That was the toughest I’ve done. I went out like a rocket doing 450-500w for the first 2km only to be around 50th place. So backed off a bit as I realised as it was pointless and I’d be burnt out after 5km if I kept that up.
Settled in with a group around 60th place for the remainder of the race and managed to hold on to a break away about 5km from the finish and sprinted for 66th! Just checked strava and averaged 298w for that 😳

The hilly course really suits me, but I’d have had no chance on the flat. I can push hard on hills but struggle to consistently churn it out on the flat.

Looks like I’ve been bumped to 3rd now! I’ll have a go at C next time and see how we get on!

Great result for team STW with a 10th place!

Good race that! Still finding my Zwift legs this season, went away too fast & lost the plot after the first climb but managed to recover a little towards the end. Rode the last bit with an STWer I didn’t recognise (don’t forget to add STW as your team name in ZwiftPower as well as Zwift!!) but I think we were both too knackered for a strong finish!

Maybe we should adopt an easily recognisable/lairy team kit?!

I’m in the bright pink and blue one if that helps?

Zilogs, it was me you tried to drag home, didn’t have enough in the tank after getting dropped by the group on the second climb to catch back up.

Again, lack of preparation meant I only had a couple of minutes of warm up and that start was brutal. Results should be interesting after finalising though.

My zwifting goes under the radar, my dirty little secret from my “proper” riding friends, so all rides kept private….

Weird one – missed the automatic line-up so was quite late to the pen – looong way back

I never saw the front of the race and the highest up in catB I got to was 30odd. Then we hit the hill

SUddenly I was in the 70s and a big bunch was away ahead of my group. Tried a “sprint” to see if I could get anywhere near them but no chance so I sat with the 2nd group at a fairly fast pace but not catching those ahead in the slightest (up front there was obviously some fracturing and a few dropouts but still 60 or so ahead of us)

Pretty much a bunch sprint for, err, 64th in B. I ended up 67th

Hills – still nope

(power curve over 20 mins/FTP still pretty much a PB)

I got out ok and muggo was just behind me along with s.ram another STWer, we hit the hill and it went wrong, dropped from 70th to 90th and holding the pack of that group. As we hit the reverse roller coaster I got dropped and picked up the bunch behind just after sprint, we hung for 1/3rd lap until hill again and they were all 3.3-3.5 and I couldn’t find more than 3, so lost ground, we had a group of 5 then to the line, I went at 500m, which was 125m too early! I got taken by 2 of them. I think I battled to 95th out of 140! Although I really enjoyed it

On the Isaac I had 3.7-4.0 on the hills I think, but I’m getting nowhere near that on Parkwood. But it’s not enough to get me back on Isaac as it gives me knee problems.

It’s a lot more enjoyable with such a big field. Pleased that I could keep that level of effort up over a longer race with climbs too.
Some disappointment that I had to pass up a slow cooked chicken casserole for that race tonight. A chicken and veg big soup is no substitute.

You’re a big strong boy!

You’re a big strong boy!

You’re not the first guy to tell me that 😛

I was in the SZR race as well. Actually rode the first 3k or so with you weaksy but fell off that group. When your ftp is 3.1 and you are doing 3.4 it will never end well.

Got in with another group and passed you with about 17k to go. Blew the group up the hilly Kom and was only 0.6 of a second outside my pb. One guy caught me just before the finish and I nearly threw up at the end.

Somehow I ended up in B grade and was 110th. I Averaged 2.99w/kg and 200w. Stoked as my ftp is 215w. Brutal race.

Well done to the stw guys.

Looking at the C results, that’s bonkers. So so many are way over 3.19!

There’s a guy over 4.0 and several over 3.9.

Bit confused why they’re not auto upgrades !

Good work JK!

I need a day off though.

seems to be a bit of bumping* going on weeksy, may not yet be finished

*Yay, I’m nearly on page 1 !! 🙄

You and me both mate.

My best average before today was 190w.

The wife thinks I’m insane.

Ok now I am 100th in B grade out of 102. I’d say the auto upgrades are under way. My power readings have changed slightly as well.

I’ll look in morning, should I actually survive the night that is!

I am about to sit through an 8 hour conference. My legs are a bit rubbery still…

My boy Reggie got an UPG 😆

You were pipped by Dereck Bowen Weeksy and HE’s fit enough to do Crits 😉 #noexcusesnow

[video]https://youtu.be/8ySgVTFvlDs[/video]

I see Nath’s mate got another podium 😆

You were pipped by Dereck Bowen

Was frustrated with that actually, me and another guy caught him after we lost 3-4s on the hill at end, got him on last woop of roller coaster. I pulled 2s on them when I went early, too early as it happened.

