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Rob I got another FTP increase after Tuesdays effort, slight uplift to 271 if you want to change it for me.
My recent other Zwift races have also led to increase on Zwift power but lower at 261w so it just goes to show These races are drawing a greater effort out, probably due to the mix cats and also needing to stay ahead of certain riders. You don’t get that normal Zwift racers either stay with lead pack of c and try to out sprint them or there’s so many putting out unbelievable and unrealistic efforts you just them get on with it and see you place at the end.
I’ve not done any other Zwift race recently where I feel I’ve given 90/95% or more So haven’t yet been pushed up into the Bs. I suspect it might be coming unless I take a unplanned break for bad health.
Soooo... did a 60min "free ride" on zwift today.. average power 208w..hr in the 160s.... felt a bit snotty but seemed ok...
Compared to 189 average watts in the last race, and was blowing out my 'arris!
Looks like I'm on the mend... just hope my lurgi doesn't get a second spike.....
DrP
It's a good job these are off zwift power otherwise half of us would be getting cat upgrades for a shitz and banter race series.
Why is it that in this series i seem to be able to hold my own, yet during normal zwift races I get absolutely hammered in the b cat. Is it simply that in zwift races everyone is racing at a cat below where they should be (including me half the time tbh)
Tricky question mate. I find this series massively harder, but they're longer and steeper than crit city where I race.
Hence now I'm riding more uphill and rolling stuff outside of this series to try and improve
Raced once, won once.
I raced it last night for the first time - only came second (!) but still hated it.
I think I've had my good race this week, it suited me and the MTB switcharoo worked for me. Yorkshire always kills me so I'm not expecting much. Think I'll stick with my usual group for this one.
@mrhoppy said
It’s a good job these are off zwift power otherwise half of us would be getting cat upgrades for a shitz and banter race series.
I used to marvel at you lot reporting new power records / segment PBs on the social rides thread achieved in meetups rather than races. And now my own 15/30 second and 1/5/20 minute bests are all in the meetups from this race series and so excluded from my zwiftpower profile. Apart from the 1 minute, they aren't dramatic (a few watts here and there) but it is getting more out of me.
One thing I like about robbo's handicap system - which is impossible to replicate in a more open event - is that the stakes are never over. If you lose a wheel in a normal race, it's rational to manage the effort and drift backwards in the gap, maybe even settle for joining the group behind. The time loss doesn't really matter. But in this series, the time gap to the people leaving you behind and to the group chasing you matters until the end.
Exactly that Savoyad.
My competitive spirit is pushing me on so much more because it’s not just about finishing in the top 3 in your category and if the lead groups have gone then coast comfortably.
At times I’ve felt pretty maxed out and struggling to keep with a group, then I see somebody is 1.30 behind me that I know has 1.15 handicap over me so I figure if I drop from the group that will be quickly eroded and I’ll slide right down the ladder.
Think some of you lot should get more involved in the Meetup rides, Sunday hills, commutes etc...all great fun in their own right!
The more we can get on those the merrier! That reminds me...are we going to pick up the commutes again or are they dead due to people returning to work?
Why is it that in this series i seem to be able to hold my own, yet during normal zwift races I get absolutely hammered in the b cat. Is it simply that in zwift races everyone is racing at a cat below where they should be (including me half the time tbh)
I think a big part of it is the mixed ability format.
On paper I'm a cat A, just barely, in a zwift A cat race I get absolutely torn apart, I can manage a short while but - because of the way they tend to surge - the back of the slow group in a cat A race is still 300w+ and 350w on the front. Cat B was the same just the numbers are lower.
In the mixed group we're racing in the group tends to behave much more like a real race, volcano I put a few pulls at 4.5-5wkg on the front, not huge long things but a good 10 or fifteen seconds, I wasn't the only one doing so but whilst the group strung out slightly it tightened back in very quickly, the tail end of the group were at 240/250 to keep that 400 on the front.
Before I got dumped on Tuesday I dug in a bit off the line, I thought a few of us had got clear but it didn't stick, I saw nixie do the same before the hill and again a few of us with bigger numbers chased on and we just pulled the whole group with us, the group got a bit longerand the draft effect stronger so it didn't break up like it would in a zwift race.
I put that down to the fact the mixed abilities mean it's a proper bunch with folks holding position a bit and not all surging on the front, there's an actual draft where you can hide for a few minutes and get dragged along. Some of the "weaker" riders can still hit 4-500w for a long enough to bridge before they slip back but there's 10 people who can do that on the front and everyone of them drops in for a breather so the groups stick until a bit of a climb means the draft vanishes. In race bunches the draft is only ever one person deep and there's nowhere to hide, as soon as you can't hold the front you can't hold the back either.
That reminds me…are we going to pick up the commutes again or are they dead due to people returning to work?
I'm unlikely to be back to the commute this side of Christmas - I'm on the shop floor a lot at the moment so need to be in the building.
I'm up for weekend hills this week though.
I could prob do a gentle commute on Monday, Tuesday or Thursday at the moment (but not all 3). Wouldn’t be anything hard though as would be saving myself for races or workouts (or can do workouts with rubber band on Mondays which are normally an hour).
Ok Robbo, name your day and I'll work around it, although we should maybe avoid Tuesdays due to the racing that evening. I'm available most days.
Brian - I'll look at the hills for the weekend and put some invites out. Any requests for a route?
Richmond flat
Sunday am ride?
Like, 0730 start, at I'm taking the kids to the zoo that day!
DrP
For a Sunday hills Weeksy??? Oh come on... 😉
If everyone is ok for that start DrP then yes...usually we do 8am but I'm ok with earlier.
I'll take this to the meetup thread so it doesn't get messy.
