Sea Otter Classic and My Condition

Well, it's that time of year and the annual Sea Otter Classic started today. It's held annually at Laguna Seca Park in Seaside California...It is one of the worlds largest mountain bike festival weekends and a major National Qualifier. They anticipate up to 10,000 entrants...THATS RIGHT NOT MIS-SPELLED..10,000...ENTRANTS, and up to 50,000 spectators...I'm told that most classes can and do have over 100 entrants per age group...after the start you race 1/2 way around the road car course to the backside then climb on a fire road to the top of a hill where it flattens out then dives into a single track and continues on for 20 miles amounting to 6850 elevation total...but they say it is amazing to be among the large group diving into the single track...at that point it behooves you to have sharp elbows, it gets VERY aggressive....there are a couple of the MASS racers coming out so I am VERY excited about seeing folks from back home...I saw pictures (I believe from last year) of Jerimiah Bishop out here, that would be cool to see him again....all classes except Pros do one lap...Pros do 2 laps 38-39 miles for the big guys....

Now my doctor story...I had a very unusal heart beat at my last race 2 weekends ago...after the first lap I didn't want to risk it so I DNF'd (for the first time) and went over to the Paramedics...they took my BP and it was 170 over 168...time to get the nitro and take it easy...watch the rest of my race from the sidelines and my BP got down to a more respectable 120 over 70...then I rested all last week, went to San Diego for the weekend...did a small easy 10 mile ride Monday, doctors appointment Tuesday, small easy 10 miler that night...feeling okay, then Wednesday a Cardiac Computed Tomography Angiogram...today the doctor called and it is all good...no calcium build up, all major arteries are clear and strong...told me it was probablly related to my intense schedule that week and just as happened to Ted, not enough hydration...he said I could resume my riding just "rachet" the "training" down a bit...so no more 6-7 days a week and only one hill burn climb a week...Since I've been out here in Cal. have nothing much to do in my spare time but ride, so my obsessive compulsive personality just takes over and watch out...So hopefully I'm not "too" rested for Sea Otter...heading there tomorrow do a little riding around, see the folks from back east, and watch the Beginners take off at 3pm...do some shopping too!!!
I'll let ya all know how my race goes later this weekend.

Thanks to my new team for sending out a jersey to wear for the race and "represent"...GO BIKE LINE!!!
Ed
"Old Guys Rule"