Zwift Running Mode: Winters just got more bearable

Gabe Peterson

So I tried out the running mode in Zwift this week and love it!  This will make treadmill running in the winters so much more bearable, even enjoyable.  I usually run watching one of the Sufferfest workouts or a trail video from the Youtube channel Treadmill TV.  I love the Sufferfest for a...um...sufferfest.  Since my goal is to build a massive aerobic engine, most of my workouts are done at MAF, making Sufferfest not an option.

It is still basically an "easter egg" on a PC.  Follow the directions at the link below to unlock it.  You'll need a footpod.  I used a Garmin footpod, and the pace was surprisingly accurate.  I haven't tried my Stryd (it's on my trail running shoes right now).

https://zwiftblog.com/pc-mac-running-release/

I did a 9.3 mile run around London this morning, and it was the most enjoyment I've had on a treadmill.  I'm usually eyeing the clock after 6 miles, but the time just flowed by.  I matched the grades on the uphills to get in quality climbing.  It was super fun climbing up Box Hill, even more fun running past cyclists.  Here is the activity on Strava:

https://www.strava.com/activities/879329777

Gabe Peterson

I couldn't bring myself to go outside for a run this morning with the temps hovering around 18F.  The last two runs I did on Zwift were on the London course.  Today was Watopia.  I discovered an issue when I uploaded the ride to Strava and it reported around 6700ft of elevation gain even though the actual elevation gain was around 600ft.  It must use the elevation using the map instead of the GPS file that Strava sends, unlike in cycling mode.  Since "Watopia" is actually an island in the South Pacific, the elevation varies wildly compared to the Zwift course.  Whereas, the London course seems closer to reality.

I also noticed that it reports the time as that in the Zwift location, so it showed my run in Watopia as 2AM instead of MST.

Not deal breakers but something I hope Zwift works out soon.  I just set the workout to treadmill in Strava to suppress the elevation.

Dave Gardner

Thanks for the feedback Gabe! I'd heard about the running mode and was wondering how to go about it. I'll be giving it a go soon

Peter Noyes

I am glad you remembered to take your helmet off. I have seen a few guys running with helmets!

Gabe Peterson

@Dave Gardner, I also found there is a Facebook group called "Zwift Runners."  It has a bunch of info.  They even have group runs.  You may want to join.

@Peter%20Noyes, of course.  Runners don't have the Rules like cyclist, but I'd have to imagine running with a bike helmet would be a major violation.

Dave Gardner

Thanks @Gabe Peterson! I'll check it out 

Gabe Peterson

Bumping this thread.  The run mode has matured considerably since my original post and is no longer an easter egg.  It even has structured workouts based off your VDOT (calculated by entering a time for a known distance, such as a 10k).

I don't see many ENers using the run mode on Zwift.  Would be cool to organize some EN group runs on Zwift.

Derrek Sanks

I tried it once a couple weeks ago. I was by myself and was just like a boring treadmill run. I haven't tried a group run/race or workout yet. Similar to group rides/races, I'm sure I'd enjoy Zwift running much more with other runners for group runs and workouts. I'm down for an EN group run.

scott dinhofer

I need to get a stryd!!! don't have the ability to connect my garmin to the gym treadmills, though I am looking to see if they have the RJ45 port at my gym later today.. 

Rory Gumina

Agree @Gabe Peterson EN group run would be cool!

Zwift does add a level of distraction to otherwise boring TM wko ... albeit minimally ... per @Derrek Sanks

There are a few EN'ers running on Zwift ... eg. yesterday @Ian Kurth , @Trent Prough , @Brian Hagan , @Coach Patrick , @Carol DeFazio

The Zwift 5K and 10K group runs are ok, but not well attended the times I've joined.  They only have like 10 custom Zwift workouts (compared to tons for cycling) and they are pretty good, though nothing over 10K/~1 hr.

I've attempted to create my own custom wko a few times but no joy ... easy to edit with text editor, but saving as .zwo has thus far eluded me.

Derrek Sanks

Scott Dinhofer said:

I need to get a stryd!!! don't have the ability to connect my garmin to the gym treadmills, though I am looking to see if they have the RJ45 port at my gym later today.. 

@Scott Dinhofer - You can also use a foot pod to connect to Zwift run. I'm using a Garmin Foot Pod. I don't know what features/advantages (if any) I'm missing out on not using run power. 

Dave Gardner

@Scott Dinhofer and @Derrek Sanks, a much cheaper alternative I got on dcrainmakers recommendation is the milestone footpod, its $30 and works great.

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_17?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=milestone+footpod&sprefix=milestone+footpod,aps,161&crid=40EZJI61U0HZ

Brian Hagan

I agree that this could be really fun as a group.  Zwift has been a big game changer for the team in regards to group rides on the bike, and there is no reason why it couldn't on the run.  Other than finding the right time and day, the biggest issue would be that everyone runs at a different pace.  For cycling in Zwift, this can be fixed by lowering or raising a riders weight to adjust to a comfortable W/KG that the group wants to ride.

There is a way to do it for the run!  There is an app called the Treadmill Smart Speed App in iTunes and maybe Gfit for Android.  These apps will let you manually type in your speed and it will transmit it via bluetooth to your Zwift device.  I have used the app on my iPhone and transmitted it to my iPad and also my laptop.  So everyone could agree to type 7 MPH, and our avatars would all run together in Zwift at the same speed.

Now, to capture your real run for Strava, Training Peaks, Garmin Connect etc....  You would then pair your footpod (see Dave Gardner section^^^) or Stryd to your Garmin (or Polar whatever) watch to capture.

This way we could all virtually run together on Zwift and chat on Discord and watch our Avatars run together through Watopia, London or Richmond.

