Zwift, my journey, ...
 

Zwift, my journey, my weight and my fitness.

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Weeksy there are a lot of question marks about bathsalts stats. He has been caught twice cheating on DIRT races with another guy called Choppa. Choppa now seems to have distanced himself from bath salts and seems to be riding “clean”. Bath Salts has been upgraded to B twice and then purposely got himself downgraded. He has several races where his power and hr dont look right. He is just a serial trophy hunter with questionable tactics/data.


 
Posted : 15/10/2019 8:37 pm
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Basically pick the biggest races you can find with the most people possible.

There used to be newbies/beginners races, but you'd have to look through list


 
Posted : 15/10/2019 8:40 pm
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Weeksy there are a lot of question marks about bathsalts stats. He has been caught twice cheating on DIRT races with another guy called Choppa. Choppa now seems to have distanced himself from bath salts and seems to be riding “clean”. Bath Salts has been upgraded to B twice and then purposely got himself downgraded. He has several races where his power and hr dont look right. He is just a serial trophy hunter with questionable tactics/data.

I've seen a few videos they've done. I think they're brothers? Or certainly live near as they're in the same videos.

I dont get the trophy hunting in many ways. My goal is to be the best I can, sometimes that's meant being bumped up.


 
Posted : 15/10/2019 8:44 pm
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Well, it seems like KISS races are the new Tuesday night chaingang for Rich and I. Which is one good reason to try and hold the lead group as long as possible. The other is that the Keith Hill finale was going to slaughter me. So I figured the most efficient way to go would be to get the biggest lead possible and then hold threshold up the climb.

So short version is- that’s what I did 🤣

Rich buggered off then of course and I tickled the Rev limiter in order to beat some random who was there or thereabouts with me.

Another trophy for winning C and would have been 12/23 in B.

297w average so bang on ftp again.


 
Posted : 15/10/2019 10:12 pm
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They both got excluded from some big series last year. Choppa is questionable as well. Was an A, now B and suprise surprise can run with the As most of the time 🙄. Lost to them a few times on races I should have easily left them for dust.


 
Posted : 15/10/2019 10:14 pm
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Without the WKG categories racing for me would only ever be trying to hang on to faster groups to get as high as possible. I've towed Bs around before and essentially let them beat me as I want to keep ahead of the C 10 seconds behind. Tactically far more interesting than riding with them and trying to win the sprint.
I got beaten by riders with lower WKG than me last week as they were lighter and got up the volcano ahead of me. Whereas the week before I distanced them on the punchy short climbs of Richmond which suit me better and the week before we stayed together up the Titans grove climb which is in between the 2.
At the end of it the only racing that matters is the front end of the A races but then obviously it's Zwift racing and any number could be cheating even unknowingly.


 
Posted : 15/10/2019 11:39 pm
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Oh and interestingly Mr Bath Salts has signed up for my race tomorrow.


 
Posted : 15/10/2019 11:48 pm
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Oh and interestingly Mr Bath Salts has signed up for my race tomorrow.

89kg rider cannot win that race in C surely?


 
Posted : 15/10/2019 11:58 pm
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The closer you are to the ‘average’ Zwift cyclist race weight (70-80kg?) then the better the categories work for you. The further away you get, the more ludicrous they become.
It’s amazing how that little tiny w/kg number under everyone’s name has lead to a flawed system being the cornerstone of Zwift!

To be honest, it’s no different than my local outdoor group rides. At 85kg, I can hang with the best of them. At 96- I’m either overtaking them and getting a gap doing 0 watts whilst trying not to brake down the hills or getting dropped on any climb over 30 seconds.

Some kind of points based categories would probably be best but would be pretty onerous to run.


 
Posted : 16/10/2019 12:00 am
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Whether it's perfect or not, it's what we have and it's 100% an incentive to me to push harder.

