I used to train, and get really bothered about doing well. Never really cracked much higher than somewhere in the top third, and certainly never podiumed no matter how hard I worked at it.
(Could have just entered Fun cat races I suppose but where’s the satisfaction in carpet bagging?)
Gave all of that up and just ride for fun now, no eye on training or anything like that. Whenever I enter races, it’s just for the fun of caning it round on a closed course as fast as I can, without the need to keep watch for little kids towing dogs.
It’s a laugh, and I still seem to manage top third without troubling the podium.
So don’t worry about fitness, or position in the field, just go and give it a bash. If you smoke the field in Open, next time go for your proper category, simple.
Have fun!