bobinski
Legendary Member
- Location
- Tulse Hill
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Milzy
Guru
Fantastic Andy, that new crit is the hardest thing on Zwift if you try to keep at the front. I think you need a good few goes to get to grips with that crazy pace. It may take longer up the Alpe but would be easier.Did my first ever Crit (virtual) race. I knew it was going to be hard but my lungs just couldn't cope with the burning on the first lap or so. I had to back off to come out of the 'Red'. Eventually I began to feel ok and held position in a pack. I had gone from 10th to 48th recovering. I stayed in a group of 2 or 3 which grew to 8. Last lap the group leaders tried to break the rest of us with a increase in pace up the cobbled climb, lots of power ups being used. I saved my aero helmet for the upcoming sprint. I was at the back of the my pack with 500 yds to go, I hit aero at 350 yds and dropped a few gears, expecting to slowly reel in those in front. Surprisingly I hit the lead with 150 yds to go, backed off then went again. No one came by for a minor victory. Zwift had me 36th, Zwift power promoted me to 18th.
I've completed my personal challenge of riding 14 days back to back over Xmas.
Rest now till 2020
then
Lots of repeat anerobic max efforts to cope with theses starts
Did my first ever Crit (virtual) race. I knew it was going to be hard but my lungs just couldn't cope with the burning on the first lap or so. I had to back off to come out of the 'Red'. Eventually I began to feel ok and held position in a pack. I had gone from 10th to 48th recovering. I stayed in a group of 2 or 3 which grew to 8. Last lap the group leaders tried to break the rest of us with a increase in pace up the cobbled climb, lots of power ups being used. I saved my aero helmet for the upcoming sprint. I was at the back of the my pack with 500 yds to go, I hit aero at 350 yds and dropped a few gears, expecting to slowly reel in those in front. Surprisingly I hit the lead with 150 yds to go, backed off then went again. No one came by for a minor victory. Zwift had me 36th, Zwift power promoted me to 18th.
I've completed my personal challenge of riding 14 days back to back over Xmas.
Rest now till 2020
then
Lots of repeat anerobic max efforts to cope with theses starts
Well done! I like the short Crit City races - gives a real good 20ish minute blast. I did one this morning and came 31st of 54 starters in B which I was reasonably pleased with. As you spotted, it is a blast from the gate and then a struggle to keep in the leading pack. I lost the leading pack about half way through but had a group of 4 of us who slowly chipped away at stragglers as they dropped back. Good fun.
Looks like you did the reverse of the Crit course that I did the other day. I was caught out by the little lumps in the first lap, just wasn't expecting them! Like you I went into the red trying to keep up with, what turned out to be, mostly A and B riders sandbagging in the C cat race. Overall it was a good workout but I found the race a little too short for my personal liking. Couldn't really get into a rhythm and could change gears fast enough on the ups/down sections. I may do others but they won't be my first choice of race .... definitely more suited to the power riders like you though .... once you're back on form you'll be smashing these racesDid my first ever Crit (virtual) race. I knew it was going to be hard but my lungs just couldn't cope with the burning on the first lap or so. I had to back off to come out of the 'Red'. Eventually I began to feel ok and held position in a pack. I had gone from 10th to 48th recovering. I stayed in a group of 2 or 3 which grew to 8. Last lap the group leaders tried to break the rest of us with a increase in pace up the cobbled climb, lots of power ups being used. I saved my aero helmet for the upcoming sprint. I was at the back of the my pack with 500 yds to go, I hit aero at 350 yds and dropped a few gears, expecting to slowly reel in those in front. Surprisingly I hit the lead with 150 yds to go, backed off then went again. No one came by for a minor victory. Zwift had me 36th, Zwift power promoted me to 18th.
I've completed my personal challenge of riding 14 days back to back over Xmas.
