Camera from behind, clever.
I've found the SPotify playlist "run'n;bass" doesn't get flagged (in the UK)....
Righto..as it's just a short race tonight, anyone fancy a group spin after at 2000?#
I'll happily ping a meetup to the group...
Maybe "sand and seqioas" as a flattish low tempo ride?
DrP
Yeah that sounds good DrP, count me in.
Think you have sent the invite out for 18:30 DrP! Trying to tire people out in advance?!
Lol post race at 18:30
invite sent out..let me know if you've not got one..
DrP
(also, corrected to say 2000..)
Thanks DrP - I've accepted
So glad this is short race of pain, once again I'm feeling wiped, despite taking things mostly easy after last Tuesday's race. Hoping to continue the run of improving my best 20min effort each week as I've managed for the past three, but just like last week, I far from feel capable of anything much an hour before the race start!
Can I have an invite please? Not sure I'll make it after the race but a warm down sounds good.
please can you re send an invite Dr P.
Same here please.
i've invited all the XX "STW" Zwifters following me...
Jsut look for "DrP STW" and follow moi...
then i can invite..
DrP
Unfortunately can't make the post ride cool down, although I may not have the lungs or legs after anyway 🤣🤣
I need a new turbo.
What has happened to your turbo?
Maybe we should recommend what we have?
I have a Xplova noza s, works pretty well, currently being repaired tho, Bluetooth connection doesn't work 😭
Tried to join post ride but too late... barely turning legs over so probably best.
That was brutal.
That did not go well 😂
Tried to join the post race ride but had missed the start by about an hour I think (the auto join was both a blessing and a curse, making me get off the trainer to decline).
Think I crawled home in 54th
Thst was horrific. Who was in the group that covered aprx 30th to 38th? We did well!
That's the hardest, shortest race or event that I've done, if that makes sense - definitely feel worse than after the TT. I think it's the short lap and close racing that mentally drags a bit more out of you.
Pretty much fell/crawled off the bike, tried to join the post ride meet up but barely got the energy to lock the garage up! Well done all!
Yuk...legs not feeling that after yesterday
**** me. What a start!! Despite doing 300+ out the gate I soon found myself right at the back and had to then sprint at 500 for WAY too long to get back onto Robbo’s group, which pretty much ruined me (then we got dropped and it was just us!) Was basically just hanging on from then on & let him and R. Manwaring (who dat? 😀 thanks tho 👍) drag me till I let them go after the last hill! (Side note... whoever said you can’t draft on an MTB could not be more wrong cos I just wheelsucked like a mother****er all the way round 🤣🤣)
So that's what it feels like when you're properly rested! Enjoyed that, managed to hang on to the second group rather than getting dropped straight away and limping to the end. Enjoyed the sprint up the hill at the front of the group but couldn't keep it going on the descent so couldn't get away, then didn't quite have the legs for the sprint. On previous races when I've been tired I've not managed an average higher than 240w while tonight I did 281 so happy with that. Might even get a new ftp out of it.
Who was in the group that covered aprx 30th to 38th?
👋
Punching well above my (power to) weight in that group. Tried to get away on last downhill but no dice, came 37th.
FTP up by 5 to 285W. That might be the last time I see points in this series
I'm impressed you guys know who you're racing with and can remember, I'm just trying not to collapse.
Cracking race with whoever I was riding with and kudos to the guy who held off my attempt at a sprint.
Really thought I was going to puke afterwards.
Thanks again Robbo, top series.
Enjoyed that...felt better than I thought it would and was expecting to blow up at some stage...so was probably a bit too cautious and slightly kicking myself for not trying to catch Steve (I think) and Lee when they created a gap. I thought we would get them back with the group but was wrong
Went for the sprint at the final corner and took the win in the group...surprised myself!
Goes quick doesn't it but they are very addictive.
Soooooo...anyone fancy doing the Aussie double header one at 7:05am and 7:30am tomorrow morning?? 😜😜
Not sure how but I somehow managed an FTP increase despite my efforts to do as little work as possible. Only, Zwift being Zwift I don't actually know what my new FTP is.
Hugely please with the blistering attack which netted me a frankly glorious 44th(?) place.
Lap 4 I picked up a feather and was thinking of holding on to it for the last lap but going in to the climb I saw someone catching, then passing our little group at a rate of knots.
So I rode the first half of the climb pretty hard then popped the feather to catch/hold the wheel of Nelson(?) over the top and then wheelsucked for a lap to get a lead on the 4 or 5 riders I'd been with.
