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Oh and I wasn't planning to do the full race but Robbo had stopped and kept goading me and giving me false hope in his messages...so I had to keep going!
Opted for a run up the Alpe this morning so I could spend some time put of the saddle. did it as the tour of fire and ice as I thought I needed the badge it turned out later that I had already done it. oops.
Any how other than the first two times up the Alpe back in 2018 ive only done it as part of a long hilly route so havent tested the best time. my previous best was 1.01 50secs April 2018.
today I managed to crack the hour with 51.34 an average of 296w for the climb. I was up and down in power within the sections but the average power for each section was were I wanted it to be. I aimed for the longer sections to be as close to 300w or just above as possible so lots at 305 and eased off every few sections at around 280w to try and keep my HR below 180 until the last few sections.
So really pleased overall but still know even without increasing my FTP theres improvements to be made. as I struggle to just sit and spin out at a good even pace I'm really up and down constantly.
if my ftp is 303 should I be happy with 296 over 51 mins or really be pushing a bit higher. what average would I need to break 50 minutes and is that possible within my ftp.
for this effort I was rewarded with yet another set of glothes. does anybody want to swap 10 pairs of gloves for some light weight wheels.
Hope you heal well and you make Tuesday.
Makes two of us. I was disappointed not to make the start line this week but the quick 10 minutes at 5pm made clear a race would be bad!
On the upside I've managed to categorically prove to myself that my fitness is a way back from September/October time. Did half a workout last night which should have been hard but doable and was shot by the third rep. Ditto the tdz on Wednesday which I had running in erg from elite, and I was cooked by 45minutes or so.
I twigged though I've barely got my heart rate above 170 in months, not sure if I've just lost the ability to suffer or if something really did knock me when I was a bit grotty back in autumn. Last night was the first time I've gotten up to 180bpm since October apparently.
I think tomorrow I may have to do a proper ftp test to see if I can get some sensible numbers now I've accepted the figure I have isn't right, at least then I can try build up from where I am instead of constantly over reaching and breaking myself!
Well done kirky72, an awesome time! I still need to break that hour but seems a tough one for a big bloke like me.
Small steps @dangeourbrain ...small steps! It will come, just be patient.
what average would I need to break 50 minutes and is that possible within my ftp
@kirky72 4w/kg should see 49 minutes. There abouts.
@danegerourbrian sending healing vibes. I hope you no lasting effects. I havent ridden outside since Xmas for fear of taking a spill.
I'm sure it'll be nothing a beer can't fix!
@kirky72. Nice one. That's a time I can only dream of. If you want to do sub 50 mins try https://www.bestbikesplit.com/ and have a look heZwiftinsider
I've been up 7 times and not got the wheels yet so I'll keep going back I suppose.
@dangeroubrain Doing an FTP knowing you'll be lower than last time is hard to get motivated for but I suppose it's the first step in rebuilding. I've been in the cycle of overreaching on workouts and it's no fun.
@kirky72 there's an (imperfect, incomplete) plot of adz times on zwiftpower here: https://www.zwiftpower.com/segments.php?do=analysis&id=11
You can drag a rectangle to zoom. The first sub 50 times are also just but only just under 4w/kg. And no ride of 4 w/kg or more goes longer than 50 minutes. It's not an exact science (because draft speeds you up, sticky draft slows you down, variability and watts matter too etc). But your particular target seems pretty clear.
I reckon your FTP is about 310 (but now rising)
Zwift had me pegged at 326 last summer, but it's set at 316 at the moment.
Wednesday I had the turbo set at 320 and managed 15min at that with a view to finishing the whole ride, 20 wouldn't have been nice but it would have been doable if that was it, not sure I'd have managed 20min at much above that though, so somewhere about 305 at a guess.
Last night was supposed to be 1.5min on 5off 2/5/2.5/5off & 3on at 125% & 90% respectively so effectively 24min at about 103% ftp avg. (so a little below 20min best for 24 minutes) It is do-able if unpleasant assuming the numbers are right.
If my guess work is right on 305ish it works out at 130/95 ish and about 108% (a bit above 20min best for 20% longer) which might not sound much...
I'm torn about doing a "proper" test or just slapping a 1hr block in at 305 and trying for the end of it.