I do need to wind my neck in though and get out of the racing scene and into the longer steadier rides at the moment for training. 30mins just ain't cutting it.... Well... I say that, i don't actually know 🙂 I'm a long way from scientific in this stuff as you've all gathered 🙂

I do think i ought to be going longer/slower though for the next few months.... I can't promise though as i really enjoy the racing.


 
Posted : 16/10/2019 7:11 am
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I just dont see the appeal of dropping down a category or two from where your really seated just to win a virtual trophy ... behind the fun of racing on zwift is the real benefit of getting fitter.
Its clear who is sandbagging or whatever you want to call it; that fella Mr Bath Salts and our very own Crosshair on here too ... their zwift race records are very similar.

I started as a B category and generally position in top 10 of most races... moved to an A category and then was closer to the back than the front. After a summer of not doing very much riding I am back at B and towards the back of that category at moment, but my goal is to get back up to A cat even though I will very likely be riding in the last A rider.
To drop down to a C category rider is not going to improve my fitness or prove anything other than I not got the stamina to mix it with the faster guys and improve.


 
Posted : 16/10/2019 7:57 am
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our very own Crosshair on here too

CH is carrying some winter warming timber which pushes him into the top end of C rather than B, but i'll be hard pushed to argue he's a C as he completely dominates his races with power etc. But the figures don't lie. Salts is slightly different as you get the impression he's riding to numbers purely to stay in the C cat, whereas CH rode absolutely flat out last night, i was sitting with Bake Off on in the background, so watching him on the live tab, no-one could accuse him of sandbagging at 180bpm up Leith Hill... He was full chat from the gun. It just so happens he's VERY much on the cusp of B and has massive power to hang with the fast group out of the gate.

I think he's got another 1-2 races before he's forced to move up

95% of 20min 290watts / 3.02wkg
95% of 20min 284watts / 2.95wkg
95% of 20min 278watts / 2.84wkg
Average 284watts / 2.94wkg


 
Posted : 16/10/2019 8:26 am
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@mooman I started in D 🤣
Then C, then B and now my ftp is down to 300 from a 336 peak and my weight up to 96 from an 86 low.

When I’m a B, I’ll race B as I’ve already said 🤷🏻‍♂️

I’ve been racing Zwift since 2015. My tactics are pretty sound now and I can generally predict the right strategy.
But also, the when you examine my power trace, I can get plenty of micro-rests. I’ve been riding a Kickr Snap this whole time and have got a very good idea of how to best utilise the flywheel to my advantage. Last night, I was preempting the attacks up the various small rises and making sure I hit the watts early enough to avoid the lag. I was also able to then coast into other people’s attacks on the descents.
And that was also my pb hour power of all time!
I guess had it been a segregated race, things could have played out a little differently. Against much lighter C’s I’d have needed to shake them off myself before the climb rather than relying on the A’s and B’s to help me form the gap.

But I’m certainly not going to apologise for racing in the correct category 😃


 
Posted : 16/10/2019 9:12 am
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Weighed myself this morning and I am 2kg under my Zwift/Strava weight. My best ever ZP watts was 91 days ago so this has now dropped from my profile so even if I adjusted settings I would be Under 3.1W/Kg so well within C limits.

Cannot be bothered to adjust weight on all the platforms though as I am in Croatia next week for a mate’s birthday so five days of excess beer and food will no doubt bring IRL weight pretty close to Zwift settings.

Had a couple of hours outside on bike yesterday, will probably jump on one of the busier races between 5-7 tonight.


 
Posted : 16/10/2019 9:27 am
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If you compare the previously identified Bath Salts race profile:

https://www.zwiftpower.com/profile.php?z=62302

It is very similar to Crosshairs:

https://www.zwiftpower.com/profile.php?z=78823

I dont dispute for a second it takes a huge effort to still win the C category ... but to consistently win the races really does say your in too low a category for sure. But if your happy with that then there really is no need to apologise.

