I was out of town Fri and returned Saturday at 7:00 PM. I did't feel like running outside in 7 degree wind chill weather and 60' on the treadmill didn't sound like fun, so I opted for Zwift. Ended up doing a 26 mile race. Total ride time was 90' and the race was 63' at .97 IF. If I feel up to it, I'll do another ride Sunday, but the priority workout is the 60' run.
Run Jail means a bike ride on Sunday. After successfully testing my injured leg in a Sufferfest yesterday, I planned to stay steady on the London Loop. Fortunately, I was wearing my reading glasses and noticed two riders approaching from behind on Box Hill. In a three man break (it wasn’t really a race) that had me near in-season short course power for 12min’ the Team EN American and a Canadian dropped the Swede on the descent and Team EN was victorious in a sprint finish. I could get used to trainer rides like this! PS: My leg seemed to enjoy the whole thing.
@Joe Hallatschek : If I end up in the M55-59 Aquabike at Multisport Nationals, it will be like the good 'ol days. I think we crossed paths several times while you were in San Antonio.
@John Culberson - it was very strange going into transition and not going to the run out at Miami Man! I actually did a two mile cool down just to remember what it feels like!
I am sure we did cross paths and I remember seeing your name on lots of EN OS threads as well as 70.3s in Tx. I find your injury perplexing and will "file" since it's just a matter of time before me or someone I know has the same issue!
@Jason Veith I second the ouchie bum! Woke up with a cold yesterday. Boo! Got 90' in today on zwift and called it good. Bricked off and got 35' in. It was 57 in my basement and my toes were a bit stumpy to start the run. No fan required!
Did the Saturday ride today. First time ever using ERG mode. Not sure I like it. I like to shift and find my own feel for the power. Will keep tinkering.
@Joe Hallatschek: First Aquabike at Buffalo Springs last year... man, it was fun putting the hammer down over the last 10 miles! I’m hoping to be paroled from Run Jail soon. I had been doing well in RDP. Nice to know Aquabike is an option.
2h on the trainer today—first ride with Zwift since 2015 when it was in Beta mode. It made so much more sense this time now that I was following a prescribed power workout, back then I was in “just ride” mode and didn’t know anyone elsw on it so I really didn’t understand it! Now it seems like it can do everything I have been doing with trainer road, but then also more stuff like races and of course the social aspect. Is there an JOS group zwift ride or does that start up later in the season with the Sunday ABP rides?
@John StarkThe only time I use Erg on Zwift is for formal, pre-written workouts, to keep me on target for the interval wattages. For all other rides -races, group rides, just noodling around - it's the KICKR on "resistence", meaning I have to shift gears gong up and downhills, or to go faster or slower
@Carole Harbison. Both the Sat and Sun EN group rides are perfect for the weeknd ABP rideof the OS; it's what they're designed for. IMO, much more fun than trying to do it on your own on Zwift using the pre-written workout. See many other threads in the forum the wiki, and the GroupMe threads for more info and details.
@John StarkThe only time I use Erg on Zwift is for formal, pre-written workouts, to keep me on target for the interval wattages. For all other rides -races, group rides, just noodling around - it's the KICKR on "resistence", meaning I have to shift gears gong up and downhills, or to go faster or slower
@Al Truscott - I think I am with you on that. I am not an ERG fan cuz I get bored and like to shift and actually "ride." However, the ability to put my head down and grind out the end of intervals without worrying if I am holding watts with eyes on the screen is one nice benefit of ERG.
First ever OS ride with Zwift. Jury is still out but not sure I like it. WAY too much happening on the screen that is distracting. There is something about the Trainer Road blue bar and yellow squiggly line that makes me feel more focused and in control.
Maybe I am just old. Who know's?
Would love anyone else's opinion/thoughts.
@John Stark I had the same experience early November when I started up with Zwift. A LOT of data, variables, and gimmicks with no true user manual. But because I trusted the EN crew who were touting its value, I stuck with it and pushed through the connection issues and learned the lingo, keyboard, and screen. Tried workouts and races and group rides, as well as the EN OS workouts.
My advice: stick with it. You are a people person nonpareil. The value of Zwift over TR lies in the fact that there are ALWAYS others around you who are demonstrating their work out on the road, and that has a very compelling motivational and supporting value.
Here is a summary of how I think Zwift should be used in the OS. Nothing new here, Coach P and many others have said the same things:
FTP workouts: do a 3 or 4 lap race, about 30K. Should take 50-55 minutes. I do NOT ride it like a true roadie, more like a triathlete trying to do a bike race. Meaning I'll go over FTP on climbs, and try my darnedest to stay with a group otherwise, as long as I can go 0.95 or so. But I don't engage in crazy surges or breakaway attempts. My last race (Wed) was done over 53' @ a VI of 1.025 and an IF of 1.03, giving me a new FTP bump of about 4%. No way I could do that kind of work without others around me.
