So for now I've given up trying to get my Flux V1 100% stable, switched my 4iiii over to the Zwift bike. So that will be primary power on Zwift at least for a few weeks (until I'm riding outside more). Rode a couple of testers/comparisons on sunday to compare the two (with another calibration between the 2 rides) and it does seem to be a bit more accurate now. Number still quite different but it's hard to 'see' when you're riding - head unit vs screen.
Had a weak moment of ebay madness and bought a S/H (barely used) Stages... I've actually got my PWN & Flux quite close on steady power efforts now. I'll do some extra comparisons, then switch the Stages in to check it's accuracy against the Flux. Hopefully that'll mean the Stages (inside) and 4iiii (outside) are somewhere near!
I measure myself on the Richmond course which is about 16.5km I think. Today I smashed my PB with an under 25 minute for the loop, and a loads of PBs on the way round. Just 9 or 10 weeks ago I thought i was going to collapse after a 10km ride, today I've managed 75km in just over 2 hours and I feel great. Also got an FTP increase to 295 so I must be doing it right.. how much more would it be possible to go up, surely it stops at a certain point!?
It really depends on your natural ability and talent on just how far you can go... Oh and of course the amount of training you can do, the weight you can lose and the amount of time you can ride!
But you're doing well, good solid numbers and progress. It does start to taper off very easily, you might already be at that point of 'marginal gains'. FTP is also very subjective and setup specific - which it's quite hard to use to compare against other riders, but equally it is a single measurement used everywhere! I race as a mid-B and my FTP fluxuates anywhere between 250W-270W at the moment, even though my riding is generally very similar. If I rode more and with more structure I might be able to get it towards the level you're seeing, but I don't have the time or willpower - so it's just all fun for me!
One of those magic days today. Amazing legs seemingly for no reason. Smashed the efforts on Sand and Sequias, one of my favourite routes I know xdxc likes it too.
This was the route which it crashed on me the other week (despite having ridden it before probably 25 times), no issues today on windows 10, but yes I am getting a frame rate drop compared to win7.
S&S is a great course, I really enjoy it, but it really hurts if at the limit!
Performance could probably be RAM related? What are you on? But good to see you getting some reliability back.
He was D so figured 7 minutes gap was a good target to close as a C. So many Bs like myself ruining it a bit for others. A guy was nearly 5w/kg for the whole thing, I could hold his wheel for most of it until he just sat at 6w/kg and put 30s into us who had 2m 40s on the group that was in tatters.
Ended up 5th on the line but got a deserving upgrade to B stuck me in 25th. Surprisingly good legs this week, 10-15% down on where I want to be so not too bad, I’ll work on it over the next month. It’s at least after clocks change before TT season might start.
Sandbaggers! Both of you!
I'm all over the place at the moment and sometimes a 3.2w/kg average is my limit, but I'm under no illusions that I'm not a B so always ride/race there as one. No fun smashing people with no challenge!
Did the usual TTT tonight and old guys giving it to me tight. They kept going far too hard up the climbs on that Astoria line in NY. I couldn't get my HR up for the power I was doing. Last lap I was getting annoyed being made to do watts so chose to be the one fishing them out. Certainly feel on it once I get up to 180bpm.
304w best 20m power and 293 average but we had to ease up lots mid race to let a guy back on due to the drags.
Crazy numbers, well done mate!
I actually rode with a non-3R team this week... Early in the week 3R teams announced and there was no late Frappe team so jumped in with BRT who I've seen a couple of local riders ride with. Had a 'mare and couldn't get on the right Discord for them, so riding with a team of low-frappe riders who I didn't know, who had no set rotation, with no communication. HAhaha it was a mess first lap, I kept coming through over the tops of climbs and when their speed dropped but every time I did I was just too strong. Had to really taper my efforts and just sit up so much. Several of them heavier riders (so I was one of the lightest and strongest). As the ride drew on I settled back into gap closing efforts whenever one of the heavier guys dropped, while also sitting 2nd/3rd wheel to cover pulls and smooth things for the others. It worked well but on that course I was utterly burnt out and at my limit for the latter half. Still felt strong but with all the easing into gaps and closing stuff it was brutal for a low power average of only 235W haha. I did a long strong effort into the finish but with closing a gap & ramp just before I really started to cramp up in my right calf. I'd felt it a bit tight earlier in the day playing footie with the boy. Ooops!
https://www.strava.com/activities/4849874700
After about 20 minutes I realised that maybe I should be in group B. Last 10 mins I wanted to push on (which I'm guessing is frowned upon) I think I'm about 3.5 -4 average now so once I have time and training 5 times a week has finished I would like to try a couple of races each week. What's the best way to get involved?
Yup those are B numbers, but as you're new you can get away with riding in C, you'll probably find it easier to sit in the bunch and learn some racecraft (and how to draft well!). Best way is probably just to ride at popular times and jump in popular races. For most that's 6-8pm most weeknights. You can look on Zwiftpower.com for a list of upcoming events (that's quicker and loads better than scouring through the zwift site or companion app). Races/series/clubs to look out for would generally be ZRL (but that usually requires registration and club membership), 3R, BRT, DIRT, HERD, ZSUN, EVO, ZHQ.
As no-one answered before, should I assume no-one really has good knowledge of how a plan should be structured? I'm happy to just throw a rather random plan together myself, 2 x high intensity training, 2 long outdoor rides and maybe a couple of short recovery rides (indoor or out) to make up my week, I just wondered if anyone knew the proper way to do it
That's pretty much it, find some structure and pattern with that - while also keeping an eye on your recovery and fatigue. You'll be pretty much there and with consistency like that while balancing it so you can continue building, you'll be as far along as anyone.
The Training plans are pretty much that, but the vast majority of them are aimed at people without too much base riding already, so you'll find they start very easy. Probably too easy and you'll get bored before actually getting to the point it's pushing you.
Recovery is key for any of them. A bunch of the 3R Zwift racing guys do the Zwift 12 week 'build me up' but so many of them dig themselves into a hole with it as they'll also be racing several times a week. Most do it as a 'return' to riding hard 5+ days a week after some time off and will only do it once a year, while 'dreading it' it does seem to work. Some of them even have race 'season' indoors over winter, while also managing an outdoor race season in the summer months. Insane amount of riding and a double peak of fitness/form in a calendar year (like many Pro's do!).
as each lap went by my average HR kept going up so outside my comfort zone, had some in the tank for the finish though.
TTTing on Zwift is an artform, takes a lot of trial and error to work out dropping back without getting spat out, faith in holding a wheel, trying to stay together on climbs etc 