Should I race or not try ?

JTE83 said:

There is a race in the suburbs of Chicago, and for the Masters 30+ 40+ Cat 4/5 category the top prize is $2500 ! So I would train for racing just to win that prize. If I stay unemployed till that time I'll definitely have time to train, but truthfully I suck at racing.

My first 2 races were the Mens Citizens Open Race at the Downer Grove National Crterium course. Tough course. 1st race - was pulled out but I did crash into the 2nd corner of my 2nd lap. 2nd race a year later - ended up in last place, maybe because I didn't draft and was scared of crashing my $3818 Kestrel Talon. I admit, I don't have much experience drafting or cornering in a pack, so that's why I avoided staying in the pack for my 2nd race.

Well, what can I expect as my competition for a Masters 30+ 40+ Cat 4/5 category race? What's the avg speed for this type of race? Any of you in this category and how many miles do you train per week? How fast are you?

Also, I don't even have a racing license and don't know how to get one or how much it costs.

I do have the best equipment for racing, but it's just me that sucks. I guess I'd have to train 5000 miles just to be competitive and I don't have the motivation to train that much.

I probably also can't afford the medical bill for a broken bone. Anyone know how much it costs for a broken arm or leg or whatever?

Don't race if you don't have the desire to race. No one can tell you what you should do.

What does a broken bone cost? Depends: anywhere from nothing to 20,30...$50,000. Depends on how bad you get busted up. If you're worried about crashing and getting hurt, then maybe racing isn't the right thing for you. You might be better off getting in group rides, fast ones, and gaining some experience there. After doing group rides for a while, reconsider whether you want to take the next step and race.

As for the $2500, do you have the will to push yourself beyond your limits, to corner faster, at greater lean angles than you're normally comfortable with?

I'd set more achievable goals before going for the $2500 prize.

alienator said:

Don't race if you don't have the desire to race. No one can tell you what you should do.

What does a broken bone cost? Depends: anywhere from nothing to 20,30...$50,000. Depends on how bad you get busted up. If you're worried about crashing and getting hurt, then maybe racing isn't the right thing for you. You might be better off getting in group rides, fast ones, and gaining some experience there. After doing group rides for a while, reconsider whether you want to take the next step and race.

As for the $2500, do you have the will to push yourself beyond your limits, to corner faster, at greater lean angles than you're normally comfortable with?

I'd set more achievable goals before going for the $2500 prize.

Very well said

And also alienator, i see that your id says that you live in tuscon. I go down there during the spring and do tons of hiking down there. (can't bring my bike on the plane) Have you ever been to Wabeno Canyon? Or been down south to Green Valley, to Mt. Wrightston?

Bikelyst said:

And also alienator, i see that your id says that you live in tuscon. I go down there during the spring and do tons of hiking down there. (can't bring my bike on the plane) Have you ever been to Wabeno Canyon? Or been down south to Green Valley, to Mt. Wrightston?

I think you mean Sabino Canyon. Sabino Canyon is a very popular place, although the monsoons this past summer took out a lot of trails and bridges there.

The Santa Rita Mtns, near Green Valley, are nice in general. They're much greener than the Catalinas, Rincons, and Tucson Mtns. surrounding the city. There's a reserve or summat in the Santa Ritas that's supposed to have more varieties of birds than any other place in the US....or so it's said.

Yup, we cannot tell you whether you should race or not. But from your post, it sounds like you are in no condition to race... too many doubts.

FWIW, I do not race. I have neither the time to get in the shape it would require, nor the interest in blazing through corners elbowing other riders for the glory of winning a prosciutto at the finish line... 🙄

I love riding my bikes, have my own taste in what I like to ride, and occasionally try to hang off the back of a fast group that whooshes by me on one of my very few 'feeling good' riding days.

And do get some kind of medical insurance, even if you do not race!

Yes, some confidence can be gained from riding with groups.

As for racing, why don't you start with some local club races. They may feel safer than the bigger races you are looking at.

JTE83 said:

Well, what can I expect as my competition for a Masters 30+ 40+ Cat 4/5 category race?

