One more vote for just saying "just go fly". Pattern is tons of fun and you won't get weighed at local events.

You are getting into electric, which is great. When you decide you're ready for higher level competition (i.e. NATS), you can start piecing together a new, lighter plane; you already have most of the components taken care of. While competition-grade equipment is always more expensive regardless of sport or activity, there are more and more options for competitive electric planes under 11lbs. 2M is not a requirement, and if you're going to push the size and weight envelope there will generally be a penalty in price.

I have a hard time seeing the validity of the 'weight issue'. People want the biggest, strongest, lightest planes and don't want them to cost a lot of money. I don't know where else you can get high-tech, custom, competition-grade equipment without paying a fortune. Like anything else, you don't need the biggest and best equipment just to enter competition. If you want to compete with the best in the region/state/country/world, you have to assume you're going to fork out more money for better equipment. I didn't start skiing on $1300 Titanium-infused skis, start riding a 1 Liter motorcycle, or playing a $1000 guitar, but I got to the point in these things where I felt the money was well spent and could truly appreciate the fine technology and craftsmanship. I'm working my way up in pattern flying. I have a 1.10 size plane that competes as well as I can fly. When I feel I can truly benefit from a 2M plane, I'll get there, but right now I certainly don't need it to be competitive - I am pretty convinced that anyone who scores higher than I do with a 2M plane would most likely do the same with my 1.10 Wind.