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.
In terms of distance, duration, calories, and TSS, this week was massive. Unintentionally so, but that, I guess, is what happens if you do two stages of a Zwift tour in one week.
However, I would say this comes at the detriment of hurting my right knee. Definitely Sunday morning’s ride is what tipped the scales, but I guess it’s been coming for a while now. Intensity over the last few weeks has only been increasing.
Here are this week’s rides:
- Tuesday – Interrupted By The Builder Man (Indoors / Zwift)
- Wednesday – Base Smiles (Outdoors)
- Thursday – Tour of Watopia 2022 Stage 1: Iconic Routes (Indoors / Zwift)
- Saturday – Bomfunk Freestyler (Outdoors)
- Sunday – Tour of Watopia 2022 Stage 2: Flat Stacks (Indoors / Zwift)
OK, so covering the ‘downsides’ first.
I’m going to have to let my knee recover a bit before I get back on it. That’s not so bad in a way. Today (Monday) is a rest day, and I already said that tomorrow will be a recovery / lighter ride.
However, the sun is here and not being able to get outdoors today is kinda bugging me. It would be foolish to go, but it’s frustrating to miss out on a nice day.
As I’ve done Stage 2 of the Tour of Watopia already I have a decent gap until Saturday or Sunday when I must do the Alpe du Zwift for Stage 3. That should be fine – I can’t think this knee pain will last more than a couple of days.
I’d say the one other downside, as such, at the moment is I’m ever so slightly losing weight rather than holding steady as intended. I’m aware I’m on the low end of my weight / BMI range, and this has already (I think) equated to a net loss in power. It’s not a concern as such, just something to be aware of. To counter this I have bought a new big tub of Chocolate Mint protein powder from Amazon.
Up until about Christmas time I was having a banana flavoured protein shake after most rides. Then I ran out, and as it’s like £50 a tub I figured I’d postpone buying more. Whoops. Well, I changed the flavour – can’t say it tastes much of mint – but it’s like a chocolate milkshake and I tell you, thoughts of drinking it do help me get through rides. It is pretty tasty.
On to the ‘upsides’ then.
Without meaning too I’ve just done a big week on the bike. Big considering I’m working full time. The sun is here so outdoor rides are getting more frequent, and we’re two weeks off having the clocks go forwards (or is it back? I never know), meaning we get that extra daylight for night rides. Can’t wait.
I had my first ride outdoors without my jacket on over the weekend. Windy, yes, but riding in just a jersey isn’t something I’ve been able to do in a good long while.
I’m very much enjoying the intensity of the Tour of Watopia group rides. I’ve been pushing myself to get with the front(ish) groups and have managed to really test myself on both rides. Aiming for a ~235w average on the Alpe du Zwift stage, which is bang on what I did it at last time (see the Strava screenshot) and puts me around the 55 minute mark. I’ll take that. Not looking to ‘improve’ that as such, but I also won’t beat myself up if it’s slightly slower.
What with the mega price increases in everything at the moment (food, energy bills, general cost of living), I have momentarily paused any big spending. As such any ideas of buying a new bike are on hold. That sucks, but it’s probably better to keep the ~3k liquid for the time being.
That said, I am looking to grab some winter clearance bargains as spring / summer approaches. I’d really like another pair of thermal bib tights (always very useful in the UK), and a jacket with a hood. I’m looking at another Rapha Commuter jacket – seems to be one of the very few I’ve found that is ‘sensibly’ priced and has that elusive hood, and a pair of Mavic bib tights would be great. Do like the Mavic stuff.
As things start to get warmer I also want to get my youngest out there on her bike. Got to get her confident without the stabilisers, and ideally before she outgrows her little bike. I wish my kids could stay young… 🙁
So, week ahead, chill out a bit compared to last week. That’s priority one. Got to get the knee pain down a bit.
I’d love to get in another SST session mid week, but if the warm weather holds it will likely be outdoors every day. Gotta grab ’em all, as Ash Ketchum loves to remind you.
Then there’s the Alpe du Zwift ride – last days are Saturday / Sunday, so it will be one of the two. Hopefully Sunday, but Zwift have a tendency to work to USA time zones so that may not be possible. If it has to be Saturday then so be it.
But yeah, nothing bigger than that lot planned. Here’s to another fun week on the bike!