Up to 29th now! That big soup after taste is less bitter now.

It’s a load of BS CH! 😆

Nice race guys, well done all!!

P.s. my race from last night is still buggered 😆
https://zwiftpower.com/race.php?id=13283

Ok, I have next Wednesday and Thursday off work but I’m looking after a post surgery puppy so can’t leave the house.

Guess I’ll bite the Zwift race bullet.

Any daytime recommendations, ideally morning GMT? Or are they all ******* awful?

KISS Australia?

Yeh, just do one and see – they’re only awful if you make yourself go full-on. (and, of course, you will 😀 )

If you use the mobile link app you can see the evening before how many riders have already signed up for each event. IME big fields mean that you’re unlikely to win anything but way more likely to find riders close to your own level so you’ll get a meaningful race rather than a short group ride followed by a solo TT

check things beforehand – drink, towels, fan on full blast but also that you’re not riding a TT bike, as that’d get you a DQ in most road races (maybe you never use it anyway – I like to if I’m doing a steady ride as it removes the drafting effect)

Whats everyones plans for this evening?

Looks like the 20.00 Kiss Europe for me due to having to put the little one to bed as the Mrs is out. Anyone else joining in Group C tonight?

See you on the start line (S.Ram STW (C))

I think i need a rest today really.

Good point on field size, there’s a KISS America race on that might fit the bill and keeps the time to 60 minutes.

Or are they all ******* awful?

Err maybe it’s just me, but I think they’re great (probably the honeymoon period). I’d say maybe pick a medium length flattish one to start with though. As above check the rules as some races you aren’t allowed TT bikes or power ups and it’d be a right bugger to put all that effort in and get DQ’d or penalised.

Err maybe it’s just me, but I think they’re great (probably the honeymoon period)

They don’t get better/worse 🙂 If you enjoy them, you enjoy them. No reason you won’t keep on enjoying them 🙂 They’re always just as hard/easy as before.

Only downside is a downturn in form, which is where i’m currently at, i think my form is back to OK now, but i’m still blaming the Parkwood for a minor inability to run at the front of C.

I would say there’s a certain satisfaction in figuring out race tactics & racing efficiently rather than just beasting yourself the whole time! Definitely feels good to beat someone who’s lighter and/or more powerful than you by cunning drafting or knowing when to put the hammer down & when to recover!

I see what you mean. It has helped me focus on losing a bit of weight to see if I can move up the pack a bit.

I did the KISS down under race this morning and it was a big field. Not sure what was going on with my body but even when warming up my legs felt a bit stiff and lactic was starting to build just spinning a low gear, i rested yesterday but was stuck in the hospital so may be all the standing around was to blame. Anyway managed to lead out the field and it seemed ok but my legs just wouldnt recover properly but stuck to the lead group. It was Watopia figure 8 which i had no clue about (it is very hilly,i thought it was flat), i suddenly realised where i was and the big hill was coming and i was towards the rear of the group so i made a choice to stay where i was rather than getting to the front and tiring myself out. I was in 30th in cat b when we hit the climb but it fractured the group and i missed the break but managed to get in to 10th and chased after a little group ahead that had about 5 in it. My legs just weren’t right though so i was hanging on to the group rather than recovering although it was a quick group with a couple of cat A riders in it. I partially recovered and managed to be in front on most of the climbs so yet again it came down to a bunch sprint for 10th place. One guy went off the front at about 0.6km to go so i waited and hit the aero PU and closed my eyes and went for it. I pulled away from the others and managed to catch the guy in front with 50m to spare. I ended up 7th in cat b but i think the winner will be dq’d and overall i was 3 mins behind the overall race winner

Yeah once you’re at a certain level of comfort in your category the rest is purely tactics.

My tactic is always to follow the moves of others and try and pip them if it’s feeling easy or with 200-500m to go purely running off adrenaline!

I have people in India irritating me… i may do the 3pm Volcano race to vent my frustrations.

Hoping to make the Pack Social 2/2.2 this evening. Should still be a quick ride for me.

I did the KISS Down Under race this morning with slightly tired legs from the previous evening’s session. My first KISS race for a while and hoped the bigger field would mean more points…

Stayed with the lead group until the final big climb when the group split into two and I found myself on the front of the second group. Another attempt at a sprint at the end put me into 11th of the A’s and 31 more points.

Probably aiming for the 9:05 or 10:05 WBR races tomorrow.

I’m going to show up for the 8pm KISS ride.

30 in my cat so I’m predictin 28th 😆