Zwift, my journey, my weight and my fitness.

How does all this fit in with building a steady winter base

Well, I did an hour and forty minutes this morning. I was planning on 100km but I’m still feeling slightly rubbish after 3 weeks of cold.

BTW, my cleats finally arrived, so tonight for the first time ever i’ll be riding Zwift in proper shoes and pedals insted of my 5 tens and flats.

How does all this fit in with building a steady winter base

Clearly it doesn’t, but if its getting folk off the sofa that would otherwise be spending their evenings watching TV then i guess its a good thing.

It does seem a waste of riding time though to those of us who are more inclined towards a scientific training model.

take the blue pill and there is no winter 😉

It does seem a waste of riding time though to those of us who are more inclined towards a scientific training model.

Go on… i’ll bite… tell me more/how ?

I’m not a scientific/structured trainer/rider so more than happy to learn a bit within the thread too.

I’ve put in on average 6 hours a week on Zwift in the past 8 weeks, most of that has been 1 hour/1 15 in a session which is at 90% MHR riding average. Surely that can only be a good thing ? My waistline and general riding fitness seems to imply so anyway.

Go on… i’ll bite… tell me more/how
………..
Surely that can only be a good thing ? My waistline and general riding fitness seems to imply so anyway.

Without wanting to be disrespectful, you were starting from a point of more or less completely untrained – Coggan chart
For someone untrained in any sport be it cycling, shot putting, or badminton, regular participation in any form is going to see good initial improvements.
I think this is obviously a huge bonus of zwift, as it has got you riding more regularly than you may have otherwise.

However, from an actual training perspective, you are working far too hard far too often. A 75min race should be taking a full 48hrs to recover from in which time you can do no other useful training, and if you try to, you just end up compromising the quality of the session.

A proper training plan would include ‘base building’ which is generally lower intensity rides that focus on your ability to burn fat as fuel, along with some physiological changes in the muscles. The idea is to be riding as quickly and efficiently as possible without trying hard. This concept is often described as LSD (long slow distance), and traditionally, you wouldn’t mix it with any intensity at all. A more modern approach does include a little intensity in the mix, and at this time of year would be looking to build on other fundamental abilities (like force production either via big gear intervals or in the weight room).
As you progress through the year and get closer to a target event, usually more intensity is added, but typically an experienced racer on a 10hr/wk training plan will probably only spend 2hrs working at the intensity you are doing for 6hrs a week.

Someone attempting to follow a scientific approach will probably have a plan that has a carefully measured volume in specific training zones designed to give maximum improvement on a targeted energy system for the minimum amount of fatigue (less fatigue means we can train more regularly). So as you can imagine, with all this planning in place, chasing random riders that go past or taking part in races every couple of days seems somewhat wasteful.

I do struggle with the concept of how i’ve raced at times. A week and a half ago i did a TFC race on the Friday, Gorrick on the Sunday, race on the Mond and Thurs… I wouldn’t have thought that were possible, so maybe in some way i’m holding back in the racing…. Although you wouldn’t think it.

p.s. I think ‘untrained’ may be a bit harsh, it’s not like i sat on the bike for the first time in 10 years when i bought Zwift, i’ve been a regular rider for many years… but of course i get the concept that not all riding is good riding/training.

The biggest difference i think may be in attitude and ability to focus in that context. I couldn’t sit and do 2 hours Z2 and not have a ‘play’ either on the road/trails or on Zwift, i just can’t do it.. I’d get too bored too quickly. Whereas someone completely focused on training is of course perfectly able to do so.

You chart linked saddens me greatly 🙁

😉

I think ‘untrained’ may be a bit harsh

Sorry, in my defence, it’s not my chart!

You chart linked saddens me greatly

I think that applies to most of us 😉

Please don’t waste time trying to tell Weeksy to periodise his training- I’ve been trying since 2012 and it hasn’t sunk in yet 😀

Actually, I dug myself into a pretty big Zwift hole last winter but it was no different than the one I dug myself into by racing CX, XC and Brass Monkeys every weekend for 7 months solid the year before that 😉

I think anyone <7hrs per week can afford one or two Zwift races in 7 days- especially if one is the KISS 10 mile TT.
I’ve been targeting The Friday Criterium but the series is dragging on now- I’m only sticking with it because I’m leading the Lantern Rouge competition for the C cats 🙂

I do just two races a week, Tuesday at 18:30 or 20:00 depending on how I feel and the course and the TT. I always find Watopia Hilly difficult starting with a sprint followed by a hill before I have got warmed up. Managed to do 105km in 3h30 last Saturday which was better than going out in the rain but not something I want to repeat.