18.55 KIss race tonight. I too will be in the wrong category .. but the one where I struggle to not come last!


 
Posted : 16/10/2019 7:20 pm
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https://www.zwiftpower.com/events.php?zid=232301

Different race, copy and paste any of my previous 100 reports.


 
Posted : 16/10/2019 7:36 pm
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The point is- categories are ftp based. Ftp is (without wanting to open that huge can of worms 🤣) a proxy for your hour(ish) power.

If I go as hard as I can for an hour with my honest weight set in my profile and still get nowhere near a strike then I’m unequivocally in the right category.

In the past I was lighter and more powerful and raced accordingly.

Also- 6/7 of my 2019 C cat wins have been in all-cat races. Zwiftpower then sifted me to C- not me 🤷🏻‍♂️

As soon as I’m light enough- I’ll tick the B cat box to override that decision 👍🏻


 
Posted : 16/10/2019 8:17 pm
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https://zwiftpower.com/viewtopic.php?f=68&t=5528

Ooo, it’s all a bit more nuanced now but the point still stands- I’m a C. Sorry 🤣


 
Posted : 16/10/2019 8:43 pm
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Weeksy - nobody could argue the fact you belong in C category; your results are clear proof of that. I don’t understand why you would think otherwise.

Crosshairs is clearly outstayed his time in C category ... as his profile shows, he has won every C category race he has entered ..from 27km to 50km distances and both flat and hilly courses.

But I guess we all look at Zwift differently. If getting virtual gold cups is what motivates you then best of luck and carry on. No critism intended.


 
Posted : 16/10/2019 9:10 pm
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Weeksy – nobody could argue the fact you belong in C category; your results are clear proof of that. I don’t understand why you would think otherwise

You've lost me matey, I never said anything about my Cat etc. I'm very much a C as you state, I expect to remain so too. Sadly


 
Posted : 16/10/2019 9:18 pm
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😂😂 Top trolling @mooman

First time I’ve ever heard anyone moaning about someone’s weight on Zwift being too accurate/heavy 😉

(One of the reasons I’m entering mixed cat races is to make sure I’m pitching myself against folks who stretch and challenge me on any given day)


 
Posted : 16/10/2019 9:24 pm
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Oh and interestingly Mr Bath Salts has signed up for my race tomorrow.

89kg rider cannot win that race in C surely?

oh, he did

https://www.zwiftpower.com/events.php?zid=232324

in B for that race, was hard!, gradually went backwards until i settled in a group, lost 4/5 off the front of the group 2nd time up Otley Road, somehow, god knows how managed to drop the group i was in and claw back the gap up Harlow hill, went early about 0.6km to go, got a good gap on everyone but 1, who came past me with a burrito to pip me,

all in all not a horrendous race


 
Posted : 16/10/2019 9:34 pm
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Tom did well though!!!

I think we need to get Crosshair and Salts in same race!


 
Posted : 16/10/2019 9:35 pm
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I am not trolling. Someone had earlier posted the link to the C-cat Bath Salts which was identifying him as a C-cat God and a person clearly racing in a lower category than his ability warranted simply to win C-cat races; I just identified your profile which you have got to admit looks almost identical to Bath Salts.

If you wish to distract from that by name calling then crack on. I have clearly said it still takes great effort, and if anything I am giving a compliment by saying your ability clearly demonstrates you should be ranked higher than a C-cat.


 
Posted : 16/10/2019 9:42 pm
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Strewth! I didn’t call you a name. Just said you were trolling me.

Tom has a higher w/kg for the last four races than I do- by the rules of the game he’s more in need of upgrading than I.

I can’t help being good at delivering the winning blow 😎 🏆

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣


 
Posted : 16/10/2019 9:45 pm
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@weeksy Unlike Mr Salts- I can only
manage once a week! They wipe me out for the next three days at least.


 
Posted : 16/10/2019 9:47 pm
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We can wait. We'll make it pay per view!


