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no @dangeourbrain, there's nothing particular about the start next week. just this series has frantic starts!
Regarding Neokyo (and similar things could be said about Makuri Islands and much of New York) it IS hard to work out where you are. The Zwift designers seem to have focussed on adding lots of details to the worlds which can be stunning, although when you're flat out you probably don't pay that much attention to it.
For me, there are few really recognisable points/features that allow you to mentally know where you are around those circuits, unlike much of Watopia, London, France, Richmond for example. I guess many of us can remember a bridge, a hairpin, a punchy climb etc but for the worlds above there is too much going on all at the same time so it's harder to break into chunks.
Also, what's probably more true, is that it's simply a NEW map. hence not ridden that much. Hence we (I) get confused).
I know my way around Watopia with ease now... same with Richmond and NY.. it'll happen with Neyokyo!
DrP
I saw on the livestream someone asked about the burrito. Here is some more info.
https://zwiftinsider.com/misused-powerups-burrito/
I've been playing around with fancy thumbnails and such for the YT stream settings!!
Need to improve the stream quality, and maybe have a few different scene setups!
DrP
Handicaps are live for tomorrow night!
I can see this being a tough race, I expect there will be a lot of small groups of two o three over the top of fox and being in the wrong one will mean either blowing up trying to stay with them or not being quick enough to hold your handicap.
This is where having missed the last few series isn't going to help as I really don't know who to coat-tail well enough!
Despite being all COVIDed up. I think I'll hop on teh turbo and cruise around as best as I can. I will NOT be pushing any significant watts..simply unable to..
But will get the livestream up and running and (hopefully) find a gentle pack to cruise around with..
DrP
I imagine you'll manage just fine, your "gentle pack to cruise and with" is still going to be the pointy ish end.
What did you want to go and get covid for anyway?
I tested +ve for Covid last Thursday, after my daughter & Wife tested +ve a few days before.
I've been doing my usual workouts and did TdZ4 yesterday.
It doesn't seem to have knocked me too much, but am definitely not quite 100%.
Am undecided whether to try and stick with the usual pace, or knock it back a bit and take it a bit easier.
My legs feel pretty empty so I don't think the course will be friendly to me. Looking forward to it anyway.
Oh and Robbo, it was me who asked about the burrito.
Good link - quite easy to unleash it and actually shoot yourself in the foot!
think I've been doing Zwift wrong all these years... EVERY race I've ever done has been a bastard... where are all these easy ones I'm missing out on?! 🤣I can see this being a tough race
where are all these easy ones I’m missing out on?! 🤣
IDDQD
I'll try typing that into the chat window & see what happens...
[img] 
[/img]
@stumpy01
I woke at 3am on saturday with a raging sore throat, cough, and feeling very short of breath... so not just positive for me, but positive WITH symptoms...
Sleeping 12-14 hours a day (whcih is actually lovely!!) , but alas, having to work (from home) today as other staff in my surgey are on the tail end of COVID, but aren't fully set up to work from home...
Could really do with today off, but it's not too bad at the moment.
I feel really rough in the morning and early eve, which just sends me to bed..
1930 tomorrow MIGHT be ok..i'll see if i can stay awake for the race!
I REALLY don't want to push myself to exhaustion adn do myself an injustice though. I did a super gentle ride yesterday (tick-tock, which is flat..averaged 100w) just to keep the legs turning..
DrP
@DrP - I think I've been very lucky.
My Wife has been barely able to get out of bed, with very bad flu like symptoms.
Just walking up the stairs has her out of breath and she's being going to bed very early.
I did Serpentine8 yesterday afternoon and tried not to get carried away. Kept mainly in the blue/ green and it wasn't too bad.
This morning's workout was supposed to be 3x8 30s efforts at 170%FTP with 30s rest.
Did 2, dropped it 5%. Did another 2 & dropped it another 5% 🤣
Then ditched it after the first set and did a gentle potter instead. Truth be told, if have found it a tough ask even without the Covid excuse!
Take it easy tomorrow!
Unfortunately I did a TdZ at the weekend and got an FTP increase 236W.
Can't complain too much I suppose 🙂
P
If it's any consolation Paul, mine is also up so I doubt I shall be troubling the heady ranks of points again [s] this week [/s]
Robbo, could you send me a link to races please, I didn’t get them originally,
Feeling optimistic that I might make the starting line tomorrow due to finish at 6:30 and 25/30 mins to get home.
Don’t worry about an handicap, I have no idea about current weight or FTP other than they both seem to have hit the skids.
I’ll just race (or attempt to) and see how far I come down on the road.
I wouldn't mind giving it a go too....
Hopefully no IT issues this time!
Also is there a TT on Thury this week?
JB
If anyone wants a slow group form up on me 😂
Greater London Loop Reverse is the course for tonight which means the hill comes early on in the day with a long fairly flat drag to the finish. KOM points available for the Fox Hill Climb
https://zwiftinsider.com/route/greater-london-loop-reverse/
Unfortunately I'm not going to make this one, the cable in my sram apex shifter has chewed up the mechanism and I don't fancy racing in one gear... Good luck everyone
If anyone wants a slow group form up on me 😂
I may not want to but last night's first-gym-session-in-a-very-long-time has left my legs a bit empty today. Hopefully judicious application of cake will address that by the time we make the start line.
Well I'm gonna stick this up here so people can watch me die on a bike in my kitchen, or..if I'm feeling proper rough I'll just spectate and stream the race, watching various riders as we go..
