Too Easy...

It was Zwift Academy 2020 workout 5 tonight and it was too easy. I set the treadmill to 3% to make it harder but it was still too easy. I didn't want to increase the pace as I wasn't sure if I'd struggle in the latter stages but in the end it didn't push me. It's definitely a sign I'm getting there. This session would've been hard going a month ago. Going to repeat with a 5% pace increase and see how it goes (but not tonight).

After breaking 26mins for the treadmill 5K on Saturday (with 2% incline), a good 70 minute recovery ride Sunday and a return to the Concept 2 for 20 minutes of steady rowing yesterday, I feel that the 25 minute 5k is almost here - and I mean a real one, not some trumped up treadmill effort!

Looking forward to tomorrows Zwift duathlon...

Academy Accomplished

After Wednesdays virtual duathlon and yesterday's hill reps I was expecting my legs to feel the worse for wear. Happily, I felt okay. Not exactly fresh but not too bad so I decided to attempt the finish ride and see if I'd made any improvement. I was confident I would beat my base ride. And beat it I did. Although I was a little disappointed with the improvement on the long segment, only making a 7% improvement, verses the 14% gain on the sprint and 16% on the medium. Overall, I'm happy. It's all still heading in the right direction...

Racing Again... Virtually...

Tonight was the start of a four race Zwift duathlon race series taking place over the next four weeks. Ride as far as you can in 35 minutes. Followed by a ten-minute transition to switch across to the treadmill. Then run as far as you can in 15 minutes.

After volunteering to clock 10000 steps a day, Monday to Thursday, for a work thing, my legs weren't feeling entirely fresh. I haven't been exactly pelting it on the treadmill to get the job done, but I have been doing it on a gradient to get some benefit. I can safely say, the legs are feeling even less fresh right now. Suffice to say tomorrow's planned Academy Finish ride is getting pushed back to Saturday, to leave me a rest day Friday.

Back to tonight's race pair and the start of the ride was less than optimal. I was merrily pedalling along in the start pen to get warmed up and, being on the trainer, didn't pay attention to the fact I was in the small front ring - ooh, er, matron! The race started, I cranked up the effort, realised I was in the small, changed to the big - and subsequently took the chain off. Cue 30s of faffing, off the bike, chain back on, me back on and away. That put me dead last but at least I had some rabbits to chase - and chase I did. I went at it hard, not sparing the legs for the run and sustained over 200W for the 35-minute ride. For my effort I triggered another FTP rise. Up by 4W (2%). Pleased with that. what with my less than fresh legs.

Without much pause for thought I was off the bike and onto the treadmill, setting things to run mode, and then ready for the off. I say ready, my legs were feeling a bit wobbly, but a few minutes of walking before the start helped. And before I knew it, it was time for the run.

It was a good run, but overall, I should have had more faith in how the trainings been going. I underestimated my pace and although I steadily increased my pace throughout, I finished with far too much left. I should have had more confidence and set the starting pace higher. I will not make the same mistake next week.... oh, I forgot to say, the racing... I bloody loved it!

Rest Day Tomorrow...

Training continued to pick up after a slow start to the week to end on a high note. Thursday was good, and for me, very quick short reps. Friday was a short blast on the bike with good power sustained for the duration. Yesterday was another session on the treadmill, workout number four of the 2020 Zwift academy. I knew I was working. It was hard but I stayed focused and was able to slightly increase the pace for the second set of two. And finally, today was the final workout of this year's Zwift academy on the bike. It was another solid session but maybe didn't quite push me as hard as it should have. A sign I'm still improving? Well, I guess we'll see if that's true after the finish ride, which I'm looking to do midweek.

