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I have a TR sweetspot workout scheduled for Sunday so I may do that whilst ticking of one of the remaining routes I have left to do.
Cheers for the commute this morning was good fun.
Okay chaps so it looks like a "do your own thing Sunday" this week, then we can pick up the hills in the following weeks.
See some of you possibly on Saturday in the 8am tour
Can I be added to the Zwift group please?
Zwift name is Xavier Kelsall
Hi xavier, I've put commute up for tomorrow and you're on the invite list should you wish to join us. For the TTT you want the other thread >>>>
There's a few of us do hills on a Sunday morning. Not sure if there's an invite or for that yet but looks like I'm home so if not I'll pop invites out tomorrow.
@Dangeourbrain Brian is the commute you put up for tomorrow? It says Friday on your description but the date is Wednesday 15th??
Not sure if I'll make it as I was planning a workout ride. Let's see in the morning...if it is tomorrow 😉
No sunday hills planned this week...everyone seems to have things on...see my earlier post
I might join if I can.
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It's now for Friday
Thanks. See you tomorrow.
Think I might give mega pretzel a crack on Sunday. Turns out I've in-laws so I may as well start the suffering early!
Ouch.. that's about 3 or 4 hours riding. Good luck with that one, I'd love to have a go but I just dont have the time spare.
Thanks again for the commute @Dangeourbrain, it was fun to do some sprints for once!
Good to meet you too Xavier! There will be more commutes next week, definitely Tuesday and Thursday.
I can do one or both the commutes next week, if I can be invited I’ll try and make both.
Found the stage 2 of TDF Etape albeit quiet flat really knackering not sure what was going on but feel utterly shattered after that, feel better after Sunday hills 😂
Was indeed knackering Forge, was just behind you on first lap but couldn't keep it going...was full on power all the way, no let up.
Great route though and one I'll use quite a bit.
On the subject of long turbo rides.
Is anyone likely to be doing these when winter arrives? I’ve a few things on the mind for next Spring that need a lot of hours in the saddle.
@piemonster I'd do longer rides in winter too as I have a couple events next year and have monthly mile goals.
@opp north I lost it at 40-45 mins just ran out of energy, I think being in a big group you get sucked into riding harder and harder in the end I was pedalling above capacity 🙂 Good router though, would be ok as a long commute.
@piemonster. I will be in the winter I am sure. This year has been wiped out but next year planning on mountain mayhem and Jennride so will be working hard to improve fitness.
@oop north. I sent you a message about a free trial of TrainerRoad if you wanted to try some structured sessions.
I am good with Tuesday and Thursday commute this week. Will put an invite in the calendar. Any route preferences? Yorkshire lap perhaps?
That route was much better than I expected, looking at the profile I thought it might be a bit dull but actually made for a good ride. Full chat to the bottom of the KOM 1st time before it broke into groups then a good chase picking off groups up the road slowly on the 2nd lap before the final sort out on the climb.
I was riding crap but 1st time up having gone off too hard but had a much better 2nd run up. Think I came in a couple of minutes down on oop north and Robbo which I'll take not being a morning person.
are you thinking Royal Pump Room 8, looks good that should be commutable or to long?
2018 UCI Worlds Short Lap Innsbruck might be a challenge in the time but could be worth ago
Cheers Robbo, I've replied.
I will be on zwift all year round so will be interested in winter rides and training. Count me in.
Commute this week, yes I'm ok for Tuesday and Thursday, any route but I think Pump Room 8 will be too long for some, it's probably an hour and I know some need to be away. Pick what you feel and I'll join anyway.
Tomorrow I start the Zwift racing training plan...not sure how that will go.
Ok I stuck a lap of Yorkshire in for Tuesday and 40 mins in New York for Thursday (which should cover 3 laps of 6 train). Xavier I Followed you but think you need to follow me before I can invite you.
I'm out Saturday so cannot do the Tour Ventoux climb until Sunday this week, that means I will probably do it instead of Sunday hills this week.