After that it was a case of hanging on to those lapping me and managing my decline!
That absolutely killed me. Tried to join Dr P's warm down ride but within a few seconds I knew I couldn't do any more than just turn the pedals, so bowed out and just spun for 20 mins, struggled to get above 140w for all of it!!
Definitely burned everything I had in that race, the start was brutal! Saw everyone just disappear, caught a few out by surprise as 30 seconds in there was a fast few who shot past me like I was standing still. Managed to keep my power up for every lap so picked up places slowly throughout the race and pinched myself up the climb and through the rollers so have been rewarded by a big increase in FTP. Was 237 now 257. That's a jump of 27 since race 1, over 11% more. Does that knock me up a category? Hope not!
I’ve done that before... it’s genuinely very unpleasant 😃anyone fancy doing the Aussie double header one at 7:05am and 7:30am tomorrow morning?
@snotrag and @jimdubleyou I was knocking around with you guys. It was a good effort.
I had trainer lag after a few laps in mind, the downs and ups were being felt the wrong way around which really doesn’t help. Bloomin thing.
@zilog6128 is it bad yeah? I'm thinking one might be ok but then the next 4 laps could hurt.
Alternatively there is a 6 lap ZHQ crit event at 7-30am too...I think I've become addicted and will turn into @weeksy 🤣🤣
Well that was hard, but good. Got more out of myself than I expected having not felt 100% for a few days - amazing what a race brings out of you.
Didn't mess up the start for a change but missed a break with a faster group, couldn't catch them and was in no-mans-land for a while so eased off a tiny bit to the group behind with oopnorth, euain, steve clowes, jack and a few others I think (sorry I can barely remember my own name when I'm blowing out my ass).
Stayed in the group for a bit but saw Steve getting a little break a few times so pushed it to follow him and we got a break from the group. The rest of the race was spent trying to hang on!
Thanks all it really is the highlight of my week just now and of course to the main man Robbo for sorting it.
Oh and another FTP increase from 238 - 241.
Thanks everyone for joining in tonight.
Onto the results. These are provisional in case I have made any mistakes. Please let me know.
Cat A:
1. benman
2. Drp
3. phil56
Cat B:
1. kirky72
2. w00dster
3. J-R
Cat C:
1. Haloric Jr
2. oopnorth
3. Haloric
Cat D:
1. crust
2. lewisdeacon
3. whirld
Overall Race Winner (with handicaps)
1. w00dster
2. kirky72
3. benman
Series Top 3 (including sprint/fastest lap points)
1. kirky72
2. w00dster
3. J-R
Fastest Lap
1. Paino
2. Nixie
3. benman
4. kirky72
5. w00dster
Sprint
1. Paino
2. nixie
3. DrP
4. danielcbaron
5. J-R
Green Jersey Race
1. Paino (24)
2. Nixie (22)
3. benman (6)
Next week is 4 laps of seaside sprint which is quite a good little event only course. There are usually a few races each week with it if anyone wants to have a go in advance.
Dont forget to have a go on Repack Ridge as well. There is only 2 weeks left! The leadberboard is currently:
1. slowpuncheur
2. robbo1234biking
3. dangeourbrain
For those interested in joining with more STW Zwift fun(?) there is a TTT on a Thursday evening:
https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/zwift-team-time-trial-thursday/page/20/#post-11460181
If the Haloric shed-of-pain was a cup, it did full on overfloweth this evening.
I managed to hang with Jack for most of it but kept struggling just on the brow of the climb, got dropped at least twice and managed to get dragged back on by other stragglers.
For some brain-addled reason I thought there was one more lap, so didn't quite give it all until I was in the last 200m and realised what was going on !Doh.
Was 2 watt off an increase, so must be coming back into some sort of form.
Not enough warm up, wearing my Dafeet etouch gloves to try and stop my bars turning into a sweat swimming pool surprisingly made my hands boil and I felt completely spent mid race. But ItsOnlyMeLee opened a gap to the rest of our ~10-strong group and persuaded my legs to try and go with him, I was on the verge of cracking for the last couple of laps, but somehow my feeble sprint just edged the finish.
Given the mid race blip, I'm shocked to report another little FTP increase to 291, my mission is to try and report a true weight drop before Sunday!
Soooooo…anyone fancy doing the Aussie double header one at 7:05am and 7:30am tomorrow morning?? 😜😜
@oopnorth i'll sign on, if I make it out of my pit in time it'll do me good.
