As I sit here post Claremore race I started to second guess my choice to ask to be moved up to Cat 1 for racing MTB.
When I got my USA Cycling licence I was automatically assigned an MTB race category of 3 (Beginner) which is standard practice for someone with no racing experience. You then have the option to request a change of category. Thanks to Arctic MTB (Alaska doesn't use the USA Cycling licence) I was able to look back at all my MTB series results and see where I had finished each series I had done.
Arctic MTB and Cross season results
In Alaska I had been a steadily improving my Open season racing from back of the field to mid pack racer.
Looking at my lap times at some of the 2017 races. I was putting in lap times around the same as the top of Sport (some of the racers were definitely sandbagging) for MTB but we then raced another lap, that is the same for racing here. I was within around 17% of the winners of the Open category at the races there.
Decisions decisions...
After I raced the 419 event, I looked at my results and my results in Anchorage and I made the choice to try and race Cat 1 which is the equivalent to open/expert in Anchorage. I put my request in to get moved up to Cat 1, and it was granted.
Roll on the first race and I got cheesed (like creamed but it lasts for longer) I finished in last place which I was a little bit disheartened about. I did't expect to win or even podium however I thought I may be a little closer to the action. Race two was at Claremore this last weekend and again I finished last, though I did have a mechanical, even without that I would have still be last albeit closer to the guys in front.
Taking a closer look
Diving in a little deeper to my results here. At the Sooner Stampede I was around 13% behind the winner. At Claremore it was around 23% though if you take out my stopped time for a mechanical that drops to 19% of the leaders times, so very similar to Anchorage. The big thing is that in Anchorage I was mid pack, here Cat 1 is divided into age groups so there are fewer people in my age group compared to what I have been used to.
Strava stalking some the other racers allows me to see that they are doing double the miles/time on the bike per week compared to me.
I will add that doubling my training time is not going to happen. however I am starting to feel stronger and some of my speed appears to be coming back. I guess "training" does work, who would have thunk it!
Anyway that is all from me, watch this space all!
The bottom line
Bottom line is I need to get faster, that way I will at least feel like I am racing with the field not just riding my own individual time trial.Strava stalking some the other racers allows me to see that they are doing double the miles/time on the bike per week compared to me.
I will add that doubling my training time is not going to happen. however I am starting to feel stronger and some of my speed appears to be coming back. I guess "training" does work, who would have thunk it!
Anyway that is all from me, watch this space all!
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