Bah, why bother testing further? 2x recent bologna is a pretty good dataset unless you really aren't a fan of extrapolating from shorter efforts or you want to be extremely precise for some reason. Certainly a full 1hr pegged at 305 would just be an unpleasant way of learning what the data already very strongly suggests. (I hate testing. ymmv).
2x recent bologna is a pretty good dataset
Tuesday will also be a good dataset. Should be just over 20 mins at a very high effort level!
2x recent bologna is a pretty good dataset
@savoyad ah yeah, I hadn't actually considered that so much 🙂
Thank you, You've just saved me an hour and a half or so of horrid.
@weeksy is the master of the crit – he loves them and knows a lot about the right tactics on the race. I have raced against him before on a crit and he put out a lot less power than me and finished well ahead of me so being tactical can definitely help!
You can't even imagine how desperate I am to race on Tues
So to nip under 50 mins I just need to increase my ftp by 20 or 25 watts or lose 3 or 4kg. At the current weight I need to average around 10 watts above current ftp which isn’t realistic.
Forgot to ask are there any rides planned for tomorrow or Sunday or is everybody jumping on the TDZ race 5. Might give tomorrow a miss or just a fasted morning recovery ride but I’m up for some hills of a moderate length on Sunday if anybody’s on.
Think a few of us are doing TDZ stage 5 on Sunday morning at 9. Can use discord for chat? Volcano after party so a chance to ride something different.
Ooh..are you....
I MIGHT join that... riding IRL with the GF too... but will see about a zwift AND IRL ride...
So to nip under 50 mins I just need to increase my ftp by 20 or 25 watts or lose 3 or 4kg. At the current weight I need to average around 10 watts above current ftp which isn’t realistic
Ooh... so 4w/kg is the target....
I COULD manage this, as it would be just under 280w for 50 min... hmm....
(@robbo123biking .. I've dropped a kg to 69kg now.. wanna update the race stats?)
DrP
Snow and ice now forecast for Sunday morning up here so IRL road ride is out the window. I'll join you for the TdZ at 9am instead.
So....rocker plates...are they any good? Kind of interested but wondering if any of you have one and if they are worth the investment?
If so, any recommendations that are not crazy expensive?
@oopnorth - I've got one for my Wattbike Atom.
This one:
https://bespokerockerplate.co.uk/shop/p/r3-black
Not cheap but my DIY is shocking and I don't have the tools to make one.
It's basically 2 sheets of buffalo board, 4 wheelbarrow tyres, an elastomer fixing in the middle,some velcro and some machining so around £100 for the materials I'd guess plus labour.
Have to admit that the finish is really good and it fits the Wattbike perfectly.
Has definitely made riding more comfortable and I don't get the fatigue or joint pain that I was getting before. More comfortable to ride when seated as the bike sways from side to side slightly (you can adjust movement by adding air to the tubes).
Wish I'd got one sooner.
Think my set up is as close as I can get to that outdoor riding feel, short of getting the other half to do some close overtakes and hurling random abuse.
As a DIY option it might be worth buying the parts and getting a local carpenter to cut the shape of the plates?
The rest just seems to be bolting stuff together.
Cheers both of you. I'll definitely look into the possibility of a DIY option. It's not something I'm going to get immediately but it has caught my eye, right now I just want to get an idea if its worth it or not, hence my question.
To get real world opinions from those that currently use one, like you @dknwhy, will really help.
Thanks again.
@zilog6128 has one @oopnorth I think it's a lifeline one and I think he recommends but I'm not totally sure...
No worries. I wouldn't say it's an absolute game changer but it does make for a nicer environment. I definitely don't get as much pain and discomfort as I used to.
If you can cobble something together or get something within your budget, I'd recommend it.
Here's a random video to give you an idea of the movement:
Interesting video...cheers for that! Is there a weight limit on these plates? Asking for a biggish friend...🙄
I don't think so. May just need more air in the tubes to limit the movement.
Take care pumping them up. I A friend (*ahem) almost popped the tube by focusing on the track pump guage rather than the tube that was bulging out the side of the plate...
joined a Dirt badge hunters B ride this morning to complete the Prl half. For some reason even though I seemed to be near the front of the pen I was sat in around 300th place from 450 and no where near the ride leader who was up the road and not hanging around. managed to work up to 80th and catch the leader the first time up box hill. The ride plan was to do the first climb at 3.2 then 3.4 3.8 third and as much as you could muster on the last. I didn’t know that though until the third climb so just did my own thing starting steady but well above the suggested 3.2 and then reduced 35 seconds each climb until I hit a new PB of 7.40 on the third ascent, the last one was a touch slower though as I started to feel the pace a bit.
