Okay, this entire category thing has me confused as hell. It was so much simpler 20 years ago when I was a junior and all I had to do was race my junior race and think about racing the junior race up or the mens category. Now, I am looking to register for races this year and I am seeing Masters 30+/40+ (No Cat 5's), and Masters 35+ (No Cat 5's) for the races in my area.

So, what does a Master 35+ cat 5 do to get a race? I am 35 now and will be turning 36 in September. Does this mean that I have to race with the regular Cat 5 race at these races even though I am 35? I don't think it will be that hard for me to keep up with them, but I just want to know how to register for these races without looking like a moron on race day.

Assuming that I have to race with all the other Cat 5's from age 18 to 99, my next question is why do they not allow Cat 5's in the other Masters categories? Is it because they want to group all the inexperienced Cat 5's together so that all the squirelly people, regardless of age, are in the same race?

What is the difference between Masters 30+, Masters 35+, and Masters 40+? I always thought it was just Masters 30+ and Masters 40+. Is there really a Masters 35+ category?

Okay, this entire category thing has me confused as hell. It was so much simpler 20 years ago when I was a junior and all I had to do was race my junior race and think about racing the junior race up or the mens category. Now, I am looking to register for races this year and I am seeing Masters 30+/40+ (No Cat 5's), and Masters 35+ (No Cat 5's) for the races in my area.

So, what does a Master 35+ cat 5 do to get a race? I am 35 now and will be turning 36 in September. Does this mean that I have to race with the regular Cat 5 race at these races even though I am 35? I don't think it will be that hard for me to keep up with them, but I just want to know how to register for these races without looking like a moron on race day.

Assuming that I have to race with all the other Cat 5's from age 18 to 99, my next question is why do they not allow Cat 5's in the other Masters categories? Is it because they want to group all the inexperienced Cat 5's together so that all the squirelly people, regardless of age, are in the same race?

What is the difference between Masters 30+, Masters 35+, and Masters 40+? I always thought it was just Masters 30+ and Masters 40+. Is there really a Masters 35+ category?

The master's racing here in the Southeast sometimes has a Cat. 4/5 category for the masters, but more often than not, like in your case, the master's category is an "open" category meaning anyone from former pro riders down through cat. 5's can race in them. If you're just starting back out racing again, skip the master's race (if they do not have a 4/5 master's race), and race the 5 race. I have seen many master's races that end up being faster than the Pro 1/2 race held the same day, with a lot of the same guys in the master's race lining up for the Pro 1/2 race, and still kicking it hard with those guys.

Okay, this entire category thing has me confused as hell. It was so much simpler 20 years ago when I was a junior and all I had to do was race my junior race and think about racing the junior race up or the mens category. Now, I am looking to register for races this year and I am seeing Masters 30+/40+ (No Cat 5's), and Masters 35+ (No Cat 5's) for the races in my area.

So, what does a Master 35+ cat 5 do to get a race? I am 35 now and will be turning 36 in September. Does this mean that I have to race with the regular Cat 5 race at these races even though I am 35? I don't think it will be that hard for me to keep up with them, but I just want to know how to register for these races without looking like a moron on race day.

Assuming that I have to race with all the other Cat 5's from age 18 to 99, my next question is why do they not allow Cat 5's in the other Masters categories? Is it because they want to group all the inexperienced Cat 5's together so that all the squirelly people, regardless of age, are in the same race?

What is the difference between Masters 30+, Masters 35+, and Masters 40+? I always thought it was just Masters 30+ and Masters 40+. Is there really a Masters 35+ category?
First, it's up to the organizer (within limits) to run whatever races they feel will get the best fields.

"Is it because they want to group all the inexperienced Cat 5's together so that all the squirelly people, regardless of age, are in the same race?" - Yes. It seems to be local specific. I have never seen the Cat5 limitation here in the Midwest. You must be in a very active area to fill Mater's races with every 5 years and no Cat5's.

"will be turning 36 in September." - Your racing age is 36 for all of 2007 (CX may be different).

