Newbie Racer Question

Michael said:

Our local paper advertised a race that started the day with a "beginners" race, categories 4
and 5. I thought it would be an experience riding the 35 miles on a .8 mile pretty flat
criterium course.

But my friends, those guys left me in the dust in a very short period of time. Not one of them
looked like a beginner to me.

What is the criteria for a category 4 or 5, and what kind of race do I look for where I have a
chance of keeping up?

Thanks,

Michael

Unless they place 5's/citizens separately, I wouldn't call it a beginners' race. A lot of 4's are
animals and 3's in drag, particularly by this time in the season.

"> Our local paper advertised a race that started the day

Quoted message said:

with a "beginners" race, categories 4 and 5. I thought it would be an experience riding the 35
miles on a .8 mile pretty flat criterium course.

Sounds like a crit race. I have never heard of a 35 mile cat. 4/5 crit race though, at least not
around here (NorCal).

In fact, the ONLY crits > 1 hr. in duration here are Pro/1/2 crits.

You sure it was a 35-mile crit race?

Quoted message said:

But my friends, those guys left me in the dust in a very short period of time. Not one of them
looked like a beginner to me.

You need to train and practice.

Quoted message said:

What is the criteria for a category 4 or 5, and what kind of race do I look for where I have a
chance of keeping up?

Some Cat. 4's are major sandbaggers, especially in flat crits and are babies about upgrading
to cat. III.

If you've won >= 3 crits in one year as a cat. 4 then it's time to upgrade.

-Ken

Michael said:

Our local paper advertised a race that started the day with a "beginners" race, categories 4
and 5. I thought it would be an experience riding the 35 miles on a .8 mile pretty flat
criterium course.

But my friends, those guys left me in the dust in a very short period of time. Not one of them
looked like a beginner to me.

What is the criteria for a category 4 or 5, and what kind of race do I look for where I have a
chance of keeping up?

Thanks,

Michael

Sounds like me. There's "in shape," "in great shape" and then there's "in race shape." I'm "in
great shape."

I can motor like hell on a self-paced ride - 24mph. It's easy to be strong when you're setting the
pace and picking the spots and the recoveries. But when I'm in a race, the first time someone
attacks, I'm done. We have weekly training crits here and I'm trying to get to some more of them,
but various things crop up, most lately a bad ankle sprain. Turning 40 next month, I'm not serious
enough to go out and do my own speed work. A $7 entry fee for the training races is the way I've
chosen to increase my ruggedness.

--
--
Lynn Wallace xmission.com~lawallOpen ↗ "I'm not proud. We really haven't done everything we
could to protect our customers. Our products just aren't engineered for security." --Microsoft VP in
charge of Windows OS Development, Brian Valentine.

"Raptor" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Michael said:

Our local paper advertised a race that started the day with a "beginners" race, categories 4 and
5. I thought it would be an experience riding the 35 miles on a .8 mile pretty flat criterium
course.

But my friends, those guys left me in the dust in a very short period of time. Not one of them
looked like a beginner to me.

What is the criteria for a category 4 or 5, and what kind of race do I look for where I have a
chance of keeping up?

Thanks,

Michael

Sounds like me. There's "in shape," "in great shape" and then there's "in race shape." I'm "in
great shape."

I can motor like hell on a self-paced ride - 24mph. It's easy to be strong when you're setting the
pace and picking the spots and the recoveries. But when I'm in a race, the first time someone
attacks, I'm done. We have weekly training crits here and I'm trying to get to some more of them,
but various things crop up, most lately a bad ankle sprain. Turning 40 next month, I'm not serious
enough to go out and do my own speed work. A $7 entry fee for the training races is the way I've
chosen to increase my ruggedness.

That's a fairly negative attitude. Turning 40 is not an excuse for anything except to get in the
best shape of your life, I did it at 40, 50 and 60.

I work hard at it and expect to continue to get better for many more years to come.

Come on guy, get your [censored] together! <g>

Dashii

Quoted message said:

--
--
Lynn Wallace xmission.com~lawallOpen ↗ "I'm not proud. We really haven't done everything we
could to protect our customers. Our products just aren't engineered for security." --Microsoft VP
in charge of Windows OS Development, Brian Valentine.

Dashi Toshii said:

"Raptor" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Michael said:

Our local paper advertised a race that started the day with a "beginners" race, categories 4 and
5. I thought it would be an experience riding the 35 miles on a .8 mile pretty flat criterium
course.

But my friends, those guys left me in the dust in a very short period of time. Not one of them
looked like a beginner to me.

What is the criteria for a category 4 or 5, and what kind of race do I look for where I have a
chance of keeping up?

Thanks,

Michael

Sounds like me. There's "in shape," "in great shape" and then there's "in race shape." I'm "in
great shape."

I can motor like hell on a self-paced ride - 24mph. It's easy to be strong when you're setting the
pace and picking the spots and the recoveries. But when I'm in a race, the first time someone
attacks, I'm done. We have weekly training crits here and I'm trying to get to some more of them,
but various things crop up, most lately a bad ankle sprain. Turning 40 next month, I'm not serious
enough to go out and do my own speed work. A $7 entry fee for the training races is the way I've
chosen to increase my ruggedness.

That's a fairly negative attitude. Turning 40 is not an excuse for anything except to get in the
best shape of your life, I did it at 40, 50 and 60.

I work hard at it and expect to continue to get better for many more years to come.

Come on guy, get your [censored] together! <g>

Dashii

Hey, I'm competing against 20 year olds. I'll take what I can get.

My current condition (until this week) was comparable, age-corrected, with my young condition. I was
working way too hard when I was a "kid" to try to match it now, anyway. I like hard work, but that
just wasn't fun, which is why I quit.

--
--
Lynn Wallace xmission.com~lawallOpen ↗ "I'm not proud. We really haven't done everything we
could to protect our customers. Our products just aren't engineered for security." --Microsoft VP in
charge of Windows OS Development, Brian Valentine.

Michael said:

Our local paper advertised a race that started the day with a "beginners" race, categories 4
and 5. I thought it would be an experience riding the 35 miles on a .8 mile pretty flat
criterium course.

But my friends, those guys left me in the dust in a very short period of time. Not one of them
looked like a beginner to me.

They wont be beginners! Here in the UK we have Cats 1 to 4, and vets. The 3/4 and vets are usually
grouped together for their races, and there is no way I could keep up with them when I started
racing.It took me 6 races just to stay with the bunch.(the races I do are on a closed motor-racing
circuit.If you get dropped, you just take it easy until the pack comes round to lap you, then you
tag on the back again). I was talking to a regular, and he said a lot of the Cat 3/4 dont want to
get upgraded to Cat 2, so they may be leading the race all the way, then pull back in the last
500metres, just so they dont finish in the top 5 to get the 'dreaded' racing points.The Cat 1/2 race
is held 2 days later on the same course, and the average speeds of the 3/4 race is regularly
higher,but other factors do come in to it, the 1/2 race only has about 30 riders, whereas the 3/4
has up to 80. Keep entering, and you'll get better - there is no better training than racing! Alan.

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