I Enjoyed That!

Eight 4km laps for stage 2 of the #Zwift Tour of Watopia. My quads were still feeling it from the weekends efforts - should there be an apostrophe in there somewhere? It took me a couple of laps to get into the groove but by lap three I was making inroads and set my lap PR. Over the next three laps my times dropped a couple of seconds as I worked hard to time my efforts on the short climbs before a surprise quicker lap on the seventh, increasing my lap record by a whole three tenths of a second. By then my heart rate was climbing. I was really blowing on the final lap but still managed to hit my highest power averages, and for once took the sprint from those around me. The legs are feeling heavy now...

Final Fondo of the Season

My legs, specifically my quads, are sore from yesterday's race but I wanted to complete the full set of six #Zwift Fondo. So after manning the Offa's Orra water station this morning I headed home and hit the saddle.

Unsurprisingly it was bloody hard work and although I did edge up through the field during the ride it was more a case of wanting the pain to end rather than eager racing - and anyway, it's not a race. I was very much knackered at the end but pleased I motivated myself to do it. 60km, 600m ascent, 1hr 45. Almost certain to be a rest day tomorrow - unless there's a miracle...

Race Eight, Sugar Loaf

My legs didn't feel as heavy as I was expecting after yesterday's bike session - they feel bloody heavy now, mind. It never gets any easier does it? And the days when I could go below the hour for Sugar Loaf are well behind me but I'm happy with 1:15 and not last.

It was hard work on the ups and it wasn't much easier across the Deri as I was working hard to make up some of the ground I'd ceded on the first climb. I enjoyed the descent though and managed to gain about ten places from the top. I'm hopeful the results will show a slight performance improvement. The data analysis - yes, I am a total geek - shows improvement in several areas. Not massive improvements but I'm in this for the long haul...

The stats for today's race, 11½ km, 600m of ascent in 1:15:31. Up tomorrow, the final #Zwift Fondo of the season - after I water the runners at tomorrow's Offa's Orra trail race.

Couldn't Quite Manage Two Rest Days...

Relative to my recent form (that's the last three to four years) I've been hitting it pretty hard these last two to three weeks and my legs definitely know it. With race number eight coming up this Saturday I decided to take a couple of really easy rest days, pottering around doing nothing - except I just couldn't bear it and I broke. Today the second of the rest days became a virtual group ride.

I've ridden this particular group session before. Twelve short 2.5km laps in virtual New York with a 8-12s sprint section which you ride hard every other lap. It's really fun and the laps fly by. It did however go a bit pete tong as I overcooked the first of the sprints and absolutely crucified myself, fell off the back of the group, never to be seen again... I tried to get back but after 20 seconds I knew I was doomed to ride the final nine laps lonely, sobbing into my virtual hanky.

On the plus side, while overcooking it, I did set new all time power curve figures for 0 to 45s. On the downside I have absolutely destroyed my legs so I'm likely to be battling to avoid coming last at tomorrow's Sugar Loaf fell race. But who cares? I'm back and I'm loving it...

The power spike at 16 minutes was where I overcooked it...

Run Reps Recurrence

So my legs are really feeling it - even before the start of tonight's training but I'm not stopping. More reps on the treadmill. Six 500m reps with 250m recovery at 12kph, 3 x 15kph, 15½kph and a final 14kph. The final two were hard work, my calves were tightening but I completed the set.

A Time To Tour...

Yes, the seven stage Tour of Watopia on #Zwift has kicked off and I really got into this evening. I felt heavy legged to begin with. I've not given myself enough rest - and I can't bring myself to do so for fear that the curse of the sofa will strike again - yes, it's a real curse.

So anyway, it was a good field with over 3000 of us riding and to begin with I was outside the top 2000. By half way I'd only nudged up towards the top 1900 but from there I really got into... As can be seen in the charts, my power (yellow) gradually trended upwards.

By halfway things had splintered into smallish groups and I really forced it from the front to get the group speed up in order to bridge to the next group. We took in group after group as we moved up through the 1800s, the 1700s and into the 1600s. Into the final seven or eight minutes I was maintaining beyond FTP and feeling the burn to finish circa 1540. The middle graph highlights where I went into the red - and shows how steady the effort was in the first half.

