Zwift meetups and social rides ?

Cheers Robbo sorted.

@robbo1234biking @savoyad thanks for the idiots guide to discord. I’m on it now and just sent a text message to test. Look forward to seeing you in the morning. Must keep away from beer and wine for the next 24hrs now…

Cheers Robbo and Savoyad. Not sure of my plans yet tomorrow, when I’ll be on and to be honest I’m now tempted to try these new link roads. Should be good for adding some routes to our rides, or avoiding the big hills 🤣🤣

If I manage to join you guys I’ll see you at some point…if not, all the best you crazy animals! 👍

Right fuel all sorted for tomorrow…

9 scoops of High5 Orange in my water bottles
3 packets of Clif Bloks
5 High5 Energy Gels
2 cans of coke (for the 2 planned rest stops)
A pack of Triple Choc Cookies!

Comes to 3000 calories and 634g of carbs, assuming I am on the bike for 6 hours that’s just over 100g of carbs per hour.

Not sure if I will eat it all but good to have it available.

@robbo1234biking. That’s very pro. I’ve gone for Aldi mars bars (Titan!!:)), own brand jelly babies, salted peanuts, coke and cold coffee. I might have some energy drink mix at home but the chances of it being in date are slim.

FYI. Your gut can only absorb up to 60g of carbs per hour (which needs to be a mix of glucose and fructose).

I’m saving the Tramadol for the Alpe…

There is evidence that you can absorb more than that.

https://www.trainerroad.com/blog/how-to-use-carbs-for-maximum-performance/

I only generally bump it up for the big rides but will aim to eat every 15 mins depending on terrain etc.

Interesting. They’ve not referenced that emerging research unfortunately but good to know. The main take away from the article for me was that too many carbs make you fart.

Those new link route releases look interesting, they are not big additions but will add interest and variety. The one that links the 2 sides of the Epic KOM will be fun, we can do laps up it on future Sunday hill rides 🙂

That one that also misses out the long drag on the hilly KOM too, it now make it a straight up and down.

Good luck tomorrow am chaps…

I’ll prob be on the turbo in the morning..will likely be doing a workout for an hour or so..maybe on ‘big loop’ so I can tick it off..

Anyone fancy joinging for an elastic band sprint workout group?

DrP

Good luck tomorrow guys!

Enjoy…. If that is the right word!

Gonna try and join tomorrow from the start. Won’t be staying the duration, but perhaps a couple of hours.
Currently preparing with a bottle of red and some 70% cocoa Lindt.

Biggest issue will be getting out of bed 😆
Is discord the only communication method because I’m not signed up, so might be out of the loop.
What’s the difference between using discord text and the companion app messaging system? Maybe I should sign up at some point.

If you are there at the start we can use the normal Zwift companion. Discord will come in handy later on if anyone joins us using the ride with feature. Just see how it goes really!

🍕 devoured and no alcohol consumed. I have a 10.5% stout ready to open tomorrow evening upon successful completion!

Cheers chaps. Look forward to seeing some of you in the morning.

Not going to make it tomorrow, have fun!

Well, how’d it go?

Wasnt as bad as expected, Alp aside after the volcano climb we flew round as a group keeping upa decent average speed. We all stayed together until foot of alp then we climbed at our own pace. 4 of us went for the full route, hopefully everyone made it to the top OK? I was happy enough with a 75 minute ascent.

Not sure if Uber is any easier than PRL Full but it is certainly less boring.

Only ate 2 bits of toast mid ride so going to spend the rest of the day eating.

Yes would like to say it was enjoyable but was pretty un pleasant from around 35mile. Major saddle sores so did a lot of riding out of the saddle even before the alp which saps the energy.

We did really well as a group.

I tried to pace myself up the alpe but struggle to limit the watts when it’s so steep. Managed around 64 minutes up the alpe after a toilet and drink refresh stop, I may have done under the hour but without the rest I may have also imploded.

Spun on after the descent to grab the 100 mile badge. that along with 101 miles worth of do plus the route xp as made good headway’s towards reaching level 37.

Well done guys. Also thanks for the help for those that joined at the beginning, such an early start, and savo who jumped on at the Volcano.

Just one last thing, after this ride and the previous one I have what looks like bad sunburn. The skin on my face is red raw, very tight almost cracking and very sore after adding some moisturiser (the wife’s honest). Anybody else suffer from this, is it due to 6 hours of sweating and face wiping, the fan blowing at my face?

Yeh thanks all. Alpe took 1hr 45 mins – had to get off a few times. I was ok when I could get in a rythm but at each corner it flattens out and then getting back into it was difficult. Stopped a few times but did the whole thing in just shy of 6 hours so I will take that.

Well done @slowpuncheur @kirky72 and @mossimus for doing the whole thing. Good group in the long flat middle section as well.

