Welsh Grand Tour (WGT) Winter Zwift Race League - Final Results

 I mentioned in a previous post the Zwift racing I had been doing with old RAF Tri buddy, Mark ,Frank, Whittle. His WhittleFit team, based in Wales had been participating in the WGt Winter series. As I had joined Frank's training group on Tuesday mornings, he kindly invited me to race with his team. As a Zwift B Cat, I was in the largest race group, with over 140 Zwifters. The final race was last weekend and the league final standings would be decided. I had a decent result on the Bologna course and that managed to bin my worst ride, having ridden 7 of the 8 races (6 to count).

I managed to finish in 6th position in the B Cat league, which was pleasing as the racing was competitive. I wish I had eased down more for the first few races as I started quite fatigued in these events and my results were not great, when compared to more recent races where I had fresh legs!

But the series was most enjoyable and provided a race focus that would have been impossible to maintain through the dark winter months. The good news it that there will be a Spring/Summer series commencing in March. This time there will be a joint bike/run focus, which will suit me well - look forward to that starting.

Talking of running, I have tried to up the speed work. . .but nothing too drastic; just ease into it. I completed a set of 8 x 800m with a relaxed 1 min walk RI on the road on Thursday. Although I had tired legs from the previous day's Haute Route Zwift Group Workout, the 800s were ok, averaging 3:48 per K pace. This was probably quicker than I intended. I would like to bring the pace down to 3:30 per K by summer for this type of session. That should indicate that I could break 18 min for 5K.

Now there's a nice target!

Next Zwift Race and Run Focus

Hello all you folks out there not reading this. Hello family if you read this in the future. So the final WGT Zwift League race is tomorrow morning. The route is La Bologna TT. I have eased back and followed Whoop closely to ensure recovery for the race. It is a short race with a punchy 2.5k climb to be negotiated twice. short the climb may be but it is a race decide, especially with the final climb ending the race at the summit. If you are not with the group at the start of the climb, race over!

Race report to follow. Randomly, see below my test for logging video clips on my Blog. This is moi in France 2019 doing some yoga type stuff pre-ride  8-)

Right. The London Duathlon has been postponed until 5 Sep 21. Not great news but the event is far more likely to happen in September than this April . . . COVID-19 remains the blocker for racing. So I am focused on getting some run speed for a crack at a half decent 5K time. I am rubbish at solo TTs but that is all I can do for now. Sub-18 min? Stretch target I reckon. But I have a secret weapon! I have invested in some Hoka Carbon X trainers. These are my first exposure to carbon plated shoes! Will they bring me the speed I want?

Time will tell. First impressions are good. I find it hard to run slowly in these. The faster you run, the better the feel. But you need to let the run flow. Don't force it. 

More to follow on these good looking trainers!

COVID Lockdown - Goals. . . . What Goals? 8-(

 Well, as Jan 21 comes and goes the UK COVID lockdown continues. So my take is that sporting events will probably dry up for the year again. My target is. . . .was. . . . The London Duathlon scheduled for 25 Apr 21. Training has been going well but with less than 3 months to go, I doubt the event will happen. As with many people, planning the racing for 2021, I must assume there will be no IRL racing. So where will the racing fix come from? It seems that Zwift will continue to fill the cycling racing void. As for running, I am thinking that I must plan for some Time Trials - maybe a 5k TT focus. More to come on this topic.

Previous Blog posts have detailed the Zwift racing I have done with Frank Whittles WhittleFit Zwift team that participates in the Zwift WGT Race League. I had a good result a few weeks ago in a drafting Innsbruck race that incorporated 2 big climbs. Courses with long climbs suit me; hence, I targeted the next mountainous race - which was today! I have been getting some decent training in with long-time buddy Jase Walkley, focusing on training hard when recovered (guided by my Whoop). Jase was riding today too; the course was the classic Tour of Fire and Ice, starting at the base of the volcano and leading up to the Alp Du Zwift. Then a pain-fest up the Alp to finish. To spice things up further, the race was non-drafting. So, basically, a mountain TT.

