Cheers. Will give it a crack.

Definitely got lucky catching the group that came past. I wasn’t getting back without them. Then all of a sudden, turned a bend and you lot were there and then I flew past but couldn’t quite sustain it and you came back and held me off at the line. Quite nice to finish on the same time after riding together for the best part of the race. Cracking ride that. Will try and do more of the EVRs now.

Cheers. I’m in. Well done on the upgrade!

How did you get the STW tag on Zwift power?

That was me. Great race. Completely different to the last KISS race. Cracking group that stuck together near enough the whole way. Thought I’d lost it up the last big climb as I got dropped but managed to catch a random group and got a tow back to the group and on towards the finish but just got pipped in the sprint. Most enjoyable race I’ve done on there without doubt.

We’ve just done it but bought the land from a neighbour. They sold off some land about 15 years ago to the side of their house to a developer who built our house but they kept a large bit which wrapped around the back of the garden for the new build. So their garden was like an upside down L running alongside and then around the back of ours. We moved in almost 3 years ago and always fancied having the bit behind to extend our garden which also has some nice mature trees. Last year we approached them as we never really saw them use it and they’re getting on so suspected they might see it a hassle to maintain. They agreed to sell it. I offered a low ball opening offer expecting to get bartered up but they took it! We agreed to pay their costs and for the fencing. All in combined legal fees were about £1200 and the same again to fence it. We’re delighted. The kids will love it in the summer.

I would certainly look into it but agree though with the above that it’s likely to be trickier with the school. You have to make it as little hassle for them as possible and worth their while if you’ve got any chance.

Fair points. I’ll definitely try some different races including no cat. I have stuck to the KISS as they fit in at 8pm after the kids are down.

A bit like Weeksy’s initial posts on this thread, I really didn’t think I’d be musing over all of this. Fair play to Zwift. It is great for what it is.

Of course. I really couldn’t care less where I finished in the race. It’s just the ones I’ve enjoyed most, and pushed hardest in (the main goal as you say) are where I’ve been in a competitive group and had mini battles with those around me. I was musing over the idea that having more cats would increase the chances of getting this. You’ll always get people sandbagging and blasting away, but I guess I’m wondering if those left would have a better race?

Bored at work and just thinking about the KISS sandbagging discussion and wondering if more categories would help?

I reckon say 6 categories instead of 4 would be good. I’d hope it would mean you could find a closer group and make the races more competitive?

I accept that when you move up you’re not going to be near the front groups but when the gap (literally/virtually!) is massive it’s not great. Even thinking about this as purely a fitness tool and forgetting about coming high in the placings, I’m sure you push harder when you’re in a competitive group/race then just going through the motions at the back.

Or just MTFU and get quicker?

Also interested in this. It’s a job I’d like to be able to do but one I’ve always avoided.

Yeah, might try EVR then. I’ve enjoyed the kiss races I’ve done before but this was pretty brutal. Didn’t help that I’d munched a chilli for dinner 30 mins before. Nearly saw it again 8O

Tough ride in the KISS race there. Moved up to C and started quickly but lost the lead group and then couldn’t seem to catch onto another group. Probably rode 80% of it alone or briefly with random stragglers and then my legs just gave up. Still a good workout as always.

Thought it might be. Great deal. Can’t wait for mine to arrive.

OP, I’ve just in the last few days ordered a heavily discounted carbon trail bike. I’d had a go on the alu version and it was high on my shortlist but this deal was too good to turn down.

It may well be the same bike! If it is, there was only 2 left in Large in the company after I ordered mine.

Had a cheeky weigh in this morning and pleased to see the scales showing I was exactly on my 1 month target with a few days to spare. 7lb lost. I have just eaten a star bar though.

My wife has family near Peterborough so we went to the massive kiddicare there and tried everything. Ended up with a Jane Matrix Travel System which was great for our two. Particularly liked the matrix lay flat car seat when they were very little. Saw a few friends with upright seats when the babies couldn’t really hold their heads up and it always looked a bit dodgy. This one lays flat but can then be adjusted to an upright when they get older. The pram was good on and off road. Even had mechanical disc breaks!

88.3kg (194lb) down to 86.2kg (190lb). Pleased with that as could certainly have been better. Wasn’t able to exercise in the first week due to injury and had my wife’s birthday meal last night which I didn’t throttle back on, including wine. On track for my 187lb 1 month goal.

Well done those who’ve had big losses. Some impressive numbers already.

Cheers. Was hanging on at the end.

Results here

http://www.zwiftpower.com/race.php?id=2429

Looks like I finished 6th in Cat D for the Kiss second base. Got a recommendation to move up but not automatically moved. Pleased with that as recovering from a bruised/cracked rib after a recent off.

Just read the review Doug. Sounds good. What height are you to be in between sizes? I’m 5′ 9″ (175cm) with 31″ inside leg. Just wondering where this would sit for sizing? I didn’t actually see the size of the one the LBS had in.

Looks like it’s worth adding to the mix when I get to demoing.

Started with flats on the both the roadie and MTB. Went to clipless on the roadie and after the obligatory comedy falls, got used to them quickly. Stayed like this for a long while with spd’s on the roadie and flats on the MTB but then had a spell where I used the roadie a lot and when I went back to the MTB on flats, found I really missed being clipped in. Tried some trail SPDs (M530s) and never went back. Love them.