Not sure about Coggan’s chart as I range from Cat 2 to off the bottom of the page on some columns.

Please don’t waste time trying to tell Weeksy to periodise his training- I’ve been trying since 2012 and it hasn’t sunk in yet

Well traditional periodisation isn’t the only effective way to train (although it is the easiest to read up on). For me the more important thing is to have some sort of goal setting. Having a goal helps in two ways, it helps with motivation, and it helps identify the type of sessions you want to do to perform well in your event.

And right now, he’s seeing great results from Zwifting, and clearly enjoying it, so with perhaps a caution to keep an eye on fatigue levels, then i’d say crack on 🙂

Not sure about Coggan’s chart as I range from Cat 2 to off the bottom of the page on some columns.

That is a very generic version of the chart.
If you dig around on the web there’s modified versions to suit different ‘types’ of rider.

@Fifeandy Amen to that 🙂

Not sure about Coggan’s chart as I range from Cat 2 to off the bottom of the page on some columns.

It’s very unlikely that you’ll have anywhere near a straight line across the chart. E.g. while Wiggo might have world class FT he’s probably further down the chart for 5s.

Also, have you properly tested your max for those durations or are you just taking you max values from a bunch of random rides?

And right now, he’s seeing great results from Zwifting, and clearly enjoying it, so with perhaps a caution to keep an eye on fatigue levels, then i’d say crack on

Absolutely 🙂

It may not be the most effective way of training, but if it’s getting you riding regularly and you’re having fun then crack on and there will be plenty of summer smiles next year 🙂

Zwift workouts can be used as part of a structured training program (although I thought a gazzilion steady winter miles had been discredited now) but anyway you can do whatever plan you like or you can race or you can just go for a ride in the sun.

Easy, no need for war and peace on training.

@wilbert, check out recent studies into polarised training. Results show that not only has volume of easy riding in winter not been discredited, but suggests we should also be doing it throughout the rest of the year.

And apologies for the mini novel – came out longer than intended 😕

Well, let’s see what happens tonight guys.

Maybe we should add an STW tag to our names too

I couldn’t keep up with you on the flat the other day so I’d leave it on that setting if you’re racing C or turn it down one for D 😀 /Bantermode

Lol I’m bemused by that as I didn’t think we were going that fast on the flat dude.

I guess this layout tonight is about my best circuit though with only the one small hill.

Richmond Flat is even better than this. I miss Richmond 🙁

Yeah possibly so based upon profile but I’ve never ridden that one.

I noticed the other day on this course if I can put off 300w or so on the small hill it can make a huge difference on gapping someone. Question is, can I then come back to 2.6 without being destroyed.

Right. Sign in time

Tonights race was tough but fun as usual, 7 places better than last week, and really pleased with 16th especially as I missed a break and had to chase back for the last lap, did anyone else who uses a dumb trainer find there was a section where suddenly everyone disappeared into the distance? I was consistently in the bunch doing about 320w then at the same point every lap, everyone shoots off and I have to up it to 350w just to keep up. weird.

97th overall. Trying not to puke now

No mate, my dumb was fine.

http://www.zwiftpower.com/v2/race.php?id=1782

Last night was 4 min quicker than previous week. So got to be happy with that

Got Zwift set up last night & had a quick half hour blast this morning. Haha, it is awesome. Nice one weeksy. Why didn’t you start this thread a couple of years ago?! As someone who habitually fails to get the most out of TR every winter I reckon straight away this will work better for me. The free ride mode is basically a mass game of Silly Commuter Racing! Will give a proper race a crack in the week.

I’ve ordered the speed cadence sensor and a USB doodah and looking forward to setting this myself. Wish I’d known about zwift before.

Zilog, I was a cynic for a long time after taking the mick out of Crosshair for his nerdiness.

Mountain route last night. It’s a long way to the top.