After my midrace brake rub issue and struggle to make power, I adjusted the very wobbly rear wheel bearings and noticed the tyre has worn in a very strange pattern. Looked a bit like id been doing skids, Oops!
Did a ramp test and the internet or trainer crapped out part way through meaning zero power and the test ending. The result was 290, down from 302. After a 12 hour day including Reading to Swansea and back with the M4 shut, it's probably ball park I'd have thought.
My Zwift name is Declan Fee, just like my real name, my forum name is just my previous job LAN id, surname plus initial letter of first name, not very imaginative to be honest. Easily identified in races as the only one flying an Irish flag.
I rode with you for a bit but couldn't hang on.
Just a quick bump if anyone wants to change their FTP or weight let me know by tomorrow evening. Cheers
aye, did you nudge me up a bit, last Tuesdays dragged me upto 271.
I'm pretty sure that I'm not going to perform to this increased one race when I don't feel tip top. That could very well be this week, had a short but hilly mtb ride yesterday and all but floored me. an hilly hebden ride tomorrow followed by Monday on the roadie might make for some very weak legs on Tuesday.
I'm down with lurgy currently. We all saw what that did to the mighty Dr P last week. If I'm as crap as he felt, I'll be staying off the race though.
There tonnes going round at the mo... kids back at school etc etc...
I'm still really wheezy, which is annoying as I was feeling better...
Hmm....
Tbh weeksy... i was a bit daft racing...I should have just slept or something! Zero points and just knackered myself more!
Prob best to give it a rest...
And also.. please stop copying my ailments...
Broken wrist...
Lurgi....
Give it a week and I bet you'll have a terrible rash on your ding-dong too...
Copy cat...
DrP
Handicaps are live for Tuesday's race. I have picked up any FTP changes that have been posted here or have sent me a message. See you Tuesday all!
Yeah i'm not going to make this one fellas. I'm deffo better than i was, but i'm just going to wipe myself out if i play and make things worse. If i get a chance, i'll jump on and watch/laugh. But riding, nah, that's crazy talk this week.
I'm out for this week, last Thursday's problem is now tomorrow's so I'll be in the great flat lands instead.
Having done a race on this course last week I'd quite like to find a good reason to miss this one!
Not sure if I'll make it yet, it will be a last minute work based decision. Hope to be there, shame Weeksy is out, was looking forward to keeping with him during this one.
Well you all finish above me usually so my placing is getting better. Which is a good job cos it ain't getting improved by riding on this course.
Sorry lads, even though it wasn't a course i liked, i was looking forward to it as it's good training. But i'm so not ready i'm afraid.
I should be joining the race. I'm going to have to pace myself on this course. I raced it on the maap series and it was tough with some steep climbs and long uphill drags.
I've just ridden a 'Ham sandwich' training session and I had to reduce the difficulty after the half way point. A 30 min+ warmup is what I need before hand I guess.
from memory Ham Sandwich is pretty brutal if your FTP is set accurately!!
I found it too difficult to do the 2nd lot of 30 second reps of 130%? above my ftp. Limped to the finish line barely getting above 90rpm when I should have been at 110 😭
It's a no go again from me for tomorrow I'm afraid. Really wish they had xrayed my hip when there went to A and E as things aren't improving. Numbness at base of spine still and severe shooting pain in hip when I move my right leg in certain directions.
Sounds like a diminished field this week with alot of the regulars missing, which is a shame.
If I can make a suggestion for next series, it would be that only your best 4 or 5 results will count towards the overall. Would mean that folks that need to miss a week for whatever reason (or suffer a turbo malfunction) can still be in the hunt for the series win.
Also not going to make it, was looking forward to it, instead I am out in the actual real world riding in the actual woods with an actual real light on my head for a change, probably cold waiting for someone to fix a puncture, if I remember how these night rides work..
Enjoy.
Ant
Blimey, I might actually get some more points if people keep dropping out!
@poopscoop sounds painful? Was that due to a crash or just general back issues?
@tpbiker. Yes this is something I will take on board. I don’t feel that I can change it for this series as the rules were set in advance.
Should still be a good crowd though hopefully!
Any Yorkshire locals going to make it?!
I don’t feel that I can change it for this series as the rules were set in advance.
Suits me, as I'm hopefully going to be able to ride all 6 so will get a high overall placing by default!😁
I've seen the course profile but can anyone give me a bit of a description as I've never ridden Harrogate before and it's quite hard to tell from the profile pic. How long are the climbs, how many of them are there, and after how many miles do they kick in?
Ta
I'm not sure I'll be there or not yet. Still ill, last week's effort made the cold worse and feeling down on energy. Also planning a MTB day on Wednesday so don't want to be too tired for that.... But.... This route suits me so may do it anyway.
Did it in a comedy otb at barely jogging speed.... Unfortunately my hip/back landed on the edge of a deep land Rover rut. So basically not how hard I hit the ground but the shape of the ground I hit.Lol
Was told to go back to A and E after 5 days if no better, which was yesterday...but I'll string it out a bit longer before I head back up there.
There is an update available for Zwift (at least on the PC, apple version normally take a bit longer to come through) so may be worth logging in early to give time for the update to process.
How long are the climbs, how many of them are there, and after how many miles do they kick in?
They're not long, they're not even steep (barring the odd little kick) but, to paraphrase one of the tour riders who's name escapes me, they don't do flat in Yorkshire*. If it isn't up its down.
*expect for the big flat bit, but we don't talk about that.
Zwift/WTRL racing league details released, launches Oct 13 (week after the STW series finishes!) on Tues so will clash with proposed winter/chrimbo STW series 😭 https://wtrl.racing/Zwift-Racing-League.php
Unlimited teams per “club” though so could still be very inclusive!