The Working Man’s Category

I had showed up early for a local practice road race to get some extra riding in when a gentleman just finishing his ride came over to say hello. He asked if I ride from there often, I assume seeing if we could ride together sometime in the future. I said I was just there for the race in a couple hours, which peaked his interest.

He asked what category I was, to which I replied I am a Cat 3 but will probably upgrade this year. To which he responded, “Ahh, Cat 3, the working man’s category.”

At first I wanted to be taken back, like having a job was an automatic limitation. I certainly know a whole group of guys who proclaim “Cat 3 for life” becuase of the demands to be competitive in the upper categories of racing. And no lie, it is a real challenge to juggle honoring family, investing in the growth of our bike shop, and putting in the quality training to improve and compete.

But I like the challenge, settling into a category or a level because it’s comfortable seems counter to the whole point and amazing challenges of competitive cycling — at least to me. I don’t get motivated to get up at 4am for endurance rides for challenges I’ve already overcome. It’s for the exhiliration of being the first across the line in a super challenging race — that drives me. It’s the seriousness that a real challenge brings to your focus that I want, the drive to move forward, improve and get better.

I’m sure this “joe to pro” journey I’m on doesn’t end with me over in Europe racing. I’m sure that there is a breaking point of the time I have to train and race with the priorities that stand above those things. But I’m also sure I won’t hit that breaking point for a few years, even if my time constraints stay the same and I’ve just got to wring the most out of the quality time for the bike that I have.

Any category is a working man’s category — cause it takes discipline and hard work to compete at any level. But the work is what makes it fun right?