said Eric Byrnes,  former MLB Outfielder. I’m glad to support independent race companies and have a soft spot for Tri-California Events since the Triathlon at Pacific Grove was my first triathlon back in 2010.” 

What attracts many athletes to the Triathlon at Alcatraz is the hair-raising challenge of jumping off of a boat into the San Francisco Bay and then swimming the 1.2-mile crossing through chilly waters with strong currents; a feat that was once believed impossible. Swimming the Bay, however, seems to be in Byrnes’s blood. Byrnes’s great grandfather was one of the first people to swim from San Francisco, around Alcatraz Island and back. His great uncle is one of the few who have ever swum the 28-mile stretch from the Farallon Islands to the Golden Gate Bridge.  Now it’s Byrnes’s turn to keep the family tradition alive. 

Once out of the Bay, racers are faced with a 23-mile bike course that will be a true test of strength as they face-off against the steep hills of San Francisco. The reward for all that climbing is a 6.1-mile scenic run along coastline trails.  For Byrnes, this will be a chance to stretch out his legs after having recently finished the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run on June 25. 

After retiring from baseball in 2010, Byrnes turned his focus to endurance events. The 40-year-old has finished eight Ironman triathlons, and this year alone has already completed the Way Too Cool 50K, the Lake Sonoma 50-Miler, the Miwok 100K, as well as the Western States 100. In all of his races Byrnes can be spotted wearing a blue Team Tillman jersey, as he is one of the original co-founders of the Pat Tillman Foundation – a foundation that supports military veterans and their families.

The Pat Tillman Foundation was founded in 2004 in honor of Corporal Pat Tillman who put his all-star NFL career on hold to serve his country in the wake of 9/11. Three years into his service, Tillman was killed when his unit was ambushed while traveling through Afghanistan. Tillman and Byrnes both grew up in the Bay area competing on opposing high school football teams.  Eventually, the two became friends during their professional ball days in Arizona. Inspired by Tillman’s loyalty and sacrifice, Byrnes vowed to keep Tillman’s spirit alive by creating and continuing to support the foundation. 

On the morning of August 21, Byrnes will enter waters buoyed by his ancestors; he will endure miles only made possible by his dedicated training, and through it all he will carry with him the spirit of a friend and hero. 

For complete event information, and registration visit http://ift.tt/1tlyWvj

About the Pat Tillman Foundation

Founded in 2004, the Pat Tillman Foundation invests in military veterans and their spouses through academic scholarships – building a diverse community of leaders committed to service to others.  The scholars chosen show extraordinary academic and leadership potential, a true sense of vocation, and a deep commitment to create positive change through their work in the fields of medicine, law, business, education and the arts.

For more information on the Pat Tillman Foundation, please visit http://ift.tt/PhrR9K

About Tri-California Events

Tri-California Events is an event management company producing triathlon, swimming, and running races throughout California, including the Wildflower Triathlons, Alcatraz Challenge Aquathlon & Swim, The Triathlon at Pacific Grove, and Scott Tinley’s Triathlons. In addition, Tri-California serves as the race production company for The San Francisco Giant Race.  At Tri-California, our goal is to motivate individuals of all ages and fitness levels to lead a healthier lifestyle by “exercising with purpose” and participating in an endurance race. For more information on Tri-California Events and upcoming events, please visit http://ift.tt/1tlyWvj.

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