 
Posted : 16/10/2019 10:18 pm
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Salts is in theory going again in the Americas PM race which he's leading the series!

He went out hard 400+ watts in a C only cat race which stretched it out. Got dropped by the front group after the first climb. Just not feeling great which wasn't too suprising.
Decent second group but at in the first lap I was struggling to hold on at times kept them pegged at about 30 seconds.
Salts looks to have gone solo at the end of lap one maybe with a B or 2. Front group started coming back, which also had my main rival in Nic Laughton, slowly which finally got my legs working and got them back part way up the KOM. Sat up too much and had to sprint back on. Doh! My finish line was the top of the KOM and held on then inattention up the next steep part had me pushing hard again.
Led into the bottom of the final climb and sat in then one went over the top and I went after them and kept 400w for a minute to take the long sprint easily for 2nd extending my overall lead.
Flipping hard and I'm amazed I kept the power up to the same as the last few weeks.

https://www.zwiftpower.com/events.php?zid=232324


 
Posted : 16/10/2019 10:37 pm
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Oh and 3.15WKG says I'm not going up anytime soon ;0)
That gives me at least one race probably 2 over 3.2 if I actually manage that.
In no way was I ever trying to keep below the limits.

Salts NP was massive but his overall power was lower than mine and I was always in a group of at least 5. He was solo or in a 2 up for at least a lap!

I also got loads of points thanks to Salts so I'm past @weeksy on points for the first time ever! (yet to be updated)


 
Posted : 16/10/2019 10:38 pm
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I got nothing mate, nothing. I need to find power, form, something. But in honesty I need to stop messing about with this racing lark and concentrate on longer slower rides for Belgium training.
Whether I can resist the urge, hmmm


 
Posted : 16/10/2019 10:50 pm
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Add in a 15 to 30 minute endurance pace around 130 to 150 watts after races.


 
Posted : 16/10/2019 10:53 pm
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Awesome well done Tom- sounds fun!
I’m certainly not questioning your power or right to race C 😉

See @Weeksy Tom has made the same suggestion too- race hard to deplete your glycogen stores and then settle in at your endurance pace. It gives a similar effect to a long steady ride without having to give up on the racing scene.


 
Posted : 16/10/2019 11:08 pm
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Getting a little hot in here!

I had a frustrating race tonight. 2 laps of tick tock. All cats off together which have a big lead group. Perfect for a bit of break practice. Lap1 before we even got to the lake I started the attacks. Ins group of maybe 40 sat at the back and then went up to 6/7wkg. Ended up with such a speed differential by the time I hit the front that I pretty much jumped 5seconds off the front. No one wanted to play so sat there for a minute before letting the group catch. So lazy group then. Onto the ramp out of the desert town I went again. This time got a reaction with some closing me down at 12wkg and blasting past. This attack broke the pack in two with around 20 left.

The pack speed was quite low, I could sit in at low 3 wkg and 140ish HR for periods. That meant I could keep applying the pressure with a repeat on every ramp. It was pretty much got the same few riders reacting at high power.

Getting into lap two it's was clearly starting to get to some riders as gaps started to appear but I just couldn't motivate those catching me to keep the speed up and snap them. We whittled a few off the back leaving 15 by the time we hit the underwater section.

There was a good bit on banter flowing as we cruised along the tunnel. I got too involved in that and looked up to find a 4s gap. So annoyed as I put in loads of work and threw it away. I tired but couldn't close back up so did a self punishment ITT to the end as hard as I could.

14th in the end but could have and should have been better. https://www.zwiftpower.com/events.php?zid=232350


 
Posted : 16/10/2019 11:19 pm
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I got good gains adding 15-30 minutes or extra laps after events end of last year. I stopped doing it for some reason and am now trying to get back into doing that as I've gone backwards recently.


