Sea Otter Classic

Written by: Craig Zimmerman

I hadn’t pinned on a number in a bit so I headed to Sea Otter for the 55+ Road Race and Circuit Race. The RR suits me better than the CR but the results were not what I expected.

RR – 55+ is grouped with 40+ and Cat 2. Our group wasn’t deep but there were some fast guys. 5 laps plus a 2.5 mile climb to the finish with a steep final 200 meters. After the first climb I held onto the front group of kids and there were only 5 guys left in my category. Up the climb the 2nd time there were only 3 of us left and one guy was struggling. I thought we’d get rid of him later and it’d be down to two of us. But I was wrong and the 3 of us headed into the final climb to the finish off the front. With 200 meters to go one guy attacked and I was gassed and just couldn’t respond to the moment. The other guy got around me at the finish line for 2nd so I ended up in 3rd. The guy who won had been struggling earlier in the race but put the effort in. I was on the podium but I was hoping to do better based on how well I thought I was climbing.

PostScript – the guy who won founded Zwift and the guy who got 2nd lives next door to Keegan Swenson in AZ in the winter and trains with him.

CR – this race we were also grouped with the college AB group, which are some fast kids. My category was deeper in this race so I wasn’t sure how it would play out as there is a climb but often regroups after the corkscrew. First time up the climb was crazy fast with people attacking left and right. I made the front group and only ONE other 55+ guy was up there, the guy who got 2nd in the RR. I was feeling good and was able to go deeper than normal. Second time up the climb the front group thinned further and I was only surrounded by kids and a couple of 40+ guys. I knew I had the race won if I could hang on 4 more times up the climb. I hung on and won the race by several minutes. I was really happy as I have never won this race before. I like racing with the kids as they are just attacking and hammering all the time!