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Douce France would likely be a good course for you I think Weeksy. A few bumps and one very short climb. Nothing like the climbs on the full Richmond circuit.
https://zwiftinsider.com/route/douce-france/
Douche would be no worse than Watopia flat really for slight rises here and there, but not pancake flat.
Douce France is proper witches tit.
LOL @ flat...
2%, -2%, 4%, -2%, 3%..0...3%
So not flat in my world.
I went off with the fast Cs... I held in there until 15.1km.... i then lost it... well, i kinda soft pedalled/quit.... then jumped on the next group who i sat with until 19km.... then again, got shelled.. It was then a fight with Robbos group...I don't know how many were in his group, i think 5-6.... but i had about a minute on them and 4km to go.
With 1.5km to go i had 24s.... So i'd lost 35-40s in the last 2km... it wasn't looking good for me.
With 700m to go i had 15s.... So i tried, i mean really tried !!! i crossed the line 2s ahead of Robbos group. !
Disappointed, well a bit... I should be holding onto a C race.. But it wasn't exactly a course that suits me... some of the 3% stuff puts me in the deep dark area.
It was pretty tough. No where to really get a breather on that course. For some reason I was a struggling to keep up on the slight downhill sections. I was in the second group on the road and not doing to bad but lost them in the downhill from the aqueduct. I settled into the next group which was about 60th and about 10-12 strong and stayed with them until the end of the line. Didn’t realise I was so close to you weeksy until the end and saw the results! Good recon for the TTT on Thursday. 35 mins for the course.
That's the problem I have, breathing, it's flat out all the way on that loop and the similar Casse-Pattes with the hill addition, you just have to find a group and hang on...I quite like it for that!!
I'm probably going to have a go in the morning.
For some reason I was a struggling to keep up on the slight downhill sections
This is not unusual - turn your trainer difficulty down and you go faster down hills as it's much easier to maintain power without spinning out. It also smooths out the transition between 0% & whatever where, on higher difficulties your trainer adjusting tends to suck a few W for a second or so causing you to drop off the folks in front without the same transition. In a big group that's sometimes enough to shell you irretrievably if you're towards the back anyway. (the reverse is also true which is why you often see a momentary spike in your power as you hit a slope before your trainer kicks up the resistance. The sticky draft though tends to mean it has no effect on the shape of the group.)
Oooooo that felt harder than it should have. MAAP stage 2 this morning. There was no race stage for some reason, just the group ride so I did that...its still a race!
Did my usual, off too hard and ended in one of the front groups where I felt a little uncomfortable and pushing hard. Managed to stay with them until the aqueduct where I got left for dead. Stayed with a couple of others who had the same and got to the sprint in the village before another group caught us.
Stayed with then until about 5km out where I got spat our the back again and couldn't get back on. My error of going off too hard in the beginning hadn't helped.
So it was TT for me until the next group came through with about 3km to go and they took me to the line.
A 35:46 which wasn't too bad but I reckon I had more in me if I can learn to pace better and not burn myself out too early.
That france course is pretty brutal, its power on all the way with no downhill to get your breath back.
Need to keep practising.
Got a couple of race reports to update.
I tried to do the 11am MAAP Stage 3 Race yesterday morning. 20 seconds before the start it crashed out so that was the end of that. The timings of that stage later in the day didn’t work out so I decided to do the 4pm Downton Dolphin 12 Lap Crit Race.
I had a good start and managed to get into the lead group on the road. It was tough going but I managed to keep up for about the first 8 laps, however, each time through the bumps at the end would put me further behind which I would then try and catch up on the flat section and hill. I got dropped from the group and remembered something dangrourbrain had said about turning trainer difficulty down. I did this whilst still riding and found it a bit easier to keep the power down when the terrain undulates (although it felt quite unnatural). I ended up in a group of 4 competing for 11th place out of about 85. On the last lap one of them hit the climb bit hard and dropped a burrito and got away from us. I had a aero left so saved it until the last bend and managed to get up to about 700W and dropped the other 2 to finish in 13th overall on the Zwift Companion and 7th on Zwiftpower.
This morning I again attempted the 11am MAAP Stage 3 race and this time it worked. I hit the first climb really hard and stayed with the lead group all the way through the first lap. It was hard though and I hit a new high 20 min power of 284W for lap finishing it in just under 20 minutes. I then lost the group the second time up the climb and was sitting in about 25th in a group of 4. It went back and forth a bit over the rest of the lap but I managed to keep up with them and use an aero just before the last corner and beat them in the sprint. I also got a load of PB’s for power from about 15mins through to 30 mins. I came in 21st overall on the Zwift Companion and 16th on Zwift power (think there were about 80 in total).
Ive done 4 races this week and my heart rate has gradually come down as my power has gone up so been able to quickly undo my week and a bit off doing any structured training. Back to the structured training this week with a couple of races and commutes thrown in!
