JB's Adventure Blog: Back off Otter!

I finally fended off the Otter! Fourth place and the first American in the Sea Otter XC!

That 800 pound Sea Otter always crushes me, (as Adam says) " I leave feeling like a small child". It has been as sure as the water in Monterey bay is cold… or so I thought.

The key to Sea Otter is to treat it like a road race/roller derby. The fight for your position is key because you are assured some breaks by not having to ride in the wind by yourself (IF you make it to the lead group). This is no easy task, in fact I tried as hard as I could but got gapped on the first lap, only 5 miles in. The speed of the front group was insane. We were ripping down the dirt road with a tail wind at mach 5 and every hill was out of the saddle. ‘No way I can keep this up,’ I thought. I was exhausted and we had only gone 8 miles. After taking a bad line thru some ruts, I was dropped and I struggled to chase back on after. I fought back on and after my best 10 minutes I could just make out the orange of Kabush’s Maxxis jersey in the distance. The pack slowed to negotiate a mud puddle and then there was a decent. ‘Sweet,’ I thought, ‘I am back.’ They were going along kind of slow and I was like ‘this is a total rest.’ But the bad part is that Liam, an Aussie, and an Austrian took off up the road. I could see the split but I was in no position to cross it at the time. Once again I was thinking like it was a mountain bike race. Our lead pack included some serious firepower anyway they were likely to take up chase. And I would just hold on. I did. They didn’t chase and the gap slowly increased. Incidentally, the same places that slowed down a 10-man group were also the places that I could get it together and rest.

The last lap was tough, not because of my energy level but because of a bad cramp in my left rectus femoris. It is a muscle that lifts the knee. I was trying to hide the fact from all of the world-class athletes that surrounded me. An Aussie; Michael Weis from Austria; two time Olympic medalist, Sir Bart Brenjins; Todd Wells; Christoph Sauser, winner of the world Cup the last two years; Geoff Kabush; and Jean Christoph Pearuad, former French national Champion. It seemed like the front of a World Cup! The few that were missing were Absalon, Paulison, and Keisikoff. They went home after Curacao.

I was doubtful the cramps would go away, but they usually do. I thought back to a few big races I won, and yes, I cramped then too but I just hung in there!

The cramps went away just in time and I was back in action for the last round of climbing on the last lap. I was least able to make the selection on a steep paved uphill. My legs were pretty empty. I was just hanging with Kabush who was getting gaped himself. The thing is, just when you think you are done everyone else is probably in the hurt locker too.
We dropped into a swift little decent. I took a few deep breaths and NO brakes I was back on.

The single track was wet but fast and a few good lines put me back in the mix. Max Plaxton had come across and got on the back of our group.
Weiss gave me some watery Red Bull to drink but then let a gap open in front of him before a most crucial section-the climb home. This 2-mile stretch was a rolling climb up the last hilltop of the course. I was sure this would be the duel for the podium. I struggled to get on the draft. Ok got it. Then I made sure to ride down wind of Big Bart and Sauser as Peruad made a sharp acceleration with the Aussie and Wells in tow. The hill slackened and I kept the pedal pressure on and got on terms for the last pitch. My strategy was to take it to the max on the climb get a gap and then drive the false flat into the last single track, even a small gap is hard to over come once you hit the decent on the raceway.

I pinned it on the flat and Peruad tried to come left for the trail. I closed the door and late cornered and inside line strait for a photographer. I was sideways in the sickest 2-wheel drift ever. I hooked up in the berm and it shot me down the throat of the single track like a pinball game. I could get much on the slick trail just a couple seconds but I knew a good line on the last little muddy uphill punch to the race way. I stood and KA-WACK my cranks stopped! Agh! ‘Not now!’ I was fighting for 3rd against the best except I had to pedal backwards while they pedaled forward! I got going again and drove it. I snaked the jersey walls and pinned it down the raceway with no clue if anyone was on my wheel. I wanted Peruad. I closed in on him in the tuck and came close to catching him. Brentjens came in just behind me to round the podium. Cool! I was on the box at Sea Otter this bodes really well for the races coming up where the courses suit me!

For now, I am happy to head back to the Burg for some much needed rest and relaxation. I have some sick training ahead of me. The plan is to train into Tour of Shenandoah! Our team looks strong. We have Byvik Financial Services on as a title sponsor and we have Tristan Tshouten, from Trek/VW Midwest; Phil Riggio; Todd Helmick; Brian Matter from Michigan; and Chris Beck from LSV. Eatough won’t make it because he will be in China.

I need to call up Trek and see if I can borrow a TTX for the ITTs. I will also need an aero-helmet and some of those aoleus wheels. That would be so cool..

For now it is a time to catch up with Spring in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley! Yard work never sounded so nice.

See ya;

Jeremiah

posted by Jeremiah Bishop # 7:13 AM

Back off Otter!

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