Oh, and I almost forgot, because I had a bit left after the bike session, I decided on a cheeky treadmill race of 7.4km - that's a new Olympic distance category in case you were wondering - not. I wasn't really racing but it's good to have some rabbits to chase. After a hiccup at the start, namely, the grocery delivery turned up, I set the treadmill to my target pace and started chasing. Little by little I inched the pace up. Inch by inch I ran my rabbits down and managed to complete the last 5k in 26:40 which is over a minute up on my 5k marker of a week or two ago. And for the record, I used my now standard 2% incline to match outside effort more closely (or so they say).

I feel I'm making really good progress. I've still a long way to go but as I complete each session, I feel a little fitter, my pace a little faster, with more endurance and more power on the bike.

Twice In One Day Twice

Had a slight false start to the weeks training. Monday was a rest day after continued good training on the Weekend. Saturday, it was the second academy run session. Hard but fair. Up Sunday, the fourth Zwift academy ride in the morning and, still feeling energetic, a solid incline session on the treadmill late afternoon. Back to the week's slow start, the drive home Tuesday was horrendous. Got caught in two massive queue fests that added 45 minutes to the journey. By the time I got home I couldn't face it, and just chilled.

I made up for it today. I ran yesterday's academy session number three before work and completed the fifth ride after work. Only one more session to go on the bike and then I'll be all set for the finish ride next week. 

Going Well

Continuing on from the good work towards the end of last week, I completed Zwift Academy bike workouts 2 and 3. I've found them hard but manageable. Feels like they're doing me good. Around those two rides I made a start on re-running the 2020 Zwift Academy run sessions. I didn't complete the eight workouts back then, not sure why, but they're giving me a good workout here and now.

I can't remember what Tuesday's session was - that's old age for you - but I know it was a decent workout. As was today's session. A mix of alternating 4-minute repetitions and shorter, faster 2-minute reps, with the pace increasing a little for each subsequent pair. I felt good and actually increased the difficulty a few percentage points after the first pair as it felt just a fraction too easy, and I'm after maximum gains. I could probably have gone a tad more, but I knew I'd worked out come the finish, so it was a good session. I can feel that 25-minute 5k edging closer...

Back On Track

After a couple of weeks of less than excellent training, at least on the running front, I finally put in a decent session on the treadmill. 10 one-minute reps with 45s recovery. I set the pace for the first repetition at the pace I used the last time I did a similar session. It felt easy. Really easy. I increased the pace for each repetition. The final one was 15% faster than the first - and I felt I still had a fair bit more in me but having just come back from injury I wasn't going to be silly...

That is until an hour or two later, when I felt I needed to train a bit more and hopped on the bike for a race on Zwift. I didn't set off too manic but within next to no time I was cranking it out. It was a small field and I found myself riding solo, so it was more of a time trial. I could see I was averaging good power, right up to and a bit beyond my ftp. That was, until a couple of riders caught me. Now I know it's not real but when they reached me, they proceeded to sit on the wheel and didn't take a turn on the front. I know it doesn't matter but it irked me.

I put in a big effort and broke their draft. In Zwift that is when you get away by 5m or more. I eased back a little so as not to die in the saddle and after a few minutes they came back again and sat on the wheel as before. Hitting a short ascent. I went again, and for longer this time. A few minutes later and one of them was back, the other had blown. I went again, harder and longer than before - oh, er, matron. This time he didn't come back.

After a few more minutes I caught up to a bigger group. There was little chance of breaking away from that, so I bided my time, still putting out good power. At the finish, I welcomed in ftp increase splash screen. A 16W/9% improvement. Pleased with that. Won't be long before I reach my previous high...

Finally Managed It....

A run. An actual run. It wasn't fast, my leg was still sore, but it was definitely a run. That was Wednesday. I missed training yesterday and today it was the first of the six Zwift Academy structured training rides. It was a solid session without pushing totally into the red so I'm thinking my current FTP might have increased a few points since my last test. I'll see how the next one goes Sunday or Monday and maybe increase the training bias a few percentage points if I think it needs it. I want to get maximum gains from all this.

