Porkponey

That was my goal, and I managed to hang in there to the end. Dropped off the very small pack (Cat 4/5 might have been 15 riders total) almost immediately (maybe 1.5 miles in). It wasn't a preperation issue, or a nutrition issue or anything like that. I simply am not anwhere near strong enough to keep up with those guys. I was very surprised by the lack of diversity. Everything I read said cat 5 would be a wide spread of riders, from clydes to lances. I was the only guy out there anywhere near as fat as I am. The rest of them were in significantly better shape than I, regardless of age. It was a truly humbling experience. Nine more to go! It was a blast, even after getting dropped. I have no idea what to do now. I ate about 90lbs of chicken and took a shower. The next ride is next week same time and same outlandishly hilly course (for FL.) I don't have a clue what to do this week to prepare for it. Judging by how I'm feeling, I'll probably just sleep 'til then.

caloso

Way to go. You are a bike racer now and that's a pretty cool thing in my book.

CaptainHaddock

Don't take it that hard. I got crashed out (by some other squirmy cat 5) on my first race, two years ago. When I started riding, I was told "race into shape", and I can't really recommend anything other than simply getting in an equal distance ride in at least once, if not everyday that you can before hand. take the day off before the ride, or a light ride if you're feeling antsy.

kaiserboy

Awesome.....now repeat. Congrats

shovelhd

I would encourage you to end that line of thinking. Right now, your limiter is your fitness. Once you get into shape, your limiter will be skills. The best place to learn about your strengths and weaknesses as a racer is Cat5. Don't be in a rush to get out of the "free pass" category before you actually learn something.

Congrats on pinning on a number. Go get it next week.

rkwaki

Great advice shovel.
Learn as much as you can before moving up. The skills and experience you gain now will pay dividends in the future.

rbart4506

Good job!

Now get out there and ride\train and do it again...Eventually you get the hang of this thing (or at least I hope that's the case)...

Porkponey

I actually had a question regarding this. I don't want out of cat 5 that early, but it is nice to see some progress towards some sort of goal. The question is: What is a reasonable goal to set for myself while I'm in cat 5? Second to last? Middle of the pack? Podium? How good should I really expect to be before I move forward?

merlinextraligh

+1.

While just starting your first race you learn a lot. Until you're at the point where you're hanging with the pack for a least a good portion of the race, you're not going to be learning much more, or developing pack skills.

When you get to the point that you're finishing with the pack, and have done that multiple times, then it will be time to start considering an upgrade.

And congrats for getting out there. DFL beats DNS by a ton.

shovelhd

Read botto's sticky.

If I were coaching you, I'd set these goals before moving out of Cat5.

Finish. You need 10 of these.
Finish in the field.
Get comfortable moving from front to back in a pack without using the sides.
Take some contact in the pack.
Get in a break, do your work, learn to paceline under stress. I realize that breaks that last are rare in Cat5. Who cares. Go until they catch you.
Roll off the front in a seated attack and try and start a break. See above.
Attack solo and see how long you can last. See above.
Get to the front before a climb and try and stay in the front. Circuit races are good for this. Find out how you respond to attacks on grades.
Work on your cornering for criteriums. Try and see if you can out-corner the pack. Don't do this without practicing first on your own. Know your pedal strike angle.
Finish top 10.

I always like to see a rider win in their current category before moving up, but a win in Cat5 is like getting a gold star in kindergarden. Winning is great at every level, so if you want to make this a goal, go ahead.

With only ten finishes, many of these goals will be unattainable unless you really check your ego and try. I realize that most riders aren't willing to do that. Like I said before, you only get to race in the free pass league once.

I strongly believe that if every Cat5 spent more time trying to learn about what kind of rider they are, rather than getting out of Cat5 ASAP, that Cat4 would be a much safer place.

merlinextraligh

there are really 2 components: 1) fitness, 2) pack skills.

From a fitness point of view, you should be finishing with the main group, and in a position to contest the finish. Otherwise, there's not a lot of reason to move up in category and just get shelled. I don't think you need to win or finish on the podium however. There will always be guys coming through Cat 5 that are on there way quickly to the 2's. YOu may not beat these guys, and still be ready to be a 4.

From a pack skills point of view you need to be to the point that you're comfortable riding in a tight group at pace, without doing anything stupid. After you've finished several tight field sprints, and are comfortable with that, you should be ok.

Porkponey

I can't thank you guys enough for the advice. To give a touch of insight, I do some group riding. I'm comfortable in a pace line. For the bit of ride that I was able to stay with the pack, I moved between middle and back. At one point I got caught outside, but quickly found a hole to slip in to the back half (not off the back though.) I can't imagine the stresses of trying to sprint in that group, however.

