Zwift meetups and social rides ?

Next up is Tues evening and to suit some of the climbers, we've gone for Richmond Worlds course. 2 strong climb sections late on in the lap. This will of course mean we're likely to shatter the group, but i can't make all the rides about flat sprint jobbies as it's not all about me, plus some of the guys who are less strong climbers may want to actually try and improve their climbing.

Of course, if i login tomorrow and Richmond is an active world, i'll probably change it about.... But for now, that's the layout we're going with.

I'm up for that tomorrow. Is this the course with the finish line on a brutal steep climb? 😂 Great route if so. Not a climber, but it's just short enough that you can sort of sprint it!

yup, that's the one 🙂

Glad you'd posted this as I hadn't paid attention to the invite and assumed it was the flat course!

Will leave the second bottle off the bike to save some weight on the climbs...

This is going to hurt as I have a hard session today

I buried myself on Friday getting under 30 mins on the Worlds course, but that did include going for the intermediate sprints...

I suspect I'll be in the garden vomiting after two laps at that pace...

lovely!! looking forward to it!

DrP

Tomorrow is London and Yorkshire Weeksy so Richmond will be quiet. The course is 10 miles so maybe do the first lap mostly together (but allow people to pace the climbs how they want) and regroup around the start-finish for the second lap. The 'swarm' can then move at pace but the climbers can shoot up the climbs and everyone else can try and stay together!

I'll be there! Sounds like fun again, I may be a bit sore after burying myself yesterday morning to shave 3 mins off my Alpe du Zwift PR. Going to try something less taxing this evening if time allows.

Tomorrow is London and Yorkshire Weeksy so Richmond will be quiet. The course is 10 miles so maybe do the first lap mostly together (but allow people to pace the climbs how they want) and regroup around the start-finish for the second lap. The ‘swarm’ can then move at pace but the climbers can shoot up the climbs and everyone else can try and stay together!

sounds about right 🙂

Hmmm, I should be OK for this one tomorrow but I'll get the excuses in early 😉

I painted a load of fence panels yesterday & today can barely walk my hamstrings are so tight. Whoops! Hopefully they'll be a bit better tomorrow.

Sounds fun.

See you tomorrow!

So that crit city thing is fairly brutal. Can we do that as a group ride. It would be a nice course if I had some other people for company.

Fraid not.

I'm in for the time being, need to see whether my legs are holding up after tonight's race.

Just signed up, I’ll be doing a training session beforehand. (Getting the excuses in early 😉)

I’m at altitude so may struggle

Bedroom ?

Nah, moved the turbo from patio to the decking 👍

moved the turbo from patio

I hate to break it to you but it's not the noise from your turbo keeping the [s] ex[/s] [i] backpacking in Cambodia [/i] wife awake

Late withdrawal for me. I’ve been sideswiped by having to do some work 🙁

Going to miss this one. Mr TW has requested the turbo from 19:00.

Oh Bejeesus! It would appear my body has stopped working!

Legs were tired to begin with and even warming up before joining the meetup they didn't feel any good.
I was struggling to maintain 160, let alone 175W. Sweating buckets, but my HR wouldn't go above 145bpm. It might have spiked a couple of times, but not sure.
Also twinged my lower back, so decided enough was enough.

I think going for a run on Sat and aiming for a 10km PB, then painting fences for 5hrs on Sunday has tired me out. Gonna have a few days doing nothing.

Really enjoyed that!

Getting fitter and can feel it..,

FTP up to 248 👍👍👍

Still not 300 but on my way back 😀😀

I’m finding that too...
Think I’m wearing myself out!!

Was fine on the flats and slight inclines...we were holding 250w comfortably, but pushing to the 350-450s on the climbs felt impossible today...
I’m all slow twitch fibre and losing all my fast twitch!!!

THink I’m gonna rest up till Friday..let the leggies refuel!

Great lap though; cheers steve...

DrP

As ever good to ride with you all and cheers to Weeksy for organising it. Once all this is over we'll have to organise a pub ride with you Weeksy and ply you full of thanks.

I’m enjoying these too much but at the end of an FTP builder. Not sure they mix. Should’ve stayed back in the group.

I enjoyed trying to beat some of you lightweights on the 23rd Street, but even 550w wasn't enough

Got 3rd though which ain't bad.

