Zwift Chat

[Too Tyred]

I've been experimenting since I got set up. I did a steady 20m around a flat London loop on Wednesday. Well, steady if you take out the 5 second sprint when a large group overtook me. Set a new PB for 5 second power (581w), which surprised me. Although, my previous sprints were all at the end of harder rides, and 80% effort sprints from the gate in races.

Did an FTP test earlier too. New figure is 171w (2.76w/kg). Not bad considering I was at 191w (3.08w/kg) in December on the Elite and have only ridden 3 times since. It gives me a benchmark. 200w by Christmas seems like a strong target. That would take me from a low C cat to a low B cat.

How do you guys fill your riding time on Zwift? I want to do more workouts this time around but can't find any that fit into my schedule. I also want to keep the weekend free for road riding (or Zwift endurance rides) and join a Race series. So you see my problem isn't really riding time (4x a week is plenty) but I still want it to be fun and not just looking at a number. Problem is all the workouts have way more than 2 days per week, a little advice here please!

EDIT: The 6wk FTP builder has 4 workouts per week. Could I chop this to 2 and run it for 12 weeks? Does it work like that?

Are any CycleChatters part of a racing group?

 

[CXRAndy]

I've been experimenting since I got set up. I did a steady 20m around a flat London loop on Wednesday. Well, steady if you take out the 5 second sprint when a large group overtook me. Set a new PB for 5 second power (581w), which surprised me. Although, my previous sprints were all at the end of harder rides, and 80% effort sprints from the gate in races.

Did an FTP test earlier too. New figure is 171w (2.76w/kg). Not bad considering I was at 191w (3.08w/kg) in December on the Elite and have only ridden 3 times since. It gives me a benchmark. 200w by Christmas seems like a strong target. That would take me from a low C cat to a low B cat.

How do you guys fill your riding time on Zwift? I want to do more workouts this time around but can't find any that fit into my schedule. I also want to keep the weekend free for road riding (or Zwift endurance rides) and join a Race series. So you see my problem isn't really riding time (4x a week is plenty) but I still want it to be fun and not just looking at a number. Problem is all the workouts have way more than 2 days per week, a little advice here please!

EDIT: The 6wk FTP builder has 4 workouts per week. Could I chop this to 2 and run it for 12 weeks? Does it work like that?

Are any CycleChatters part of a racing group?

I thought Zwift workouts were done when you chose them, I haven't used their workouts because I use Trainer-road for structured plans. Quite a number of us race on Zwift, but nothing particular, we pick a race of about 15-25 miles and just go for it, hilly, flattish or rolling. There is always plenty of others on these races so it can be very competitive. I enjoy Zwift so dont need to fill any void with a distraction, besides if you're racing you wont notice anything other than the racers in front of you. There are also clubs rides at lesser pace but usually longer 1.5+hours Zsun,WBR,Kiss have these. If you use the Zwift companion app or Zwift power to find upcoming events to fit your schedules

 

[Whorty]

I thought Zwift workouts were done when you chose them, I haven't used their workouts because I use Trainer-road for structured plans. Quite a number of us race on Zwift, but nothing particular, we pick a race of about 15-25 miles and just go for it, hilly, flattish or rolling. There is always plenty of others on these races so it can be very competitive. I enjoy Zwift so dont need to fill any void with a distraction, besides if you're racing you wont notice anything other than the racers in front of you. There are also clubs rides at lesser pace but usually longer 1.5+hours Zsun,WBR,Kiss have these. If you use the Zwift companion app or Zwift power to find upcoming events to fit your schedules

I've done a couple of training sessions on zwift and chose the session and just rode it. Plenty to choose from. There are also scheduled training plans too, and this might be what @Two Tired is referring to, but these were too frequent for me and didn't allow for race or pootle days. Must say, I do quite like Zwift training sessions, something different to the norm for me

 

[Too Tyred]

You guys! I have been on Zwift quite a bit in groups and doing races/ group rides, I know how they work.

Yeah I'm looking for something structured like the 6wk builder, but seeing if I can make it 12wk so I can fit it around all the other stuff that I want to do. The workouts have set says like Monday do this, Tuesday that etc but that would leave no time to do a series or an endurance ride which is rubbish, Zwift is far too social for that. Or if there are any other structured workouts that would be more what I'm looking for.

I want the progression of structured workouts but not at the expense of being able to ride for a few hours on a weekend or the fun of a mid-week, competitive blast in a race series. TrainerRoad looks like the Daddy of workouts, but again probably pointless with me only wanting to do 2 per week.

For anyone interested I'm looking at the SZR series on a Wednesday evening.

 

[bobinski]

You guys! I have been on Zwift quite a bit in groups and doing races/ group rides, I know how they work.

Yeah I'm looking for something structured like the 6wk builder, but seeing if I can make it 12wk so I can fit it around all the other stuff that I want to do. The workouts have set says like Monday do this, Tuesday that etc but that would leave no time to do a series or an endurance ride which is rubbish, Zwift is far too social for that. Or if there are any other structured workouts that would be more what I'm looking for.

I want the progression of structured workouts but not at the expense of being able to ride for a few hours on a weekend or the fun of a mid-week, competitive blast in a race series. TrainerRoad looks like the Daddy of workouts, but again probably pointless with me only wanting to do 2 per week.

For anyone interested I'm looking at the SZR series on a Wednesday evening.