VO2 Workouts: use the EN workouts which have been loaded into Zwift. I think it's important to have at least one structured workout a week to really stress the top end. It's too easy in a race to both overdo the high efforts and overdo the recovery (meaning take longer to recover, or go easier in the recovery interval) compared to what is needed to build new muscle fitness. A race is too random to provide the requisite balance needed to trigger mitochondrial, capillary, and muscle fiber growth without sending you over the edge. I do these on a smart trainer in Erg mode, which FORCES me to hit my marks. I also do it on the hilliest course I can find, as when in workout mode, the hills are flattened, so I just work without any gear shifting at all. But I still get credit for the meters climbed...
Weekend rides with ENers "ABP". Again, especially in the winter, I could never get myself to work at the prescribed 60-120' @ 0.8-0.85 IF without trying to stay with my team-mates on Fantasy Island.
"Recovery Rides" Once you get hooked on Zwift, and are jonesing for more, it's OK IMO to just tootle around @ 0.55-0.66 IF and see the sights, as well as earn points to get more in game stuff. But don't overdo the efforts.
You may see others do more than ^^^. Let them be the guinea pigs about how much work to lay on during the OS, and what it's value might be come race season. I've been doing this long enough to know the trick is to do as *little* as possible while still advancing your fitness.
BTW, it goes without saying...you ain't old. I've seen you learn many new tricks; you'll like this one.
@Al Truscott - I am with you on MED (minimal effective dose)...the least work while gaining fitness. I am doing that with my strength training as well.
I took your advice. On last nights ride I used Mobile Link, tinkered with the social part, etc. I even read the online guide and learned a ton and ordered the Wahoo Fitness Desk. :-) I do wish there was a middle ground between TR and Zwift. But I will stop questioning things now and just move forward. :-) . Thanks for your help!
Thank you all! @Al Truscott, @JohnStark, @Carole Harbison so this week is much better and I realized after a chat with Coach that I was trying to jump in with tri shorts and no chamois cream! what a rookie mistake for this non-rookie!
I slathered up and threw on some bike, not tri, shorts with real padding and wouldn't you know it? So much better!!! I even got int aero and was able to stay in it for the sets. Major progress!
I kept my FTP where it was because I haven't ridden in ages, so I'm heeding your advice about hanging on until test week.
Thank you so much for the help! I've never been coming from *this* lack of fitness or time in the saddle before so I have actually forgotten how to be patient with myself. In time it will come!
Thank you all! @Al Truscott, @JohnStark, @Carole Harbison so this week is much better and I realized after a chat with Coach that I was trying to jump in with tri shorts and no chamois cream! what a rookie mistake for this non-rookie!
Well, I just want to thank @PatrickMcCrann, for this mornings ride. I started with the plan to ride the 2(16 X 30" (15"RI)) and was quickly put into decision time. I set my interval watt goal fairly high for me. By the time I was at interval #6 my HR was scratching 170 bpm. I decided then to split the sets into 8 X 30". That was a good choice as my HR continued to rise peaking at 172 bpm during this set. I took 2 rest minutes between set 1 & set 2. I took 5 minutes rest between sets 2 & 3 and 2 rest minutes between set 3 & set 4. These WKO's are what make the OS so much fun for me. Heading to the pool and there will be a run later today. Enjoy your day! https://www.strava.com/activities/1363150856/overview
Flipping Saturday / Sunday so had a fun lunch time ride in the rain - thanks to OCD, it took me nearly as long to clean my bike after the ride as the ride itself, but still enjoyable.
Comments
4 am wake up and 90' of convincing myself to get my butt on the trainer. Seeing Coach P and Dinhofer on zwift got me into gear.
Had to cut it short at 90', but got all of the required work done. 2x8' high z3 & 60' of z3 time.
https://www.strava.com/activities/1356601057
I am sure we did cross paths and I remember seeing your name on lots of EN OS threads as well as 70.3s in Tx. I find your injury perplexing and will "file" since it's just a matter of time before me or someone I know has the same issue!
@Carole Harbison. Both the Sat and Sun EN group rides are perfect for the weeknd ABP rideof the OS; it's what they're designed for. IMO, much more fun than trying to do it on your own on Zwift using the pre-written workout. See many other threads in the forum the wiki, and the GroupMe threads for more info and details.
3X20' @ .91+ Saturday: https://www.strava.com/activities/1355450331
Sunday longish TRP run with push to Z3: https://www.strava.com/activities/1357818730
Keep up the great work all!
SS
Thanks.
I took your advice. On last nights ride I used Mobile Link, tinkered with the social part, etc. I even read the online guide and learned a ton and ordered the Wahoo Fitness Desk. :-) I do wish there was a middle ground between TR and Zwift. But I will stop questioning things now and just move forward. :-) . Thanks for your help!
I slathered up and threw on some bike, not tri, shorts with real padding and wouldn't you know it? So much better!!! I even got int aero and was able to stay in it for the sets. Major progress!
I kept my FTP where it was because I haven't ridden in ages, so I'm heeding your advice about hanging on until test week.
Thank you so much for the help! I've never been coming from *this* lack of fitness or time in the saddle before so I have actually forgotten how to be patient with myself. In time it will come!
#HappyHooHaClub
Glad it worked out.
https://www.strava.com/activities/1363150856/overview
https://www.strava.com/activities/1366130976
Have a good weekend everyone!