 
Posted : 16/10/2019 11:22 pm
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LOL good report matey. 🙂


 
Posted : 17/10/2019 12:36 pm
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OOOOhhhh errrrrrm

Rest day today yeah....but but.. there's a Richmond Flat Roads... :O we all love a bit of Richmond now don't we !!!!

https://www.zwiftpower.com/events.php?zid=232761

Sheesh.. .tempting.


 
Posted : 17/10/2019 3:41 pm
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I can think of many things I'd rather do than Richmond Flat roads.


 
Posted : 17/10/2019 4:55 pm
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You're not fat. It's easy to enjoy different layouts when you're a whippet


 
Posted : 17/10/2019 5:06 pm
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See @Weeksy Tom has made the same suggestion too- race hard to deplete your glycogen stores and then settle in at your endurance pace.

I can barely stand after a race, let alone pedal more!


 
Posted : 17/10/2019 6:57 pm
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That’s the whole point. Simulate the last 90minutes of a long day in the saddle.


 
Posted : 17/10/2019 7:06 pm
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If the long day in the saddle is as hard as a race, then I've already put the bike on a train and I'm in the bar drinking 9% beer


 
Posted : 17/10/2019 7:09 pm
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🤦🏻‍♂️🤣

It doesn’t matter whether the event is 3 minutes or 12 hours- the reason you ground to a halt is the same. You run out of glycogen.

You could force the adaption needed to train for this event by giving up Zwift racing and doing long steady endurance rides.
Or you can carry on the racing you enjoy and add these short endurance sessions to the end to create the stimulus for for your body to adapt.

If you carry on racing flat out for 35-70 minutes then you’ll just plateau and not really achieve anything.

But I’m sure I wrote all this somewhere else the other day 🤷🏻‍♂️


 
Posted : 17/10/2019 7:20 pm
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You're assuming I read it all?


 
Posted : 17/10/2019 7:52 pm
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Well you liked them 🤷🏻‍♂️🤣

But if you did then it’s worrying 😬🤣


 
Posted : 17/10/2019 8:33 pm
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Ha ha. Fair point.

I'll try it tomorrow after the 10:32am P race. I wanna see a load of C's.


 
Posted : 17/10/2019 8:39 pm
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Just got back into using/racing on Zwift.

My weight has crept up to 76kg, lost my will to cycle... but then I signed back up to Zwift and the buzz seems to have come back! I’m doing it alongside 30-45 mins gym every morning and jogging 4km at lunch most days so my results aren’t going to be at the level they were in my head 😆

I’ve returned as an A as my base FTP seems to be around 315 and even at my new weight it’s 4.1w/kg+.

Saying that though, and I’ve picked flat routes on purpose lol, I’m not doing too badly with two silvers and a top 10 so far.

https://zwiftpower.com/profile.php?z=98508
(Btw in the handicapped race: B was A and A was A+ :lol:)

Plan is to enjoy cycling/running/gym for a few months, then start a training plan for some real life races next year!


 
Posted : 18/10/2019 8:49 am
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I'm very impressed with how your form has come back mate. It makes me think that sometimes we're in the situation where you either have 'it' or don't and no matter what, you're kind of there or not there. To come back after very little with a 4+ is just bonkers.


 
Posted : 18/10/2019 9:04 am
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Welcome back.

Afraid yesterday's silver doesn't count though as that was a team event not solo. It's a great format. If you look on the BRT Facebook page you should be able to join in one of the squads.

If your back to racing then you join the A team Facebook chat planning chat?


 
Posted : 18/10/2019 9:05 am
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Thanks Weeksy. I think once you have trained the base fitness it’s very quick to get it back to a certain level again. For me that seems to be around an FTP if 315 - so quite lucky I guess. I wasn’t completely off the bike, maybe a cycle a week for an hour, but certainly a few periods were I didn’t touch a bike for a couple of weeks.

Lol Nixie, I was in my own team representing STW 😆 I don’t want to formalise anything as I will struggle to commit due to unreliable trains out of London. But please do send me an invite if possible?