Wasn't really a course for groups, but the next one will be

Still worked ok I thought to mix it up for a change.

Good ride I enjoyed that!

On my 12th day in a row. Going for the unemployed achievement badge!

Another fun session.

First lap was good. Took the first sprint and then KOM on the climb but then I eased up as I thought we were regrouping. We didn't and so I missed that the front group had gone and found myself stuck in the middle on my own until Magnetodog came up with a fast group of tron bikes but was too late by then.

Can feel the fitness building though. Gonna try the 19.32 crit race tomorrow but hold some back for the TTT on Thurs.

Thanks for organising Weeksy.

Thks for organising weeksy, but had to drop out after 15 mins with connection problems. On virgin which has been v disrupted in the NW the past day or two. NExt time.

Cheers for organising Weeksy, t’was a great work out ! Was all set to have a steady one then the second lap started and it all got a bit fruity 😁

Good ride Steve. But much as I love the hills, the flatter courses do seem a bit more more social. Looking forward to the next one.

Not just virgin oop north dropping out... having issued here on the south coast too....

Which is annoying at times...

DrP

Was anybody else seeing other riders weaving like they are doing a U turn all the time and then suddenly reappear back in the pack??

Very odd..

anybody else seeing other riders weaving like they are doing a U turn all the time and then suddenly reappear back in the pack??

I’ve seen that on other rides, but not tonight.

the flatter courses do seem a bit more more social. Looking forward to the next one

CLearly they are yes, if that's what people prefer then i'm more than happy to run them on flat ones as much as possible rather than hilly ones. But i don't want to have people getting bored with the same layout time and time again.
IF we ignore Watopia due to it being to busy and ignore Yorkshire as it's not flat, Innsbruck has the hill in which smashes the group apart, that only really leaves us London or Richmond as suitable flat layouts. Which gives us 3 courses to choose.

Greater London flat
London Classique
Richmond fan flats.

If that's OK with people, then i'm more than happy to run them there. We've not done the Classique yet, so maybe that's the option.

Classique is a good option for the next one I think

I don't mind what we do. The flatter one last week did keep the pack together more but I'm happy with hills too.

It's just a bit of fun anyway - nice to have some people to ride with and some friendly banter and rivalry.

Thanks again for organising Weeksy.

For me I think a mix is more interesting, varying between flat and hilly courses - but it's good fun whatever you choose.

the one we did last week (Greater London Flat?) worked really really well IMO, very flat so easy to keep group together, short laps with a sprint section (which we alternated doing) for a bit of variety. I wouldn't worry about the rides appearing too "samey", most people are doing plenty of other stuff on Zwift as well! (Personally I like rolling rides but last night proved hills don't really work for a social ride!)

That was Richmond Fan Flats.

^^^ yeah, that was a good one!

I think I found myself in no-mans land last night. Did ok on the hills so got ahead of the bunch but nowhere near the front.

I really enjoyed that one we did on the MTBs - even though it was hilly, the downs were fun and actually felt like being on a real bike for a bit...

I missed the MTB one so wouldn't mind doing that if you decide to repeat it? Is it possible to do the steering course during a meet up? That would be carnage 😂

Not just virgin oop north dropping out

I thought you were getting personal DrP, then realized you were talking broadband!! Haha 😉

Glad you had a good ride all, can I request a weekend ride if possible as I'm missing the group ride fun with me working late mid week. I understand if you are all wasted after the Thursday TT etc.

I enjoyed that. I got a bit confused after the hills, didn't push to re-join the front group, and ended up in the middle. I got joined up with Jim, LJ, and some other guys in a group. I think it was a different group ride that some of us tagged onto. Looking forward to the next one, thanks Weeksy.

Was sorry to miss last nights session, I think it would have suited me. Ended up working all evening 🙁

Have invites been sent out for the next one yet?

Nope, I've not worked out when it is yet. Well, my one, anyone else is of course free to create one.

I was thinking of a longer and gentler one Sat morning about 10:30 for 2 hours?