"What is the difference between Masters 30+, Masters 35+, and Masters 40+? I always thought it was just Masters 30+ and Masters 40+. Is there really a Masters 35+ category?" - As I said above, the organizer can run any age group they think they can fill. Here, most USCF Master's races are 30+ and 45+. The non-USCF (ABR) races generally have 30+, 40+, 50+, 60+, 65+, 70+ and 80+.

Bottom line - you will have to start 10 Cat5 races to be upgraded to Cat4. Then you can race Masters.

TF

In WA, (under USCF) they have a slightly confusing but functional "Masters A/B" race and a "Masters' C/D" one. You can be a D master as a 50 year old Cat 1, or a 35 yo Cat 5.

In OR (non-USCF) they usually just run 35 or 40+ and 50+, age-defined only.

Some bigger races in both states I have seen be "Master's 3/4/5" or "B/C/D" only, to make it so that those 35-year-old ex-pros don't just waste everyone. If there is not a thing like that, I would recommend just racing the Cat 5 race. The "open" masters' fields are really, really fast.

I live in Maryland right along DC and Virginia and the races around me are insane. The fields are packed and there are wait lists 10+ deep for each race in the next 3 or 4 weeks. I'll have to start pre-registering for the ones I want to race in and I will just have to start attending some training races so that I can get some racing in before anything big comes along. Nothing like racing to train, or at least it makes training a little more fun.

Thanks for the help guys.

Keep an eye out, there are some races that will be 35+ cat 4,5 in our area. Quicksilver is one of them, and there's at least one more that I can't think of right now and they have been growing in popularity. Otherwise, you're stuck racing in the 5's for now. Register early!

Mike
www.midmarylandcoaching.com

Thanks Mike. I guess I'll just register for whatever I can so that I can get that 10 race requirement finished and move on to Cat 4. To think that I was categorized in Cat 3 as a junior. I never should have allowed my license to expire. Then again, I don't think I could even hang with a Cat 3 race right now, so racing wouldn't be any fun, but at least I wouldn't be worried about the wrecks. I'll just have to try and stay up front in the Cat 5 races.

Thanks Mike. I guess I'll just register for whatever I can so that I can get that 10 race requirement finished and move on to Cat 4. To think that I was categorized in Cat 3 as a junior. I never should have allowed my license to expire. Then again, I don't think I could even hang with a Cat 3 race right now, so racing wouldn't be any fun, but at least I wouldn't be worried about the wrecks. I'll just have to try and stay up front in the Cat 5 races.

I really want to read your race report, in a few weeks. You are 36, if you race masters, that puts you in probably the third fastest field on the road, P/1/2; then Cat3; then M35. On some days the M35 field will finish faster than the 3's. Race the 5's. They will not call you names if you win in a solo breakaway, or lap the field. Best of luck.

Yep, I'm interested in my own race report too. However, I do prefer getting dropped over wrecking. It just makes me train harder versus working on bandages. As a junior I got 3 silver medals and a bronze at districts and placed in the top 10 plenty of times in decent sized races. However, I stopped racing when I started college and haven't really been riding/training to race over the past 10 years until this August but I didn't race at all last year. I was hoping to enter a race next weekend, but every possible category I could race in is now full with a long waitlist. So, I'll try the weekend after that. I'll let you know how it goes.

There is a TT and a crit in Cheapeake/Hampton VA next weekend which are VA Bar races, and have openings- check out bikereg.com

I think the crit is the Townbank crit in Hampton on Sunday, which will get you a mass start.

:)

Here is a good tip: Get on bikereg and note the dates and times when registration OPENS for any race you are interested in...I have seen some of the mid-atlantic races fill up their cat 5 fields in less than an hour...cat 4s are often gone by the end of the day that reg opens...

However, you will also notice that this slows down as the season wears on...and by the end of summer the fields won't even fill up at all

2fat

In most of the western US, at least races I have been to, if you want to race masters, nobody asks your category. I guess it is assumed if you're racing after 35 yrs old, you probably can ride straight..