 
Posted : 18/10/2019 9:20 am
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I'm in debate mode for this morning/today. The Tea race at 10:32 now has 17 entrants which isn't bad... But 2 things, 1. It's not a course that suits me. 2. My legs are feeling VERY heavy at the moment. I'm more tempted to jump outside for 45mins/1hr for a ride before the rain arrives that's seemingly on it's way here.


 
Posted : 18/10/2019 10:08 am
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@nathb, you should be in the chat now (assuming I got the right facebook account).


 
Posted : 18/10/2019 10:29 am
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I went outside for an hour 🙂 sorry.


 
Posted : 18/10/2019 11:19 am
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You did, cheers @nixie


 
Posted : 18/10/2019 12:38 pm
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@weeksy I don't doubt that but if you can recover for 5 minutes then do 15 minutes or a bit more at whatever you can manage but not too hard hence on assumption of your FTP then max out at about 130 watts.


 
Posted : 18/10/2019 12:48 pm
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A win for me in the 10.32 tea race (cat c).

Gave it loads off the line and started fast in the top 5 and then a few faded out and it was relatively high paced but comfortable.

Had 18 seconds before the uphill finish and thought I was clearly home and dry and then remembered how hard the second placed rider hit the climb on the previous 3 laps. Gave it everything to stay ahead at the finish and pipped him by 3 seconds. Felt pretty faint getting off the bike!


 
Posted : 18/10/2019 1:10 pm
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LOL that's proper proper remarkable when you consider where Salts and GUTS are in the rankings. I don't see you staying in C for long though.


 
Posted : 18/10/2019 1:12 pm
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@weeksy - i've just looked at their rankings and i'm shocked. LOL. It was a small field though.

I think that course suits me. I need a climb as I struggle on the pace/endurance circuits.

I feel that Zwift is definitely helping me get some quality efforts in and i'm feeling the difference when I get back outside.


 
Posted : 18/10/2019 1:30 pm
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Guts is meant to be a B so should be binned out of those results.
You're likely to be upgraded, well done, as you are a good chunk over the limit. You might sneak in as a C for another race or 2.

Quick scan of a couple of races a lot of over category Cs are still in C race results even though they were already classifed as a B.


 
Posted : 18/10/2019 1:59 pm
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You can report it on the forum and Sticky will sort it...

I won't though as he may lose his Gold 🙂


 
Posted : 18/10/2019 2:29 pm
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Yeah, looking at it I was over but in my previous races I've been under. Guess I've been getting stronger.

Do I need to enter a B race next time?


 
Posted : 18/10/2019 3:11 pm
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Nopes.... Not yet... in your profile you'll see when you're a B.

Basically click on 'info' and you'll see your total.

Once it's over 3.20 you're a B. Until then, be the King of C


 
Posted : 18/10/2019 3:21 pm
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It's not like you've won every race you've been in like the 2 you beat ;0)

Another performance like that and you'll be upgraded but you may as well keep in C for another race or 2. Also check your trainer calibration, weight and height just in case something is wrong as if you correct it later after upgrade you'll be stuck in B cursing it.


 
Posted : 19/10/2019 9:56 am
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Hope to start Zwift racing again soon, have got back into Zwift over the last couple of months but mainly just sessioning the Epic KOM & Alpe so I could unlock the Tron bike (accomplished last week 😎) So I hadn't gotten around to trying any of the new stuff until today. Rode Titan's Grove (nice route, pretty hilly, dinosaurs!! 🦕), tried the new MTB route (and unlocked the MTB by scoring 9/10 on my 3rd try lol)

Anyone else tried the steering course? Got to say it was a lot of fun! It works really well IMO. I can see how this will add an edge to some races as a lot of times otherwise on a descent you can just be twiddling your (virtual) thumbs. Also, as soon as the MTB segment was over and you're back on the road bike, it just felt weird and restrictive not to be able to turn! So hopefully they'll implement that for normal riding, even if it's just for visual interest & doesn't actually affect the ride at all (except for making turns at junctions, that would be really cool).