Up tomorrow, I'm the recovery driver for the Black Mountains fell race. I get to put the stragglers out of their misery - I mean exfiltrate them back to race HQ - if they're unable to continue or miss the road crossings cut off times. I might head there a little early and have a pootle up to Chwarel Y Fan and back before the runners come through now that the soreness in my left calf has finally subsided. It's taken two weeks. Definitely getting too old for this sh!t - but it ain't going to stop me.

Back to the Academy Sooner Than Expected...

With a repeat of the baseline ride - because Zwift f#(%ed the first one up. Apparently, they had various training session group dynamics switched on, meaning real world dynamics simulation wasn't correctly relating speed, power and incline (or some such nonsense). Upshot, it was a complete load of b#!!*(%s in terms of being a baseline to gauge improvement at completion of the academy and I had to ride it again - grrrrrrhhh.

So, with a big slice of deja vu, I rode it all again. With the proper dynamics, chasing people ahead was more realistic this time. That led me to increase my average power for the medium segment by 4W, the 'long' climb segment by a very surprising 15W and an unbelievable... exactly the same power, 467W, for the short sprint.

I'm gonna be Mr Angry if they got anything wrong with tonight's session...

The Zwift Academy 2022 Begins....

It's just as well my left calf muscle is still a little sore, as the Zwift Academy 2022 has begun. If I'm honest I am itching to get proper running again, but the calf is taking sooo long to recover. It's been nine days and counting and although the limp has gone, it's still too sore for proper running - oh the joys of old age! I don't think it will be too long now though. The only partial silver lining, more of a 'white metal' lining really, is that I almost can't feel it when I'm riding, and certainly doesn't interfere with things.

Back to the Academy, and it was the 'baseline' ride tonight, to set out your markers for short, medium and long efforts - almost saw stars completing the short effort. It felt like I'd put in a good solid performance though, based on my recent form. Then, over the next four week, there are six structured workouts to complete, followed by the 'Finish line' ride - to see how much you've improved... Obviously, you put in your own rides here and there as well and I'm going to be getting back on with the running. But, over the next four weeks the focus is going to be the Academy to see how much I can improve.

Bit of a Bad Week So Far...

It's not been great so far. One low key 30-minute upper body cardio session. Yes, my left calf muscle is still tight and sore. Four days on from the 'curious incident of the cramping in the day-time' and it's still not great. I can't even Zwift as it's too sore. All I can muster is some very gentle massage. I can feel my fitness slipping away - and it wasn't exactly great to begin with! Come on leg. Stop being sore...

A Couple of Good Sessions

I've been continuing to add in some upper body workouts to the mix, with another three half hour sessions. Nothing too strenuous but I managed to work up a bit of a sweat each time. Today I ran five 1km reps and I'm pleased with the result. I ran at faster pace than my session of four, two weeks ago. Things continue to move in the right direction and I feel my first, very lowly target of a 25-minute 5km is not too far away.

A Little Blip

So it happened. I missed the long run on the weekend. After an okay run Saturday, everything was either aching or tired come Sunday. I think part of training is knowing when to take a pit stop. Sunday was my pit stop. The legs where still feeling less than fighting fit come Monday so I stuck with the plan's recovery/cross train day and did a bit of Zwifting and a little upper body cardio.

Today the body was feeling more rested, so I cracked back on with the plan. Three sets of four 400m reps with a short 100m recovery and 350m between sets. Got the pacing pretty good. Not too easy but hard enough on the last one of each set. Definitely knew I was working for it tonight. Luckily, it's another rest day tomorrow.

Still Following the Plan

I almost can't believe how well I've stuck to the training plan. I'm very nearly back in the habit - and I'm not talking nuns garments. Up tonight it was longer reps of a kilometre and Tuesday it was shorter, quicker ones. Little by little, week by week, my pace is edging up. Yesterday was an easy Zwift recovery day and up tomorrow is a rest/recovery day - so that'll be more Zwifting then...