Realities from a Cat 3 race to a Pro 1/2 Race

Towards the end of last season, I made the jump from a Cat 3 to a Cat 2. As a Cat 3, I've always tried to jump into the pro 1/2/3 races whenever I could. I never realized why the 1/2's don't like the 3's until I did my first real Pro 1/2 race at the Brentwood Grand Prix. The speed was twice as fast, fighting for position was extra aggressive and much more important, mostly everyone knew very well how to handle their bikes, and the extra 20 minutes made the race feel that much longer. It wasn't until this year til I realized the big difference. The difference was the length of the road races and the competitors that made for a stacked field. For example, at Poor College Kids big names such as Ty Magner (Hincapie), Stephen Leece (Jamis), and Tom Soladay (Optum) showed up. Being in a chase group with those guys made the race that much harder and faster. Another example could be at this years Boulevard Road Race when the entire U23 National Team showed up. It was a 96 mile race and with all of their guys at the front, the race was blistering hard when they decided to ramp up the pace. It wasn't until after this race that I learned how important nutrition really was. In my cat 3 races I was able to get away with maybe a light dinner the night before, a light breakfast, and a couple of Clif Bars during the race. In Pro 1/2 races I realized that eating is so much more important and it all starts at least 3 nights before the event. I ended up bonking at the end of the race (Blvd) when it mattered most. Eating lesson learned right away and some what the hard way. To wrap this all up, I've realized that there is a huge jump from a cat 3 race to a pro 1/2 race. There is so much more dedication, sacrifice, and pain to hang and be up at the front with the big boys, but it can be done. It's possible.

Keep pedaling,

Nick Castellano