 
Posted : 19/10/2019 6:32 pm
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Done one loop of the MTB track. Found it a great way of distracting me from the fact I was actually kicking out a fair whack of power. Think there is a future in those tracks.


 
Posted : 19/10/2019 8:06 pm
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Yeah, there are some steep climbs on that MTB route! Can't wait until they do some proper races!


 
Posted : 19/10/2019 8:14 pm
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Yeah was surprised at how fun it was! Took a couple of goes to unlock the mtb though.

Nearly didn’t ride this evening but that kept me amused for an hour.

Would definitely make for some interesting races.


 
Posted : 19/10/2019 9:55 pm
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OMG second hard race in two days and I feel dead. Doing the BRT thunderbolt series. It's GC over the 5 events so the London flat yesterday kicked off with very cagey racing. Along with one other BRT rider I tried to mix it up with lots of attacks. With DD enabled this was never really going to work well. Paid the price in the end finishing 15s being the leader.

Tonight was two laps of Innsbruck UCI. The big climb and leg snapper, twice. Ouch, ouch, ouch. Got numb arms on the first climb I was trying so hard to stay in touch. Finished quite a way off the lead group but well ahead of a lot of the riders above me in the GC table. so tired now and somehow got to get it together for a TT tomorrow (thankfully only 20k) and two more days. Very much looking forward to the rest day on Tuesday. Plus side this is already my biggest zwift week ever and more to come. Great kickstart to project a+.


 
Posted : 20/10/2019 12:07 am
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WKG round 2 today on the Watopia big loop including the Epic KOM so really not ideal for me. Usual frantic start and I settled in with the 2nd group of C riders, onto the climb and the group split, i just did my own thing and was pleased to arrive at the top in 23rd. Solo on the descent, going towards climb to jungle I had a group of 4 about 15 seconds ahead so I tried to reel them in, finally caught them on the jungle descent, we kept picking up stragglers around jungle loop and by the time we finished the jungle we were a group of 12. One rider kicked going from Italian village towards Volcano he quickly pulled out 4 seconds, I made the move to join him and pulled the group with me. In the volcano someone got a 2 second gap, I put in a 400W effort, caught and past him, minimal reaction from the group so I kept going by the end of the tunnel I had 15 seconds on the group with 1/2 a mile to go, cruised to the line for 8th C. Happy with that result on this course, ap of 251W for 1:25.


 
Posted : 20/10/2019 3:01 pm
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That's great riding, nice obe


 
Posted : 20/10/2019 5:01 pm
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Nice work. That's a great average power for that long.


 
Posted : 20/10/2019 8:13 pm
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Did my first race today. C race in DBR Monday night Race League. Was Yorkshire. 12 laps. Not particularly hilly. Finished 13th in my category, I didn’t use a heart rate strap so not sure if that’s why my ride doesn’t appear in Zwiftpower?
Was 1 hour 2 minutes, averaged 3.3 watts per kg. Still finished a full 7 minutes down from the category leaders, the guy in second place averaged 3.1 w/kg.
I didn’t notice any benefit from drafting. I tried to ride in groups, when I took it easier I lost the wheel and when carrying out at same pace I’d either drop them or I’d get dropped. I couldn’t really sit in a group though. I’m on a Wattbike pro, no erg mode. I manually have to change to a harder gear on climbs.
No idea how people can do races on back to back days, I’m zonked!
Good fun, nice change from Sufferfest. Easy ride tomorrow and will do another race later in the week, probably Thursday.


 
Posted : 21/10/2019 9:48 pm
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Assuming your Paul Woods6289 then yes filtered out for no NR. On the results page there is a 'filtered' button. You appear in that list.

Nice effort though. With that power you belong in B not C.


