Zwift Chat

[Legs]

I’ve never raced in the Yorkshire world - I’m not sure why not though. It would have suited my style of racing when I was a B. As an A, I think I’d be straight out of the back on the steep climbs!

Definitely agree that Michael is a very canny racer. I wish I had the confidence to sit further back in the bunch and ride at lower watts, but I fear missing the decisive splits or slipping back through the bunch on the ascents.

 

[Legs]

I look for the long term gain rather than the short term result. And I’m not sure if it’s not better pay off in the long run to sit at or near the front and get a better work out for it. I think it’s a tactic that pays off for me when you have to put in sustained effort over a distance.

I think there’s a lot to be said for that, @<Tommy> . You definitely get a better workout if you’re putting your nose in the wind from time to time!

How’s the bathtub this week, @Peter Salt? Great to see you racing up in C again👍

Glad you enjoyed your first Zwift race, @Heigue'r. They get easier as you get to know what to expect!

 

[<Tommy>]

I think there’s a lot to be said for that, @<Tommy> . You definitely get a better workout if you’re putting your nose in the wind from time to time!

How’s the bathtub this week, @Peter Salt? Great to see you racing up in C again👍

Glad you enjoyed your first Zwift race, @Heigue'r. They get easier as you get to know what to expect!

Yeah it’s a thin line isn’t it. It’s definitely easier to sit in on a flat course when you kind of assume it’s a big bunch finish and you won’t get caught out.

 

[bridgy]

Dunno… not knocking Michael one bit just so there’s no misunderstanding about that! I agree he’s very good at sitting in the bunch. I always enjoyed watching @IrishAl in the bunch too because I think he’s also a master of conserving energy (maybe it’s an Irish thing!). And @bridgy is up there too for me. But if we’re talking about tactics it’s a conversation I’ve had internally with myself in the past. And the conclusion I drew (which may well be wrong so feel free to shoot me down!…), is that I look for the long term gain rather than the short term result. And I’m not sure if it’s not better pay off in the long run to sit at or near the front and get a better work out for it. I think it’s a tactic that pays off for me when you have to put in sustained effort over a distance. But I know we’re all different so I’d be interested to hear what other think.

I'm rubbish at conserving watts! I've notice Micheal's low average watts before though - not sure how he does it!

 

[<Tommy>]

I'm rubbish at conserving watts! I've notice Micheal's low average watts before though - not sure how he does it!

Haha! I guess it’s all relative then because you all seem to conserve more than me!

 

[Norry1]

*Lazy racer

Yorkshire and Innsbruck are generally great races

Lazy = Good if it works

I'm a fan of Innsbruck. Kleiner Hugel is a real "selector".

 

[mjd1988]

I think it's fair that sometimes it is better to take the good workout and not sit in, when I've drifted into C class I definitely do attack more because it tends to work! As a middle to to low B the chances of success are low and often in ZRL it's full out effort just to hold onto front or second group so still getting a workout

 

[IrishAl]

I did the Leprechaun Classic with Al. He was in C and me in D. Al faired a bit better than me with top 5. I finished something like 19th on the road detached from anyone else, lost 7 places on the last lap to high cat rides out for a 4W/kg tootle. However ZP has me 6th in D with potentially 3 more above out of category.

Why do so many ride well outside of category? I stayed in the top 10 for 3 of the 5 laps but again was dropped when the leaders were holding 5W/kg in the volcano sections and 3W on the flat sections. Alone, solo, speeds and lap times just bleed away.

I enjoyed that race today (Seaside Sprint) - some nice short kickers to shake things up a bit. These Cycling Ireland series seem to attract big numbers - today there were over 130 in the C race which was quickly sorted into 30 in a front group. I sprinted home for 4th place having surfed the wheels anytime it was safe to do so and only putting my nose in the wind on the ramp into the volcano or out of the esses.

Innsbruck has to be my favourite circuit - the climb is just short enough that i can usually survive near the front and it really shakes the race up. Being a heavier rider i need to hit those short climbs as fast as possible near the front or else im done for. The yorkshire climbs are just too steep and too long for me.