I completely blew up about half way into lap 2 tonight so could do with trying to restore some faith in my ability to turn pedals.
is it bad yeah? I’m thinking one might be ok but then the next 4 laps could hurt.
@oopnorth
You think, oh it’s only 2 short races, how bad can it be? But of course you give 100% on the first, get a too-short rest and then find yourself back in the starting pen, with ruined legs, realising in 30s you have to somehow do it over again! I found it very demoralising! Probably great training though 😀
What has happened to your turbo?
It made an unpleasant noise a bit like trying to put a car in reverse at high revs and felt terrible, then I made an even more unpleasant swear and left the room.
I'm just gonna jump in the shower and eat..so will do a proper little write up in a bit.. but.. oof..!!!
Quick question.... my 20min effort there was 317 watts... 95% of that is 301W.. but zwift hasn't ammended of told me of an FTP increase... how come???
I guess that was a genuine 20min effort, so my FTP is now 301??
DrP
bloody hell - if you lot keep improving every time out I'll be racing for last, next time I can join a race
Some of you lot are rapid! I had a decent start (or so I thought) until we turned a corner and saw the lead group shoot up the roads like rats up a drainpipe. We formed a decent group at 25-30odd place but after no power up at all on the first 4 laps I was getting fatigued and a bit peed off! Kept with @OopNorth, the goat, Lee and a few more but like @Haloric I made the last kicker thinking; one more lap - how wrong I was. Looked up and we had 300m left so sprint was a bit limp. Time seemed to bend. I was clock watching after 4 minutes and the next thing we were sprinting for the line. Definitely Type 2 fun:)
Phwoar, that was haaaaaard. Not sure I'll be doing a crit again out of choice anytime soon. Absolutely manic start, 500w out of the gate just to hold the 2nd group. I was relieved when the fast folk broke free, the pace dropped slightly, but I still felt like I was barely clinging on. There really is nowhere to hide on that course. Those rollers are as bad as the climb! Despite only getting 2 actual power ups (10xp - gee, thank you) I managed to cling on until the end with the 2nd group but I have no idea who was in it, thanks for pulling me round though.
Type 2 fun as always. Cheers Robbo, you awful, awful man 😉
Well that went as good as it could of done. Combine my drop in power with everyone else’s FTP increases meant there was no way I could stick with the top group. So I decided to gun it for the sprint and the lap, and surprisingly got them both!
No idea what happened out the pen though. Gave it 450W or more, and found myself pretty much last. Just saw a meandering line of riders in front of me. Had to give it 500W just to get back on track. Terrible start, again!
Was game over after the fast lap, just had to hope there was a group willing enough to drag me round....found it in the form of Crazyharry & Wellock...thanks guys, and sorry for mostly wheelsucking to the finish, but I was done. Zero power to even bother with a sprint for line.
Also. Cheers @DrP for the after party, definitely needed that!
@funkybaj, @snotrag and @jimdubleyou I was also with you guys and a few others (including M Howlett before his lap 7 breakaway)
@n0b0dy0ftheg0at haha my 'break' came about by me sitting at the back of the group and seeing you get a little gap at the front so thought I'd have a dig (with the aid of the draft no doubt) to catch up, and then I just kept on for a little bit to see if it would break up a bit. After that I was close to cracking too, thinking I'll recover a little bit in a minute and lend a hand/have a turn on the front, but it never came.
Soooooo…anyone fancy doing the Aussie double header one at 7:05am and 7:30am tomorrow morning?? 😜😜
A classic case of oxygen deficiency to the brain post-exercise. Nurse!
That was the hardest race yet, didn't enjoy it at all. Legs weren't good from the start.
To top of the misery I got a 7w ftp increase too. (up to 307w)
@funkybaj I'm on an aging Tacx Flux that does it too, hence all my weird yo-yoing back and forth up and down the group when the terrain goes up and down. A direct drive trainer would be nice if they didn't require a remortgage!
@robbo1234biking `race 4' and 'race 4 sprint' column titles are mixed up I think!
Is the race 4 tab still showing just handicaps for everyone or just me?
Oooooo @zilog6128 you are not selling it to me. I've signed up so if I manage to get up in time I'll have a go...although I might have to rethink the second one if the legs fail.
@dangeourbrain Brian I may see you there! Gulp!
