Zwift, my journey, my weight and my fitness.

KISS Australia?

Yeh, just do one and see - they're only awful if you make yourself go full-on. (and, of course, you will 😀 )

If you use the mobile link app you can see the evening before how many riders have already signed up for each event. IME big fields mean that you're unlikely to win anything but way more likely to find riders close to your own level so you'll get a meaningful race rather than a short group ride followed by a solo TT

check things beforehand - drink, towels, fan on full blast but also that you're not riding a TT bike, as that'd get you a DQ in most road races (maybe you never use it anyway - I like to if I'm doing a steady ride as it removes the drafting effect)

Whats everyones plans for this evening?

Looks like the 20.00 Kiss Europe for me due to having to put the little one to bed as the Mrs is out. Anyone else joining in Group C tonight?

See you on the start line (S.Ram STW (C))

I think i need a rest today really.

Good point on field size, there's a KISS America race on that might fit the bill and keeps the time to 60 minutes.

Or are they all ******* awful?

Err maybe it's just me, but I think they're great (probably the honeymoon period). I'd say maybe pick a medium length flattish one to start with though. As above check the rules as some races you aren't allowed TT bikes or power ups and it'd be a right bugger to put all that effort in and get DQ'd or penalised.

Err maybe it's just me, but I think they're great (probably the honeymoon period)

They don't get better/worse 🙂 If you enjoy them, you enjoy them. No reason you won't keep on enjoying them 🙂 They're always just as hard/easy as before.

Only downside is a downturn in form, which is where i'm currently at, i think my form is back to OK now, but i'm still blaming the Parkwood for a minor inability to run at the front of C.

I would say there's a certain satisfaction in figuring out race tactics & racing efficiently rather than just beasting yourself the whole time! Definitely feels good to beat someone who's lighter and/or more powerful than you by cunning drafting or knowing when to put the hammer down & when to recover!

I see what you mean. It has helped me focus on losing a bit of weight to see if I can move up the pack a bit.

I did the KISS down under race this morning and it was a big field. Not sure what was going on with my body but even when warming up my legs felt a bit stiff and lactic was starting to build just spinning a low gear, i rested yesterday but was stuck in the hospital so may be all the standing around was to blame. Anyway managed to lead out the field and it seemed ok but my legs just wouldnt recover properly but stuck to the lead group. It was Watopia figure 8 which i had no clue about (it is very hilly,i thought it was flat), i suddenly realised where i was and the big hill was coming and i was towards the rear of the group so i made a choice to stay where i was rather than getting to the front and tiring myself out. I was in 30th in cat b when we hit the climb but it fractured the group and i missed the break but managed to get in to 10th and chased after a little group ahead that had about 5 in it. My legs just weren’t right though so i was hanging on to the group rather than recovering although it was a quick group with a couple of cat A riders in it. I partially recovered and managed to be in front on most of the climbs so yet again it came down to a bunch sprint for 10th place. One guy went off the front at about 0.6km to go so i waited and hit the aero PU and closed my eyes and went for it. I pulled away from the others and managed to catch the guy in front with 50m to spare. I ended up 7th in cat b but i think the winner will be dq’d and overall i was 3 mins behind the overall race winner

Yeah once you're at a certain level of comfort in your category the rest is purely tactics.

My tactic is always to follow the moves of others and try and pip them if it's feeling easy or with 200-500m to go purely running off adrenaline!

I have people in India irritating me... i may do the 3pm Volcano race to vent my frustrations.

Hoping to make the Pack Social 2/2.2 this evening. Should still be a quick ride for me.

I did the KISS Down Under race this morning with slightly tired legs from the previous evening's session. My first KISS race for a while and hoped the bigger field would mean more points...

Stayed with the lead group until the final big climb when the group split into two and I found myself on the front of the second group. Another attempt at a sprint at the end put me into 11th of the A's and 31 more points.

Probably aiming for the 9:05 or 10:05 WBR races tomorrow.

I’m going to show up for the 8pm KISS ride.

30 in my cat so I’m predictin 28th 😆

Should still be a quick ride for me.

Despite some issues with the extension not working and missing the start to fix. Actually the pace was fine. Will have to try something a little quicker!

Saw one STWer I think, Zilog.

Don’t think I’ve been in a race with 50 people this year, let alone 50 in my cat!!

I’m feeling tired and sluggish*

* starting the excuses early 😆

Good luck boys.