Not sure what everyone's plans are, should we do it as a group ride?? 🙂
I know for sure that I won't be going full tilt on this one, the aim is just to hit the top and not to burn myself out on the way up.
I'm riding it on the same 8am Saturday start, to be honest I'll probably still be going during Sunday Hills.
Apparently all that distance and all you get is a route badge. No spinner or anything.
Yeah it looks like a chore this one, not even switchbacks to keep you motivated, just one long drag.
Just seen this post and added STW to my Zwift account : Oldstuntmonkey hope you don’t mind 😀
My fastest lap is 28 mins so around 25 for you?
@roobbo1234biking ok cool that's ok, maybe 25 not sure I am sure I've done the route but don't recall a time, I can do something else after it just planning my morning. See you virtually in the AM
Forge and Robbo
Excellent, will pick this up in a few months. Probably starting October/November, likely a mix of long weekend rides if the weather is foul and longer commutes.
Cheers for joining me on the commute this morning all.
I double checked and the L'Eatpe stage for the weekend only goes up to Chalet Reynard so is 1200m of climbing. Nothing to stop you carrying on to complete Mont Ventoux however!
https://www.zwift.com/uk/virtual-tour-de-france/vtdf-stage5
Edit: And on the app it says it is going to Ven-Top so no idea! I am going to the top anyway!
@robbo1234biking - good commute that enjoyed that route
@piemonster - I am good with that good to keep the focus up
I am having a massive debate with myself on the final L'Etape stage my latest is to do that Saturday am and then take do Llandelga in the afternoon.
Annoys me I've done the two other rides and might miss the third in reality it doesn't matter but of the lockdown events I've done I've completed them all!
Thanks Robbo for organising this morning, I needed that to get the legs moving! Was easier when I did the workout afterwards.
Think I might push on the rest of the week, Saturday can be a rest day as I can't ride anyway that day. Then sunday Ventoux...however long it is! I will aim for the top though but reckon 1.5 to 2 hours of constant climbing, it won't be easy for a big lad like me.
Then sunday Ventoux…however long it is! I will aim for the top though but reckon 1.5 to 2 hours of constant climbing, it won’t be easy for a big lad like me.
Im the same but don't forget that you can get of the bike and have stretch - it will be good work whatever you do!
Did you do a ramp test before starting your workout programme? Or us the FTP set from recent experiences?
My FTP was from when I had a dumb trainer, it peaked at 271, then when I got the smart trainer and got the "more accurate" results, performance dropped but I kept my FTP the same for something to aim at.
I'm now back at that point and will just wait for the FTP to go up during normal riding, I like a challenge and if it's slightly high for workouts then that isn't a problem. Plus I don't like ramp tests 🙂
Just followed you and Robbo back👍
fieldy I have invited you to the Thursday morning commute if you want to come along!
Sorry I didn't ride this morning chaps. Rode Cannock last night and just wasn't up in time and prepared this morning!
No problem Robbo, we had nice relaxed ride it was good, see you next time 🙂
He says relaxed, I was trying to keep up 😉 Was a good ride and we got over 3 laps in, it just takes a while to get used to all the sharp hills on that route, but we soon settled into negative splits.
After the commute I decided to try a workout which was a disaster, so I binned it, tomorrow's another day... I'm not quite feeling the workouts yet and need to decide whether to continue or do something else.
See you at the next meetup which will probably be the commute on Tuesday.
@oopnorth - give TR a go. You can do a low volume plan which is only 3 workouts a week and a lot more flexible in moving them around. I also think that when I have tried the Zwift workouts they are too hard and don't give enough rest between intervals etc. They all feel like they have been written by different people and aren't that coherent in my opinion.
I have a free months trial (I actually have 3 free trails if anyone else wants one) and the progression is sensible and achievable.
@oop north 😂
I can do a Tuesday commute, but not Thursday next week.
@Robbo the main issue is trying to shoehorn 5 workouts into a week with everything else I want to do on zwift, it means I'm biking almost every day and on commute days im doubling up...hence burn out.