Cheers Robbo , that was tuff well done the fast guys there was some red numbers in the watt column when they lapped me !!
also think I had an ftp increase to 235 can you adjust my figures please.
Cheers
That was hard. I don't like crits anyway and very little warm up did not help. Plan was always the sprint and lap points. The first full lap was clearly the one to attack. I made sure I was a good few seconds back from the leaders at the start of lap 2 then reattached to the group (free time). Then went for it down the hill. Annoyingly looks like @paino had the same idea and came it half a second quicker. The sprint I went after on lap 4 with a feather. I popped that too late and again found paino had a unbeatable time at the top.
After that I was intending to rest till the end. A stupid tactical error left me gapped with 2 laps to go. I thought Phil was behind me at the top of the hill and decided to take the free ride back to the slight break. Only to discover too late it was someone else in a bumblebee top and I was stuffed. I cruised mostly after that. Hopefully do better next week. I like seaside sprint and have done a good number of races on it.
@snotrag cheers have modified!
Lots more FTP increases across the board.
@haloric does Jack have a STW username or is he OK being Haloric Jr on the results?
My race went wrong pretty quick. Didnt feel great in the warm up (lacking energy). I usually have a big bowl of oatbran between 5 and 5.30 on race days but didnt today and felt lacking after the warm up. I had a gel waiting on the line but the start didnt go well and it it took a couple of laps before I started to feel better. Enjoyed riding with @zilog6128 and @mtbrog was a good little race and managed to get them both in the last lap. The power numbers weren't as terrible as I thought they would be actually.
Onwards to next week now! Will definitely fuel better for that one.
Oh tip for people. If you add your closest rivals as favourites in Zwift in the mini map on companion app you get a min picture of them instead of the usual blob and they are highlighted red on the gradient map in the top right corner of the screen. Helps to keep track of them in the confusion!
jimdubleyou
Is the race 4 tab still showing just handicaps for everyone or just me?
Same here. The results page for race 4 just shows the handicaps - no results.
The results tab seems to be updated with points & whatnot though....
Yep same for me too.
That was hard going. First crit for me and a bit of a learning experience. Lap 1, missed a split, tried to catch the group and just ended up in pain. Then lap 7 missed a burst of speed from the group after the climb (I was just relieved to get to the top). Spent the rest of the lap trying to catch up. Managed to catch up just into lap 8 but I was spent. Sprint finish was pretty tame!
Great (type 2) fun again. Thanks Rob! There was an FTP increase (thanks Zwift), I’ll PM you.
That was bloody hard! Dunno if I was just tired after yesterday's workout, or went off too hard at the start & then fizzled out, but that was.....awful.
Avg power down compared to last week, but HR seemed very high for me. Not sure I could have ridden much harder.
Bleurgh. Awful! Lots of work still to do.
Sorted now! Sorry
robbo1234biking
Sorted now! Sorry
@robbo1234biking - cheers! It was important for me to confirm I did as shit as I thought I had 🙂
1 second off the points ... #$*&!
That went better for me than expected. I struggled to settle into the changing pace for the first few laps, and then started to get into the swing of it.
Attacked on the hill on lap 7 and managed to get a little break with Phil, DrP and someone else. Then went again on the hill on the final lap and managed to stick it until the end.
Not in a rush to race a crit again. FTP increase though, and definitely felt like I was trying!! Felt a little sick by the end
THat was actually pretty hard, but pretty fun... I figured a 20ish min race deserved a good effort, so was determined to redline it the whole time..
The start was much like the others - 450-500 watts for the first few hundred meters...
There was a big old group up front initially, and then the climb split us.. it seemed to do this each time. Being fairly light, and able to kick out 450-500w on the short climb served me well, and I actually used it as a ‘catch up’ section each lap.
There were the usual names up front, and as always I felt right on the edge..resting at 250 watts in the draft, pushing 380 on the rollers...
I had a few useful PUs on the early laps, then picked up an aero helmet on the final lap... I knew to keep this until the very end, so maintained a strong effort to hold onto phil and Kirkby until the last roller, then BOOM... dropped the aero helmet and just gurned it to the finish line!!!
Ben had made an early break right after the climb, so was happy crossing the line in 2nd!
Was fun!
DrP
That was very hard but at least you know exactly when the pain will end. Tried to make sure I got near the front of the group every time we hit the cobbles so I could hit the first part of the climb hard and then just about get caught near the top and hopefully form a mini group to pull clear. I think it worked, once or twice I had to work hard to get back on before the climb after trying to recover after the rollers.
