Zwift Chat

[peterob]

Fair play mate 12 weeks is a long block. I did 8 (I think) once, and I also found the regid nature of set routine hard to maintain around family, friends and work. are you going to re join the races once you’re done with it?

Yeah I'll be back in the races once the block is finished. What you've just mentioned previously resonates with me - I ride my bike primarily for enjoyment (along with the associated health benefits), so it's really about balancing that along with the motivation to get 'better', CC races etc.

I think once the block is over I'll be looking at 2 'intense' sessions a week (one CC 'race' + a hard interval session), supplemented with steady endurance rides.

 

[Freelanderuk]

I got the Quatch Quest route done this morning and it was painfull towards the end of the Alpe, and I got the Tron bike for completing the Everest challenge also ,earlier than I thought😀. 2 days off now for a rest ready for TdZ stage 4

 

[<Tommy>]

It may be a bit more complicated than that Many training plans will actually reduce your short term "peaks" in search of medium and longer term gains. It all depends what you are looking for.

Yeah I agree with that. It does seem everyone has slightly different targets. I’m kind of assuming everyone is targeting the summer for the plans to come to fruition though. So that might be an interesting point for some conversation about it.

 

[<Tommy>]

Yeah I'll be back in the races once the block is finished. What you've just mentioned previously resonates with me - I ride my bike primarily for enjoyment (along with the associated health benefits), so it's really about balancing that along with the motivation to get 'better', CC races etc.

I think once the block is over I'll be looking at 2 'intense' sessions a week (one CC 'race' + a hard interval session), supplemented with steady endurance rides.

That’s basically what I’m doing now. Two big sessions and one longer weekend ride (which hopefully get longer as the weather improves). In fact considering our commutes are such comparable lengths we seem to be on a very similar wave length!

 

[bobinski]

Here’s my figures from my initial 4dp test.

Yes - I’ll be doing an after 4dp test. It’s currently planned for Monday week, after the final week ‘tapering’.

Did you get a noticeable difference in results Bob after your first plan?
View attachment 501723

There ya go.
Post op last year my ftp jumped by 50w on an 8 week plan but that’s not reliable given the low base I was coming from.

 

[bobinski]

Yeah I agree with that. It does seem everyone has slightly different targets. I’m kind of assuming everyone is targeting the summer for the plans to come to fruition though. So that might be an interesting point for some conversation about it.

FWIW my 12 week plan allegedly takes me to a point where Vo2 up and another plan kicks in to push power and endurance to cover both ToC and the Cingles.
What I am interested in, given so many of us here are around the same top cat C/bottom cat B in zwift, is whether those that tend to race a lot do better than me on a Controlled plan😁. I would have thought it was quite likely.

 

[CXRAndy]

These long training blocks, whilst you improve as they progress, its the basis for more intense peaking later. So fruits often happen 4-5 weeks after the workout block has finished.

I was listening to GCN videos and a question was asked of the presenters. What training tips gave their best race performance. It varied from super long rides to a few weeks of HIT. One presenter said that he would invariably win a race a few weeks after doing 5hr rides at 85rpm.

 

[CXRAndy]

FWIW my 12 week plan allegedly takes me to a point where Vo2 up and another plan kicks in to push power and endurance to cover both ToC and the Cingles.
What I am interested in, given so many of us here are around the same top cat C/bottom cat B in zwift, is whether those that tend to race a lot do better than me on a Controlled plan😁. I would have thought it was quite likely.

I have alluded to it before Bob, I suffered with fatigue one summer from doing a winter of HIT training. @kipster I think echoed something similar with a few of his club mates being burnt out part way into summer from lots of intensive training.

Violin playing in the background

Now I'm in the twilight of my life, Im not overly too concerned about having the best performance, through rigid training or diet control.

 

[<Tommy>]

I have alluded to it before Bob, I suffered with fatigue one summer from doing a winter of HIT training. @kipster I think echoed something similar with a few of his club mates being burnt out part way into summer from lots of intensive training.

Violin playing in the background

Now I'm in the twilight of my life, Im not overly too concerned about having the best performance, through rigid training or diet control.

I find this point interesting. See I’m not sure if sometimes that’s due to the type of training or if it’s due to overloading that type of training that causes fatigue. For example if you go on YouTube and look at film of pro team winter training (there’s a really good one of quick step I’ll try find later). You see them doing a constant mix of hiit and long arduous rides.

I could be wrong about this but I have a feeling fatigue is because of over training rather than type of training. I think it comes down to work load levels you put yourself under.

 

[bobinski]

I have alluded to it before Bob, I suffered with fatigue one summer from doing a winter of HIT training. @kipster I think echoed something similar with a few of his club mates being burnt out part way into summer from lots of intensive training.

Violin playing in the background

Now I'm in the twilight of my life, Im not overly too concerned about having the best performance, through rigid training or diet control.

Andy,
I may have misunderstood but you know I am not doing loads of HIT work? Its a fairly balanced TP and one that allows 1 flat out race a week-as an alternative to an erg SF session-and a 2-5 hr weekend outdoor ride IRL or an alternative endurance ride on the NEO.
Also, am I not older than you? Twilight of your life!

 

[CXRAndy]

Also, am I not older than you? Twilight

I thought you'd like that

 

[CXRAndy]

I find this point interesting. See I’m not sure if sometimes that’s due to the type of training or if it’s due to overloading that type of training that causes fatigue. For example if you go on YouTube and look at film of pro team winter training (there’s a really good one of quick step I’ll try find later). You see them doing a constant mix of hiit and long arduous rides.

I could be wrong about this but I have a feeling fatigue is because of over training rather than type of training. I think it comes down to work load levels you put yourself under.

We are all competitive, that's obvious. Overtraining, I reckon is so easy to fall into, even the professional athletes are often caught by this too.

I could have been overtraining. It starts with regular workouts and positive results start to appear, so you feel that its working, carry on doing the same with ever increasing load to continue the progress. All of a sudden tiredness has entered the equation. Not wanting to lose this new level of fitness we carry on....etc

 

[Norry1]

Overtraining is one big reason why I got a coach - especially the guy I'm now with who specialises in Masters athletes. For instance I am on a recovery day today and he'd shoot me if I trained

 

[IrishAl]

Here is one for you @<Tommy>

Ride with Geraint Thomas and Eric Min @1930GMT
https://zwiftpower.com/events.php?zid=309199

They’re suggesting this will be the biggest number of Zwifters in a single event ever...over 4000. Hope they don’t crash the system as I’m doing a team time trial at 1940.

 

[bobinski]

Here is one for you @<Tommy>

Ride with Geraint Thomas and Eric Min @1930GMT
https://zwiftpower.com/events.php?zid=309199

They’re suggesting this will be the biggest number of Zwifters in a single event ever...over 4000. Hope they don’t crash the system as I’m doing a team time trial at 1940.

I am booked into that one but it has all the potential to collapse.