When Life Gives You Lemons...

Teetering up Snake Alley at the 2011 Master's 30+ Criterium.

MAKE CAT 1 LEMONADE?

Ok, I guess I am still  sour  about my experience at the Melon City Criterium Pro, 1,2 race, and having trouble making lemonade out of the situation.  Going from a 18 lap Cat 3 event last year to a 40 lap Cat 1,2 event this year was quite simply too big of a jump for me.  Basically, Cat 2 racers in the midwest rarely get a chance to race against competitors at their skill/experience level, rather have to line up against well accomplished Cat 1's.  They added a Women's Cat 2/3 category this year... ok, what about adding a Cat 2 event.  It would match the size of the Men's Cat 3 field. 

I raced against Cat 2's in Arizona, and I felt very comfortable.  Sort out all the Cat 2's from the results at the Melon City Crit, and I bet I would have placed fairly well.  About 60% of the field are Cat 1's, however. Only 64 racers ended up on the results... it is almost as if the race never happened for about half the field.  Of the 119 that started, about 46 finished... come on, that should raise an eyebrow or two. The Cat 1,2 event at Snake Alley is also troubling to me... Only about 30 people usually end up finishing.


Why is this still bothering me?  Because I feel that I am in good shape for a Cat 2, but if I have to compare myself to the Cat 1's that traveled to Muscatine Sunday, then I am left feeling a bit lacking.

Someone asked me why American Equity didn't place the Memorial Day Weekend events as one of their biggest racing goals of the year.  I can't speak for the others, but for me, it just seems like the races are really Cat 1 events, that merely allow Cat 2's to tag along for the ride.  Guys don't travel from all over the country that don't feel they are in contention, so I would suggest that these Cat 1's are some of the "best of the best". Hardly a situation that I would want to go into with high expectations.  I think the sport has grown enough that there are enough Cat 2's to support seperate races like they do in the Southwest...

ALL I AM SAYING... IS GIVE CAT TWO'S A CHANCE.

I had a great weekend, and proud that I lined up on Sunday.  It was cool to be at the start line with 119 accomplished racers, including some really noteworthy call-ups.  At this point, I am going to have to quite simply race/train at the Cat 1 level if I want to avoid becoming dissappointed with my results. I am not sure this is a realistic or practical ambition given my other obligations/responsibilities but, I suppose the lemonade is that I will hope to push myself harder, knowing that racing against Cat 1's is the current reality.