ZWIFT - Good Cat D Rider Tries Cat C... Can I Survive? 

I've started my first Podcast on my Patreon, first two episodes are free to listen to - www.patreon.com/posts/106085748?

Good work . When are we all doing the alpe again ?

Great stuff, Ryan! The struggle is a lot more interesting to watch, than the easy win. More challenges await. I have my popcorn ready! 😊👍

Love the snippets of Patreon voiceover in this video. Coupled with the podcast you’ve got me signed as a paid up follower 😊

you are an inspiration! its a true joy to follow your journey! Keep it up man!!! Love from Norway

mine 181 in the B's haha uber fast. Great stuff mate

Great job Ryan! Hope to race with you someday 😊

Nice1 fella. Props to you for racing Cat C! Them skinnys fly off the top of the bumps.... 😁👍🏼🤙🏼👊🏼🙏🏻💪🏼

Great to finally see you racing in Cat C, Ryan.

Excited to watch this video! Good on you for going to cat C. Really amazing how much you progressed during your time on Zwift so far. You are building that FTP!! :P

Fantastic first Cat C race👍

Well done. The more the race C, you stronger you will get. I got dropped soooooo many times when I first upgraded, only after 2-3mths, I could hold my own in the front group

I noticed you mentioned on 3 minute warm up. Don’t underestimate a good warm up protocol before racing. You’ll find your heart rate is lower and won’t spike as quickly and legs warmed up properly.

Big jump from D’s to C’s Ryan, I found that out and I am still struggling to stick with the bunch . Some powerful/fit guys and girls in the C’s . I have been a C for 10 months and I am desperately trying to get back into the D’s 🤞🏻🤞🏻 . You will definitely be a C soon .👍💪🏻

That’s a fantastic result fella! Cat C is a massive step up isn’t it. I’m like you, 1km off the line and heart rate is through the roof. Again, chapeau sir 👍🏻

Welcome to my world :) Looking forward to racing you if i can time it once in a while :)

Really good race the last one. It's so true you can get dropped in just seconds. If you dont know the course you will find yourself in trouble.

Its a big step up, I am usually the heaviest at 108kg, you work your arse off and finish in the middle. Very depressing seeing 75kgs people pass you.... Keep up the good content though

Keep doing Cat C👍👍... It will get easier the more you do it as it pushes you more than CAT D. I wasnt winning CAT C but got promoted to B and got dropped very quick in the first few races but starting to hang on longer in the front group now.

Well done, 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Great job! Being a Cat D rider in Cat C as well is really hard. The power they put out is insane.

Excellent performance in your first cat C races. You are already in the mid-pack (that's not easy). Congratulations!! Now you need to do THE GRADE to be officially upgraded to cat C and have your blue dot.

I am at the point now in cat D where I can just about stick with the front group and have very little left for the sprint. I enjoy the grind and toughness required to stay in the group. You summed it up nicely with your narration, it's actually pretty mentally taxing to stay on the ball and save energy as much as possible. Such a great game, really enjoyed this video thanks, I always learn something.

I was racing allot last winter season in Cat C I am a heavy sprinter type 95kg with 20 years of explosive sports in me .. If the Race is Flat I almost always podium with out too mutch fuss .. But if there are hills I just cant hang on and I loose the pack .. So I ended up racing with C on hilly routs and B on the flat..

I found the difference in categories really shows on the hills. I have to go deep to stick with the front on a climb in cat C.

18th was an excellent effort!

Great job finishing in the 1st half of your first cat C race - promotions are savage. I'm sure you've already improved upon that result though.

nicely done brother its always hard to go one level above

You can do everything you'd need in a race with the Zwift Play controllers. So much easier than trying to use a mouse or keyboard. Up on the d-pad to bring up the menu, left/right to change menu items, A to select, B to go back. Might be worth a try.

