Every 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 consisted of 4 days of exercise, with two of those days being running days on the treadmill, and riding on the same day.
This week’s exercises was as follows:
- Tuesday – Zwift Running 101 – Your Best Mile
- Wednesday – Think Positive
- Friday – Attack The Climb
- Saturday – ZWIFT 101: Running – Form Follows Function
I’m a bit disappointed that I’ve effectively failed the Zwift Running 101 workout. I had really wanted to see this through, but this morning (Monday), my left foot just isn’t right enough to run on. I tried. I got appropriately dressed and on the treadmill, but I appear to have damaged it fairly significantly in Saturday’s slow paced session.
Bad times.
Fortunately I can still cycle.
The big result of last week, aside from having two days with both run and ride, was in hitting my yearly target of 230w or higher as an FTP. I managed 234w according to Zwift. That puts me at 3.3w/kg, unless the calculator I used is off.
Really happy with that.
I went absolutely all out on the Innsbruck climb, a true FTP road test. With a 6% average gradient to bite in to, I found that in many ways easier (definitely not the right word) than the typical “flat” FTP test. Maybe that’s just me.
Anyway, looking back at my all time progress charts, the journey from the start to now looks like the kind of climb I would like to ride these days.
Those early figures are super scary.
A peak 1 minute average of 196w. 20 minute power at 121 watts. I mean… OK, that was my first week, but still, I cool down at a harder intensity than that these days. Madness. Still, I had to start somewhere.
I’m honestly still feeling like I am somehow cheating by using the Assioma DUO pedals as the power source these days. I love those pedals, and I’m glad I’ve made the transition, but the spike in the graph feels like I paid to win or something.
The other thing to report this week is that I really enjoyed the running more than I expected.
Clearly, I suck at running.
And even more clearly, my running form is really bad. So much so that I am physically hurting my feet with my flat footed newb flapping.
But still, doing laps of May Field is more enjoyable than I expected. And once my foot recovers – which I’m hoping it will have done by Wednesday or Thursday, I do plan to finish off the final two activities in the Zwift Running 101 plan. Such a pity I’ve failed that.
So yeah, a really nice week on the bike. I’ve been a bit concerned all this outdoor riding is not doing my fitness as much good as it would get – efficiency wise – indoors. But honestly, I’m a bit bored of Zwift at the moment and getting out – particularly in the sun – is a big deal for me. Heck, I even have a tan at the moment.
First time for everything.