We grabbed a decent warm up by riding Stage 6 of the Tour De Zwift, which was about an hour ride at various effort levels. The Race was next. My plan was to start steady, maintaining around 3.8 W/Kg. I felt ok as we headed towards the Jungle but I was way back around 170th position. I figured that I must hold back until the Alp climb started. AS the start of the Alp approached, I found myself alongside both Jase and Frank, So I figured I was in good company as these guys are strong riders. It was time to employ my climbing strategy - 1 min out the saddle, 30 sec seated. I pretty much maintained this sequence for the entire climb. I was controlled but on the edge of blowing - just where I needed to be. I still managed to up the power towards the end to finish strong and grab 3rd place in the B Cat according to Zwift Power. Zwift gifted me an updated FTP of 250W too.

   

The Zwift events have really filled a void for me, especially with some really icy weather lately. At the moment the Tour De Zwift is underway also. I have been fortunate to get my hands on the real life kit too!

Next series for me to focus on is the Feb 2021 Haute Route Challenge. More on thise event soon.

I am bringing in more focus to my running next also. Whooping fantastic. . . .

Measured Progress and Training Dungeon Re-vamp

 My Whoop adventure continues - oh, Happy New Year folks  8-)

I have 10 days to go before I can get my initial month of baseline data but all is looking good so far. I am sleeping longer and better than ever. Just focussing on these recovery necessities is making a difference to my training approach. I have the next Zwift race for WhittleFit tomorrow and I have ensured that I am rested prior to the event, which is basically a 60k TT (Zwift draft effect disabled). Let's see how I feel and how I perform. The flat TT course does not really suit me that well but I hope to be in the top 10% of the B Cat racers. The event after this is far better for me as it is basically a mountain TT up ADZ. My PB is 47:40 for the Alp. . . . .Game on!

Over the last few weeks I have been making some changes to my indoor training environment - the garage!  It was becoming a dump and training was squeezed into a corner. I have not got any before pics but below are some shots of how it looks now - very different.

I sorted the rubbish that I have been hoarding (including old furniture that was used to store bits and bobs), fitted some wall mounted bike rack clasps, fitted 2 bays of shelving for the bits and bobs, and lay a soft gym tiled floor to enable static workouts.  The place feels great now. .  .very happy

Sporting my new Biemme all weather jacket. Super bit of kit that regulates temperature and keeps you dry. Plus it is mega-aero!

Below is Julie's new e-bike! A TK Maxx bargain and hopefully a useful addition to enable us to have fun riding together.

The training den with new floor and bikes stowed better

So what does 2021 promise? Probably more turmoil! With another full lockdown due to COVID-19 in progress I have no idea if the London Duathlon will be allowed on 25 April. To be honest, I have my doubts and this is impacting my motivation. Until I know for sure that this event will be cancelled, I will prepare as normal. So this means introducing some more speed into my running - gradually! I have already upped the intensity of hill reps and continued the long runs up to 21k.

Onwards and upwards. . . . 

Whoop - Less is More?

 I have it! I a Whooping! Yes, my wrist now has a permanent implant, with the Whoop wristband worn 24/7. I have data from 26 Dec 20; this short period has provided an initial baseline of my personal bodily readings: HR, HRV, Strain, Sleep and Recovery. After the first 30 days of data, I will receive a more detailed and accurate Whoop experience.

So what are my initial thoughts? I like it. . . .Lots. HRV seems to be the key variable and key indicator as to how recovered the body has recovered. In turn, the overall recovery % then provides a pointer as to how hard you should push your body in training. I have already started to change planned sessions and take extra recovery - some recovery training or a day off.

That said, there is a balance to be struck. Sometimes, it is ok to build fatigue in a planned way. The key is knowing when to back off the intensity to let the body adapt. I know all this - and have done for years! But the Whoop experience provides data driven guidance in real time. For example, I was not recovered when scheduled to race on Zwift (Whoop recovery n the red at 22%). Racing on Zwift is brutally hard and there is now way of having an easy race. So I backed off and rode an easier Group ride. I will have to pick my max intensity days wisely!

I have limited data at the moment but come the end of Jan i will have a true baseline. The Whoop data for me at the moment is still interesting. I have a high HRV when fully recovered - but too early to know what my 'normal' HRV actually is as my reading is up and down, which is to be expected with various strains each day due to training.