@kirky72 not sure if it will help but I wear a buff rolled up into a headband to keep the sweat out of my eyes. Might help to prevent some of the sweat. Had to change it 3 times today mind!

Thanks for the encouragement all. Just the PRL full and the 4 new routes to compete before the 1st of Jan now! Not sure if that is realistic to be honest but we will see!

That would have been a death march solo. Thanks to all who rode bits, I can’t tell u how much it helped. Kirky, thanks for taking a lot of wind. Thought we rode well as a group – self preservation I suppose. I didn’t dare stop on the Alpe. I’ll take 72 mins after 117km. Had a mad panic with 5km of the Alpe left. Broadband dropped out in all the house. FYI Zwift continued but everyone disappeared and it was a lonely 5 minutes when I had to have a stern word with myself. 6 times up there now and no wheels! Great effort everyone and special kudos to Robbo for getting the job done.

@kirky72 That sounds like windburn to me. Does your fan move or is it blowing on your face all the time? Had it on the road but not indoors.

No it doesn’t move, I do but not much. It’s terrible around my eyes, I did wear shades that were within reach for an hour but they were getting steamed up.

I’ll try the head band, I always wear a buff or an ear head band outside to keep my ears warm and wind out of them.

@slowpuncheur wondered what happened to you, all your messages became greyed out on companion app and you dissappeared from mini map, only reappearing near the top.

I was in a taxi;) I was cursing virgin media for about 5 mins. It was on that long segment (turn 7?) With the snow banked up. My anger helped push me on..

Firstly massive kudos to you all for completing that…amazing effort. Some of you went up the Alpe faster than I can do it without the 6 hours before it…unbelievable.
Must have been some painful moments so well done all for doing it.

Again apologies for not being able to give you a hand for a couple of hours…brake pads had gone on the car so £75 later its sorted, I would have been better doing the Alpe…why does everything start falling apart around the most expensive time of the year at Christmas???

Kirky…I sometimes get that sore sweat face thing on long rides.
I think the key is changing the towel often, I have also tried the rolled up buff which does really help although I have found it too hot at times especially in our Tuesday night races.

Oh and finally….anyone up for a ride tomorrow morning? 🤣🤣🤣

Well Done on getting it done.

I did the new Ocean Lava Cliffside route quite a nice short ride, which was all I wanted today.

I’m good thanks for the morning! Might do a super easy 30 minute spin though to loosen up the legs at some point.

Forgot to say I set my alarm for the wrong day this morning but I woke up 5.30 and realised so must have been something in my mind that triggered it!

Think I might go badge hunting and do some of the new stuff…not that route you did today, that badge can wait!

The new routes are much appreciated and add some interesting new options opened up but it does feel like Eric Min announced some new routes and someone back at Zwift HQ went ‘shit how can we add some without doing too much work!’

Bloody good effort all!

You know what this means don’t you? They’ll make a longer pretzel route😯

Well done gents good effort all round.

I am having this tonight in celebration!

I’ll be on again in the morning.. say..0800 for an hour or so..

Anyone else?

DrP

Good effort all!

I can’t imagine doing a 6 hour ride on the trainer. 45 minutes or so leaves my undercarriage in agony! How do you guys cope?

I did 2 and a half hours on the same bike outside earlier without any issues. It must be sat grinding away in the same seated position somehow.

What you doing DrP?

Early night for @Robbo1234biking! That’s a heady drop. Well earned. I’ll be having a lie in tomorrow but have a good one.

I was surprised we didn’t venture into Titan’s Grove today, presume that section was made after Uber Pretzel.

On about beer no 4, supposed to be doing a longish run tomorrow, we will see…

Titans was done after the dessert section I think so you would probably be right @mossimus

@slowpuncheur yes the plan is to watch Die Hard 2 and drink some beer and whiskey and likely in bed by 10. No chance of a lie in here – the 6 year old will likely be up at 6 and I used up the weekend points this morning so will need to let the wife have a lie in tomorrow.

I changed bibs at the bottom of the alpe. I found I was quite hot today but didn’t struggle comfort wise apart from my hands in the last 45 mins. I tried to stand up for a min or so every 15 mins but the power drops of when you do that.

I think @mossimus got it right with a game of three halves – the start was fine but seems slow progress with the hills and jungle, the middle part flew by as we were making good progress and the last section was the nightmare expected heading up the alpe. I need to lose some more weight in order to make the hills easier (like in real life).

@oopnorth
Think I’ll tick off Luschter..or whatever is called! Won’t be bombing it up the hill as did a tough sprint workout today.. want an invite? If not, I’ll just free ride it…

DrP

@DrP thanks for the invite. Not sure of my plans yet or what time I’ll be on, but if I make it I will join you, otherwise I’ll freeride.

Cheers.