 
Posted : 21/10/2019 10:17 pm
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Thanks Nixie, yeah that’s me. I’ve not really done much real riding or training for the best part of a year, just getting back to fitness, had no idea on what category to enter.
Just checked and it was 3.4 watts for the hour, so yeah will move to B soon. As should the other C’s who finished minutes ahead of me!
The hills got me though, I was having to go to 4.5 to 5 watts per kg to keep up with the group, then at the top of the climb no recovery. Aim is to get back to 65kgs and 280 watt ftp. Not sure my age or my chocolate addiction will let me though!


 
Posted : 21/10/2019 10:37 pm
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They don't as they aren't above category limits and none of the first 3 at least look like sandbaggers. 3rd will be getting an upgrade soon by the looks of it.
Contrary to popular belief there is some skill required in Zwift racing rather than pure watts. Drafting is a skill, knowing when to make an effort to stay with a group and being able to sty with them. When to attack or sprint. I regularly beat people pushing higher WKG even those of a similar weight but my power profile is good (for a C) for the flat and short hill routes. Not so good on the 5+ minute climbs.

Were you on a TT bike so unable to draft?
Anyway good start and you've been upgraded to a B on ZP.


 
Posted : 22/10/2019 8:53 am
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so decisions decisions today.

Do i race in the TT at 3pm..... I've ridden it the past 2 weeks, same course and roughly the same results, 34th and 38th, they're open races, so i think i've done OK personally. But they're both 0 points in the Zwift Rankings and TBH i can't see how i can improve enough to pick up any points. If i race in a different one today i think i at least have a chance of picking up a point or 3.... even if it's only a couple of them.

There's the 3:30 Carl Ras which is 4 laps of the Innsbruckring, i sort of enjoy the circuit but struggle on that hilly bit compared to the lightweights and lose wheels every time. Maybe not on lap 1, but deffo later.
Then there's the 16:05 which is the Volcano CCW which i quite enjoy as far as layouts go, but 8 of them is pushing my boundaries....

Decisions decisions.

OK, i'm going for the 3:30pm Carl Ras if anyone else is about and fancies a whirl.


 
Posted : 22/10/2019 9:19 am
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Anyway, a minor question.

Calibration. Who does what ? I've got a Kickr Snap and i have the option to calibrate within Zwift and within the Wahoo app. So do i calibrate first in Wahoo and then in Zwift ? Just in Zwift ? Just in Wahoo ?


 
Posted : 22/10/2019 9:28 am
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Calibration. Who does what ?

I run a Kickr and just use the Wahoo app. I reason that Wahoo knows the best calibration tech for its own trainers and the couple of times I've tried to use the Zwift calibration tool it's weirded out on me and suggested that the trainer is still 'rolling' when everything's stopped, which isn't very confidence inspiring.


 
Posted : 22/10/2019 9:35 am
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I calibrate my Kickr in Zwift about once a week having first warmed it up for 10 minutes, no need to also do in the Wahoo app.

My Assioma pedals I calibrate from my garmin edge before each use.

Strangely the behaviour Badlywireddog mentions I have only seen from the Wahoo app not from Zwift. Gen 2 Kickr


 
Posted : 22/10/2019 9:36 am
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I've had the same as him a couple of times in Zwift but very rarely when using the Wahoo app.

I don't actually mind which i use, as long as it's accurate 🙂

Do you lads check pressures on tyres often ? Mine seems to lose a fair bit at times down to about 60psi. I am running a Tacx turbo tyre but in a 32 size.


 
Posted : 22/10/2019 9:45 am
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Strangely the behaviour Badlywireddog mentions I have only seen from the Wahoo app not from Zwift. Gen 2 Kickr

Same trainer, Kickr 2017 I think, different results. Who knows what's going on. In the end I doubt it makes much difference as long as whichever you choose goes through the calibration process without doing anything weird 🙂


 
Posted : 22/10/2019 9:47 am
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