As i have mentioned before, either NY is glitchy or Zwift cant accomodate large fields. There have been lots of people with issues lately and its always NY but that could just be because thats all we have had lately.

Rode the New York course today, LaGuardia loop I think, didn’t like it at all. The hills drag and the scenery is average. Doesn’t come close to Innsbuck which I adored.

First workout yesterday and then first race tonight (Tour of New York S5).. and first experience of the hills! Added another 20W to last week’s initial FTP – I obviously wasn’t trying hard enough lol!

Did the 10am stage 5 – started late as i couldnt get my hrm to sync, then saw id not plugged in the ant+ stick, should trade in the garmin one for a wahoo then i can just use Bluetooth – said i was 567th out of 570 and that number never changed despite working  through the back of the field, ZP has me at 79/234

did the 11am one as well 68/251

1 minute power best up that ramp to the finish, quite like that one

Arghhhhhhh

Dragged myself into the garage for Kiss C at 8pm. Warmed up and raring to battle for 27th place and it crashed with 30seconds to go. Too late to restart the app.

Seems pretty shit at the moment – second race in a row that I’ve had all other riders disappear on me multiple times.  Not sure if it’s my end or theirs but bloody annoying either way

Yep it’s a right pain, I’m guessing it’s a problem at their end. Managed a sufferfest vid instead but was looking forward to a race. I’d been getting into but missed last week with a sore throat.

Has anyone tried the Zwift running side? We’ve already got a treadmill so i’ve just ordered a foot pod to give it a whirl.

My wife’s tried it a couple of times, seems to work ok but not particularly exciting. There’s also no decent events, just some group jogs. Unless I’m missing something (very much a zwift beginner).

13:20 WBR 5 Laps LaGuardia Loop Reverse, was billed as 32.5km but was only 16.61 – i guess the 32km is 10 laps? dunno, lined up thinking it was longer, went out hard with the front group, through the lead out, then says 14km 1/5 laps remaining, decide to stick at the front as long as i could, which ended up being the whole race, finished 5/17 in B, 4 seconds of Bronze and only 8 seconds off the top A, great race, perhaps one of the best ive had – 2w increase on FTP from 287-289w was a nice bonus,

due to being a short race, i decided to do the 14:10 ToNY – decent 2nd group up the front again, lost 1 rider who escaped midway through lap 2, tried to get away myself with 5km ish to go, got reeled in with 3 to go, out of a group of 11 – 7 of us got the exact same time with the others 1/2 seconds behind, 12/75 on ZP

Nice dirty! Well done buddy.

Quite a few of us on last night, I clocked at least Scaled (holding the KOM jersey at 1:44 as I was warming down! Nice work.) and Scaredypants.

I was intending to do a lower intensity long ride as my legs were stiff from two runs in the previous days. However the WBR 3 sisters event caught my eye as a best of both option. Looking back from last time I did that race my average HR was quite a bit lower than for shorter CRITs. I’ve been puzzling for a the last week why my last two events didn’t go so well and I think it may have been a saddle height issue. My wife is also using the turbo and I stupidly didn’t record the saddle height when setting it up for her. I dropped just over 1cm off last night and it felt much better. Going to be sad and done some proper measurements as a final check.

So back to the race. With two ZADA sanctioned riders with low weights in the signup list I was expecting a fast start and was not disappointed. There were loads of flickering and disappearing riders in the first few minutes. Thankfully that settled down as trying to gauge position was almost impossible. A small bunch at the front disappeared up the KOM like scolded cats. No chance of keeping up there. The rest of the As ended up is a nice little bunch clear of the rest of the field. Strangly the lead group slowed up after the climb and we regrouped not long after descending. It all stayed together nicely till the third corner of the Epic KOM where the group fractured apart into four out front and lots of singles. I dropped back quite bit but manage to catch and stay with another rider for most of the climb. Hard as I tried though I could not seem to manage more than about 20s of pulling before he slipped back past. Really need to just concentrate on doing my own thing up the steep bits.

The lead B seemed to be taking large chunks out of us on the way up (unsurprisingly he got upgraded!). By the radio mast he was just 5s back (having been 45s at one point). I had an aero powerup so dropped this on the flat to reestablish the gap. It seemed to work especially when couple with almost sprints up the slight inclines on the way down. Unfortunately my climbing compaion also had a aero powerup which he dropped on a steeper section. I couldn’t stay attached so had to work harder on the way down to stop the gap growing too much with hard sprints up the inclines and decent effort at the bottom to close the gap again. By now I was tired and stiff legs were not happy so I just sat on his wheel. Again we climbed the volcano together and caught another A near the top. Thinking that A might be tired (he had set a PB up the volcano) I tried several attacks on the way down hoping to drop him, but was unsuccessful. Our pace slacked right off as the inevitable sprint approached. Again go the timing 1s too late and they both disappeared. I relaxed at that point and cruised home. I did an extended warm down going slowly both ways over the KOM to get my time over 1:30 and over 1000m of height gain.

