What kind of trainer do you have?
If you’re light and strong, look for races with a significant finishing climb. I can’t compete against the big bruisers on flat routes where the races finish in a sprint, but when I pick races with a 5-10 minute uphill finish I do much better. The pace tends to be lower on the flat sections because people are saving energy for the climb, so if I pay close attention to drafting, avoid getting on the front of the group, and then smash the last climb, that helps leave the big powerful people behind. If your endurance is good (or you train for greater distance) then it gets even better because you can pick long races with an uphill finish and more people will be tired at the end when you hit it.
I think it has been implied but not clearly stated above.
You have 2 issues at play here.
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you are a fit competitive athlete so you will be in a higher / stronger cat.
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You are new to cycling but specifically, new to zwift.
There is a lot to learn about the art of zwift racing. it’s not just go out all hard.
You will get tired and those that conserve will pass you.
The B group will make you pay for wasting energy when you didn’t need to.
Try to save too much and you get dropped.
Once dropped, you almost never get back to the lead group.
Very fun way to spend Winter.
Hi Amy,
Do you mean that is your real bike? In Zwift you have a lot of different bikes to choose from - some are unlocked when reaching certain levels, others can be purchased in the in-game shop with the in-game currency - drops 
The speed and draft that you experience in Zwift are determined by the bike you choose in-game. You can sit on your Roubaix in real-life but ride a timetrial bike in Zwift (and vice versa- TT in real-Life but the lightest climbing rig in Zwift).
In Zwift when on a timetrial bike you normally don’t draft from other riders. One exception are Team time trial races which can have draft effect enabled for timetrial bikes. Because of that you normally ride faster in a group when on a normal bike.
Happy zwifting,
M.
Wow. I got shut down for 20 hours from the Zwift Forum last night because I had too many posts for a newcomer. Apparently I was a safety hazard. Tough day for me with regards to Zwift yesterday.
I have a Wahoo Kickr as a trainer, Mike.
Hi @Magnus_Kreth - sorry for my delay. Zwift shut me out for 20 hours because I posted too many times for a newcomer. Apparently it is for safety reasons, per Zwift whatever that means. I chose the Zwift Carbon bike so I believe it should be the right one. But good information to have. I am soaking it all in. I often wondered what those drops were for. Thank you!
@Tim_Camden_C Thank you - I am excited to learn how to race properly. It seems very similar to running at times tactically. Appreciate your feedback! Definitely a good way to spend winter. I am trying to figure out the best way to ride at a high level while train for Boston (marathon) which is the real thing I need to be fit for.
Bahaha spammer 
Nice trainer!
Yes. I guess I am red flag for Zwift. First DQ’d and now a spammer.
The trainer seems to work well. I think it was the most basic model but that’s the way I’ve approached cycling thus far. Buy a used bike. Obtain hand me down cycling shoes. Hope the for the best. Maybe someday I will splurge if I get super into it. I did buy a pair of cycling shorts and one of those official zipper up the front/pockets in the back shirts from Pearl Izumi. Oh and I have a helmet!