Had a bit of a trainer malfunction so had to stop and retighten, but thankfully managed to tag onto Ten and the other group of randoms and get 2 laps done. I don't mind a mix maybe a bit more chat to help regroup? Im sure we managed a tight group on a hilly one before i might be wrong? The meet-ups are working though got my first C win since getting back to it on Sunday!! Thanks as always Weeksy

I was thinking of a longer and gentler one Sat morning about 10:30 for 2 hours?

Count me in Weeksy, sounds good!

Chat was indeed a bit in decline last night at times, mostly it seems to be me doing it, but that's ok, I'm cool with that.

less chat from me as, I'll be honest, was dying a bit! legs just felt weak... hence less bantz.....

!!

DrP

No worries there matey. Your group seems a tough one.
Anyway, event created, see some of you there.

I only stop chatting when I'm dying and trying to hold onto the group 🙂

I'm in, I need to work on speed now so hoping this helps, been doing too many hills recently on solo efforts, my legs are shot.

Chat was indeed a bit in decline last night at times,

you know if you install the companion app on a smart phone, you have the zwift guy on your ipad, and can message/change view/see map on the phone...

DrP

^^^^ yeah I was trying that last night, I can't type that accurately on a phone tho unless the pace is really sedate 😂

Yeh the second lap was where the chat fell apart last night. It was quite a bit pacier so more difficult to chat I think. Plus the groups were split so saying something to the whole group when you are working with 4 or 5 others doesn’t make sense.

Not sure about Saturday at the moment. Have an over unders workout on Friday so will see how I feel after that.

Don't think I can do Saturday but up for chat on discord at future ones.

Yeah good point it is hard to type when working hard. It wasn’t a criticism more of a question is that how we could manage a hilly one. It’s all good training though.

So with very little take up on the invite, only 7 riders... i'm guessing either the time doesn't suit or the length or the layout ?

hmm... no kids this weekend, so THAT goes in favour..but me and the OH might go fora run/ride in real life....

Will see how the day pans out, but hard to commit to this one...

Up for another mon/tues one next week though..

DrP

Prob a bit late on a Saturday for me. For a longer ride I would prob prefer a longer course as well I think but I know it isn't as easy to keep the group together then so it is catch 22 really. I think the short crit course work well for the group rides with lap on and lap off but only for an hour I would say

Thanks for invite Steve - but 6.30 on Saturday eve too late for me - BBQ time! Up for next ride tho.

6:30 ? Was supposed to be 10:30am LOL

Thought that might be the problem - I'm on for a longer ride at 10.30..........

Edited, well, deleted and created a new one 🙂

Apologies.

Yeh 10.30 works better for me! I might only do the first hour though

I've done the event for an hour... for on-off laps... We can then ride longer if people want to.

I've signed up for Saturday - I'm sure the original one said 1030hrs though.

I was just thinking - what we could do someday is a hare & hounds team pursuit style thing? Create 2 meet-ups on the same course but 5 mins apart. C&D riders go first, A&B riders go 5 mins later and the first group to get a rider over the line wins.

Obviously the details would need fine tuning in terms of course and headstart etc but the racing is usually quite good, I used to enter something similar back on Jarvis Island.

Hi folks,

Would like to participate although i'm on nights this weekend. Keep sending me invites though Weeksy! I appear to have become slightly hooked on another cycling format...

Not sure if I'll make Saturday, 10.30 is a bit of an odd time for me anyhow but I might have my turbo in peices by then after this evening

I’ve signed up for Saturday – I’m sure the original one said 1030hrs though.

I was just thinking – what we could do someday is a hare & hounds team pursuit style thing? Create 2 meet-ups on the same course but 5 mins apart. C&D riders go first, A&B riders go 5 mins later and the first group to get a rider over the line wins.

Obviously the details would need fine tuning in terms of course and headstart etc but the racing is usually quite good, I used to enter something similar back on Jarvis Island.

Sounds like a great idea

I’ll be there Saturday

@weeksy New York and a Richmond are first worlds tomorrow so you might want to change for the London Classique is similar?

https://zwiftinsider.com/schedule/

Course change to London Classique as Richmond is populated.

I had a few drinks last night

I don’t normally drink, it was just that sort of week

I’m not currently doing very well 🥴

I had a few drinks last night

I don’t normally drink, it was just that sort of week

I’m not currently doing very well

On your turbo no one can hear you spew. (just remember which water bottle is which)

I'm up for it. Zwift certainly clears the head!