I am loving how both the KOM and Volcano feel ‘easy’ after a trip up the Epic KOM.

https://www.zwiftpower.com/events.php?zid=99256

Has any else noticed the new ZP rider comparison stats on the event results page (click more than one pie chart next to rider names).

Great report that 🙂

So I thought I’d finally chip in a ride report after lurking on here for many a day. As usual I jumped into an event last minute when time allowed. That was last nights ZHR hare and hound, it is a handicapped race and as I’m somewhere in between a B and C I decided to take it easy and enter  C category. All didn’t go to plan though and I had a drop out. I blame my daughter and Netflix! When I finally got back online I was 30 seconds down on the C group on my own. I thought I could work hard and close that but despite turning myself inside out I was slowly losing time. I eventually caught two other C riders and worked well with them for about 5 miles, by this time we were about 1:30 down on the C group and I was watching the B group time gap closing. They caught us with just over 10 miles to go and I just about managed to jump onto them. I felt ok and hung with them until the pace went up with about 4 miles to the finish. By that time we were about 30 seconds down on a group of C riders and the A group about the same behind me. The last 4 miles was survival, the A group flew past and I couldn’t jump on. Caught a few B riders and managed to outsprint one who held my wheel for the last 2 miles.

Good training but unfortunately I was disqualified for exceeding 3.2wkg, I knew that was going to be highly likely having spent so long out on my own!

Harvey Mushman on Zwift BTW, thanks for listening!

The lack of people signed up to ZP is getting a bit annoying. A big field today for 5 laps of Watopia flat which i knew i would need to try and hang on to the front A’s. Pace was pretty fast and all the hills and ramps were just torture. Each hill/ramp required about 500w to hang in there but at least there were very few attacks as i think doubledraft nullified that. I knew i wouldnt last as weekend of heavy lifting and diy in small areas had ruined my thigh muscles. I managed to hang on until near the start of the last lap but got caught out by the high tempo and dropped off too far to catch up but my legs were gone anyway. I stuck with 2 other A riders and outsprinted them at the end but i knew 2 B’s had stuck with the group so i thought bronze it is. Results were i ended up with Gold as the 2 lead B’s were dq’d by a long way and only 2 other B’s in the list (26 at the start) and they were over 10 mins behind!

Lyrikal, great race report and well done on the race. I found if you are in between cats then its best to go in to the highest as like everyone else the option of “taking it easy” just never seems to happen when the race is on! This is a similar phenomenon that is known as the “Weeksy affect” where by you announce that you are having a rest day and then later write up a race report coz you couldnt stay off your bike.

Just started the 6 week FTP beginner builder I a hope to get some improvement for Christmas.

Currently about 2w/kg though I have noticed I tend to keep hr at zone 2 (blue?) So will see if things improve.

Back to zwift after a massive layoff on the Kiss D seven laps of the volcano. I have bad memories of this course after the last time I tried it turned into a neverending race and I bailed after ten laps! I knew this race wasn’t going to be good when I was ready to throw up after 2 laps, so eased off and solo time trialled to the finish.

Ah well, it’s only November, plenty of time to get some fitness back. Onwards and upwards.

Matt

10:45 looks interesting from a ‘get my arse handed to me by a who’s who of zwift racing’ angle.

If I can hang on up the first climb I’ll be amazed!

I’m struggling to find an appropriate race today as i’m in the office and on a fasting day…. Which generally means i can’t/don’t race after 5pm as i need food !

There’s the 16:05 but it’s a short one and finishes with the hill…. Which because of distance means i’d be a B as i’ll exceed the C cat power… So i’m likely to be in the last few rather than the front few.

I may end up doing a gentle cruise ride and saving myself for tomorrow for race instead.

Havent done a race for a couple of weeks now with being away for half term. Was planning on doing one tomorrow night but with the state of my bottom bracket I will make too much noise in the house. New one is on order though so might be able to. If not it will be the weekend before I get back on the horse so to speak!

10:45 looks interesting from a ‘get my arse handed to me by a who’s who of zwift racing’ angle.

If I can hang on up the first climb I’ll be amazed!

Just had a brief consultation with my legs on the windy 5k nursery drop off. They’ve informed me that they’re not actually available at 10:45 today as they’ve got an all day meeting blocked out for ‘REST DAY’ that I was keen to ignore.

