[Zen_Turtle]

I'm planning to participate Sea Otter this year. This is my first race ever and I have a lots of questions. For most of those I found answers in this forum - thx to all!

I'd like to know more about the courses, I'll most likely do the MTB Cross Country, but also looked at the MTB Short Track and may just end up doing both.
They haven't published the maps yet, they say:"Course maps for this event are being produced and will be posted when they are complete"

Where can I find more info about the course (I mean maps, topo files, etc..) ?
Is the course accessible, like now? I'd like to go to Monterey in Jan-Feb to ride it and get familiar with the course.

Any more suggestions for a newb (as I said a read lots in this forum, but anything specific to S.O. ?)

Btw I'm 36yrs, 225# and ride a Specialized RH'03 with a few mods. I weekly ride 20 miles trails in around 3hrs (more or less, it depends on the trail), mainly Santa Monica mtns plus 3 training sessions on road during the week.
Thanks!

 

[merlin]

Couple things:
Great idea doing the short track and the XC. The short track gets your body ready for the XC race and you have 2 days to recover.
I would reccomend doing a couple of other races before SO. SO is a huge rage and it would be good to have a few races under your belt if you have not done any racing before.
Don't worry about maps of the race courses. They are not technical and you can pre ride them when your there. If you can get there Thrursday here is what I would reccomend.
Arrive Thursday and pre ride the XC course...SLOW! Maybe a few 1 minute hard efforts. Other then that zone 1-2 the entire ride.
Friday: Short track race. Make sure to have a big warm up so your ready to go balls out for 25 minutes. Do not bother carrying water.
Saturday: 1 hour recoverey ride, zone 1 and below. I usually go on the bike path next to the ocean and do a nice easy spin for 1 hour.
Sunday: XC race day! Race...then pig out at In & Out burger on the drive home
Hope that helps

 

[Zen_Turtle]

... any suggestions?

I would reccomend doing a couple of other races before SO. SO is a huge rage and it would be good to have a few races under your belt if you have not done any racing before.

I had that same idea, but then couldn't find anything close enough or with the right schedule for me...
For now I just want to make it to the end, find out if I like racing or not nd I thought SO would be the right spot to start. (obviously will be racing beginners)
Thanks for your suggestions!
ZT

 

[free-agent]

Where do you live?

I had that same idea, but then couldn't find anything close enough or with the right schedule for me...
For now I just want to make it to the end, find out if I like racing or not nd I thought SO would be the right spot to start. (obviously will be racing beginners)
Thanks for your suggestions!
ZT

Sea Otter was my first race in Sport class, and I had only done a handful of races prior to that. There are a lot of racers compared to standard state races, but Sea Otter was a blast. The course isn't very difficult technically, but save a little energy for the long gravel road climb out.
Talk to your local bike shop about races to do prior to Sea Otter. They should have all the info. you need.

 

[bikerbert]

Pre Sea Otter Races

Check out the "Early Bird Criteriums" in Fremont. They start the 2nd Sunday in January, and I was told they would be a great way to take the edge off the first race I've ever done at Sea Otter.

They are road races, but I think it will be a good way to get familiarized with a bunch start.

Fellow Race Rookie!
Al Painter