Zwift, my journey, my weight and my fitness.

Muggomagic - thats just what i wanted to hear, going to order one asap. I was always worried there would be compatibility issues or the fact that some only connect with certain apps.

Crosshair - cheers. This going early or on a hill is the only tactic i have as my sprint is not particularly sprinty. I wish i could have held the A’s off but they were working as a bunch. The escalator is brutal as even at full tilt you can see yourself slowing down.

Poopscoop - no problem adding STW to your name, like you said its just easier to spot people on the race. The mountain is quite a nice course visually,much more appealing than the others but as its name suggests its very hilly. Just spin up it and enjoy the view and remember what goes up must come down, very fast descent so freewheel and catch your breath.

I think I am now Zwift ready, all the gear and no idea. Will be setting up this weekend. How relatable are FTP tests achieved on wattbikes and stages spin bikes (that use a stages power meter) to the Zwift FTP, they should be fairly even right?

Depending on your trainer, zwift displayed power could be very close to what you get from a wattbike

blader1611 - Member

Only just read your race write up.
Sounds dumb but from how you described it, it actually made my heart pound a little, like I was in the race! Except I wouldnt have got Gold! 😀 Lol

weeksy - Member
Scoop,
When you're drafting, your rider sits up, when you go into the wind, he ducks into a semi-aero position. This changes slightly on fastish slight downhills as you'll still sit in the semi-aero position not in the upright.

Doh! I thought when I was sitting up I *wasn't* drafting, thanks Weeksy and scaredypants for clearing that up. 🙂

blader1611 - Member
Poopscoop - no problem adding STW to your name, like you said its just easier to spot people on the race. The mountain is quite a nice course visually,much more appealing than the others but as its name suggests its very hilly. Just spin up it and enjoy the view and remember what goes up must come down, very fast descent so freewheel and catch your breath.

Cheers buddy, will keep it on there then. Guessing it doesn't interfere with races where you have to put "kiss" or whatever in your name for zpower results?

Yep, it will be a challenge for sure, the mountain! Will wait for a particularly energetic day.

Poopscoop - you should read Crosshairs write ups on the racing thread, they are fantastic and occassionally you will find yourself “pedalling” whilst reading.
No problems adding stw to name, shouldn’t affect results in any way.

I don't bother putting KISS or whatever in my name any more - seems to work fine without (I do keep a "(B)" though)

Thanks for the info guys!

Will read crosshairs posts too, cheers. Didn't even know about them. 🙂

Nice one blader.

So when are you moving up the A’s? 😆

CH’s write ups on real racing are more exciting than the actual races for me (and for some of them I’m in them!)...

Thanks! It's nice to have somewhere to post them as I'd probably write them anyway.

I've never noticed what my Avatar does in the draft as I find the first person view (number 3 on the keyboard) to be the most realistic and the best to know how close you are to other riders.

I needed a bloody telescope last night to know where they were

I don't suppose anybody knows a way of increasing the size of the on-screen text? I can never read any of the comments, or who gives me a thumbs-up

Install a TV 😆

I used the 'free' one I got with Sky.

scaredypants - Member
I don't suppose anybody knows a way of increasing the size of the on-screen text? I can never read any of the comments, or who gives me a thumbs-up

On Windows mate?

Dark Zwifting is best. Daytime races are never the same.

[img] [/img]

Kickr Climb and sweat proof VR goggles would make it perfect!

When I set my man cave up I'm fixing a 21" PC monitor to the wall with this in a hdmi port: https://www.gearbest.com/digital-antenna/pp_452937.html

I'll then just stream Zwift from my ipad, no more squinting 🙂

On Windows mate?

Going for a shorter race tomorrow and see if it suits my current fitness at the moment.

19:05 Friday night criterion Spring D race series

Cat D only though... Guess it's ok to start riding part way through a series. 🙂

When I set my man cave up I'm fixing a 21" PC monitor ... no more squinting

Scaredy, is the tv full HD?

Actually far more to the point is the pc's tv output at the native resolution of the tv. If it's scaling the picture at the tv end it will effect the picture quality.

If it's not a scaling problem you might be able to increase Windows font size. Not 100% it will make the text in zwift bigger though...

But it'll be closer to me probably 😆

I'll literally have it close to, if not over the front wheel.

Scaredypants a 50" TV is the way to go (although it is only a matter of time before the wife banishes me from the lounge to the garage). 🙂

Yep, jump right in to TFC Poopscoop, all races are stand alone as well as being part of one of the various series they run.