Pacer bots just gone live on Zwift. Can be found in watopia, 4 different speeds.
https://zwiftinsider.com/pace-partners/
Still trying to work out if my issues with Zwift are with the Ant+ dongle or my laptop. I think it's more likely the dongle, but would be nice if i could narrow it down without spending money to find out. It's almost like when i insert it i then have to wiggle it slighlty off angle to get it to register. The problem with that is that it's not foolproof and not 100%. I sometimes get drop outs because of it. Last night on the TTT i'd just told the lads to ride without me and it started playing up... It wouldn't have made the difference anyway as i couldn't hold their pace uphill (but that's a whole other Zwift discussion i need to have)
So do i replace the dongle (it's my 2nd one) or do i get a Bluetooth HR strap and just use my phone instead for Zwifting. Screen size is a minor issue using the phone, but it's not the end of the world. But then again, i don't want to buy a bluetooth strap that doesn't work with my phone.
I've tried the Ant+ add-ons for Android but i still can't get the phone to see my Garmin HR strap.
Reason i need this is to race in Zwift you need a HR monitor to podium, if i'm racing, the odds are i'm somewhere near the pointy end in ZP so could do with it.
I'd be tempted to just get the dongle weeksy. For £10 with prime, if it doesn't solve the issue you'd probably get a fiver back on ebay anyhow.
I found running zwift on my phone was a total PITA on the occasions I've had to.
I have a spare dongle you can have @weeksy. You should get it tomorrow if I can get it in the post today?
I've been off Zwift since April. Going to start again in a couple of weeks. Always good to come back to this thread. I was going to have a go at Ventoux but I think maybe I might work up to that.
Also anyone tempted by the new Elite Strerzo smart? I watched DC rainmaker vid and convinced myself it was worth a punt.
Ventoux is hard but not as bad as I expected tbh. For me the first bit to Chalet Reynard is harder than the second bit up to the top. It's just relentless up up up at least near the top you get the iconic views you expect.
Seen quite a few reports of people having issues with sweat ingress causing problems with Sterzo, does look better in game that I expected though.
@weeksy is your laptop new enough to have Bluetooth? Worth trying that if it does to see if that solves the dropouts.
Do you plug the dongle straight in it via an extension cable. If cabled then try direct. If direct and you get a replacement then try cabled. Have you tried a different usb port on the laptop, could be that the port itself is damaged causing a poor connection.
It is possible to connect devices via the companion app (assuming your WiFi is strong in the zwift location). Though not sure you can connect the trainer that way and run the game on the laptop.
For a HR strap I've got one of the cheap decathlon ones that will connect by either ant+ or Bluetooth.
work laptop Nixie, BT disabled by policy. Get shot if we enable it
Robbo, don't worry mate, keep it as spares.
I'm testing a laptop now i bought for the wife a few weeks ago.
That's annoying. Strange they lock down Bluetooth but not usb.
Any scope for dual boot?
seems it's deffo the ports on the laptop, i assume through being over-used/word/kicked about lol.
If i use a bit of tape to ensure the Ant+ dongle is not moving/loose then it hopefully seems consistent.
Weirdly, using the new HP laptop i can't get a spanner for calibration on either the Ant+ or BT for the Snap, it sees it as FE-C but won't give me a calibration spanner. Even if i disable BT and just use Ant+
So apart from knowing the ports on the laptop are a bit duff, i'm no further on yet.
I use one of these https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00NH12O5I USB extension cables...
To get the https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00LIIMHP4 ANT+ dongle close to...
The turbo and a Coospo H6 BT/ANT+ hrm similar to https://smile.amazon.co.uk/CooSpo-Monitor-Bluetooth-Waterproof-Compatible/dp/B07D4J5VDK
Please tell me this a new feature...
Just logged in to zwift.com to sync my weight, to see that under "Membership," I now have the option to suspend billing for up to 8 weeks! 😮
I've been rather careless and not cancelled my Zwift monthly subs over the summer, barely used it all since July, £13 is more than a week's lunch money for me at work on my 3-day week.
Handy feature for a week's vacation or even simply a "rest week."
Never seen it before, I'm waiting for some of you to tell it's a feature that's been there ages! 😆
Windows and Zwift updated today. I rebooted the PC just in case but Garmin HR now pcked up on Ant.... then joined a group ride and got kicked to Windows twice.
Hardly ever been kicked to windows ever (luckily) and never twice in sdame ride.
Tinkering now to try and get HR working again as that might be symptom of prob.
Reinstalling Ant dongle, Zwift now... blah blah. Just a heads up ij case anyone else riding tonight and using windows, you *might* have issues??
Bugger, looks like my HR monitor is toast. Downloaded sufferfest but it doesn't see the strap either.
Ordered one of those Cool Poo ones off Amazon.😁
Read the instructions on those coopoo things, I had one and it didn't connect in the normal way everything had to be connected via the coopoo app or some such nonsense. They might have changed now but if it doesn't seem to work it may be that.
I'll see when it arrives tomorrow mate. Cheers for heads up.
It's the later version with BT4 and Ant+.
Reviews seem ok, "only" £20 so worth a punt.