I'm going to try again tomorrow and if still no joy then I might put the workout plan on hold for now and concentrate on the things I want to do, climbing to finish the tron mission, get back into racing etc. The main reason I was doing the plan was to help increase cadence, i can always do that through racing and separate workouts, not a full on plan.
Plus, once I get the tron I can concentrate on flat workouts 🤣🤣
I've never done workouts or followed a plan I just do rides, and rides I want to do, it seems to have worked, I'd struggle with the thought to do 5 structured workouts a week and mix in rides I'd enjoy, can do 5 varied enjoyable rides without much thought though, you have to do what motivates you.
I’m doing the alpe in the morning as a warm up for mont ventoux on Saturday. Should get me closer to tron as well! I’m doing it whilst doing a 1hr 30 min TrainerRoad workout with 3 x 20 min sweet spot sessions. Not sure if that will get me to the top or not so will see how it goes!
Decent warm up that!
Good luck Robbo! Think I'm going up the innsbruck hill to tick it off.
Need to do the Alpe at some point, it's been a while.
How did your ride go this morning @Oop North?
I did my workout up the Alpe - worked well and banked another 1000m. 10% (5000m) more to go now for the Tron bike.
Was good Robbo, I ditched the workout and just had a freeride which felt better, I just think workouts are not for me hahaha!
Did the Innsbruck UCI Short course as I've never done it and got up the hill in 29 minutes, raced a guy back down and through the town so I wasn't hanging around, new sprint PB as well. Then straight onto the start of the Tour discovery ride of France RGV, to tick it off. I was planning to chill but you know what it's like, it started and I was at full chat doing 50km/hr + most of the way round, no let up, trying to keep up with a group for the draft.
Ditched it after one lap as I had to get to work and I only intended to do the one anyway, I was a sweaty mess.
Good workout and legs are still buzzing!
Not long for that Tron now for you, a week or two at most, I'm 9000 away but should get another 3000 off in the next week with usual routes and Ventoux.
How did everyone do on the Stage 3 climb today, last 1.2miles was mind of matter but felt pretty good till then, albeit it was a warm morning in the bike room!
It was a tough one! Managed the climb in 1:36, but I didn’t enjoy it. I was the other way round though, it was only the last 3 km that I started feeling ok, when it started levelling off a bit.
I've signed up for the 8pm Champs Elysses ride on Monday Cat C. This one is split by category so could get a bit racey.
Any commutes planned for this week?
I'm considering doing the La Reine discovery ride one morning but times are 7am on Tuesday / Thursday and 8am on other days. I would probably need to do a 7am start to get it done before work so may need to sacrifice a commute day.
Let me know if there is any interest and we can set up some short commute rides and I'll work around them.
Looking at the profile it's going to basically be the London Classique route to a great extent or maybe downtown Dolphin but longer... i can see it mostly suiting me until the final lap where i get shelled on the kicker.
I am up for commutes tomorrow and Thursday but was debating doing something with climbs in it
I'm up for climbs Robbo, I know you are desperate for the Tron asap! 😉
We can either do a normal climb route or join the La Reine at 7am and can drop out when you want? I'm not sure what time you need to be at work. I still have the Lutscher to do on Innsbruck, both directions, quite fancy an Alpe at some point too. I like Muir and the mountain too. I'm easy.
If it needs to be short then I guess it's volcano or something quick around London, New York or Richmond with hills involved.
OK I have put in Lutscher CCW for the morning. The climb is about 30 minutes so it is a quick descent and then the climb. Ticks one of your list then and isn't too bad. I am not sure where the Lutcher one spawns you so will check that out as an option for Thursday.
Normal Lutscher spawns you in the same place, but not sure if the hack works as you are already through the gate. It's either ride the hill twice as normal, or go through the gate a little, U turn and back through the gate and hope the badge works!
Cheers, see you in the morning. Thursday I think I'll do La Reine.
I'll do La Reine on Thursday and do what I can in the time I have available. Where do you sign up though? I might be being thick but cant see it on the zwift calendar or on the website.
Ta for the invite Robbo, not sure what work is like this week but I'll join you if I'm working from home.