Could have done with more than the one feather and two trucks I got. An aero or feather for the final sprint would have been nice, just to make it harder for DrP, even though that wouldn’t affect the points.
Well done to Ben it looked like you had slowed and myself and Ian was going to fly past as we caught upto you alone towards the end but you latched on and left us for dead after the rollers for the last time.
I knew with the handicaps I would have to over perform final placing wise but expected to finish altogether with the usual suspects in one large group or a chasing group behind Phil, Ben and Nixie. So I really didn’t expect to open the gap I needed over woodster to overturn the handicap so when he finally must of lost a wheel and dropped from our mini lead group I thought it might just open up the required gap but it wasn’t quite enough. Well played woodster.
It’s going to be tight over the last two races and I’ve gone and made it harder for myself by getting a chunk of FTP increase to 317.
Going to be much harder to finish high in the standings but pleased with the improvements and feel a sense of dejavu typing this.
well kind of enjoyed that, but still struggling at 40 watts under FTP, so either not well or need a decent rest.
Quite enjoyed that tonight now the dust has settled, managed to get with a quickish group then cling on for dear life.
Now apologies if it's been explained elsewhere and I've missed it, so repack ridge, where is it and what do we need to do? Thanks in advance, fordo197.
@dandasbike https://zwiftinsider.com/find-zwifts-new-mountain-bike-steering-course/
And I 'think' you just need the companion app running on your phone, attached to your bars and there's some steering involved. But I've no real clue having not had a look yet, just what I've read on here.
A real deja vu race - worked out for me just like the last one.
Naturally my plan was to hang onto @kirky72 and @w00dster which was just about working out for the first few laps. It wasn't helped by nearly the entire group dropping feather powerups on the climb on I think lap 2, so I had to dig very deep to hold on.
Like last race, they were just a bit too strong for me and eventually I just couldn't redline any more, so on lap 5 they drifted away from me off the top of the climb. I backed off a little for a lap to latch onto the following group of @paino, @munkeymadness and @crazyharry. Hanging onto them was manageable, so I had a little left for the sprint and got over the line just a whisker behind harry - and much to my surprise got in the points after the handicap.
On the downside I incurred another FTP increase of a mighty 1W - now 281W.
That was possibly my best race since the first series and crossed the line with the feeling that I had done the best I could. It was my first ever Crit but had been given a heads up on likely tactics by @straightliner so after a mad start and first lap I settled into a manageable rythym of about 95% FTP in a small group with Wellock and Snook. We seemed well matched and worked well together and although never looked like catching anyone in the lead group swept up @Paino and @j-r who then latched onto our group to share the workload.
Last lap, finally got the sprint at the end just right. Normally I end up going too soon, too late or have nothing left in the tank to do anything at all. This time was greatful that no one really attacked on the climb and then just went for it about 400m out and grimly hung on to narrowly beat Southside Johnny.
Only afterwards did I realise that I was only a couple of seconds behind a 'cruising' @Nixie but I honestly don't think I had those extra few seconds in me.
Anyway... Chuffed with that. Cheers @robbo1234biking for another great series.
That was possibly my best race since the first series and crossed the line with the feeling that I had done the best I could. It was my first ever Crit but had been given a heads up on likely tactics by @straightliner so after a mad start and first lap I settled into a manageable rythym of about 95% FTP in a small group with Wellock and Snook. We seemed well matched and worked well together and although never looked like catching anyone in the lead group swept up @Paino and @j-r who then latched onto our group to share the workload.
Last lap, finally got the sprint at the end just right. Normally I end up going too soon, too late or have nothing left in the tank to do anything at all. This time was greatful that no one really attacked on the climb and then just went for it about 400m out and grimly hung on to narrowly beat Southside Johnny.
Only afterwards did I realise that I was only a couple of seconds behind a 'cruising' @Nixie but I honestly don't think I had those extra few seconds in me.
Anyway... Chuffed with that. Cheers @robbo1234biking for another great series.
Only afterwards did I realise that I was only a couple of seconds behind a ‘cruising’ @Nixie
Let's be honest, I was cruising because I was done and had given up. I'm really struggling with the frustration of the fitness and power drop from last year.
Interesting one last night. As with a lot of these races, the initial group you manage to hang on to usually is the one you end with, so if you dont have a blistering start, the chances of catching the next group are slim.
All good fun tho and another great test of ones stamina and power.
