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Old 03-19-18, 03:39 PM
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carleton
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Until @bmwjoe answers, I'll attempt to offer some insight.

Track Racing is more alike the not to Athletics (Track & Field).

And like Athletics, there is an event for almost everyone of varying abilities and skills.

- Just want to ride your bike with others? There's an event for you.
- Can perform mental 3D Chess on a bike? There's an event for you.
- STRONG LIKE BULL?, There's an event for you.
- Like to ride so hard that you turn yourself inside out...and want to do it again minutes later? There's an event for you.
- Jack of All Trades but Master of None? There's an event for you.

Also, between the skill categories (your open racing category, e.g. "CAT 2"), age groups, and gender groups, there are enough sections and cross-sections that allow for the sport to be competitive for everyone. You can be a big fish in a small pond (local hero), small fish in a big pond (national elite cannon fodder), or somewhere in between.

Then there are the personal challenges where you seek to get the most you can get from your body via time trials...over and over, year after year.

Then there is all of the cool equipment (my vice).

Basically, within all of the above, it's very likely that you'll find a few things that make it worth while for you especially as an amateur hobby racer. For elites that are racing to provide for families and pay bills, it's a hard road.

Of course, not everyone who tries the track sticks with it for various reasons. A lot of times it's logistics (no track nearby, traffic, etc...) or simply that their other sports/hobbies are more interesting. I do recall one guy that I raced with who converted from roadie to trackie saying, during his first few weeks of racing track , (paraphrasing:) "Man, this is awesome. It's intense, it's nearby. I raced 4 races, kicked some butt, got my butt kicked, and now 2 and a half hours later I'm having a beer and a slice of pizza! With road racing there is soooo much more involved to do just one race. I'm sold." This was in 2009. He still races today. He medaled at Masters Nationals last summer.

The medals and jerseys aren't worth much of anything outside of the track community. But, the fun, sense of accomplishment, struggle and achievement, health benefits are all worth millions.
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