I am [i]slightly [/i]looking for a bigger one but this is only for zwifting (in the garage) so hard to justify as it's already totally fine for the riding, just the text and that's very secondary in importance obvz

I can see me getting in trouble on black Friday 😀
(I'm assuming that even a dirt cheap one would do if it's purely for zwift - don't need sound & don't give a toss about "features")

I'm on a 24" pc monitor s couple of metres away from me.

Going to get a cheap 40" tv at some point when I have the money. They are just over £200 these days, madness how tv prices have come down.

I too squint to see some of the writing on the screen at the moment.

poop - I'm about 50cm from my 37" !

crosshair - Member
Yep, jump right in to TFC Poopscoop, all races are stand alone as well as being part of one of the various series they run.

Thanks, another nugget of info I've learnt.

I'm getting there.:-)

Do TV's fair well in garage conditions?

suppose it depends on the garage, j4mes - mine's not too damp even in midwinter so I reckon it'll be OK (the telly's been in there for a couple of years but not in use at all for most of that)

Yeah, as long as damp isn't too severe as said.

The bigger risk is in a cold garage and as the tv warms up condensation can form on the circuitry.

That said,I would have no worries about using a tv in a garage to be honest.

Leaky roof excluded. Would keep me a bit cooler though!

nathb - Member
When I set my man cave up I'm fixing a 21" PC monitor to the wall with this in a hdmi port: https://www.gearbest.com/digital-antenna/pp_452937.html
I'll then just stream Zwift from my ipad, no more squinting

Will the over air streaming add much lag do you think?

I know on conventional video games it can be a problem but zwift isn't so critical obviously but if it's say 0.5 second that could be a bit annoying even in zwift perhaps?

All the above is is just conjecture though.

I plugged it into our main tv a couple of days ago and ran Zwift. It didn’t seem noticeable.

If it does then the next port of call is an Apple TV, although that seems a bit of a faff to connect things to it...

I bought an ebay Chinese Chromecast thing a while ago, but couldn't seem to get the laptop to recognise it. It is probably fine and it is me that is an IT numptie.

Free to a good (Zwifting) home if you want to give it a go. Let me know and I will get it in the post to you.

Looking damp here this morning, so may be a Zwift race today, but i have to say, nothing is jumping out at me in terms of route and field size at the moment. Football training for my lad later so any race needs to be before 4pm.
13.50 KISS pacific Crit is winning i guess, but i'd like more riders really.

11.00am EVR Asia a better group, but damn them fellas are likely to be race whippets ! Super hilly and lightweights... eeeek.

I lost my gold trophy from yesterdays race, dq’d me due to lack of hr monitor. I thought that was only for cat a riders plus i have done loads of wbr events and never been dq’d before. Never mind i have a hr monitor on the way so should be able to negate that, think i will do evr today.

WEll, even if we both join the EVR, i'm only likely to see you for about 11s as you disappear !

nathb - Member
I plugged it into our main tv a couple of days ago and ran Zwift. It didn’t seem noticeable.
If it does then the next port of call is an Apple TV, although that seems a bit of a faff to connect things to it...

Ah, sound like as is good then buddy!

blader1611 - Member
I lost my gold trophy from yesterdays race, dq’d me due to lack of hr monitor.

That sucks, you worked for that win!

Did you order from Amazon, if so at last it won't take long to arrive.

I find it vaccinating to have one to see what my HR actually going to. Can get a bit scary high at times. 😀

The Crit I am doing at 19:05 only has 6 riders at the moment including me.

Hopefully more will join during day though. I'll be fighting to be second to last this time or better. Lol

All but one of them have done a tonne of mileage/elevation compared to me though so we shall see.

Looking forward to it. 🙂

blader1611 - Member
I lost my gold trophy from yesterdays race, dq’d me due to lack of hr monitor. I thought that was only for cat a riders plus i have done loads of wbr events and never been dq’d before. Never mind i have a hr monitor on the way so should be able to negate that, think i will do evr today.

I read it on the T&Cs that it's only if they get a complaint.

Copied from the WBR race do-dah
[i]All non-HRM or zPower will be DQ'ed either automatically or upon request by anyone who feels that it is needed. Many don't care, so they do not need to request, but if someone cares, they tell Frederic Jacquemin and the DQ is made.[/i]

The Crit I am doing at 19:05 only has 6 riders at the moment including me.