It did seem like there were some odd decisions from the rest of the pack though. I don't know if it was a tactics issue where they were trying to push me off the back or what (probably was.) There was some moving without paying any attention, some random direction changes. It didn't spook me, but I did find it odd. I like pace lines and groups for the sake of saving energy, but when everyone in a 15 man group is just moving oddly and randomly, there's no real way to catch a wheel. Maybe that's the whole idea. I have a lot to learn.

shovelhd

No, they're just sketchy, and the lower category fields are sketchiest at the back. That's one of many reasons why I suggest that you make riding at the front a goal. You won't be able to meet some of the other goals I laid out without doing that first.

Riding in a fast rotation in a break when your tongue is dragging, your heart is racing, and every inch of draft means the difference between maintaining contact and blowing up, is completely different than riding a paceline on your average group ride. It takes a lot more concentration under stress, not to mention the mental fortitude.

Good luck, enjoy your next race, and ride safe.

AzTallRider

Adding to what Shovel is saying, it is also much easier to stay attached to the group near the front. "Tailgunning" takes a lot of practice/skill. Up front it is smoother, and generally less crowded feeling. The place everyone craves is third in line: you get a good draft, you know what is happening, you can jump on a break, etc. Especially if you are a bit over your head fitness-wise, being at the back invariably leads to being OFF the back.

Another big difference between a group ride paceline and a race pack is having people on both sides of you while you are all working hard (and cornering). The proximity to your bars takes some getting used to. A lot of the sketchiness you saw was people making space for themselves. As they get more experience, they'll become okay with the space, and stop doing that.

Porkponey

I think riding in a larger peleton would help me to understand this better. The group was so small that you had 4 or 5 riders across the front of it, and a handful more behind. It was so disorganized that up front meant wind in your face and anything behind that was almost the back. I need to get strong enough to get to the front and actually hold group pacing in the wind. I think I understand what you guys are saying. I just really hope next week's group is larger.

RB1-luvr

I love seeing these "I finished my first race!" threads... they make me remember my first races in the mid 80s. it's a great feeling. Congrats! and keep it up.

Hida Yanra

You were brave enough to go do something that is both daunting and difficult.
This makes you awesome

Keep after it, everything will get better in time.
Keep your head up! (in the lower categories, literally

Creakyknees

Um, no. Get a plan, or make your own, for both weight loss and fitness. Stick to it. Do NOT "taper" for these races; they are the best kind of training you can get.

Racer Ex 

Easter Bunny
Tactics in a Cat 5 race.
Santa Claus

Congrats on finishing!

caloso

Get some riding in this week, and cut down to 45lbs of chicken.

ericm979

When you have more race experience the movements of riders in the pack won't seem so random.

The other riders wern't conspiring to get rid of you. That's way too advanced for cat 5.

Porkponey

I really do appreciate the responses. The advice is very valuable, and having someone who's gone before me to tell me what to do and what not to do is fantastic.

I decided to try a recovery ride today. Went well. Outlandishly slow pace (13.5mph) and still managed to place 4th of 25 on a causeway climb according to strava. Went 6 miles to visit a buddy at work and came 6 miles back home. A lot of the cramps and aches that were in my legs this morning have gone away. I'll eat something good tonight (if I can figure out what "something good" is) and try and get some good rest. I'm going to stay off the bike tomorrow and try and hit the pool for some gleeful frolicking.

CaptainHaddock

Hah, that's about it!

wanders

Thank goodness my 10 year doesn't visit BF. She would be crushed to learn that tactics in a Cat 5 race don't exist.

Hermes

ShovelHD and others provided some great advice. I would add that enrolling in a skills clinic ASAP put on by an approved instructor in your district will be very beneficial. Why learn by trial and error? Learn the proper technique in controlled conditions and then apply the skills in competitive race situations.

It is classic advice to tell new racers to be near or at the front. Let's assume 50 Cat 5s get that same advice and everyone tried to be on the front. It is not going to happen. What does happen is that racers protect their position and the wheel that they are on and try to improve position and find a better wheel. Generally, you can go to the front and do work but do not assume that after you take your pull that another racer will open a gap and let you in. I have seen racers fight and yell at each other over the right to ride on someones wheel. Protecting positions and wheels can lead to sketchy riding although I would argue it is what Cat 5s are told to do.

There is a skill in taking a wheel and it is not an aggressive move but an assertive one. Again a learned technique better done in a practice session with an instructor.

As you enter more races, you will learn who are the strong competitors and good wheels and if you have good skills and are a good wheel to follow, racers will want to be on YOUR wheel. That is when, staying at the front becomes easier and racers will let you in. Moving around the pack becomes easier and you can watch as the race unfolds to see how it is setting up to fit your competitive advantage.

As you enter races, look at the registered riders list and try to figure out who are the strong riders and during the race mark them and observe if they are good wheels to follow. Remember, if you are on a BAD wheel and there is an acceleration that he cannot match, YOU are gapped and maybe OTB along with the BAD wheel both trying to get back on. The other classic piece of advice is do not get behind a slow wheel.

Racing just takes time to learn the competition and skills. IMO, power and endurance are easier to accomplish.

Who would not want to be on Racer Ex's wheel?