Raced Sunday and Monday then thought i’d have a nice 2.5w recovery ride last night but signed up to the WBR IMPACT 2.5 because I don’t read these things properly. New peak wattage PTM (Post Turbo Muin) of 1.6kw though 🙂

Scaled – i am in the 10:45 race this morning and the A group looks like a fast one, Leanndro is clearly going to win that as he climbs faster on the hills than i can descend them. Its a doubledraft so i am hoping i can hang on to some A riders to see if they can get me a decent placing in a strong B group. My legs are ruined though so this might be one of the races that gets chalked off in the series (best 9 results from 12 races).

Leanndro won the KISS race I did last night. Maybe his legs will be tired (as if).

I got spat out the back of the A group before we even hit half way through lap one last night! My power levels still seemed to be down Vs before half term. Need to check position again as something clearly not quite right. Admittedly I was late getting on the bike and had decided not to ruin my legs early on staying in touch.

After getting dropped I picked up a few other A stragglers and pulled them into a group of about five. We were working well together but the rather large B group was rapid and caught us on lap three. B was moving quite quickly and snapped into two after after hill. I was sleeping and nearly missed jumping into the front group. After that apart from a bit of fun where I blasted off the front with an aero powerup (trying to pull some others with me and split the group) I hide in the pack. Got a feather at the end of lap 5 which I saved for the climb to the line. Mucked up my timing again and didn’t use it early enough (was still going as I crossed the linr) but did overhaul most of the group I was in during the sprint. I did get asked to join a team at the end which was cool ;).

Day off work today with our two year old. If she naps going to try a lunchtime low power ride. Need to boost fitness. If time is right will join ignitor group ride.

https://www.zwiftpower.com/events.php?zid=99747

Just figuring this all out. Did the Hare and Hounds, Cat C on Sunday but was not on Zwift Power so did not get on the leaderboard. Have now signed up. Tried racing last night but set off and the Kickr gave zero resistance so could not do more than 150 Watts – did not last long. Ended up doing a circuit of NY on my own instead. Will try again tonight. Pointers welcome. Any good series out there. Hare and Hounds seemed decent.

Welcome djflexure. What’s your zwift name?

Nixie, are you Aaron?

Or anyone else interested in joining the brt race team?

https://www.brteventz.com/join

I am yes. Thanks for invite. Will take a look.

Hi I’m S Bach STW – signed up for SZR at 18:00 tonight (hopefully back from work in time)

Will look at BRT too

that’s a cracking big field there Nixie… Nice one….

Or anyone else interested in joining the brt race team?

https://www.brteventz.com/join

I’m STW forever 🙂

That was a fast race on the road to ruins. I was in with Scaled who i think was going really well. The big climb up was torture, i got dropped and i am sure i was averaging 6.1w/kg up there. Will check results later but i think i got 4th in a bunch finish in B.

Edit: that was fast for sure,set at least a dozen pr’s. Bottom of the climb to the bridge i averaged 380w. The full climb to the jungle average was 348w in 5m22s.

Bugger, looks like i’ve broken the direto.

at 170 RPM in 52x 14 i was doing 80w apparently 😀 resistance has almost completely gone.

Race went slightly better than expected tbh, made it up the first part of the climb but just couldn’t hang on to the group over the bridge. Didn’t realise PUs were on or i’d have picked up a feather before i got to the start line!

Blader looked like he was bossing the B group though and dragging them round!

Scaled that does seem like it has snapped,is it under warranty still? Did you finish the race? Hard to tell from where i was but it looked like you were still in the main group which was some effort up that climb fella. I saw somebody who was about 2 miles from the finish doing 16.1w/kg,i think my eyes popped out of my head at that point.

sadly i messed up the finish badly,they all went really early so i had to do a big tempo to catch up and when i did i went over the top of them but i was goosed so 3 of them pipped me at the line.

Nice work both looks like it was a hard one.

That doesn’t sound good scaled, hope it’s sorted quickly.

Google suggests that there was a problem with belt tensioners on the Direto that’s a warranty issue. Also, I don’t much about Elite trainers, but when my Kickr belt went, the genuine Wahoo replacement was a steep £55. Turns out it’s a standard automotive Gates timing belt and I was able to source a replacement for a fiver.

Get onto Elite ASAP and they’ll sort out a new pully and belt (assuming it’s snapped). There’s a facebook group that has multiple failures but probably fairly minor amount compared to the units out there. I opened mine up just before it’s first year was up and the belt looked like new.

Won the sprint for 20th in the C race!! Go me 🙂

Can only get better I suppose.

https://www.zwiftpower.com/events.php?zid=99987

mid-table mediocrity here – 7th of 13 Bs in a TT

Decent power for me though, so not all bad

(why is there a green pie chart next to me but not anyone else? – I’m nowhere near being DQ for excess watts)

Get onto Elite ASAP and they’ll sort out a new pully and belt (assuming it’s snapped).

Stuff that, I took it back to Halfords and they’re swapping it for a new direto 2 at no cost! Result!