Hopefully more will join during day though. I'll be fighting to be second to last this time or better. Lol

I might do that one poopscoop. Chances are I'll get dragged to the pub after work today. If I do you should be guaranteed to not finish last.

muggomagic - Member
I might do that one poopscoop. Chances are I'll get dragged to the pub after work today. If I do you should be guaranteed to not finish last.

I'll hope you do have a couple too many then, to give me a chance. 😉

I would find that quite sad that someone would complain coz they lost a virtual game but i wouldnt be that surprised either.

I shall be doing the EVR race weeksy but like you i think the weight weenies will be too strong. Legs are a bit dull this morning so doubt i will be troubling the pointy end of cat B.

I'll hope you do have a couple too many then, to give me a chance.

I have a few too many I'll probably be asleep about then, so it's a fine balance 😀
If I do it'll be a hangover race in the morning.

blader1611 - Member
I would find that quite sad that someone would complain coz they lost a virtual game but i wouldnt be that surprised either.

Couldn't agree more. I'm guessing it's someone who couldn't hold your wheel on that final breakaway you made.

Whatever interest or hobby you have there are always a few pedants around it seems.

Done a few rides on my new flux and just wondered is anyone at the other end of racing, bottom of the D's? Would love to try a race but my fitness is appalling with very few miles this year. Do I just give it a go and see or get some more miles on before trying?

Is there a race that is better suited to newbies?

muggomagic - Member
I'll hope you do have a couple too many then, to give me a chance.
I have a few too many I'll probably be asleep about then, so it's a fine balance
If I do it'll be a hangover race in the morning.

Is ok if your asleep, just log in to race and have a kip. I will definitely not be last then. Lol

As for a post over indulgence ride the next morning. Sooner you than I!

Had lots of those bitd. Can't deal with it anymore. I'm a lightweight now.

rocco - Member
Done a few rides on my new flux and just wondered is anyone at the other end of racing, bottom of the D's? Would love to try a race but my fitness is appalling with very few miles this year. Do I just give it a go and see or get some more miles on before trying?
Is there a race that is better suited to newbies?

Me, me! I'm in the same boat as you bud.

I'm doing a cat D only tonight at 7.05 pm. It's a 13 mile ride which is fairly short in zwift terms.pretty flat course tonight too.

I came last in the race I did a couple of nights back. But I finished the 28 miles which I was really happy about as that race hurt!

I don't mind a hangover ride, it's thirsty work though.

Rocco. I'm a cat D rider as is poopscoop. I'd say I'm probably on the cusp of Cat C though. Need to shed a bit of weight then I might be able to keep up with the guys in Cat C. I can hold around 270 watts for the duration but at 115kg that puts me around 2.3 w/kg and to even make it to 2.5w/kg (which would have you lagging way behind anyway) I've got to up that to 290ish which is beyond me for any length of time at the moment.

Muggo, I think you've just signed up for the 7.05? I'll add you on there.

Yep, weight! I've gone down from 114kg to 104kg now. Only weighed myself last night. Atkins works really well for me but I think I hit a wall over lack of carbs on longer rides. I think the body can't metabolise fat as fast as sugars?

Still, the bit of weight loss will help on Zwift. The weight loss is as important to me as getting fittdr at the moment anyway.

If I concentrate on it I can lose it pretty quick, but I just CBA. Enjoy the drinking and eating too much 😀

Yep,I can relate to that... What with a pub outing tomorrow with some friends. 😉

Struggled again today. I did the 10.05 4 laps flat. It was OK in honesty, but when it came to the crunch and I had to up my game, I just don't have it right now.
My spirit is broken and once I lose a wheel my body and brain just bails. I managed to beat it near the end of lap 1 on roller coaster and brought back at 2s gap a few riders pulled, but then later in the lap another appeared and I thought, sod this and bailed on the race.

I'm going to lay off the racing for a week or two and concentrate on just getting some fitness back at my own pace.

weeksy
I'm going to lay off the racing for a week or two and concentrate on just getting some fitness back at my own pace.

It sounds like you have literally burned yourself out mate.

You do a lot of Zwifting and a lot of real life riding too I think?

Just need to get you're mojo back after a bit of a break.

You're right to an extent yes. I feel a little emotionally and mentally drained on there at times. I need to 'Have a little word with myself' to an extent. The whole purpose of Zwifting has always been a weight thing, with fitness and speed as a secondary bonus.
In June i hit a low of 14st 10, which was about the lowest i've been in adult life. After summer holidays, too much pasta, beer, pizza, i'd snuck back to 15st 10. But today after the end of the 3rd week of getting back onto the 5-2 (Techincally only the 2nd as i skipped the middle week), i'm now sitting at 15st 4.5, so nearly 6lb off.. Which is where i need to look, think, realise that it's all far from doom and gloom.