Rest now till 2020
then
Lots of repeat anerobic max efforts to cope with theses starts
You've gone soft, you just need a good pair of socks and overshoes. I love riding outside when it's cold (although not when it's icy). I haven't managed any rides (inside or out) over Christmas, too many visits/visitors and the only day I could ride I was unwell. Plan to be out on Tuesday and it's supposed to be 4c.
Ps, nice ride down to the coast.
<Tommy>
Illegitimi non carborundum
- Location
- Camden, London
There’s some truth to that. I think I have gone a bit soft mate!
60 miles today and I felt beat up... I’ve felt weak both times I’ve been out lately. The turbo is good for building power but I need to get out on the road to build endurance. There’s no substitute for 4+ hour rides on the road for me personally. I’m never doing that on a turbo. Since I broke my wrist, in fact this year in general. I’ve not really put in consistent miles I don’t think.
I made a mistake today. I put on a pair of sock like things that go over the shoe rather than my neoprene overshoes. I did it because the temperature was showing about 8 or 9 degrees all day with no rain. But it ended up feeling a lot colder than that. I had duct tape over the air vents in my shoes and winter socks on. But the cold got in. I’m not using those things again. Useless.... my knees and shoulders are still aching a bit too which for me is a tell tell sign of a lack of conditioning. But for all my bleating I do actually far prefer being out on the bike than on the turbo. So it shouldn’t be hard to get in at least one longish ride a week if it’s not too wet.
Looks like you did the reverse of the Crit course that I did the other day. I was caught out by the little lumps in the first lap, just wasn't expecting them! Like you I went into the red trying to keep up with, what turned out to be, mostly A and B riders sandbagging in the C cat race. Overall it was a good workout but I found the race a little too short for my personal liking. Couldn't really get into a rhythm and could change gears fast enough on the ups/down sections. I may do others but they won't be my first choice of race .... definitely more suited to the power riders like you though .... once you're back on form you'll be smashing these races
Looking at what Zwift set the categories, I should of come in the top 10, there were loads over the category ranking.
I was expecting a hard start but 14 days of steady riding did nothing for an anaerobic start. I need to do more-coz Im mid 50s now, its the biggest performance limiter
Looking at what Zwift set the categories, I should of come in the top 10, there were loads over the category ranking.
Are you on Zwiftpower? That should have filtered out most of the sandbaggers?
I am Martin, I think the hole in the net, is Zwift set slightly different W/Kg categories to ZP. So quite a number stayed in the C cat. Not to worry, they make me work harder
I've got a pair of those socks and they are no good for this time of year, perfect for late spring and autumn. The roads have been so wet it's got to be proper thick overshoes. I've done a fair bit of outside riding but no big rides, the club tends to limit them to 50 ish at this time of year.
<Tommy>
Illegitimi non carborundum
- Location
- Camden, London
Tommy, get a rocker board, so a 2-3 hour non stop pedalling turbo session will comfortably match 4 hour outdoor
I don’t think so mate. I mean I get what you’re saying. Constant peddling on the turbo vs the small breaks in peddling on the road. But using the turbo doesn’t prepare you for all the other stuff. Like the constant road buzz through both wheels. Handling the bike. The changing elements. The effect the changing gradients have on your body etc etc. There’s no way of substiting those things on the turbo I don’t think. If you’re planning to do long days in the saddle there’s no short cuts unfortunately.
Plus I couldn’t spend 3 hours on a turbo without going a little crazy!
<Tommy>
Illegitimi non carborundum
- Location
- Camden, London
.
Freelanderuk
Über Member
- Location
- Theddlethorpe , Lincolnshire
If I fancy a bit longer on the turbo or just a zone 2 session I start Zwift up as normal and start a ride the switch over to Netflix and watch a film or a couple of series programs then back to Zwift to log off
I prepared last year solely on the turbo doing zone 2 multi hour sessions for Tenerife. I was saddle fit and pleasantly surprised how comfortable the effort was for the week. I quickly settled into bike handling.
I do understand the quote above, but I have the ability to zone out and distraction of my garden to keep me from going crazy
