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 was made up of seven riding days, which is was a first last week, and has been repeated again this week. At the time of writing, I’ve done 20 consecutive riding days, and I can tell you my knees – my right knee in particular – are all too aware of it. I’d strongly reconsider doing this again next year. It sounds like a decent challenge, but the reality of it is that the body absolutely needs rest days, and right now I’m not getting any.
The stats on this week when compared to last are ever so slightly down. Last week I managed to cover a tad more distance, for a smidgen more calories burned, in a slightly shorter time. That said, last week I did get one longer ride, whereas this week it’s all been more steady.
This week’s rides were as follows:
- Monday – Advent of Cycling – Day 14 – Foxy Boxing (Indoor / Zwift)
- Tuesday – Advent of Cycling – Day 15 – Lactate Shuttle Short (Indoor / Zwift)
- Wednesday – Advent of Cycling – Day 16 – Between Meetings (Indoor / Zwift)
- Thursday – Advent of Cycling – Day 17 – Week On The Knees (Indoor / Zwift)
- Friday – Advent of Cycling – Day 18 – Ocean Lava Cliffside Loop (Indoor / Zwift)
- Saturday – Advent of Cycling – Day 19 – Beach Island Loop (Indoor / Zwift)
- Sunday – Advent of Cycling – Day 20 – Serpentine 8 (Indoor / Zwift)
As this week covered three new routes, there was a couple of interesting days thrown into the mix, though none of these rides will go down as memorable highlights of 2020.
Ocean Lava Cliffside Loop, Beach Island Loop, and Serpentine 8 are all new routes in Watopia as of this week’s patch. That said, across the four new routes (I’m yet to do the Two Bridges Loop), there was only 4km of new road added. It would appear 2km of this was connecting the Epic KOM forward and reverse start points, 2km on the Jungle Circuit, and the other two routes have no new road, as far as I am aware. A real Christmas treat from the Zwift devs :/
Of the two, the Ocean Lava Cliffside Loop was more my cup of tea, and I could see myself doing that route fairly frequently. It’s essentially an alternative to the Hilly KOM, with a better positioned climb. What I always dislike about the Hilly KOM is you basically start the route at the bottom of the hill, and then the rest of the circuit is flat or descending. There’s no time to warm up on that route. Ocean Lava Cliffside Loop incorporates the climb up to the bottom of the Reverse Epic KOM, and by the time you hit that little S-bend section, you have a few kilometres under your wheels, so it’s well placed.
At least, that’s how I see it.
Friday’s trip along Ocean Lava Cliffside Loop was also, I believe, my most intense, sustained short activity in a while. It hadn’t been planned that way, but once I’d done the S-bend climb at a fair intensity, I proceeded to keep my foot on the gas, so to speak, for the remainder of the circuit. It would be nice to try that loop again and see if I could beat my time. But I would probably opt to do the circuit in reverse, first, before doing the same loop again. The climb up to the Forward Epic KOM is longer, though less steep, so it’s a different type of challenge.
As I say, nice to have two new short climbing routes available inside Watopia.
One thing that I resolved to do last week that I didn’t do this week was one, or both of my remaining Zwift Academy 2020 workouts.
These two remaining workouts (#7, and #8) both look fairly intense. The prospect of either isn’t exactly filling me with joy.
I’m determined to do them both, but I’m highly conscious that given how my legs are currently feeling, it may not be the wisest move to put in one, let alone two high intensity hours without being able to have a proper rest day the following day.
That said, there’s always the risk of me over blowing things in my head. Over thinking things, psyching myself out. It’s the same with racing. I love it… once I start. But if I plan ahead too far, the pressure I place on myself is sometimes enough to make me chicken out.
I think the biggest frustration at the moment is constantly having to do indoor sessions.
Realistically, Sunday’s are my only true shot at getting outdoors on the bike, without some kind of high time pressure or risk of riding in the dark. Every Sunday morning I wake up, take a look outside, and see puddles. Puddles, everywhere. The only people getting excited by this kind of weather are Peppa Pig and family.
It’s really mentally exhausting to spend 8+ hours at my desk, only to briefly get changed, and spend another 30-120 minutes at my computer, albeit in a slightly different way.
Over the past two months, I’d mentioned swapping things up a bit. Sure, if I have to be at the computer, maybe I could change from Zwift to The Sufferfest. That’s still the plan. But here’s the kicker:
I don’t want to have to do that 4DP test having done 20 days in a row on Zwift. I wouldn’t choose to do an FTP test right now, and that 4DP test is looking significantly harder. And that’s the first thing you have to do in The Sufferfest, as far as I know. Quite the barrier to entry.
The nice thing is, at this point, is that I’m over the hardest part. This week is the final week of my Advent of Cycling 2020 challenge. That means I have four more rides, to take me up to the 24th.
Of course I’ll be having Christmas Day, and Boxing Day as well deserved rest days.
Whether or not I pluck up the festive courage to plonk my turkey stuffed fat backside on the bike on the 27th is yet to be seen. I kinda feel like I’ve done my time for the month already.
I’m not setting myself any hard goals this week. All I am willing to commit to is ~30 minutes per day, doing whatever feels right, based on my body and mind, on the day.