Today when i bailed on the race, i set myself a target to carry on and complete a set distance overall at a reasonable effort, to burn the calories, which i managed, i just need to keep that in mind when riding, the actual goals, and aims of Zwifting.

It's easy as a bloke to get sucked into it all and downheartened... need to keep my sanity and work on the weight 🙂

In sept, i've put in 711km, with a much bigger chunk than some months being outdoors, so it's hard to be unhappy with that. 5790km up to now for 2017 indoors/outdoors.

Could it be down to the 5:2 weeksy. I've heard of people suffering physically and mentally on that diet. Not to any great extent, more just feeling a bit down and lethargic.
I know you say the weightloss is the most important, but when you feel like you are going backwards on the bike it's hard to take.
For me zwifting is all about the results when I get back on the mtb.

Weeksy - concentrate on getting the diet nailed down and routined and then return to zwift. Sounds like you are doing too much at once so ease yourself in and it will all come together.

I did the EVR race at 11 and it was a killer. I was in the lead bunch at the start but my thighs were full of lactate and i was struggling to relieve them,i lost concentration and slipped off the back by only 2secs but even with a long surge of power i couldnt get the bunch back so eased off to try and get the thighs back to normal. Was joined by a couple of riders but they had no intention of doing any work even though we were only 4km in to the race! I was getting a bit annoyed with this so i soft pedalled to let a very big group catch us. We were now a group of about 15 so i tried to think ahead to see where i was going to try and ride off. I decided to do a bit of kamikaze and went on the big watopia hill with 11km to go,thats right 11km!! I got a 6 sec lead by the top of the hill and on the descent down i hit the aero PU to try to negate there bunch drafting. I had a 12 second lead with 9.9km to go but the bunch were ripped apart now and were down to 5 or 6 and they were hitting 4w/kg. For the next 9km i dont think i was below about 320w and 4.1w/kg and it looked like they were gaining slowly,it was going to be very close. My lungs were screaming and i didnt even have time to get a drink or mop the stream of sweat running down my face. Last surge to the line and i managed to hold the bunch off by 4 or 5 seconds but that really really hurt. I now need a trough of food and a couple of days off.

Good work 🙂

Bloody hell Blader, you certainly seem to have the desire i seem to be lacking in !

Weeksy its easier for me as i dont have anything else to do, kids have just gone to school full time so i am home all day. I have to go find a job now so that might level the zwift playing field.

Looks like i finished 6th in cat B but there was no way i was going to keep up with the lead guys,they were quite fast. I averaged 309w for that race according to ZP, my ftp is 310 so definately put in the effort this morning. Just eaten a tin of corned beef and some butternut squash noodles and that hasnt touched the sides, this is always the problem with doing fasted races is that after i want to eat everything!

Tomorrow i'm dropping my boy at Cubs footy tournament at 9.00am and not collecting him until 12.30, so my plan is to hit the road/trails on the Parkwood and simply ride wherever, it's not a route/area i know well, so i'm up for it as a nice day out burning calories.

I've then got a posh Italian meal out with Mrs Weeksy in the evening to put them all back in 🙂

You know what you are doing wrong Weeksy. It's all very well having a big calorie deficit on a fast day but it's not giving your body any fuel to recover with. It can take a while to replenish your muscle glycogen anyway but it's pretty obvious that if you race hard, empty your tank, then don't refuel before the next race- the tank is still going to be empty!!

Look at the serious contenders on Zwift- very few are managing more than a race every three days on average.

I'm not going to argue in that context, but it's the only way i can lose weight and eat happily. We can sit here and discuss MFP, 5-2, iDiet, Paleo or whatever else we like, but for me, it's 5-2. It's what i can do, what i can cope with and what i can maintain. But the only way it works for weight loss is if i work pretty hard and pretty often. With a job that means i can spend 7 hours and walk less than 100m i'm not in a position like some where i burn the calories in other ways.
So for me, it's what i do, for better or worse.

Whilst we say/agree it's not correct, it worked better in the past, i was able to race on the 5-2 better than i am now.

[b]blader1611 [/b]
Ballsy ride there mate and I like to hear the tactics you used. Strategy, guts and pure determination are as important as fitness it seems! Well played!

