How hard is a category 2 climb? I am moving to Ojen Spain for work for 3 months and will be biking to marbella and back.

I have put the ride into mapmyride.com and it says that the ride is a cat 2.

Climb  Start    End      Length   Start Elev  End Elev  Avg Grade
Cat 2  0.00 mi  3.44 mi  3.44 mi   80 ft      1073 ft   5.5%
Cat 5  4.34 mi  4.95 mi   .61 mi  920 ft      1034 ft   3.5%


I am not a stranger to road bikes, I worked as a messenger when I was a kid and used a bike for commuting just about everywhere I have ever lived.  I started riding again about a month ago on a stationary going as hard as the thing will let me for an hour at a time to at least try to acclimate my legs a bit again.  (can't ride in Dubai really, you will end up as a hood ornament)

How much will this climb affect me in the beginning?  I know this is subjective and everyone is different.  I don't expect this to be easy at first, I guess I am just wondering if this hill will absolutely destroy me in the beginning?

I am asking because it is sight unseen and I haven't ridden in probably 5 years.
For someone who hasn't been riding much, this climb will be brutal. But you'll be surprised at how quickly you'll make progress. Even though you might fail the first time you go up, this ride seems like a great challenge.

Last year I coaxed a friend to start riding again. After a half dozen easier rides, we attempted a mountain climb similar to the ride you're describing. On his first attempt, he only made it about a mile up. On his second attempt, he made it to the top, and on the third attempt, he made it up without weaving all over the road. When you think about it, it's amazing how quickly you can rise to the challenge.

It's probably impossible to adequately prepare on a stationary bike because the feeling of a real climb is different. It will definitely help if your aerobic fitness is already pretty good, but a stationary bike can't really prepare you for the feeling that you're about to start rolling backwards even though you're pushing as hard as you can. :)

By the way, the gearing on your bike will make a big difference. If you can find a bike with a "compact double" or triple crankset, then you'll have an easier low gear available to you, which will make for a more enjoyable ride. A low gear will let you pedal at a faster rate which will avoid wearing out your knees or leg muscles.