@Robbo you will have to sign up on the events section on the companion app, like you would if joining a normal event or race, earliest you can join is the day before.
I'll also sign up for the 7am one and will join you somewhere after the start.
I have managed to sign up for the Thursday 7am La Reine one through the website. If I can be done by 8.30 that should be OK.
Tuesday commute looks good thanks for sorting
Thanks for organising again Robbo! I couldn't resist having a go up the other side of the hill and it was much easier due to being less steep and the legs and lungs had warmed up! Good practise for Thursdays ride.
Tomorrow I'm going flat to just have a spin.
I enjoyed that (kind of) this morning. I was a bit disappointed at the time as made it in 25min 5 secs so missed the 25 cut off and thought I only took 20 seconds of my previous best. However when I checked later I actually took 1min 40 secs out so that was pretty good for a fasted ride!
La Reine on Thursday for me and @oop north. Should put be within about 1500m of the Tron bike then.
That was a good climb this morning, enjoyed it, great choice, have a good ride Thursday
Thursday, I ain't racing, I will try to pace like I did on Sunday. The plan is to get to the top.
You were flying this morning Rob, I was having to really push to keep up on the steep sections. The 7 and 8% gradients were almost easy after the really steep bits.
Jeez that La Reine course hurt this morning...felt worse than the full Ventoux on Sunday.
Well done Robbo for making it up there with me, there was no way I was continuing to the top of Ventoux my legs were shot. It's all worth it for the downhill.
Yeh that was really tough! A banana and a cup of tea wasn't appropriate fuel for that ride! Good work though @oop north. I think I enjoyed some bits of it...perhaps. Nearly 3000m of climbing for me since Monday. 818m to go until the Tron bike - will try and tick that off tomorrow lunchtime!
I only enjoyed the flatter bits and the downhill 😉 Although 5% to 8% feels easy now after all the constant 12% parts! I'm thinking surely the Alpe will feel easier after this???
Well Tron bike ticked off this morning. Did 800m of climbing by sessioning the epic KOM reverse as it gave me a good threshold workout as well.
Well done on that hurdle ticked off Robbo! Is it flat routes from now on? 😉
Any plans for a Sunday ride? If not I'll freeride a hill, some of us still have to earn that Tron!
I'm thinking of something for Sat morning/daytime as the weather is looking rubbish.
None of the races tomorrow are looking particularly appealing, so would be happy to arrange a STW ride
I am probably better for Sunday I think but happy for a hilly ride still.
I can do both days if they are early doors, around 8ish. After 10am I need to get on with things, so please feel free to arrange something if that works and I'll join.
I must add that due to my birthday today I may consume a bit too much alcohol this evening, so I may not be on top form 😉 Having said that I will need to burn calories!
Robbo well done on the Tron, I've a few rides I need to do on the other platform this weekend.
I should be up for a commute on Tuesday and/or Thursday next week
I did a route in Watopia yesterday morning.
Recovery week for me now. Only got three gentle rides planned during the week so I wont be doing any commutes I think week.
Think I have made some good gains in this training block so looking forward to my ramp test on Saturday and hopefully hit an FTP above 280W!
No worries Robbo, I have 2 done days back to back of over 1000m ascents so I'm maybe having a day off tomorrow, I'll see how I feel in the morning. Other than that I may have an easy day or so and ramp up to a big climb towards the end of the week. At 95% now on the Tron, so nearly there...
Anyone fancy a QuatchQuest this weekend? Just putting it out there but realize most of you are now doing summer outdoor activities.
I'm able to do Saturday or Sunday, early doors say 7-30am? Should be around 2 to 2.5 hrs. Let me know if interested and if there is enough takers I'll set something up.
I can't do this weekend but it's a good route. I did it yesterday, took me just over 2.5 hours and I was near enough at PB on epic KOM and a couple of minutes off on the AdZ, but I climb slowly.
I'm front loading this week so was going to do Bigfoot Hills this evening and then possibly see about pushing it out to a century ride at the end.
I'm feeling left out not having a Tron bike so need to get some elevation.