The question now would be, what day and time do you want to try?

Gabe Peterson

@Scott Dinhofer, like @Derrek Sanks and @Dave Gardner mentioned, you don't need a Stryd footpod.  Zwift running mode currently doesn't use running power.  I have a Garmin footpod that I already owned.  I actually found it was more accurate than Stryd.  Most people in the Zwift Runners FB group use the Milestone footpod.

@Rory Gumina, I'm looking forward to the workout library expanding.  Or even better, being able to create custom workouts.  But the ones that are included are pretty good.

@Brian Hagan awesome info on how to do the group run!  Perhaps a 5k or 10k group run on a weekday?  I usually try to run outside on the weekend, barring a snowstorm.

Robert Sabo

I don't get it.  I don't mind the TM and watching tv.  My Garmin reminds me every mile to change speed of TM if I want. 

The Zwift is great for the bike.  I'm just not sure what to do with running on the Zwift.  There aren't enough others to run by; there are no sprint or hill KOMs.  What to youguys do to make it "fun".  The only thing I see so far is competition to get more miles and higher levels.

Brian Hagan

@Robert Sabo - I see what you are saying.  I usually watch TV.  I also have my Garmin paired just in case (also gives better split data).

The part I like is I pair to my iPad.  It gives me a better screen to see my speed and HR metrics than my TM does or my watch does.  I also like seeing the Zwift graphics in slower motion, because I notice things I never see while riding.  I know the CEO has said there are plans for running only courses in the future that will make the runners run closer to each other.

Also, if you see someone you follow (friend) on Zwift running, you could chose "run with".  My problem is most of you all run faster than me.

Rory Gumina

Just another level of distraction for me I guess @Robert Sabo ... or maybe more focus when I'm trying to push the pace ... where TV is good if I'm just targeting tempo / TRP run.

Last week I entered 5K group run.  There were maybe 10 of us.  1st person bolted from the start (like so fast I thought maybe he chose Run but was actually riding), but then I could see the rest of the pack and it added a level of competition/motivation ... leading to some new Zwift/TM pace records for me ... and definitely helped block out my "off the back fail" images as TM speed got above 7! 

And yeah, more miles and higher levels too. 

Gabe Peterson

I agree with everything @Brian Hagan and @Rory Gumina said above.  I really like having all the data such as HR and speed displayed on the TV in front of my treadmill.  We're still in the early days of the running mode -- it's not even a beta yet.  I recall folks on EN and the Salt Lake Tri Club complaining when Zwift first came out that it was boring watching their avatar cycle.  

I'd add the workout mode is really cool.  Even though there are only a handful of workouts, they've got some solid bread-and-butter run workouts.  I did the 4x800 workout this morning.  The target pacing was pretty much on the money with what I had calculated.  It was kind of like doing a workout on the bike trainer.   I didn't have to think much about it.  Just loaded it up and tried to hit the target paces.

Carole Harbison

 I just tried it for the first time yesterday and was a bit underwhelmed, like others here. I tried biking with Zwift back when it was in beta phase and think it might just be at that same stage-- I don't get a lot of benefit watching an avatar run or bike around essentially by myself, and even got a little motion sick trying to watch the small screen. The biking makes a lot more sense now that there is a strong community and frequent events behind it, so maybe the running section will get there?? I also got annoyed by having to change the grade every 5 seconds to try to match the terrain, especially because the grade # was so tiny in the upper corner of my ipad screen.

I'll probably try a Zwift group run and maybe a workout, but hope they make changes to it soon!

Also, @Scott Dinhofer on the tech side, the other solution if you had an ANT+ only garmin footpod/watch is to get the Viiiva heart rate monitor that has ant to ble conversion technology and will pair with Zwift. That's how I handled it and it works flawlessly. I looked into the stryd pods and figured for the cost the extra metrics weren't worth it for me until the technology advances, a lot of what they tell you sounds sort of made up since they can only measure so many things. I can see the potential there for the future though!

Gabe Peterson

The new release of Zwift added a game changer: the ability to use custom run workouts!  You create the workout in TrainingPeaks, export it as a .ZWO file, and place it in you Zwift custom workouts folder.  Instructions here.  You can really dial in your run workouts now. 

It might not be so exciting for all the durability runs in the outseason plan now.  I'm modifying the outseason to be more old school EN with interval and tempo runs, since I feel like I've got the durability thing down and need to pump some speed back into my ultra legs.

@Carole Harbison agreed the running mode is like the cycling mode when it was a beta.  I could see how running with a tablet in front of you would be unsatisfying, and potentially disorienting.  My setup is shown in the below action shot taken on the treadmill.  My bike trainer is right next to the treadmill, so I can watch Zwift, Sufferfest, etc on the flat screen in my pain cave.  I usually don't follow the queues for grade since elevation currently doesn't get exported.  However, I have done things like run up Zwift Volcano roughly matching the grades.

Gabe Peterson

So I've been experimenting with custom workouts in Running mode.  There is not workout editor, but you can make your own just by creating a .ZWO file and dropping it Documents >> Zwift >> Workouts, at least on Windows.  I've gotta say I really like the structure of these.  It breaks the workout down into bite-sized chunks and time flies by.

Here are a few workouts if you'd like to give it a try.  The target paces key off your 1-mile pace, so make sure that is set correctly.

Jeff Horn

Thanks @Gabe Peterson for making those.  I can't import as I'm on AppleTV.  I need to check and see if TrainingPeaks custom workout builder loads in for runs as it does on the bike.

Gabe Peterson

@Jeff Horn let me know how it goes.  I was able to get the workouts to import from TrainingPeaks, but the paces were way off.  It would have like 15MPH when it was supposed to be around 9MPH.