Each week I try to review and reflect on my previous week on the bike. This allows me to see how my fitness and ability is progressing on a wider timescale than day to day. For previous weekly reviews please click here.
This week’s rides were as follows:
- Tuesday – Not My Finest Hour (Outdoors)
- Wednesday – Tour Of Watopia 2021 – Stage 4: Longer Ride (Indoors / Zwift)
- Thursday – Now That’s What I Call Not Recovery, Volume 2 (Outdoors)
- Friday – Chipping Away (Outdoors)
- Sunday – Beaten The Steep ‘Un (Outdoors)
Mostly outdoors this week, because the weather was “good enough”.
There were two big rides of the week, the Tour of Watopia Stage 4, and Sunday’s outdoor ride.
Looking at the rides this week, the two that stand out were the two hardest. The Tour of Watopia Stage 4 involved a hard effort up the Epic KOM, followed by a lap of the arduous Jungle Circuit. This one was taxing, but for once during the ToW 2021, I did actually manage to join the ride on time, meaning I was with the group throughout. I reckon had I not been, this one would have taken about 10 minutes longer, and been more exertive as a result.
The second one, almost equal in terms of time, distance, and instensity, was Sunday’s outdoor ride.
This one was definitely the bigger of the two for me, as it involved beating a previous failed climb. This leaves only one other real world climb I have attempted, but never finished without stopping. That would be Birdie Brow, an absolute beast.
What I didn’t do this week was have a proper recovery ride. For this I need indoor sessions. Outdoors I go too hard. No question, that is the single biggest benefit to me when it comes to turbo sessions. That ability to constantly be kept in check.
However, I suspect with the weather being what it is, I will be outdoors more and more over the next few months. With having to be inside all day for work, the prospect of doing another hour on the bike indoors when the sun is shining, or at least, it’s light, is too much for me at the moment. There’s definitely value in the indoor stuff, but the fresh air is very much more appealing.
Stats-wise, this week, I’m amazed / disappointed I didn’t get an FTP bump for my effort on the first 30 minutes of the ToW Stage 4 ride.
I really, really tried hard on that one. I think had I put more effort into the first 20 minutes instead of going longer and harder over 30 minutes, maybe that would have been enough?
Even so, Zwift shows my graph as being my best ever ride. Holding 240 watts average for 30 minutes… that’s massive progress. I guess that does average down to just 3.58w/kg, so maybe that’s considerably down on my previous best… meh.
So again, no real plans for the forthcoming week.
I thought I had an Alpe climb as the last stage of the ToW 2021. Alas, no. Stage 5 is 3 Sisters, so yet another bash up the Epic KOM – they love that this year, and again up the radio tower, and the volcano. Yawn.
Once that’s done with, I’m hoping to get outdoors again for the majority of the week. Today is most definitely a rest day, even though it’s 18c. I’m falling into that trap of heading out because it’s hot, and it’s hot quite a lot.
Right, anyway, I’ve had a terrible day at the computer, fighting code. Now it’s time for a break. No beer though.