Same here. Item delivered from CRC in July. Apparently failed delivery in Dudley. I’m in Kent.

Had an interim weigh in. Lost 1kg / 2lb. Pleased as haven’t been able to exercise for a week after picking up a bit of knee injury (on the mend though).

Just cut out chocolate/pastries, no booze, salad for lunch. Not much else really. Eating the same evening meals. No food after evening meal.

@IHN

There is that!

I don’t tend to eat breakfast though. I just never feel hungry when I wake up but then I start to feel it mid-morning. So that’s were the nuts come in. I can’t get through until lunch without anything so I need to find something I can eat then that also fits around work. I guess it’s just moderation as Jamie says. I guess I just never clocked how calorific it is for what, to me, seems a relatively healthy option.

Can i get some thoughts on mixed nuts and raisins as a snack?

I bought some to graze on as a substitute for pastries and chocolate! But, I’ve just seen the calories on the pack and it’s pretty awful. My colleague kindly pointed out that I could’ve had two crunchies for the same calories!

Surely nuts and raisins are better from a nutrition point of view despite the calories? They definitely help my feel fuller for longer so I guess there’s that to factor in….

@spekkie

Cool. Should be interesting. I tend to lose quite quickly in the first few weeks then hit the wall, both in metabolic terms and then mentally. I’m hoping this will push me through that. We’ll see!

We’re big Aldi converts. Probably save 1/3 on shopping at Tesco. Find the quality great. The only thing I haven’t liked is their Ketchup. The meat is excellent.

Had a typo in the address. Just resent.

Just emailed, thanks.

Current 88kg @ 5′ 9″

Month 1 target: 85kg
Month 3 target: 82kg
Month 6 target: anywhere below 80kg

Bit hungover so we bailed down to the Beefeater for a full buffet job!

I’ve been using a wahoo blue sc to pair my bike to an iPad and it’s been perfect so Bluetooth only should be fine with a decent sensor.

Just came 4th I think in cat D in the KISS race after the DQs. Thought I might get bumped too but seems I snuck in with 2.59w/kg!

Starting to get the race tactics. When to push to hang on to a group and when to ease back and draft etc. I like it.

Is this the first draft of inception?

Just tried to do the KISS race but think I missed the start (bloody kids!). Ended up just joining a random group that came past and doing a steady loop of the course. Shame there don’t seem to be more races with an 8:30-9pm start. Would suit me much better.

So annoying! Was waiting until I got paid today to order some stuff and now it’s back to rrp. Arghhh!

Looks like that’s it – checked and the moving time is 4 mins off the elapsed time so it must’ve lost some distance on auto-pause. Odd though as I’ve run this route a lot and was actually on a quicker time tonight so not sure why it’s done that. Anyway at least I know the reason now. Cheers.

Location: Kent

Winter: Not even close

Never seen such a prolonged dry spell. We’ve had no more than a handful of rainy days since July and often weeks without rain. I’m still on summer tyres as the trails are still running great which is a minor miracle considering the clay based woods here are normally a complete bog by now.

Did my first sprint tri last summer and the swim was my big worry too. I could/can swim, but not well and had never done open water. I intended to get a lesson (or a few) but never got round to it, which I started to regret when I did a shorter Aquathlon (open water swim and run) as a training event a month before the tri. The swim went quite badly. Got caught up in the ‘washing machine’, got dragged into racing with the pack at the start thinking I had to keep pace, and basically got panicked and absolutely knackered after only a few hundred meters. I basically had to stop and tread water to catch my breath, get my bearings, and calm down before I breast stroked to get moving again. Eventually got back into crawl but it was pretty horrible. Mine was a sea swim and I also took no account of the tide direction, and my spotting and ‘aim’ was all over the place.

I did however learn a lot from this! When the tri came around, I made sure I knew the tide direction so could account for it. I started further back and my sole focus was to keep a steady rhythm and to control my breathing. Just arm over arm, steady and consistent and my sighting was much better.

Even though the tri swim was 100m further than the Aquathlon I completed it in 6 mins quicker without any additional fitness improvements. The time was made up completely from learning from the bad experience and having better tactics and a smoother rhythm. I can’t emphasise enough how important it is try and do something in advance to prepare you and to get your mistakes out of the way.

It was a fantastic experience though and I’ve booked another this year and may aim for a full later in the year. Also, it was brilliant once I got on the bike and pegged back loads of people. The swim is the shortest leg and the bike the longest so you can really make ground back easily. I flew through the pack (and then also got pegged back a bit by the strong runners!). Good luck but go for it.

Just finished my first race! Also did the Kiss second base. Entered as cat D to see how it went and it was the right decision. Looks like I came about top 1/3 in that once you factor out those with the dodgy w/kg. have to say, absolutely loved it. I never would’ve hit the turbo as hard for that long. No question. I’m sure there’s lots about the racing to improve on tactics wise etc but that’s not the point really. I came off a sweaty jelly legged mess which can only be a good thing long term!

Just bought a JD bug junior for my 6 yr old. Was about £30 so loads cheaper than the equivalent micro scooter but reviews seem good. She’s not used it yet as it’s also for Xmas but looked good when it was delivered.