CooSpo Heart Rate Monitor Bluetooth ANT+ with Chest Strap for Running Cycling Gym and other Sports https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07D4J5VDK/ref=cm_sw_r_wa_apa_i_RDPuFbFFA0HJD
Had a race tonight sans HR monitor to see if Zwift booted me out but all ok.
Did a reinstall of Zwift just in case too.
Still didn't pick up HR so installed sufferfest and that didn't pick up the hr either. Buggered around with ant dongle but as ant works with the turbo fine.... I'm guessing it's it's the old garmin HR. Hopefully.😁
Well, the Coo Spro HR monitor works a treat. Zwift found it immediately and gave me the choice to connect via Ant or BT.
Connected via Ant and all is well. Uses 2032 button cells, which is what my old garmin HR used so I have spare ones of those stored up. Comes with a battery too.
Not bad at all for 20£. Nice and comfy also.👍
After doing an outside lunch ride yesterday i thought i'd also do a little race.
It's a course i enjoy rather than one i excel at. The leg snapper went well first time up, but last 100m of the climb i lost the bunch i was in and ended up with 2-3 others in G2, but that was OK, it was still a decent position.... I ended up riding with them for most of the next lap, until the last 2km where i didn't have a lot left.
Struggling with leg power from the crash along with hand position on the bike, but was nice to get the HR up into the decent figures, which i felt i've lost for a while.
https://www.zwiftpower.com/events.php?zid=1055199
Your HR goes pretty high! Only time mine goes into the 180s is on a ramp test. I am hoping that means I am limited by my muscular endurance at the moment so can grow my FTP plenty! Aiming to hit 330w by Mountain Mayhem next year!
First time in a while i've hit 180bpm, i think the leg snapper encourages it. 402w average for 1mins 15.. that's always going to poke the HR up isn't it !
That's a bloody good effort weeksy and looks like a small field which always makes the races tougher.
Anyone else fancying some race practice at 17:05 today ?
https://www.zwiftpower.com/events.php?zid=1068173
Alas no chance I'd be home from the office in time weeksy - though I do wonder if I could get a power meter then run zwift on my mobile and record my commute...
No. Silly idea.
I'd love to Weeksy as I've never done a crit (need to sort this!!), however work rules me out
Enjoy!
Well they don't make sharing events easy do they! I'm sure there was a share button before.
If anyone is fool enough I'm planning to do the team cls hills and thrills tomorrow at 18.50.
It's a Cat E ride so that'll be good for finding a group at the right pace for a Friday pm earn my beer ride.
It's New York everything pretzel so has the shinny blue climb. So that will be horrible.
Just a little early for me, I'm back at 7pm. Good excuse to avoid that awful New York climb
I'll be honest getting home and finding my house had been owned to the ground with bombers would seem like a good excuse not to do that climb
Despite the fact the conversation on Robbo's thread seems to have turned to ftps and the like today, I guess this is one for here.
Anyone any idea what the green/yellow/orange (I assume red etc) indicator bars on the normalised power stat on Zwift power are all about?
If anyone is fool enough I’m planning to do the team cls hills and thrills tomorrow at 18.50
Change of plan. My legs are fairly tired after this weeks exertions. I'm not doing that crappy new York climb, I'm going for a curry instead.
That's the difference between your power outputs, so if you TT along at say 270w all the way, your NP will be 270w... but if you peak and trough you'll have a higher normalised power, the greater the gap, the different colour.
Bath Salts shows it really well, rides that same ride at 190, 190, 450, 450, 190, 190, 190, 420, 500. As he goes front to back, then walllops in 800 for the last KM for the win, giving a high NP differential.
9:45 this morning for me... Crit City, see if i can find any form at all.
Usually has a couple of crazy youngsters in it who win, but it's funny watching them lobbing out 4.5w/kg in C
the greater the gap, the different colour.
I assumed it was something like that but ta for confirming. Looking at the courses I've got orange bars on and the like that makes a lot of sense - looks like it's mostly ones with decent down hill sections.
Good luck in the race. That's an early start for a competitive effort.
I'm trying something different today with a sub 100w warm up for 45 mins. Just working on laptop and rolling would London flat at minimum effort and lowish resistance. Not sure if it's a good or bad idea but we'll see.
Target for today is all 8 laps around the lead group, 6 won't be terrible, 4 will be bad. I expect at least 80% if this will be in my head rather than my legs. "I'm done, can't hold it" is a common thing in my brain come race days at the moment and I just need to suck it up and dig deeper.
I did 7 laps the other night if a crit city with Richard Dalen, fast C, I was there all the way, then sort of just threw my hand in when it got proper tough. My average HR was 167 which I should be able to hold, but I think what did me was a 176 peak up the dolphin kicker. Average power was 269w which I'm happy with at the moment, but need to maintain it slightly longer.
I expect at least 80% if this will be in my head rather than my legs. “I’m done, can’t hold it”
80/20 isn't a ad split on that, think I'm closer to 90/10.
Im terrible for sitting up either 5m from the line or when I fall out the back of a group I missed draft in despite knowing if I kicked a bit and tucked in properly I'd actually rest up better than plugging along in no man's land.