The time passed in an instant.
What remains are many memories, sunburned skin, and scars from a tumble.
Now that I've recovered from the fatigue of my trip to the U.S., I'm clicking away at my keyboard, hoping to share some of that experience with you.
Following my previous venue exploration report, this time I’ll be covering my participation in the Sea Otter Classic race.
Come to think of it, I first learned about the Sea Otter Classic in a magazine about 20 years ago.
I still remember how the very idea of Dual Slalom made my heart race.
Time moved on, and in the year 2018, I found myself racing at over 40 years old.
Life really is unpredictable.
Participating in a race in a foreign land would have been an incredible amount of trouble and effort 20 years ago, but in this golden age of the internet, it’s easy—just follow the guides and click away, and you're done.
The entry fee is easily paid by card, and the whole registration process took about 20 minutes. It was over in a flash.
After a while, you’ll receive a confirmation email and race guidance from the event secretariat.
Again, leave it to Professor Google, and it’s instantly translated into Japanese.
How convenient things have become.
Now, let’s head to the U.S. and make our way to the venue.
It’s best to arrive a few days before the race to recover from jet lag and get your body in top condition.
Once you arrive at the venue, you complete your registration.
To participate in an official U.S. race, you need to register with the USA Cycling association, but you can get a one-day license for just $10.
The entry fee is $75, so it comes to $85 in total.
That might seem a bit expensive, but it includes three days of venue admission, which would normally cost $20 per day, so it’s actually a great deal if you’re racing.
That’s the beauty of a participant-driven event for you.
Now, once you’ve received your race number and the wristband that serves as your admission pass, it’s time to head to practice.
Let me explain a little about the Dual Slalom that I entered.
It’s a tournament-style race where two riders face off, alternating between the red and blue courses, and the one with the lowest total time advances.
Even though it’s a time-based race, you have an opponent right next to you, so you can see every move they make. The tactical maneuvering and pressure make it incredibly heated.
You might think, "If I get matched up against someone super fast, that wouldn't be fun at all!" but don't worry, they have detailed age and class divisions so there's no need to fear that.
I entered the CAT3 category for the 40–49 age bracket.
There were about 20 participants, I believe.
So, I arrived at the course I had admired for so long.
I was just watching from the sidelines last year, but this year I was participating—it was quite nerve-wracking.
I experienced that familiar phenomenon where everyone around me looked incredibly fast, but I couldn't just stand there being intimidated, so I started my practice.
The practice time was two hours.
With so many riders, I wasn't sure how many runs I’d get in.
I decided to just run the red and blue courses as many times as I could, alternating between them.
Trying to keep my excitement from getting the better of me, I focused on getting a feel for the course while making sure not to crash.
As I gradually got used to it, the pure joy of experiencing a course I’d never find in Japan began to well up.
Feeling quite satisfied, I finished practice and prepared for the big day two days later.
The actual race began with the qualifying round.
Since it’s a time-based elimination, I pushed as hard as I could while trying not to fall.
However, during the qualifier, you’re running alongside people of all different ages and classes, so you have no benchmark to tell if you’re actually fast or slow.
That was quite unsettling.
After two runs among a crowd of participants, I waited with bated breath for the results to be posted.
・
・
・
The results were in: I had qualified.
Not only that, but at that point, I had the 3rd fastest time.
"If things go well, I might actually make the podium!"
Yes, the moment I started thinking that, I was already getting carried away.
After a long wait, the first heat of the finals began.
My opponent was the 6th qualifier.
If things went as planned, I should be able to win.
The course was the blue one, which was relatively easy to ride, so I couldn't afford to lose.
The starting call rang out.
The first run, filled with intense nervous energy.
I pulled off the win safely.
Then came the second run.
I only needed a tie to advance.
Despite that, I attacked it aggressively, and as a result, I crashed.
That brought my race to an end.
Still, the experience was incredibly fun; it was such an extraordinary event that I could walk away with a huge smile on my face even after crashing.
My partner for the race was the Hunter Cycles Gopher.
I battled using the Gopher’s agile turning performance, which is a pump track bike.
Looking around, most riders were on full-suspension MTBs, so my hardtail, single-speed Gopher stood out quite a bit.
But for someone of my generation, this is what a Dual Slalom bike looks like.
Its nimble handling, compact size, and a frame that’s both rugged and appropriately compliant—it reminded me once again what a great bike it is.
By the way, we still have the last Gopher in stock at Circles, so if you're interested, please come and check it out.
This has been the Sea Otter Classic race participation report, following my venue exploration report.
I hope I was able to convey a little bit of the tension of the race to you.
The final installment of the [U.S. Tour 2018] will be my exploration of the U.S. West Coast.
As always, my travels are full of "trouble-travel."
It just goes to show you how vast the world really is.
See you next time.
Thank you.