DrP
Might not be able to make it on time tonight for various reasons. Or I'll just scrape in time and have no sensible warm-up! 🤣
I'll be do a workout instead if I don't make it and the next TDZ tomoz am.
Unfortunately, I know I'm definitely not able to do next week as I'm at work. Bit rubbish but hey ho.
and have no sensible warm-up! 🤣
No what now?
I think I will be giving this evenings race a miss. Got an early shift tomorrow morning and I'm tired.
Think I’m sitting out too, have a rubbish cold brewing. Enjoy all!
Made it in time, but the app is giving! Me grief again. It's sync'ing intermittently tonight, so long as I say least get to say hello!!
@paino
You watching through zwift or the stream?
Don't think we'll see much of the fast guys n my stream tbh 😀😀🙃
DrP
My warm up is 10 mins spin and a mint aero!
I'll be off the back right from the start if normal Zwift racing rules apply!
I notice I've been bumped up to B group on ZPower now too, not good.
Can't stick with that lot for more than a few mins!
@DrP via the stream if my work WiFi deems watching a sweaty man in his kitchen as appropriate.
Bah, missed the start because of a poxy meeting that should have been a three line email.
Meh computer says NO! 100m up the road and zwift crashed
Gah, spent 10 minutes trying to get my turbo to connect. Zwift thought it was connected but it was showing 0 rpm and 0 Watts. Finally got it to work 20 seconds after the start so was on my own again with no warm up. Then my HRM wasn't connected either. Made it 1/4 of the way up the hill and gave up with a bit of a tantrum. Really &$#*ed off with that as I think I could have done well on that course. Too late to do one of my training rides now as well.
Have "fun" everyone else!
What happened at the start Doc? I came on a few mins late and you were near the back, then destroyed everyone on Fox hill
Apparently he’s got covid @weeksy - didn’t look like it was having much of an effect as he literally flew past me 🔥
As predicted, got dropped on the hill, but managed to stick in with a group and maintain position u Tom the end.
Only feel like puking now, rather than half way through last week and and FTP increase @robbo1234biking - 277 now. Almost up to pre covid levels but certainly doesn’t feel like it!
Cheers Robbo/Gents that was fun again.
And 'Hi Phil!' Apologies I'm still working out how to ride a bike; without 'companion' (which seems to behave more like 'drunken friend').
Hard one this week,as expected, I couldn't keep with the leaders over Fox hill, someone came past near the top soryr cant remember who, but try as I might I didn't have the legs. I dropped back to the next group on the road and we pushed on to catch a couple up the road. It all stayed together until the escalator where a not very ill looking @DrP just took off.
I tried to close the gap, but for some reason it just kept growing, then I noticed who it was and eased up a bit. My group worked well, or well enough anyway 😉 P.Tunstall, B.Clark & C.Lees, we all pushed on to stop the group that was only 19secs behind, racing for time at this point. I sat on from about 5km out as I was dead in a vain effort to have something for the end.
All was static until the sprint, I thought that I had managed to get a jump on everyone with about 400m to go, that was until rocketship Tunstall came past me. I tried to get on his wheel and get him back, but just got towed to the line for 13th I think, same power 236W so thats 2 weeks on the trot.
Well done the winners and thx as always Robbo1234biking
Paul
It made me laugh watching DrP's stream from last week, just after I mentioned my skewer had come loose between the races, you can see him jump off the bike and check his.
I wonder how many others did the same.
P.
@weeksy…
I’m feeling like a car starting in the cold at the mo…
I had a feeling I’d be OK cruising at 250-300 watts, but pushing above that was really hard..
I figured there’s no point in the mega watt bomb that the races always start with as it’d kill me straight away… and I’m not competitive for the top spots tonight, so just cruised off the line and warmed up to climb at about 300 odd watts.
I could really feel it in my chest (the live stream doesn’t show how HARD my heart was pumping!!).. oddly I couldn’t get anywhere near my max HR (or the HR i normally get in the races..about 188-190) and felt like I was topping out at 175..
I like the hills - they suit me and my light frame..
Then after the climb I got stuck cruising about London on my own!!!!
Numpty!
My main mission tonight was to ride, but NOT kill myself… position/race wasn’t important…
I feel I achieved that… thankfully feeling tired but not ill..
DrP
Well that was an interesting hour.
Started with me having to do a Zwift update that seemed to take for ever then I had to load and reboot Zwift 3 times before it would connect to the turbo correctly. By the time I'd sorted that lot out I arrived in the pen with 1 minute to go and no warm-up at all! Just went for it as soon as I hit Fox Hill and managed to pass two people, reaching the top just as I joined up with @woodadam. We stuck together for the rest of the race, massive help there in keeping my speed up! Sorry I couldn't do the 30 sec turns you asked for, was on the limit the whole way round! Did try for the sprint to the line but you beat me in the last few metres as my peak power is rubbish, more of a diesel engine.
Was good fun regardless and I've been rewarded with an FTP increase to 213w.
Managed to put more of an effort in than expected. The group I was in seemed to be right on my limit as always, c.charles, j.jordon, j.jones and n.donnelly.
Really didn't think I'd have anything left for the sprint but the music kicked in at the right point! But I got the turbo rocking, thought it was going to to over! Gave myself a massive stitch and a stabbing cramp right in my calf in one swift manoeuvre! Got a limp now 🤣
@reluctantjumper - that makes two of us on the limit. 🙂
I didn't think Fox Hill would ever end. I was very much hanging on, and hoping for the end to appear.
Good fun though!