Below are some data screen grabs from the Whoop website. I really hope I can make fitness gains - or at least maximize fitness for my age and capability!

Recovery and Racing

My last post focused on the plan to use the Whoop device to track my recovery and sleep qty and quality. My Whoop band arrived yesterday and it is stashed for a grand opening on Christmas day. I am genuinely excited to see how tracking my recovery can enhance performance. For the longest time my focus has been on training volume, intensity, times, power. . . . .The list goes on. The point is, rarely has my focus been on recovery. My Tri buddies would no doubt verify that I tend to over-train. In my mind, I see tangible training activity with all the numbers, speeds, times etc. But my mind struggles when I am resting - it tells me that I am losing fitness, training=progress. Logically, I know the improvements and adaptation of training takes place when the body is in recovery and getting sufficient rest. But I ignore it - Doh!! The upshot is, the Whoop band looks to be a tool that resonates with the way my brain is wired. 

I am further reminded of the benefits of recovery and rest, following my performance in the Zwift WGT race yesterday. I have been racing for WhittleFit during his series. Last week I had to withdraw due to what was essentially exhaustion from lack of sleep and some over-training. The week leading up to the race yesterday was a very different week, compared to the previous exhaustion week. I had 2 rest days of no training (other than some light core work) and no real intense training. The result was really quite significant and I couldn't quite believe how strong I felt.

In previous races I had not done so well in my B Cat; mid-20s was my best result. Yesterday, I finished 6th and was in the mix on the final climb; at one point, I thought I had a chance of the win. I actually broke away on the climb and thought the elastic had broken as I had a 6 second lead.

However, some of those riders in the lead pack must have been keeping their powder dry! 2 guys pulled away near the top of the climb. I was in the mix for 3rd right up to the sprint. My poor sprinting ability showed again but what an improvement. The course did suit me well, with 2 long climbs. 

But the really valuable thing was that my heart rate was able to go high and the perceived effort was not as gasping as it had been. I was controlled with a HR of 170 and hit a max of 181. I cannot remember when I was last n the 180+ range.

So here's to a Whooping Christmas!

Nearly Year End - Whoop!

 Another year end nearly here. Time certainly accelerates - as does aging, seemingly! And what a strange year it has been. The COVID-19 impact has been huge everywhere. As I have said before, from my training and domestic circumstances, the impact has been nothing but positive. My training volume has increased massively, as has the training consistency. My hope is that my race performance at the London Duathlon will be somewhere back to expectation. But what is that expectation? My last true long distance race test was way back in 2015 at the Bahrain IM 70.3!

My feeling (physical sensations) is that the passing of time and the ravages of 'stuff' since leaving the RAF will mean I will never get back to that 2015 performance level. Mentally, I think I have finally accepted this fact and now I can focus on enjoying the racing but maintaining a competitive edge.

Also vitally important - and I have been saying this for at least 10 years - is strength and conditioning. Over the last 2 months I have maintained this training focus and I feel in a better place for it. I do find it difficult to sustain these sessions as my head tells me that I am missing specific training! But this is specific training! To help, I augmented my Kettlebell collection by adding a 12.5kg and a 20kg

So the pain-cave is now a great utility and I really love the value it provides. I have also been very fortunate to get some good deals on Le Col cycling clothing. Whilst this gear is very expensive, the quality and look is fabulous. Here is the latest addition - the Eurosport bespoke kit:

I look forward to some sunny rides next year!

So I have improved training consistency, a great pain-cave with the best smart turbo trainer available (the Tacx Neo 2T, IMHO), but the one thing missing to maximize my training for the best performance possible is my ability to monitor recovery/fatigue. This is something that has always been really difficult for me; I tend to smash everything and rest when I break. This is not good. To remedy this, I have signed up for a Whoop band! Not cheap but the data provided for this wearable tech looks awesome. The Variable Heart Rate monitoring looks great, as does the sleep monitoring capability. In essence, I will receive guidance on my physical and mental stress levels that will indicate how well recovered I am - or not! Then is is up to me to decide on the intensity of my training for any given day. . .  .who knows, I may even rest more and take days off!

Definitely more reports to follow on this aspect!