Race report:
Tim Cartwright rode off the front with another guy.
Stuck with the second group, got a stitch with 3km to go and I’ve just thrown up... 😆

https://zwiftpower.com/race.php?id=12101

Lol nice work fast fella

11/10 for a podium in THE flagship Zwift race 🙂

1/10 for that piss poor write up 😆

I saw the sprint on the live coverage 🙂

Storming result Nath! Well done on puking. That beats my dry retching from yesterday. 😆

Interestingly the guy who got second in your race won the SZR race yesterday.

Beats me how people can race so much.

You're a machine, Nath 😯

Interestingly the guy who got second in your race won the SZR race yesterday.

That's bonkers!

I do wonder at what level some of these are in real world. Nath is a Cat3, but how far off a 2 or a 1 for example, then how far off them are a British level team domestique?
Imagine a decent JLT rider raced Zwift, would they be winning by seconds, minutes, or just cruising to whatever they felt like

Jk, Tim Cartwright who won uses the races to replace the Threshold type training efforts he'd be doing anyway by all accounts.

https://worldcup.cycligentrankings.com/blog/racer-spotlight-tim-cartwright-2/

Thanks all, I’ve just watched the sprint as I had my head down 😆

Skip to 40:25

Nathb - there are more dq’s in that race than riders in most of my races. If you are puking at least you are trying, good result fella.

Weeksy- earlier this month, Tim did a Newbury 10mile TT at 31.3mph if that helps with context 😮

There's also several of the big Zwift names who used to race ZTR first and KISS after and do well in both. Kim Little is a more MTB oriented name for ya.
I can boast getting lapped by Kim in Zwift and real life 😆

10mile TT at 31.3mph if that helps with context

Wowsers! That's shifting.

Jk, Tim Cartwright who won uses the races to replace the Threshold type training efforts he'd be doing anyway by all accounts.

https://worldcup.cycligentrankings.com/blog/racer-spotlight-tim-cartwright-2/

Thanks Crosshair that makes sense. I can't help but wonder what guys like him would do if they actually raced!

Funnily enough when I lined up yesterday I thought about doing something similar which lasted for about 10 seconds after the gun went off 🙂

I only started riding for fun and the endorphins but now I am wondering if I need to do something a bit more structured.

Damn you zwift 😀

I’m a poor comparison Weeksy..

If I had half the commitment and skill of CH I could have protentially made cat 2?*

*My friend up north is pretty much identical to me stats wise and he’s a cat 1 last time I checked.

Tim does race in real life 🙂

https://www.cyclingtimetrials.org.uk/rider/2471

(Well, TT's if they count as races 😆 )

Tim Cartwight and that BB geezer caught and rode through a B race I was in the other day

...like a pair of friggin' bullets

Now you're being too kind Nath- turning up and getting whooped every week doesn't take much skill 😆
Writing fresh excuses every week? Now that's a real art 😀

Awesome effort Nath.

Think I am overdue a rest day, thats 14 days riding on the trot, predominantly races, so probably time to sit out tomorrow..... or maybe just a sub-2 to spin the legs over.

Looking forward to getting out on the moors on Saturday!

Harry too - 14 days of racing in a row is bloody impressive, good work fella.

I shall be doing the 10:10 WBR tomorrow and i promise i will try hard enough to vomit now that nathb has led the way.

I could make the 9.05 wbr but currently looks like tomorrow morning's races are all tumbleweed-central

Might go to work earlier instead 🙁

How many of you race with energy gels/drinks?

I’ve noticed my HR tops out 6 bpm lower now I’m racing semi fasted (not eating after 2pm) and just have plain water as opposed to energy gels/drinks.

I rode my bike in the woods tonight. It was ****ing ace.

I've never raced for more than an hour or so - just water for me, sometimes with a bit of squash just for flavour

I rode my bike in the woods tonight. It was **** ace.

😀

From the conference I was at yesterday.

Presenter: Turn to the person next to you and tell them something which helps your mental well being.

Woman next to me: I run

Me: I got on my wind trainer, hooked it up to my computer and raced 300 people from around the world and nearly puked.

I wish I had got a photo of the look on her face.

Saw one STWer I think, Zilog.

scaredypants - Member
I rode my bike in the woods tonight. It was **** ace.
blimey, how long is your extension lead ?

nathb - Member
How many of you race with energy gels/drinks?
I’ve noticed my HR tops out 6 bpm lower now I’m racing semi fasted (not eating after 2pm) and just have plain water as opposed to energy gels/drinks.

I'm the same as Scaredy, but a mate of mine does the odd 100 mile session on Zwift and he gets through a lot of gels on those.