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.
Overall a decent week with frustrations on Sunday. More on that below.
This week’s rides were as follows:
- Tuesday – Norseman Workout #3: Geilo (Indoors / Zwift)
- Wednesday – Not The Most Taxing Task Today (Indoors / Zwift)
- Thursday – Fun Times On The Bike (Indoors / Zwift)
- Saturday – Norseman Workout #4: Hardangervidda (Indoors / Zwift)
Making up for last week, this time around I got in two Norseman workouts. Both were decent, although due to technical glitches with Zwift I wasn’t fully able to relax into Workout #4.
I have to wonder if the technical issues I experienced on Saturday were a precursor to Zwift going down on Sunday morning. Probably. It certainly feels that way.
Overall, having the structured workouts in place is definitely making me “think less” before getting on the bike. I like that. If I have a plan in place I can focus on the riding, rather than the prep.
Regarding the intensity of the workouts, I’d say they are at the right spot for me. I would also say that, comparatively, an SST session feels harder than all but the second of the Norseman workouts so far. However, that may be because the TSS is approximately the same, only an SST crams that same training stress into 50 minutes, as opposed to the ~60 for the Norseman rides.
By and large everything was structured this week.
Even on Sunday I intended to do a training session, rather than just a free ride. And that was pretty annoying as if I didn’t still have an unfixed puncture, I would have for sure gone outdoors. It was cold, yes, but it was “dry”… or whatever passes for dry enough at this time of year. That’s my fault for not getting my act in gear.
Instead, I had to make do with the turbo.
And as above, Zwift chose Sunday morning to fall on it’s arse.
Not to worry, though. I have a 14 day trial of Wahoo SYSTM and also RGT Cycling to turn too.
Where things came undone was, pretty much, with the same issues I faced last time I used The Sufferfest / Wahoo SYSTM. For reasons unknown to me, my power readings are consistently too high for the workouts.
When using ERG mode with Zwift then the resistance will adjust to ensure I am doing whatever wattage is required. If it’s a 200w block, I am able to pedal at 70rpm or 120rpm or somewhere in between, and it will always adapt and adjust back to 200w.
However, with Wahoo SYSTM it doesn’t do this. It stays too high.
This is super frustrating. About the only thing I can think of at the moment is that I am supposed to be using my gears… but if so, what is the point of ERG? Maybe I misunderstand. It’s something I need to try out again, but it’s so frustrating when I can’t get into a workout due to the technical crap that needs to be done first. And I can only do that technical crap whilst pedalling, too far away from the computer to clearly see the options.
The plan for the week ahead is pretty straightforward.
I need to book my bike repair, that’s one thing.
I want to repeat my Norseman workout’s #3 and #4, just because.
And I need to get my Wahoo SYSTM issues fixed. The reason being that I want to use that software for the FTP test I am, unfortunately, due to complete.
So I have my goals in mind. It’s all about seeing them through.