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 consisted of five rides, but four were so low effort that I ended up burning less calories this week in more riding time than I did last week. I think that’s something of a first for me. And perhaps not a habit I want to get in to.
This week’s rides were as follows:
- Wednesday – Expect The Unexpected (Outdoors)
- Thursday – Covid Jabbery (Indoors / Zwift)
- Friday – Arm-y Man (Indoors / Zwift)
- Saturday – Yet Another Lazy Day (Outdoors)
- Sunday – Oddball Angles (Indoors / Zwift)
A mixed bag of indoors and out this week, though only one was one where I put in some effort, and that one happened right at the start of the week.
I can come up with plenty of excuses as to why, but the fact is I got lazy this week.
One thing I said I’d do last week, and I have said it many times before, is that I would switch off Zwift to another platform.
This will happen, I promise.
But right now, Zwift is easy peasy to jump into, and with my lack of excitement for breaking a sweat during the week, I opted for the path of least resistance. My Zwift subscription will expire this week, so I will be forced to address this issue.
That said, I enjoyed the Zwifting this week. Well, mostly.
One thing I’ve been wondering is whether continual outdoor rides have contributed significantly to my tiredness / fatigued state. It’s really difficult for me to recover outdoors. Zwift definitely wins in that regard.
Also, having had a Covid jab this week, I didn’t want to go outdoors due to arm pain. Thankfully that’s all gone now, so I expect to push a bit harder over the next set of rides.
What I’m very aware that I need at this point – aside from a kick up the arse – is to do a new FTP test, and then start working from there.
I’m expecting to have dipped in form, for what it’s worth.
I think my last test came in at 238w, or about 3.7w/kg.
I’d be happy to be at 3.5w/kg at this stage, and I have gained weight since then, too. Not concerned about the weight gain, probably for the best.
I’m aiming to do the FTP test as part of The Sufferfest sign up process. Not really looking forward to that, to be completely honest, and another good reason why I’ve been putting it off. But anyway, I think that’s got to be done – their 4DP approach might be sufficiently different enough to make the process slightly more palatable.
But I doubt it.
I’m fully expecting that to hurt.
And so… yeah.
Not a great week, really.
Taking the positive – I did still do 5 exercise days, and I did manage to average over 500 calories on each ride. For a slack week, that’s not so bad. I didn’t miss any of my targets, either, so again, all good there.
Going outdoors, I really need to be out without so many layers on. I need to accept that if I’m in long sleeves, jacket, bib tights… I overheat much faster, and get far more uncomfortable than wearing short sleeves and bib shorts. Perhaps I need to be less harsh on myself in those circumstances.
Also, I am beating myself up about having a recovery week when I’m mentally exhausted.
What I feel I need is some solid SST sessions. Perhaps that would be the kick start I need to reinvigorate myself.
Maybe I’ll throw one or two in the mix this week, what with it being my final week with Zwift for … who knows how long?