That’s a weird finish to the route with the trip through the tube only to quickly turn and head back through the tube again up the nasty escalator climb. Badge knocked off and the large group helped a decent pace finishing around 1hr 54.
Good effort kirky..
I SHALL be joining the tdz ride tomorrow am at 9.. catch some of you there..
DrP
I’m not so sure about tomorrow yet, it’s been a couple of hard days, will see how the legs feel early on.
Is the plan to try and stick together or just ride your own but chat via discord?
I would say use DrP's everesting chat (text) channel on discord for discussions and people go at their own pace. I'm going to go fairly relaxed on the flat and maybe attack the volcano to try and get a PB and a time under 9 mins up there.
I think everyone who is signed up so far is on Discord:
@oopnorth
@dangeourbrain
@mrhoppy
@DrP
@slowpuncheur
Just did Stage 4 for the second time (without a drop out at the end this time) so that is ticked of at least!
Not sure why it is called PRL half when it isnt half of it but good effort Kirky!
You can use my discord server, if you want. I can send the link to thems that riding.
I should be sensible and take it steady, and yet again I wont. Friday I ended up racing Casse Pattes despite being supposed to be resting after monstering round the TTT. Meant I had to put today's ride off.
I'm not sure on my pace yet for tomorrow. Had planned to do the crit again this morning but woke at 9-30am...so that stopped that one.
Might jump on later if I get chance but if not I'll wait until the morning.
No TDZ for me tomorrow. Gonna do a ride outside instead.
Did the Pretzel today so will be interesting to see how my legs are tomorrow.
@mrhoppy thanks for the offer but I think we can just use the veveresting one on the main stw channel.
Currently 1300 signed up for this one which will probably increase overnight...not sure we will be riding together in the morning...
We will need to call out position numbers once we get going.
Re: Rocker Plates - I made my own from marine ply and used inline-roller skates under the center line to get back and forward motion, using bungie co-ords to re-center.
My trainer is a Neo 2.
If you want some photos msg me. Its not a difficult job, I used straight cuts with a circular saw and topped it with laminate flooring, with tennis balls or firm rubber balls for balance and movemnt - cost was the price of two sheets of ply.
Definately a game changer in comfort for me.
I made my own rocker and it was pretty easy. There is a facebook group DIY rocker plates and it has all the info you need. I went with a linear bearings? £50 ish of the internet, which gives fore/aft and side to side movement, two kids inflatable golf balls from decathlon and some left over ply. Only tool needed was a jigsaw to cut the ply and a drill.
I have found it has made a big difference to comfort.
Thanks for the feedback guys, sounds like there are quite a few of you that have made your own rockers
Definitely food for thought...cheers
Cheers guys for the chat this morning. Some strange things going on with the placing went from 1100 to 700 in the 2km before the volcano climb and the first half of the climb. Def didn’t passs them all. All ran very smooth though. Didn’t push hard until the climb and got 8.32 on the climb which is a new pb so happy with that. Put the feet up today now before the ss workout in the morning.
500 tss week so more than planned. Need to have an easy day on Wednesday really but def making progress with 2 climb pbs this week.
That was fun...
I pushed at the start, and stick with a good bunch at 150th... worked well as a group and swallowed up bunch after bunch, and were in 85 th going into the KOM... didn't wanna break myself, so climbed steadily, and finished 84th out of 3500 ish! Pleased with that!
DrP
Sorry I didn't make it folks. Woke at 9.05 and decided on a lazy breakfast instead of trying a late start.
There was some speculation on the in game chat about the update meaning less avatars were visible to help it run smoother. I went from low 400's to low 500's in about 5 minutes then back to high 300's just before the climb. Also PB'd the volcano despite getting a bit too kean out if the gate. There's a few more seconds to shave off yet.
I struggle with these TdZ events. I end up racing but not at a committed level so I'm not sure they are doing me an awful lot of good as part of a training strategy. Av power just over sweetspot band. Hmmm