Originally Posted by
ericm979
NorCal 55+ fields are also much smaller than 45+. 45+ cat 4 is the largest age/cat group in the district.
It could be that many of the 45+ guys were, like me, into cycling in their 20s. Cycling and racing was very popular in the 80s. Then we quit (I went to motorcycles, they had kids). Now their kids are grown and they are back.
One friend of mine who is a strong 55+ told me that it gets harder as you age up because the guys who aren't winning quit racing. So the field gets comparatively stronger.
I have a couple female friends who are very good masters racers. They have both been racing for at least 30 years. Neither has kids and both have supportive partners who are also racers or serious cyclists.
Eric, you gave me thought. It would feel much better to be thoroughly squashed by someone my age than it does when a comparative youngster does it. Equity would come into play. I expect the kids to beat me. Gals my age? There's the test. They're a TRUE benchmark, something I could really work towards (not that I'd catch them, mind you).