Still toying with the idea of a smart trainer and whether I need it. At the moment just shifting up into the big ring to drop the cadence on climbs and seems to be working ok. Be nice if they built a roll down calibration for the kinetic inride into the app.

Indeed it is mate yeah. Climb climb, plod plod. Repeat a squillion times to the top.

The ride to work is covered in wet leaves and mud meaning from a maintaining fitness POV it’s pointless. Last winter I was falling off almost weekly. Zwift looks good. I’ve got an old mtb frame that will take a 700cc wheel so if I buy the £199 smart trainer from Halfords and the zwift subscription that’s all I need? Any reason a mtb with 135mm axle width wouldn’t fit in this?
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/turbo-trainers/trainers/tacx-flow-t2240-smart-turbo-trainer?cm_mmc=Google+PLA-_-Turbo+Trainers-_-Trainers-_-212818&_$ja=tsid:60494%7Ccgn:GoogleShopping%7Ckw:212818&istCompanyId=b8708c57-7a02-4cf6-b2c0-dc36b54a327e&istItemId=atqpqlpqw&istBid=tztl&_$ja=tsid:35522%7Ccid:344520484%7Cagid:24344824324%7Ctid:pla-231148712404%7Ccrid:83794506724%7Cnw:g%7Crnd:13343305182099623860%7Cdvc:m%7Cadp:1o3&gclid=CMbo6YKut9ACFQmeGwod6vgDXA

Also mrs is burning the baby weight at moment – does zwift have a spinning class equivalent? And does a turbo bike need brakes?

turbo bike does not need brakes – most turbos have a caution not to brake as it can damage the resistance unit.
You should be fine with 135mm spacing.
Only problem using a mtb is you might not have a tall enough gear for hard efforts.

Thanks. It’s a frame only at moment so I’ll probs stick a road crankset on. Do i need gears?

I’ve just dug out my ANT+ and given Zwift another go. I quite like it and really need to get back into things as I’ve put a little weight on and need to strengthen my lower back.

The only issue I have is that with my setup (Elite Crono Fluid + Garmin speed sensor) Zwift seems to think I’m a lot better than I *know* I am – just pedalling along it says I’m doing 45mph! I’ve put my weight in OK and the right set-up. Any ideas?

I don’t want to hook strava into this and blast a lot of hard working people KOMs out of the water.

I am tempted by a Wahoo Kickr SNAP though… 🙂

@Adam, check your wheel size setting. Should be around 2096mm for 700x23c

Have you got the variable resistance turned up ? Slider in settings.

When mine was turned up i was easily sticking out 700w… which is knew of course wasn’t possible.

After getting snowed off @ Peaslake this morning, I wanted to do some extra mileage today, so entered my first race, a 3 lap thing this afternoon.

It was tough. Absolute sh*t show of basically an hour of chasing down attacks, whilst trying to wheelsuck others to recover.

Absolutely no structure to it, mostly just chaos. To be honest, it’s much more appealing to me than a ‘structured’ training programme of watching a graph on a screen for an hour & trying to hit a line.

It’s much more reflective on the reality of racing longer stage enduro too IMO. So, i’m going to at least try & do 2/3 a week, and see where I end up. I have a base FTP result now, i’ll test again over Xmas, then at the end of Jan & Feb.

I have no doubt with the ‘appliance of science’ I could achieve better results by spring time, but chances are I would probably jump out of the window trying to top myself before the gains happened. If I can get most of the way this way, then i’m happy.

Weeksy- that’s not what the slider is supposed to do (I know Joe said it kind of does with yours), it’s actually more of a gear selector. So at 50%, a 10% Zwift climb will feel like a 5% real climb and at 100% like a 10% climb etc etc.

On a normal variable resistance smart trainer it doesn’t alter the watts you are putting out or how fast your Avatar goes for a given wattage.

http://zwiftblog.com/using-the-trainer-difficulty-setting-in-zwift/

have no doubt with the ‘appliance of science’ I could achieve better results by spring time, but chances are I would probably jump out of the window trying to top myself before the gains happened. If I can get most of the way this way, then i’m happy.

Exactly this. Zwift may not be the perfect training tool for serious racers, but I’ve done over 500km each of the last 2 months now, lots at race pace. My riding speed, climbing and stamina is just better