Late to the party, today I took part in my first of the two required Races for the Zwift Academy 2023. I opted for race one, but both are available.
This would be two laps of Zwift Scotland’s Rolling Highlands route, plus a sizeable lead-in.
I can only recall doing two races in one week once in the past.
It is exhausting.
Even though it’s a Saturday, I didn’t have much spare time this morning so I was later on to the bike than I would have liked, and got essentially no warm up.
Bad times.
With 175 riders in the field, there would always be opportunities for a draft, but that wouldn’t mean you could slack off. Just to give some idea, the front bunch was 120 strong after the first 5km.
I knew I would get dropped. It was really only a matter of when.
That came around the 8km mark.
I tried my level best to cling on, but there was just no way.
As it was the front finished 2 minutes ahead of me, so that gives some idea of their pace. From the chat I believe the front bunch split twice on their way to the finish. That must have put me in the fourth group on the road.
Even back in around the 70th spot, the pace was pretty much full gas.
I had barely any legs and was grateful for every power up I got.
Most challenging of course was the little castle loop back climb. I managed to get a feather on the first lap and came out practically at the front of the whole race.
Not so on the second lap. I ended up falling off the back, and from then on was clinging on for dear life.
Things came to a fun climax.
With about a kilometre to go, I could see the bunch behind at the 10 second marker.
10 seconds is about catchable over 1km in Zwift, and the guys behind were flying. I put a dig in, out of the saddle, at around 1km to 600m, and then sagged. Hard.
They were catching so quickly I knew if I didn’t put in another stint I was caught.
Obviously no photo finish here.
I was at whatever else I had to get to the line, and they were on me as I crossed the finish line… but I wasn’t caught.
Hurrah.
Small victories.
Because other than that I came 85th according to Zwift, and 70th according to ZwiftRacing app.
Normally I’d post the race results screenshot. Not today. It’s too big.
Stats-wise, I don’t think this one was anything to comment on.
I got bronze’s for my 2m, 5m, and 20m efforts on Zwift Racing app. But I’m not 100% sure if that means PBs, or just “in that region”.
Truly knackering though.
That was by far my biggest racing field, and I’d say it was up there with the fastest paced racing I’ve ever done.
Roll out Race #2 :/