I think the consensus is not to stretch a 6wk structured workout because the point of certain rides, stressing legs, heart or lungs etc and then recovery or whatever, gets undermined. You could replace a hard workout, say overs and unders, with a race because that’s what most race are like.

 

[Too Tyred]

I wondered about the TSS score and how it would affect recovery.

How about something like the 8wk race-day prep (https://whatsonzwift.com/workouts/8wk-race-day-prep)

4 Days: 1- strength training, 2- zone 1 ride, 3- split 2/3, 4- hill reps.

I think I could exclude the zone 1 ride and then swap one of the other 3 days for the race series so I could keep it at an 8wk program. I think I'd swap the strength one which looks to me the most like an over/ under session?

Thoughts?

 

[bobinski]

I wondered about the TSS score and how it would affect recovery.

How about something like the 8wk race-day prep (https://whatsonzwift.com/workouts/8wk-race-day-prep)

4 Days: 1- strength training, 2- zone 1 ride, 3- split 2/3, 4- hill reps.

I think I could exclude the zone 1 ride and then swap one of the other 3 days for the race series so I could keep it at an 8wk program. I think I'd swap the strength one which looks to me the most like an over/ under session?

Thoughts?

Have a go and see what happens.

 

[LBHIFI]

Yeah, I'm a wuss ... I know . But I'm not taking any chances with this coctail of TT bike, rain and freezing 10 m/s winds

Well, someone decided to remove the rain from the equation, but in return turned up the wind. I found a cheap 20£ Shimano low profile front wheel in the garage and went for the Chrono Cup after all. I tried my Cosmic Carbon 50mm first but with gusts now nearing storm strength is was just to scary. So on went the cheap Shimano. There are two nasty hills on this short course where I can normally squeeze the bike over, but there was head wind on both of them today so decided to stay in aero tuck and go to granny gear.

I had hoped to at least equal my best time (40 kph, 12 min 43 sec), but I was 11 seconds slower (39.4 kph). Lost a lot of speed and watts on the two downhills as I couldn't stay in aero tuck or pedal, just hanging on for dear life trying not to get blown away.
So all things considered I guess it's ok.

 

[bobinski]

Well, someone decided to remove the rain from the equation, but in return turned up the wind. I found a cheap 20£ Shimano low profile front wheel in the garage and went for the Chrono Cup after all. I tried my Cosmic Carbon 50mm first but with gusts now nearing storm strength is was just to scary. So on went the cheap Shimano. There are two nasty hills on this short course where I can normally squeeze the bike over, but there was head wind on both of them today so decided to stay in aero tuck and go to granny gear.

I had hoped to at least equal my best time (40 kph, 12 min 43 sec), but I was 11 seconds slower (39.4 kph). Lost a lot of speed and watts on the two downhills as I couldn't stay in aero tuck or pedal, just hanging on for dear life trying not to get blown away.
So all things considered I guess it's ok.

Sounds pretty darned good to me​

 

[Randyberlin]

Well, someone decided to remove the rain from the equation, but in return turned up the wind. I found a cheap 20£ Shimano low profile front wheel in the garage and went for the Chrono Cup after all. I tried my Cosmic Carbon 50mm first but with gusts now nearing storm strength is was just to scary. So on went the cheap Shimano. There are two nasty hills on this short course where I can normally squeeze the bike over, but there was head wind on both of them today so decided to stay in aero tuck and go to granny gear.

I had hoped to at least equal my best time (40 kph, 12 min 43 sec), but I was 11 seconds slower (39.4 kph). Lost a lot of speed and watts on the two downhills as I couldn't stay in aero tuck or pedal, just hanging on for dear life trying not to get blown away.
So all things considered I guess it's ok.

At least 6 PRs and over 300 watts! Not too shabby for a ride in the storm.

 

[LBHIFI]

At least 6 PRs and over 300 watts! Not too shabby for a ride in the storm.

Thanks Randy, I guess it was not too bad, but I need a little bit more for the Cambridgeshire TT.
I don't know why the official links doesn't show any result, but I got this via Facebook: https://app.lap.io/event/2018-campione-chrono-cup-1-afd/results
The official time has me just over 40 kph ... unfortunately the rules says that anyone crossing the 40 kph mark, has to enter the A-category. So next time I will be fighting not to be last, instead of fighting for the B-podium .
The overall winner is a junior world 3000 m track champion...amazing time in those conditions ... actually, amazing time in any condition .

 

[CXRAndy]

Having spent 2days sleeping like a dormouse, I have felt a bit wiped out. I today feel better. An easy hour spin today

 

[Too Tyred]

Just getting warmed up for the SZR race series!

Edit: Ruined. That was tough. I remember this series having well over 100 riders but I suppose that was the autumn and not spring. 17 finishers from 26 on the start grid and I came 14th. New FTP up 7 points to 178w (2.87w/kg). Was always going to struggle in the C category.

Could have been 10th. Hung with the front group for 15km then was dropeed with one other. The group behind clawed back nearly 3 minutes and caught us with 1.1km to go. I tagged on but lost out in the sprint. Very close, but at least I pipped that screb who didn't do any work when we were getting chased!

Did its job tonight, that was hard work and somehow good fun!

 

[uclown2002]

Bunch sprint :-)

View: https://youtu.be/PoPEl3NJWVY

 

[bobinski]

Another strong sprint finish there Dave