Hey Ryan, I've only been in your community for a month or so but it's incredible to see how far you have come with your journey. I found you thanks to your thames path ultra video. I don't suppose you're going for round 2 this year are you? I've booked the first 50km for myself :)

Welcome to cat c racing I’ve been cat c from race 12 I’m now on 82 but it don’t help being 70kg and only 5.4 tall but great result for you and 2.6w/k that was good last night I was pushing 2.3 over 46km itza party with two climb at the end

Nice Video. I was forced into Cat 'C' at the beginning of June because my 90 day average was above 2.5 w/kg. Comparing my time and finishes you are definitely a minute of so faster after reviewing the Bag that Badge series. I felt a bit discourage at how tough it was to hang on to the first breakaway group and then the second on the Race: Stage 2: Sea Breeze - Island Hopper (C). I literally had zero draft for over half the race and not wanting the third group behind me to catch up. I eventually caught up to small group near the end but no enough gas to push ahead of them. Finishing 4:45 behind first at 2.7 w/kg which is about my average over the last 15 races or so. Cheers, Look forward to future video and finding myself at the staring line with you soon. Matthew Fowler (DIRT) or M.Fowler (DIRT)

Good watts there Ryan. Sometimes when you get dropped it’s so hard to get back on as they saving so much draft

Congrats (or maybe commiserations😅) on Cat C Ryan! Watching you feels like somewhat of a glimpse into my own painful future being 12 weeks into Zwift now 😅, you definitely have some natural talent though! And can bang out some watts on those hills! 💪

Jep! I so recognize the heartrate going crazy that early in C-Cat while seeing the front just easily ride of into the sunset but almost dying myself as a mediocre C-Rider. (still puzzled how I became a C-Cat to be honest). Can't even imagine B and A Cats ☠ Bag that Badge was my first ever racing series, still got a lot to learn to keep me from dying 😬 Lots of fun though! But I suggest Zwift should change the avatars appearances (maybe with with gushing sweat and red heads) based on heartrate so at least you can actually see others are suffering too 😆 Good on you for taking your strides into C-Cat, you'll level up in no time when you keep this inspiring fitness journey up! Ride On mate!

Changing category is tough for motivation. 2 days ago I decided to take a part in a race. All Categories were starting together. B and C riders were riding together till the first climb. I put all my strengths to stay with B riders, but at the end of it they were +10 secs. I just stayed with two cat C riders on the front. During second climb one guy got dropped and the rest of the race I was just fighting with myself to not get dropped too (a group of 1 B rider, 1 C rider and me) ... The last climb was to the finish line. The C guy flew from us for 2-3 secs, then B guy started sprinting. I put everything what left to don't get dropped and finally I won the cat C for the first time... 3.4w/kg for 42mins (my FTP was 3.2w/kg). I don't have any motivation to take a part in B races, since as a first guy in Cat C I couldn't hold group pace for B :/ Jump from D to C was noticable, but from C to B is another world. I hope you will stay motivated to make even more improvements.

So funny to see you put 223w average in the race while that is my average in todays zone 2 ride (keep up the grind you already improved so much)

Brilliant great effort getting mid pack in the Cs. Weight isn't a major factor unless it's over 5%, so maybe you have to pick courses that play with your strengths, mostly flat with long shallow climbs. The only other tip is power early into climbs from the back, using the momentum/draft. Maybe those extra few meters might keep you in the pack 👍🏼

One helpful tip for those rollers is to sag climb, where you push to the front before it starts tilting up, as that gives you a chance to stay in the snake as the others come past you. Good to see you pushing yourself, will only help you to improve more!

It’s tough innit 😂. I’ve had one Cat C and did ok. It was flat though 😅. Planning to alternate between C & D as still sometimes struggle in D, and wins not so frequent yet! Keep at it and still hoping to race with you soon. Our stats are really similar 💪

You’ve done so well. I got promoted to C and didn’t do as well as you!!! I’m back in D now. I would say though if you join a team and compete in ZRL seasons the cats are even harder so even cat D would be harder than normal. If you want to join a team there’s loads out there. I’m in one called Galaxy. Many teams do TTT as well, you might live that it’s a team effort team time trial and time stops when you get 4th person across the line! You can draft on TT bikes it’s a hoot!!! Any way well done!!!

