Originally Posted by
F16F22
Thanks for the words, I think I just need to step back and gain a little perspective. This is my fourth full season racing and I get maybe 10 - 15 races each year, equally split between road/crits/TTs. I'm just in the middle of a bad year, everybody has them.
It took me about 4 years of training, the last couple coached, very disciplined, and typically 10-12 hours per week, before I was one of the stronger cat 4's. I think naturally gifted people, naturally skinny people, and people with backgrounds in endurance sports, often move up much more quickly.
There are also a good proportion - maybe 50% - who are lifers in cat 4. I believe this is more due to habit, discipline, and/or commitment, rather than capability or genetics. And, by the way, there's nothing wrong with that...in fact it may be a healthier balance (unless your name is Sagan or Froomey; this is a hobby and not a livelihood).