Maybe when the ZRL season is over we can find a tuesday race / series that suits a lot of us - it would be great seeing as many CCers line out together.

 

[Peter Salt]

How’s the bathtub this week, @Peter Salt? Great to see you racing up in C again👍

I now have my son's trick-or-treating bucket to hand Wasn't necessary today though.

I did a 63k ride on Tuesday, today - 4 days later, still felt it. I know it's a trivial distance for you guys but for me it was a killer; felt fatigued. I knew from the warm up that the race will be hard but didn't quit.

I definitely could have done something to avoid it - stretch, massage, active recovery... But did absolutely nothing. Thought that 90h of no pedalling will suffice. I need to do some reading on recovery in general. I was also in the gym 4 times this week, maybe it was all just a bit too much for an untrained body to recover from.

So yeah... Not happy with how I did today. I'm not bothered with coming in at the end but I am bothered with not doing as good as I could.

That said, waist is getting smaller, thighs are getting thicker and average weight for past 7 days is 72.6 (down form about 73.3) Give me a few more days and I might just be able to see the top 2 abs

 

[IrishAl]

I now have my son's trick-or-treating bucket to hand Wasn't necessary today though.

I did a 63k ride on Tuesday, today - 4 days later, still felt it. I know it's a trivial distance for you guys but for me it was a killer; felt fatigued. I knew from the warm up that the race will be hard but didn't quit.

I definitely could have done something to avoid it - stretch, massage, active recovery... But did absolutely nothing. Thought that 90h of no pedalling will suffice. I need to do some reading on recovery in general. I was also in the gym 4 times this week, maybe it was all just a bit too much for an untrained body to recover from.

So yeah... Not happy with how I did today. I'm not bothered with coming in at the end but I am bothered with not doing as good as I could.

That said, waist is getting smaller, thighs are getting thicker and average weight for past 7 days is 72.6 Give me a few more days and I might just be able to see the top 2 abs

Sounds like the training plan is going well. 63k is a good distance for anyone. Was that on Zwift or outdoors - either way fair play 👍

I have some of the longer Watopia route badges to tick off so I was going to plan to tackle them over the winter - probably a saturday or Sunday morning if anyone wants to join?

 

[Whorty]

*Lazy racer

Yorkshire and Innsbruck are generally great races

Only way to be ... works for me every race

 

[CXRAndy]

Peter, you need to have rest days, very important. I suggest 3 days active, then 1 day off then 2 days active 1 day off. Dont do too many high intensity rides per week. Small incremental increase in time in the saddle and steady increase in high intensity. Every 3rd week back it off to something like 50% of distance and intensity.

Then repeat with a small step in stress levels.

 

[bobinski]

Andy,
Don’t forget he much younger than some of us 😁
Peter,
Ride mainly for fun👍 Probably best not to ride or race hard 2 days in a row unless part of a structured training plan. You don’t need that because you will be making great gains just from riding lots. As Andy says when you ride hard probably beat to have a light ride, low power and low HR the following day. Turn the pedals. A big endurance ride once a week , 2 hours or more is good. Enjoy the racing and the big gains in between. Watch out for fatigue and if it builds and begins to affect gains then take a rest. If and when your gains plateau or you feel the need to train rather than race and ride then let’s us know and we can confuse you with conflicting advice 😁
Avoid trainer road whatever anyone says 😁

 

[<Tommy>]

Wow!

I don’t know which of the last 3 posts I found more inspiring… 😜

Is the love of giving advice a British thing or you think it’s more universal? We’re definitely a hell of a lot better at giving it than we are taking it that’s for sure!

Happy Sunday everyone! Today I shall be mostly trying to work off a hangover by roller skating around kings cross. (On the advice of my 8 year old daughter) 👍😄

 

[bobinski]

Wow!

I don’t know which of the last 3 posts I found more inspiring… 😜

Is the love of giving advice a British thing or you think it’s more universal? We’re definitely a hell of a lot better at giving it than we are taking it that’s for sure!

Happy Sunday everyone! Today I shall be mostly trying to work off a hangover by roller skating around kings cross. (On the advice of my 8 year old daughter) 👍😄

You be careful out there 👍😉