A Beginner’s Guide to Local Races: Categories, Speed, and What to Expect

So, you wanna race, brah?

Racing is stupid. You’re paying money to suffer.

It’s like signing up for a mugging. But instead of some guy with a knife, it’s a bunch of dudes in lycra with shaved legs and thousand-dollar bikes.

And they will leave you gasping, wondering why you ever thought this was a good idea.

But you’re here. Which means you’re curious.

And curiosity, well, that’s a dangerous thing.

Here’s what you need to know.

1. Categories: The Myth of Choice

You start at Cat 5. Always.

Even if you ride 200 miles a week.

Even if you can drop your weekend buddies on every hill.

Even if you’re built like a Greek god sculpted for speed.

The system doesn’t care. You’re a Cat 5 until you finish 10 races.

Sure, the website might let you pick another category. Don’t do it. If you somehow slip into a Cat 4 or 3 race by accident, the only thing you’ll win is a new appreciation for your own mortality.

2. How Fast Is It?

Fast. Stupid fast. “Why-the-hell-am-I-doing-this” fast.

Cat 5 might be for beginners, but that doesn’t mean slow. Some guys will be just like you—fresh-faced, excited, maybe a little naive.

Others will be ex-Division I track cyclists who “just got into racing” and will spend 30 minutes making you question all of your life choices.

Expect speeds around 24-28mph in a crit, with sprints pushing past 30mph.

If it’s a road race, expect a lot of yo-yoing, attacks, and that sinking feeling when the pack surges, and you realize you have nothing left.

3. How Long Is the Race?

Great question. The race flyer should tell you, but sometimes it doesn’t.

Most beginner crits (circuit races on short loops) last 30-45 minutes. Road races? They could be 20 miles, or 50, or something vague like “5 laps of a 6-mile course,” because race promoters love chaos.

4. What’s a Crit vs. a Road Race?

A crit is a knife fight in a phone booth. A road race is a slow burn that turns into a bonfire.

Crits are fast, furious, and technical. Tight corners, aggressive moves, and crashes that sound like a Jenga tower made of carbon fiber falling down the stairs.

Road races are longer, usually involve some hills, and have more tactics—though, let’s be real, in Cat 5 the main tactic is “hold on for dear life.”

5. Should You Race Both Days?

You can. But will you want to? That’s the real question.

Day one will rip your legs off. If you survive and think, “Wow, that was fun, I’d like to do it again,” then congrats—you’re insane and will fit in just fine.

If you wake up on day two and can’t lift your legs over your bike, well, that’s a lesson learned.

6. Group Riding Matters. A Lot.

If you’ve never ridden in a tight pack, you’re going to have a bad time. Racing isn’t just about fitness. It’s about knowing how to move at high speed with riders inches from you, without panicking, flinching, or making a sudden move that sends half the field into the pavement.

Fast group rides are your best training. Find one. Do it ten times before you race. Get used to riding shoulder-to-shoulder at speed. If you’re uncomfortable, so is everyone around you. And that’s how crashes happen.

7. Crashes Happen. A Lot.

Expect to see at least one. Maybe two. Maybe right in front of you. Maybe with you.

The best way to avoid them? Stay near the front. The middle and back are a washing machine of chaos, fear, and panic braking. Up front, you control your fate a little more. But no guarantees. A crash can still take you out like a rogue wave at the beach.

8. You’re Going to Get Dropped.

Not always. But probably. And that’s okay.

Most first-timers get blown out the back within the first half of the race. Some last longer.

A rare few hang on and even contest the sprint. If you do get dropped, don’t sulk. Get back in, ride hard, and finish. Every race is a lesson.

9. What About Tactics?

Cat 5 has about as much strategy as a bar fight. Most guys are just hanging on, trying not to die.

But if you want to be that guy, here are your basic moves:

• Stay in the draft. Wind is your enemy.
• Save energy. Surging and braking wastes watts.
• Hold your position. Otherwise, you’ll get pushed to the back, and that’s where dreams go to die.
• Sprint like your rent is due. If you make it to the end, go all out.

10. You Will Get Hooked.

Despite the pain, the crashes, the fear, the moments where your heart feels like it might explode, you’ll finish and think:

“Damn, that was amazing.”

And then you’ll sign up for the next one.

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Table Summary: The Pain in Bullet Points

Topic	Reality Check
Category Selection	You’re Cat 5. No exceptions.
Speed	Way faster than you think.
Race Length	Could be 30 minutes, could be an hour. Nobody knows.
Crit vs. Road Race	Crit = chaos, Road Race = slow death.
Racing Both Days?	Only if you hate yourself.
Group Riding Skills	Required. Otherwise, you’re a hazard.
Crashes	Yes.
Getting Dropped	Probably. It’s fine.
Tactics	Don’t be dumb. Stay in the draft.
The Aftermath	You’ll love it. You’ll suffer. You’ll come back.

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The Conclusion You Weren’t Expecting

So you race. And you suffer. And you finish—maybe near the front, maybe clinging to life, maybe alone, wheeling your broken soul across the line. But here’s the thing:

You’ll wake up the next day, sore, tired, and still tasting the adrenaline in your mouth. You’ll swear you’re done.

Then you’ll check the calendar.

Because deep down, under all the sweat, the pain, the bruises, you know the truth:

You’re coming back. You’re one of them now.