Zwift Chat

[alex_cycles]

4 weeks back on the bike now so I've done another blog entry if anyone is interested.

https://norryscyclingstuff.weebly.com/blog

All very encouraging. Looks like you’re on a good path. Since August I’ve let my CTL drop from 70ish to 50ish, by doing shorter, more intense rides. (Not much long club riding, lots of Zwift racing). It’s been great fun and good for results, but think I need to do some longer stuff too.

 

[Randyberlin]

4 weeks back on the bike now so I've done another blog entry if anyone is interested.

https://norryscyclingstuff.weebly.com/blog

Great write up.

 

[CXRAndy]

Oops looks to be wrong upload 😃👍

 

[Norry1]

Great write up.

Thanks Randy.

One thing I forgot to put in the blog (I'll go back and edit it) is the unexpected impact on my max Heart Rate.

Those who have seen me race know that my heart rate is relatively low - I had it pegged as a max of 158 BPM and I rarely even managed to get to that level.

Since coming back from my enforced time off the bike (or any training really) my max HR now on the bike is 165BPM - and I've not really stressed it quite to 100%.

Prof Louis Passfield mentioned that his HR was higher (he's also recovering) and I asked him why. He said..

" Your heart rate is determined in part by the extent to which your heart fills between each beat. If your blood volume increases, your heart fills more effectively and your heart rate decreases. The opposite also applies and a decreased blood volume can lead to an increased heart rate response. If you haven’t trained for a while your blood volume is likely to decrease, and your heart rate increase. This is a brief answer as there are lots of other factors at play here too. When you resume training your blood volume can increase quite rapidly and you can see a drop of 3 to 5 bpm in max heart rate within days before it stabilises."

I had always thought that max HR was find of a fixed thing and as your blood volume increased this provided the performance boost as more oxygen is available.

I am hoping that the new max HR stays available to me as my blood volumes increase with training, but we'll see.

 

[Legs]

BTW, if anyone’s wondering, you CAN fit a 20” wheel bike onto a Tacx Neo 👍

 

[Peter Salt]

Thanks Randy.

One thing I forgot to put in the blog (I'll go back and edit it) is the unexpected impact on my max Heart Rate.

Those who have seen me race know that my heart rate is relatively low - I had it pegged as a max of 158 BPM and I rarely even managed to get to that level.

Since coming back from my enforced time off the bike (or any training really) my max HR now on the bike is 165BPM - and I've not really stressed it quite to 100%.

Prof Louis Passfield mentioned that his HR was higher (he's also recovering) and I asked him why. He said..

" Your heart rate is determined in part by the extent to which your heart fills between each beat. If your blood volume increases, your heart fills more effectively and your heart rate decreases. The opposite also applies and a decreased blood volume can lead to an increased heart rate response. If you haven’t trained for a while your blood volume is likely to decrease, and your heart rate increase. This is a brief answer as there are lots of other factors at play here too. When you resume training your blood volume can increase quite rapidly and you can see a drop of 3 to 5 bpm in max heart rate within days before it stabilises."

I had always thought that max HR was find of a fixed thing and as your blood volume increased this provided the performance boost as more oxygen is available.

I am hoping that the new max HR stays available to me as my blood volumes increase with training, but we'll see.

For what it's worth, my HR is always higher if I'm well rested. If I do a race, go all out, and the HR seems low, I assume I should take it easier.

Since August I’ve let my CTL drop from 70ish to 50ish, by doing shorter, more intense rides. (Not much long club riding, lots of Zwift racing). It’s been great fun and good for results, but think I need to do some longer stuff too.

I think I never went over 35.

 

[bobinski]

4 weeks back on the bike now so I've done another blog entry if anyone is interested.

https://norryscyclingstuff.weebly.com/blog

Great write up Martin and fantastic to see you making solid progress. Slowly slowly seems to be the best way forward though it must be tempting to want to rush back to fitness. I tried to watch LP but kept wanting him to get on with it. I suspect I have had too much coffee 😀

 

[Legs]

The highest mine has ever been (since I started Zwift, at least) is 40, last spring. I’m hovering around 20 at the moment (but dropping a bit until I shift this cold…)

 

[alex_cycles]

BTW, if anyone’s wondering, you CAN fit a 20” wheel bike onto a Tacx Neo 👍

View attachment 667072

But can you ride it?
Assuming it's for a 'little person'?

 

[alex_cycles]

For what it's worth, my HR is always higher if I'm well rested. If I do a race, go all out, and the HR seems low, I assume I should take it easier.


I think I never went over 35.

I don't think I've ever been below 35 except when I took 6 weeks off after surgery

The accuracy of TSS really depends on up to date FTP though. Does anyone ACTUALLY retest every 6 weeks?

 

[Legs]

But can you ride it?
Assuming it's for a 'little person'?

I managed to just about turn the pedals while going up and down the cassette, but then it felt like my lungs were on fire and I was in danger of discharging my sinuses over his brand new headset… 🤢

 

[straas]

Since restarting my zwift membership in september, I've used it twice!

 

[alex_cycles]

Since restarting my zwift membership in september, I've used it twice!

Has it helped your fitness?

 

[straas]

Has it helped your fitness?

It's helped me to look increasingly like a capital D

 

[alex_cycles]

Nice lot of us doing Race Makuri now. Dunno why it gave me a silver though. I was 3rd in my race.
Might do stage 2 on Thu/Fri as it's ZRL tomorrow.