I really enjoyed it tonight. The official events are great fun - and highly motivating. Bring on the next one...

Another Day, More Training

A bike session today and I chose a session from last years #Zwift Academy. It was the 'race day' session and consisted of three 'break away' reps. Each rep consisted putting down a short big power blast before maintaining high power for a few minutes before another spike followed by another high power section and then the recovery. I thought I'd bitten off more than I could chew when I realised how long the high (above FTP) sections were. But despite it being a bit of a leg burner towards the end I manage to complete without hitting the spiral of death.

I'm pleased with myself for keeping up the training momentum. I'm feeling it in the legs this evening but hopefully it will be worth it... Need to hit a few session mid week before back on the racing on the weekend at Sugar Loaf.

First Flaxley For A While

With no race this weekend it's just going to be training. Said training began with a loop around Flaxley Wood (9k) and I found it surprisingly hard effort. I was expecting to find it a bit easier going but then I have increased my training effort over the last two weeks. On the plus side it was my fastest on the loop for a year but I somehow expected more. Ah well, I'll just have to keep on with the training and have another crack in a few weeks. More training tomorrow.

Pyramid-ish Session

So having pulled a rest day yesterday I was back on it today. Little and often is the new me (at least until it wears off). It turned out to be a kind of pyramid session of 250m sections undulating between 10, 12 and 14kph with the 14kph section extending out to 500m and 750m and back to 250m for the last two but without the 10kph on the final undulation. Still with me?

It felt like a good session. I was pleased with it, especially the effort on longest rep. And for the first time I'm not finding the reps boring - so that's a first! Finished off the training with 10k on the bike, the Richmond hilly, and I put in some decent effort of the short, sharp hill climbs.

I've no races lined up this weekend so it's just going to be more training...

Nothing Like A Race...

To increase the FTP - by over 6% from 189 to 201W in my case and I have no idea where it came from! I felt pretty sluggish into the first lap (of three). My legs still felt leaden and my power wasn't anything special but, to quote Gloria Estefan, the racing is gonna get you... (never realised she was into #Zwift!)

Slowly buy surely my power edged up. Riding off the front of group after group I gained over 100 places, from outside 500 up to 370th on the line. I didn't contest the sprint finish as I was on my limit throughout the final lap but I can't grumble at such an unexpected jump in FTP. I do love a good race. (31km, 200m ascent).

The Little and Often Continues...

Yep, back on the treadmill today, #Zwift. Six 400m reps with 200m recovery. Paced at 14kph or 103s per rep, it was just about right. My legs are still feeling dead but I couldn't put off the run any longer. It's all a bit random - and a little bit tame - but as long as I keep mixing it up I'm sure it'll be doing me good and over time hopefully I will make gains. Need to look at factoring in some hill work though - and that might require venturing forth into the real world...

Everyday In Every Way I'll Try...

to exercise a lot but if a lot just doesn't happen, I'll settle for a little! And so today it was a little. Another twenty minutes on the bike. My quads are still feeling heavy and I hit the burn without putting much power down. Still, a little is better than nothing.

Is It Just Me?

or does anyone else say thank you to their Amazon Echo when it carries out a command... Nope, thought not, just me then... Anyway, pulling back out of that cul-de-sac, I managed a short, twenty minute pootle on the bike this morning. My quads are sore and had no strength but I wanted to do something even if it was more symbolic than real training. I'm going to try to get into the habit of doing something everyday even if it's just twenty minutes and build from there...

Walked Up A Hill...

and it only cost me £2 for the privilege. Bargain! I fared better on the descent. Yes, I am of course talking about the Pen Cerrig Calch fell race.

I knew I'd be doing a lot of walking on the ascent. I just don't have the legs for it at the moment but it'll come... I enjoyed the descent though. I felt light of foot over the rocky technical sections and advanced through the field. The bottom section gets steep and I was able to gain another three places coming down the final two fields into the finish.

Pretty sure the race score won't be as good as my last couple due to the very slow ascent but there's always the next race...