[Rumblefish29er]

This will be my first "short" xc race. I ride 4-7 hours a week right now and took 4th in cat 3 last year in my first ever 100k, which would have put me somewhere in the mid CAT 2. I'm not that aggressive in terms of charging through technical obstacles so I am not sure where that puts me for a shorter race. I haven't been specially race training this year, I just go out and ride at whatever pace feels right. And, I will be on an all mountain bike (a pretty nice one though), vs I think most serious types will be on lighter hardtails.

The cat 3 is 7.5 miles....just how beginner will it be?

Cat 2 is an extra lap so 15 miles...more my distance but again this is a different animal I terms of Intensity and duration.

Cat 2 has a single speed and Clydesdale category which I could also enter.

I guess what I am saying is CAT 2 seems like the right one unless someone thinks I will truly get in the way....


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[fatlenny]

With the amount you ride, your race experience, and your race results, I would definitely do Cat 2. And don't worry about your technical skills, as Fair Hill is easily the least technical course in MASS (although still super fun).

 

[Rumblefish29er]

Thanks. I've ridden different parts of the trails there twice before so it won't be totally blind. Should be a fun time regardless.

Any idea what the cutoff for Clydesdale is? There seems to be some debate whether it's 200 or 225. If the former I can eat a big dinner and enter with a clean conscience.


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[Cusco]

Thanks. I've ridden different parts of the trails there twice before so it won't be totally blind. Should be a fun time regardless.

Any idea what the cutoff for Clydesdale is? There seems to be some debate whether it's 200 or 225. If the former I can eat a big dinner and enter with a clean conscience.

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MASS Clydesdale = 200 lbs. The Mid-Atlantic Super Series I would race Cat 2. Given it is a pretty short race folks will be hard on the gas from the get go.

 

[Rumblefish29er]

For anyone who is wondering the same thing for their first event, I can now say from experience that if you ride trails on a regular basis and know how to pick up the pace even a little, you will be fine in CAT 2....there is a huge amount of dispersion from people who probably should be in CAT1 to those who just want to be in a longer race than CAT3. CAT3 has no shortage of sand-baggers, so you shouldn't necessarily expect an easier race!


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