Are we doing the same as last season and dropping our lowest score/worst result?
I am just about clinging on the to lead in the GC Cat C!
Hardest indoor race I’ve done, but I say that every week! I had a good rest period with no ride at the weekend due to the snow so was feeling fresh.
My plan was to try and keep with the front group as long as I could while doing as little effort as possible. Got caught out by Nixie, Nixie is a master at sitting near the back of the front group so I stayed behind him and then a gap formed. Managed to bridge across but knew I didn’t have much left. Kirky and Dr P attacked the climb every lap, was OK for a while but I knew it was only a matter of time before the elastic snapped.
On the last lap was lucky enough to lap a group who were moving fast, had a rest behind them for a bit and then put in a final big kick.
My wife came out to the garage to check on me at the end of the race, she could hear the noises I was making and was worried!!
FTP increase for me to 288. Not sure how realistic that is though. Last night I was stood on the pedals almost as much as I was sat down. Was do-able for a short race but no way could that be maintained for an hour.
Yes we will take the best 5 scores for the final table and results (as it gives everyone a chance to have a bad race, drop out etc).
Let’s be honest, I was cruising because I was done and had given up. I’m really struggling with the frustration of the fitness and power drop from last year.
@nixie Know the feeling. Although I never reached your dizzy heights, I also had a dramatic drop in power and performance through November and December and it was hugely frustrating as the legs just wouldn't respond to the will. Coming back to me now though and FTP gradually creeping back up.
Glad to hear your on the bounce back @crazyharry. I think I'm near the bottom now. Sustainable power over time has recovered somewhat since the end of the last series where I could only manage B power over a race. FTP still dropping according to intervals.cc. I just trying at the moment to not over do it in a rush to get back on form.
Interesting stuff, Nixie what do you feel may have led to the loss in the first place, overtraining, change of training?
@Robbo bad news on the one race strike out as looking at it totally selfishly it might demote me again as it did in the second series, as at the moment my worst is a lot better than the worst from my closest competitors who have also done all races so far. So after the adjustment I would be toppled from the top.🤣
However I totally appreciate the reasoning and I’ve just been lucky that I’ve not had to miss one due to bad health, work or family commitments that others may have had. One day I may need to do so and it might mean I have the back up of losing the worst effort in the very last race if decide to go absolutely kamikaze to try and gap Woodster or JR and it back fires by blowing up on the climb.
@woodster glad you also got a ftp boost like I did otherwise that hc would become just too hard to do anything about. It’s taking an almighty and ftp beating effort every week to contend with you.
Felt a bit under the weather yesterday, first time that's happened in the last series and this. Managed to average a little under FTP which wasn't bad considering but I did lose the wheel of other riders at points which dropped me back. I'm glad it was only a 25min effort so I didn't lose too much time in the cat C GC. Fingers crossed for next week.
@kirky72 combination of things. There had been some drop off after the first lockdown as I spent more time outdoors than trying hard on the turbo. Then got ill which made it difficult to do much other than gentle spins. This resulted in less exercise and the expected fitness drop. Finally Christmas didn't help. I also started using a PT in November so at times have fatigue from that. The current session is hard on the legs and is at 3pm Tuesdays. Means I'm racing with fatigue already. In fact at the moment the DOMS from the PT is probably the biggest factor in ability to produce and sustain TT three higher power.
@crazyharry there wasn’t much sharing of the workload last night. If it wasn’t for you and Wellock I would have been lapped.
@nixie I realise you’re a good chunk faster than me but I put my drop in sustained power down to the type of Zwifting I’m doing. I’m my own worst enemy though. For me it’s a complete lack of structure, and never really consider ‘training’. I just don’t enjoy plans, find them boring and inevitably move on to an event of some sort. Even doing a TDZ event for example I find myself trying to beat/race people. Looking at my ZP most ‘rides’ are 45ish mins and about 300W average. I think it’s not doing me any favours at all. Don’t think it was a coincidence that my best form came after a decent period of riding my real bike! Have to also mention that the STW competition has also improved massively and massive credit to those guys. Overall picture is ok though, I’m 5kg down from this time last year, in part down to Zwift.
The STW competition level has definitely improved loads which is great to see.
@paino I think I have a similar problem with most zwifting involving a race, even if I then do extra afterwards. Your right the repeated high output is not good. Need some more even sustained efforts I think. Problem is the racing is so much more addictive. TTT helps I think as although the effort is still high there are not such massive spikes. It's more like an interval session.