"This is Mental!" LMAO

Great job as always! You’re killing D cat which is good. Keep working at C but don’t feel bad about beating guys in Cat D, use it as a z2 work out but sprint at 400k.

It s a process-just don t quit u will be ok---everybody goes by learning ok man,,it nice to see the yourney--i am B and starting slowly going to A and u are doing much better than me::::belive me bravoooooo🎉🎉🎉

You're going to get upgraded to Cat C on your next mountain climb race, no doubt. Also, congrats on the impressive race placement!

Maybe one day our paths will cross in Cat C Ryan 😁 At the moment I just do the odd TT or Hill Climb. Quite a few wins under my belt too 👍 Racing is a different matter. I can manage 3w/kg but have nothing left in the tank for the last few km's. And I'm still hopeless at sprinting.

Let’s dance 🕺 Cat D to Cat D Ryan 🤣 when is your next potentially last dance in Cat D, I’ll join you if you fancy it….

Great result, nothing to gain from riding in D anymore. How far are you off being regraded? It’s mad that you can be so strong in C yet still be a D. 👍

Great video. If you think Cat D isn't spicy enough you should try Monday's ZRacing Primetime at 18:10 🤣🤣. Racing in Cat C does seem a bit more structured. I've found it more relaxed as there's not someone riding off the front every 10 seconds. As long as you pick your races and stay switched on it's not too hard to stay in the lead group. Got to work on that sprint power to get a place though.

Well done for stepping up Ryan. Hopefully I'll be able to join you for a race when I get back on Zwift later in the year. Its hard Cat to crack is the C cat there some mega strong riders and some cheating bast£@!s. Keep going

18th - fantastic job!

Welcome to C - spot on observations, the intensity is MUCH higher. Only 6 months to your first C WIN

If I’m honest cat C is just nuts as cat B rider cat C is a real push to stay in the front group as some people can just push like 4-4,5w/kg for like 5 minutes which is my max… definitely not cat C

Hi mate. Can’t remember if you mentioned it in this video. Said you was in Essex. Where’s abouts in Essex Ryan

Cat C is hard. There's guys on the cusp of B and it's fecking hard.

I want to try out racing on zwift, but after my last hard workout, zwift put me at the bottom of cat C already 😢

Cat C will do you the world of good. Ignore the guy who won this race. 3.8 wpk at 198 average watts must mean he has his weight set as that of a small child. Give it 5 races and you won’t be getting dropped. Give it 15 races and you will have enough to pull off a sprint at the end

I never won a Cat D Race and when I was quick enough, Zwift detected a FTP-Incrase after my last race. Now I'm stuck in Cat C for a while I guess.

Beat a lot of riders m8, they guy is probably 8st that beat you at the end. Good luck with winning a Cat C race.

Without an FTP at least being 3.5 w/kg i wouldnt even bother with cat C. Its neither healthy nor fun but thats just my opinion 😊

Try a flatish race in C. You may be surprised.

So I bet you could still ride in cat D and Zwift would do nothing about it you are in my book and for awhile now been a Cat C rider. Zwift does not enforce so far as I see. Not being nasty towards you Ryan just as I see it it is hard to provide a level playing field the way Zwift looks at your power and wkg. Some cat D riders would have won those races with no problem I am just pointing out there seems to be no level ground for races of people with the same relative abilities. Interestingly I climbed past a lot of cat C riders in a race finishing before them the other thing was I passed a good number of Cat D riders but when I finish they where listed above me and not many behind me oh yea so what happened there. I have noticed a lot of people in races don't get listed at the end so it appears that there was not so many in the race. Looks like your having fun anyway Ryan👍👍

This is the nonsense of Zwift categories. Ryan puts out Cat C watts but has a Cat D watts per kg. The parcours are generally too flat to justify w/kg categorisation.

you look fitter and fitter

what's your weight?

Just wait until zwift moves you up.

Nah Ryan, you need to look at your cadence and gear choice