If the prize is truly $2500 (which honestly seems too incredible to believe), you should expect a lot of fast competition. Masters 30+ could litterally be any former Cat 1/Pro who is 30 years or older, and believe that people will travel for $2500. Which race is it?

Consider that the Tour of California winner from last year received a giant cardboard check for a whopping $15,000 and that attracted entire pro teams from everywhere. Don't expect some Cat 4/5 racer to be walking away from that race with $2500. There just isn't that much money in amateur bike racing.

This is the race -

http://www.tourofelkgrove.com/eventschedule.html

Floyd Landis was supposed to race this race last year after the TDF.

If I'm gonna be racing this race I do expect tough competition. And I'm not gifted for speed. So I guess it would be futile but isn't $2500 a big prize!

JTE83 said:

I'm not gifted for speed. So I guess it would be futile but isn't $2500 a big prize!

Dude, if you're that hard up for $2500, sell your Kestrel for $2700, & buy a refurbed Schwinn with the extra $200. Then use *that* bike to train for next year

...and the next year

...and the next

...so that eventually you not only are (maybe) gifted for speed, but also are on a bike that you aren't afraid to go fast on when surrrounded by a pack of equally desperate new racers hungry for 2.5 biggies.

Bob Ross said:

Dude, if you're that hard up for $2500, sell your Kestrel for $2700, & buy a refurbed Schwinn with the extra $200. Then use *that* bike to train for next year

...and the next year

...and the next

...so that eventually you not only are (maybe) gifted for speed, but also are on a bike that you aren't afraid to go fast on when surrrounded by a pack of equally desperate new racers hungry for 2.5 biggies.

Exactly. Newbie races, whether they're in cycling, motorcycling, or car racing, are generally crash fests compared to races with more experienced racers. When jumping into racing of any sort, it's always best to jump in with equipment that is cheap to fix and not so expensive that if it ends up wadded up you're screwed emotionally and/or financially.

JTE83 said:

This is the race -

tourofelkgrove.comeventschedule.htmlOpen ↗

Floyd Landis was supposed to race this race last year after the TDF.

If I'm gonna be racing this race I do expect tough competition. And I'm not gifted for speed. So I guess it would be futile but isn't $2500 a big prize!

Yes, that's a really big prize. By the looks of that site, I'd say $2500 is the total payout for that race, probably paid 10+ places deep. Still, winner probably gets $1000.

Personally I'd say you are wasting your time if all you are going to do is train solo for 5000 miles then expect to kick ass in the race.

The way to being a strong racer is apart from a sensible and tailored training program, is to race lots. As you've already noted cornering in this type of racing is a challenge to you, miles out on the road isn't going to address this, nor is even solo speed training on an actual crit circuit, you need to be in a fast bunch bumping around.

Racing quite often doesn't have the strongest rider on any given day taking the $$, luck plays a part, especially in crit racing, as does smarts. Unfortunately going out and beating yourself into the ground doing long miles, isn't really going to do much for your crit racing ability, nor smarts/tactics.

You'll also probably find a race like this will attract a strong field, possibly including teams from local clubs and the like. Again a smart well controlled team, will beat Joe Individual into the ground more often than not.

--brett

JTE83 said:

This is the race -

tourofelkgrove.comeventschedule.htmlOpen ↗

Floyd Landis was supposed to race this race last year after the TDF.

If I'm gonna be racing this race I do expect tough competition. And I'm not gifted for speed. So I guess it would be futile but isn't $2500 a big prize!

My friend, if your approach is, I will train hard and win my first race and my motivation is the 2.5k in prize money, forget it. You are preparing yourself for a big disappointment.

And from what I understand, this race prize money will also attract a rather competitive field...

Also remember, cat 5 racers aren't the most experienced in riding in a crowded, competitive peloton. They crash a lot. Not a good place for an expensive bike, especially if you don't have the money to replace it. And not a good idea if you don't have health care coverage. Cranial injuries are very expensive. You could lose your bike in a crash, and lose everything else from the medical bills.

I agree with the others - one races because they have confidence in themself, and the curiosity to see how they will do against equally confident people. If you go into it for money alone, you will be bested by the people who enter because they have passion for competition. Cycle racing is not a lottery. It is an athletic competition. May the most dedicated rider win.