How can I race cat 3/4?

Racing
357

I completely understand about the race organizer perspective, as our club organizes races. It’s rather frustrating as an organizer to see so many people wait and wait and wait… and you are totally right about having limited time for the course. It’s easier with a road race to add a few more fields, but crits are impossible. And I think we’re focused a lot on the male experience–it’s even worse for women. Most crits around here for men will combine 4/novice and sometimes even have a separate race for 35+ 4/novice, but the women’s fields are one 3/4/novice race and one 1/2/3 race. So talking about a novice woman coming out… they have no choice but to race with the 3s. Even if they’re picked separately, the way the race plays out is all together. It’s not ideal. The refs will frequently reinsert the dropped riders to try to get them experience, but it’s still not fun to get dropped like a hot potato again and again and again. (I’ve been there.)

So yes, I agree with what you’re saying. I don’t think I have a solution for adding another women’s field at the crits unless we can grow the number of women drastically so that there will be enough women to make it worthwhile for the promoter (and yes, I’m cringing as I write that… but remember that I’m on both sides!). So I’m trying to figure out how we can grow and retain.

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358

Leadville at Twin Lakes is pretty damn cool. Huge crowd and great vibe regardless of your position.

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359

This thread is the fishing expedition I’ve been waiting for all year!

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360

In reading your post, I couldn’t help but think of my first road race, which was actually the second road race I signed up for, because my first road race didn’t happen because my bike got stolen the night before the race!

So heading into my first road race I was clearly on a new bike. I was still fairly new to cycling, and didn’t realize that my aero seat post required carbon paste to help hold it in place. Well in the days leading up to the race, I was fiddling around with the height of my seat post. On race day I show up, and basically ride the first lap in the back as I was kind of freaked out by the group dynamic.

Halfway through the second lap I started to feel a little bit more comfortable and started moving my way up a little bit, when the next thing I know, my seat post fell all the way into the frame. Instantly I freaked out and the next thing I know I am off the back. At this point in time, my knees are basically hitting my elbows, and I might as well be riding a 10 year old’s huffy bike. My quads are so ridiculously pumped, and I try desperately to catch back on to the back for the next 2 laps, with no luck.

Eventually I lose sight of the entire field. It’s over 90 degrees with no clouds in the sky. I’ve drank both of my bottles, I have no gels left, and I am riding cross-eyed. I keep rolling down a hill, and eventually realize that this looks nothing like the rest of the course. Needless to say, I missed a turn and was 5 miles of course, and of course the way back was mostly uphill. Ultimately I finished the race in dead last, but I finished.

I mention this story, because like you, I was so frustrated and angry after that race. I swore I was never going to race again, but after a few weeks I picked myself back up and decided to give it another shot. I went out to a practice crit a few times so I could get comfortable riding in a pack.

Fast forward to the next time I started an official race, and I ended up on the podium. I still have some boneheaded moments (like how the day after podiuming, I rode an entire crit with severe chain rub in my 36x11 because my shifting went into crash safety mode), but it gets better!

Don’t let this first experience completely turn you off to the possibility of racing. Hopefully you can find some training crits in your area, that will allow you to practice your skills in a competitive but low stacks situation!

Good luck!

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361

A lot of great comments.

But please don’t equate marathons and tri’s to fondos. Lol. The vibe may be the same but there is no racing involved. I haven’t done a fondo but I did an MS150 ride. If it’s anything similar, it’s a glorified long group ride. There are no standings, no fondo world championships to qualify for or a Boston. I barely have to train for one just to even finish it.

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362

I beg to differ

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364

And here is the US version, that also includes the events that act as qualifiers for the UCI WGF events.

Point being, like so many things in this area, all gran fondos are not created equal.

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365

This is patently false and just goes to show even more you have nearly 0 idea what you’re talking about.

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366

Judging by the times at the back end of marathons and plenty of triathlons a lot of people don’t train much for these either. Let’s face it, anyone half fit can finish these even if walk the whole way.

The attitude for 95% of the field in a marathon/running race/ triathlon is identical to that on a grand Fondo, go out, finish, get best time they can. A bike race however, nobody gives a damm how long you take, whether you got a PB, if you finished…it’s a race between people (rather than the clock), did you win, did you podium, did you get dropped etc.
The attitude is different. When I’m in a running race I want people around me to do well, we may support each other since both after a good time or a PB…in a bike race I want them to suffer and drop out or get a mechanical or quit or whatever!

I appreciate this may be different for top (say) 10 people in the marathon/Tri but not for most of the field. In a bike race everyone has same attitude

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367

This entire thread in a nutshell: I have never actually done a fondo but let me tell you what they are like…

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368

I mean…you are not totally wrong…
But i have done plenty of marathons… and I can tell you… not everyone can finish one…
have you try WALK 26 miles? at a brisk walk of say 18 mpm, that will take someone 7.8 hrs…
Try be on your feet for almost 8 hours… most people have trouble walking non stop for 3 to 4 hours…
Most marathons have a time limit…around 6 hours…

Triathlons… well, if you can swim, have a bike and can at least walk…
As long as the cutoff is hours and the course is short…
Most people cant even swim 400 yards…

In any case… “training much” is relative… but most people doing endurance events train plenty more than the average…

369

To be more exact - I’ve never done X, but let me tell you what it’s like. I’ve done Y once, and it was all wrong - let me tell you what it should have been like.

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370

Yeah, and? :smile:

371

There are events in the UK called moonwalks which is exactly that…a marathon which people (mainly ladies) walk through the night (starting at midnight) l…usually in their bras for charity! My wife and he friends did one a couple of years back…and yep took them about 8 hours!

372

Dont get me wrong… I still have mental issue swimming 400 yards!

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373

They were probably drain and their feet were killing them after!

Telling you man… is not easy finishing 26 miles… no matter the speed…

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374

If only my swimming issues were only mental.

375

HA!

who said my ONLY issues are mental?
they are mental because how terrible I am…

In any case…back to the Original post…

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376

There is still something to add to that?

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377

No different than most of you never having done a triathlon and talking about it.

You guys see a 500 person race where 495 of them had fun and defend it because you’re in the 495 that can have fun. I see 1500 people who didn’t come because they will not enjoy it.

I’ve done run races - loved them.
Tri’s - loved them
Spartan races and mud runs - loved them
Tennis tournaments - loved them

But a bike race - didn’t love it. And I am telling you that there is something wrong with that and some of you guys are saying don’t even show up. We don’t want your ilk around here!