Washington State is the exception and has their Masters classing done pretty strange, but the rest of the west, I don't see any "No Cat 5 masters" on the race fliers.. Here in Washington State, you can often see the GC winner (or podium finishers, overall, in daily events) coming from Masters D class...dunno how they've come up with the classes, but I rarely race in my own state because Masters racing here in Wa. doesn't consider age at all. Once you are 35, here, that's it. If you are 60 or 70, tough luck! You could be racing against Yens Voight or Lance Armstrong, in a few years, as a "D-Master" here in Washington, if they wanted to bother coming out.

It is true that the 4/5s are probably much easier fields than most masters packs...Page around on the net and look at some of the race times...You will very often see the masters times lower than the 1-2s, etc.

Have fun with it where ever you end up..I still love racing and I am into my 60s., though I can't race with the 35-45 yr olds with much success very often..Maybe organizers will realize there are a bunch of us old racers around and offer more older master's classes in the future..

Don Hanson

[QUOTE=Gnarly 928]Here in Washington State, you can often see the GC winner (or podium finishers, overall, in daily events) coming from Masters D class...dunno how they've come up with the classes, but I rarely race in my own state because Masters racing here in Wa. doesn't consider age at all. Once you are 35, here, that's it./QUOTE]

WSBA does consider age as PART of the formula for the A/B/C/D thing.

If you are 50+, you can race D regardless. Or, if you are master's age of any kind (can't recall if that is 30+ or 35+) and a Cat 5, you can race D.

If goes up from there, I think Master's A riders are 30-39 Cat 1-3 or something like that.

In a lot of events they race the A/B and C/D Master's separately...

In most of the western US, at least races I have been to, if you want to race masters, nobody asks your category. I guess it is assumed if you're racing after 35 yrs old, you probably can ride straight..

if you race masters, that puts you in probably the third fastest field on the road, P/1/2; then Cat3; then M35.

If nothing else, this thread is very informative of the different ways that masters fields are handled and the varying levels of competition within the "geezers." Here in the NCNCA (Nor Cal / Nevada), with a few minor exceptions, most masters races are 35+123, and they are SIGNIFICANTLY faster than the Cat 3s. In fact, the sole motivation of many of us hack geezers in my neck of the woods to get that Cat 3 upgrade is to get to race in the big leagues with the fast guys.

Oh yeah, we do have 35+ 4/5 here as well. Usually a sellout field.

In fact, the sole motivation of many of us hack geezers in my neck of the woods to get that Cat 3 upgrade is to get to race in the big leagues with the fast guys.


Yep, my first year racing that was my goal. I ended up racing in 5's then 4's first because the Blue coats(SoCal) don't always give points in masters races, what's that about? Made it to 3's at the start of my second year and haven't worried about points since.

I think the 5's get an overly bad rap. in NJ where I am the 5's ae are anything but a bunch of fred's crashing into each other. just about everyone is part of a club that features simulated races at least once a week, plus club rides on weekends. a few weeks ago at a local race 1 kid crashed in the 4/5 race and got some bumps - in the 2/3 race there were 2 broken clavicles and a broken hip. if you think you can jump in and hang with a bunch of ex 1-2's now riding 35+ because they have jobs now, good for you. if you ride the 5 race, just stay in the front the whole time. the guys up there will have skills, and you need not give the pack behind you a second thought. that's what I do, and it allows me to focus much better - I think about 10 guys, not the 40 behind me.

Interesting thread, yes. It'd be great to see age-rated racing in more areas, IMHO.

Here's one to think about..You WILL be old, soon enough. You will be slower than you are now and as you age. You WILL lose performance, compared to younger riders. This is a fact. Nobody avoids this truth.. (an unpleasant thought, right? But true, nonetheless..)

So while you are in your prime, keep in mind that you'll not be performing at the same level forever. When you are 40, 50, 60, 70, etc. (and you will be, if you are lucky), sometime along the way, you will be slowing down, despite your best efforts.

Put in a word now with the organizers for older racers...you soon enough will be one, your own self (if you don't retire to your rocking chair)..Right now, there are relativly few opportunities for age level racing..

You don't lose the thrill of racing, you don't 'hurt' any less because you aren't young. A sprint for the win at 60+ yrs old at ~35mph is just as thrilling as one at 25 yrs old and 45mph..You must do the best you can with what you've still got. When you are in your prime, you've got LOTS..when you get older, you have less leg but just as much will, so the racing is just as exciting just as difficult, if you can find a place to race against others your own age..