[b]Weeksy[/b]

A lot of what you said I can relate to. I also agree that there is actually a lot of positives in what youve said. Its just a case of recognising them all when things are tough, eh?
For what its worth, you've been an inspiration to me on Zwift and I hope i can ride half the miles you do a month! 😀

Oh, up to 7 riders on tonight's group D crit now. Getting there. 🙂

Strategy, guts and pure determination are as important as fitness

Deffo. !

Just having the guts to push and hang yourself in when the pace gets too high/hard is one of the toughest parts of Zwift racing, and i expect real world racing.

Glowing legs, finally got a pic... though I normally see it whilst the rider is moving, not static like this rider.

What's it all about? Its not a glow from the wheels or anything.

[url= https://s20.postimg.org/ag3b04eb1/glow.jp g" target="_blank">https://s20.postimg.org/ag3b04eb1/glow.jp g"/> [/img][/url]

But you can burn the same amount of calories by mixing things up. If you must do the 5-2 then just do steady endurance stuff on the 2 fasting days (which will burn the fat without causing you to bonk) and save the races for days when you can fuel properly before and after.

That way, when you do race, you'll have the mojo to really perform at your best.

Bailing out and losing motivation is just your body's way of telling you what you are doing isn't working. When you're properly fuelled, you can dig deeper and retain the passion.

Fair call.

Poopscoop- is it only during your Zwift night time? It looks like a reflection from your virtual lights. I don't ever see it because my computer isn't good enough for ultra setting so I don't get the lights.

crosshair - Member

Poopscoop- is it only during your Zwift night time? It looks like a reflection from your virtual lights. I don't ever see it because my computer isn't good enough for ultra setting so I don't get the lights.

Actually, no, see it during the daytime too. Odd eh?

crosshair - Member

But you can burn the same amount of calories by mixing things up. If you must do the 5-2 then just do steady endurance stuff on the 2 fasting days (which will burn the fat without causing you to bonk) and save the races for days when you can fuel properly before and after.

That way, when you do race, you'll have the mojo to really perform at your best.

Bailing out and losing motivation is just your body's way of telling you what you are doing isn't working. When you're properly fuelled, you can dig deeper and retain the passion.

I know what you mean mate but I think weeksy has his way of doing things. I can relate to that with by battle with weight and fitness too.

I just stick to what works for me and logic be damned if you see what I mean? lol

I can see from both points of view but i would say crosshair makes a compelling arguement. We all know how zwift sucks you in and makes you go flat out so i am not sure zwifting on fasting days or immediately after is the best way. May be for those days just do a workout to keep you ticking along. As far as diets are concerned we can all talk till we are blue in the face but its best to pick the one that suits you and your lifestyle and if that is 5-2 then so be it.
Poopscoop - i think my race this morning was probably more to do with stubborness than anything else. It certainly wasnt guts as i think i spewed them up with my lungs with 3km to go.
Next ride for me is the gentle spin with Nathb on sunday morning for an hour.

Bugger it I'm in for the TFC D race. So what's the general idea, balls out at the start and see what groups form?

Expect to come at the back but someone has to come last!

It also says any bike so I've gone for TT and 50mm wheels as that's the best I can make at level 6!

The TT bike doesn't draft!!! Ditch for the TFC bunch race 🙂

Saw a lot of STW in the 19.05 crit!

No idea if I came last!b 😀

I also saw people using power ups, i didntr use mine thought they were banned from this one? 🙂

Crosshair - realised that as soon as I started and couldn't draft. Ended up riding majority on my own but trying to keep racers behind, other than start didn't get overtaken once and don't think I was last!!!

Overall loved it and with a different bike may have been easier to keep with a bunch as I did catch a couple but couldn't stay with them.

The top 11 finished on over 2.5w/kg so may be DQ??

Poop - what's your name on zwift?

That 19.05 was fun.

Thought I was going to fail miserably as I was still eating chicken and chips whilst logging in with 5 minutes to go....

Think I am the first sub 2.5 D, so we might have a STW winner!

Must do a few more races, have just been using Zwift for Sub-2 fat burners and a few workouts.

rocco
Poop - what's your name on zwift?

Something like F Finbod STW or there abouts, what was yours bud?

Will add you on zwift.

[b]harry too[/b]

Whats your tag on zwift mate, want to add yo also.

Sorry if I didn't return any ride ones to anmyone, I can only do it after the ride... as I cant use keyboard to give an individual ride on to another rider.

Sitting on PC with fan right next to me, bliss.,,