After a heavy week’s eating birthday junk food, I felt the need to get in a proper session today. A climbing session to sweat out the pizza.
Well, I’m still nowhere near where I was when it comes to climbing. Right now I do wonder how I used to manage a steady hour up Alpe du Zwift. But I am improving.
The plan today was pretty straightforward: take on MyWhoosh’s Endurance Climb, aiming to get further than two sectors like last time.
Knowing a little more about what was to come, I decided to try to better pace my efforts today.
One nice addition, seeing as I have done this one before, was the availability of my Ghost riders. So I was able to see my previous (and only / best) effort up the sector.
You can choose between having the Ghost rider on for just the segment, or for the full ride. I had mine on for sectors, knowing that I went too hard in the first sector last time.
And when they join you as you pass through the gate, they kind of emerge from nothing, it’s a pretty cool effect. Very sci-fi.
Unfortunately however, on the first sector I had two connection drops, and so my Ghost disappeared out of sight never to be seen again.
It turns out I am able to completely disrupt my bluetooth connection if my hands go too near the Garmin head unit. Not ideal. In the end I had to put the head unit on the bike table, and then the problem went away.
There are some really nice graphics on this route. The transition between second and third climbs is particularly impressive, with a cool cave and loads of rock carvings and detail. One of the nicest looking virtual routes I have ever seen.
And the third sector, though I didn’t complete it, is visually different from the previous two. I wonder what else lies in store as you get further up.
One crazy thing that happened to me today was that on my wireless keyboard, when I take a screenshot I have to press three different keys together.
During a hard effort, trying to take a screenshot is not easy.
Somehow not only did I manage to zoom in (a Windows thing, not a MyWhoosh thing), I also managed to put my PC to sleep!
Bad times. I couldn’t wake it up.
This happened right at the top of the first climb.
What’s amazing is I ended up having to physically flick the power button on the PSU itself, as even the case buttons wouldn’t response / wake it back up.
So I was absolutely sure I’d lost my ride.
Yet when I rebooted, loaded up MyWhoosh, I was right back in like I’d never been away.
That’s … crazy to me. But I’m glad it somehow saved my ride state. Top marks.
I would definitely say I could do better still. Making it to the top of the third sector is my next goal.
Baby steps really, but I’m pretty happy with my progess.
Also saw the Doctor yesterday and got told all was good, no more x-rays, and all being well I shall be discharged at my next / last appointment in 6 months. Hoorah.