Cycling is the new golf...heard that one? Ugg!

Don Hanson

There is a TT and a crit in Cheapeake/Hampton VA next weekend which are VA Bar races, and have openings- check out bikereg.com

I think the crit is the Townbank crit in Hampton on Sunday, which will get you a mass start.

:)
If you're really motivated and if time permits, after the TT in Chesapeake, drive to Greenville, NC (2 hours) for a crit that afternoon. Then come back and do the Townbank on Sunday.

To the OP - as coolhand stated, drive a few hours to Tidewater and there are plenty of races that rarely fill up. You'll get your ten races in easily by taking a couple of trips down this way. (If you have a family, make it a mini vacation at the beaches) There's also a race series up in Richmond (Go Fast, Turn Left) throughout the summer that's a little closer to home for you . I know what you mean by races filling up fast in DC. The Reston GP (C5) was filled hours after registration opened - and it opened like at 1130 at night. The RFK registration was almost just as bad.
I'm in the same boat, I have a few more races left and I'll cat up to a 4 and be able to race masters (not that it will be any easier at the masters) but it'll give me more race options (cat4 and masters) come race day.

I would drive down to the TT and the other races in that area, but for the fact that my wife is pregnant and the baby is due April 16. The doctor said as of tomorrow, Monday, she will be considered full term and the baby could come at any time. So, being 2 hours or more away from home just isn't possible for now. Once the baby is born I will keep my eyes open for races in the VA area around Virginia Beach and Richmond. I went riding today on Beach Drive and could not believe the number of riders on the road and the path. 20 years ago, I would ride on that road and rarely ever encounter another cyclist. Now, it is all I can do to dodge them and the joggers. So, I can see why the races are filling up pretty quickly.

Thanks for the advice guys and I will just start to look for cat 5 races in the area and use the ebay sniping technique to sign up for them. This is utterly amazing.

I was going to ask a similar question about lumping 4s and 5's together.

Here in GA, the GA Cup races are grouped:

Pro 1-2-3 (renamed ProAm)
3-4 (Renamed Elite)
4-5 (renamed Competitive)
Masters 35+

They claim to have done this to make it more spectator friendly, but the real reason is that local towns were getting concerned about closing streets for 10 hours so that there could be 11 classes of racing.

Anyway, this weekend's crit was ridiculous. 3 of our team's pretty strong Cat5 riders were yanked because 2 Cat4s lead a breakaway and pulled the entire field up to a strong 24-25 mph pace.

If the purpose of Cat 5 is to get you 10 starts so you can learn, how can you do that if the Cat 4s (who were obviously sandbagging) drive the pace up so that you can't keep up. The 4/5 was abut as fast as the Pro/1/2 race.

As for the OP, from what I've seen, avoid Masters at all costs unless you used to race Cat 2 or 3. The Masters race was fast, too.

Its make me feel better about my addiction to know that I am not the only one who entertained trying to make it from the Canal TT down to Greenville for the crit on Saturday. I need to do three races in a weekend like I need another hole in my head but its tempting. (I am including one of the other crits that are going on Sunday).

Hey Kennedy, nice to see you again. I remember your post about the seatpost height issue and the debate we had about that. I lowered my seatpost a little over a cm and I haven't been feeling quite as good on my rides. I have been getting calf and hamstring cramps which I have never had before. I might try raising it back up some and see if that helps.

As far as the Masters racing is concerned, I used to race Cat 3 20 years ago when there was no such thing as a cat 5 and you actually had to gain points to move from the Cat 4 to Cat 3 (i.e., it wasn't just 10 starts and you got to be a Cat 3). However, in riding with a couple of guys recently it looks like I really need to do some more training before I can race really hard again or the seatpost lowering is the problem. I'm going to raise the seatpost to rule that problem out and then I'll know how I am doing. In October/November of last year I felt really good and was averaging 19+ mph on 30+ mile rides, but I don't think I am anywhere close to that right now and it has me slightly pissed off.