By way of recovery, this morning I took part in the Zwift Academy Road Group Ride: 1.7 – 2.2 w/kg ride. There were two rides, this was the easier – I think the other was at 2.3-2.9w/kg? I’m not sure if the other ride was on the same course. I didn’t check, nor really have time too.
This one started at 9am. Always fun on a Sunday morning.
I wanted an easy ride to end this week. Even though I’ve done less than half the calories of last week, my thighs in particular (along with my shoulder, but that’s a different issue) are feeling very worn. Five days riding in a row is a bit much when combined with work.
One thing I forgot to do the last time I hit Zwift’s Champs-Élysées circuit was to knock the Tacx Neo 2 real feel road feel down to about 20% for cobbles. I think I have it set to 50%, and this one is pretty much entirely cobbled. Not only is it harder on the legs, it’s also noisy – bassy, to be precise.
Sadly I couldn’t change that mid-ride.
Today’s ride leader was helpful in pointing out some of the sights to be found on the Champs-Élysées map. I had no idea. Always nice to learn a thing or two. One thing I didn’t capture as a screen shot was the fact that Zwift’s roads are much cleaner, and smoother (!) than the real Paris. I can believe the cleanliness… but the smoothness? Yowser.
Yesterday’s ride was supposed to be a recovery ride. That kinda went out of the window, as these things often do outdoors.
Instead, whilst not a true super easy ride – more on that in a sec – this one was as close as I’ve had all week to an active recovery ride.
Anyway, it turns out all this time, I’ve thought the blue zone (zone 2) on Zwift was technically active recovery.
That’s not the case. Whoops.
- Zone 1 (Grey, Recovery): below 60% of FTP
- Zone 2 (Blue, Endurance): 60-75% of FTP
- Zone 3 (Green, Tempo): 76-89% of FTP
- Zone 4 (Yellow, Threshold): 90-104% of FTP
- Zone 5 (Orange, VO2 Max): 105-118% of FTP
- Zone 6 (Red, Anaerobic): above 118% of FTP
So all these rides I’ve marked as active recovery have in fact, been endurance. If you ever found yourself shaking your head at my stupidity, then … sorry! I’m always learning.
As part of the Zwift Academy, someone at Canyon’s PR department must have got in touch with Zwift and sponsored this ride to promote the new Canyon Aeroad.
It’s probably a great bike. I really have no experience with other road bikes beyond my super basic spec Specialized Allez. As far as I can tell, the bikes in Zwift don’t do very much at all. They are just skins. Unless, of course, you are a pro, and then they probably do help you gain a few seconds advantage over the course of an entire race.
I think it’s safe to say I’m not a pro. So it’s just a skin.
Anyway, I will now ruin the Canyon Aeroad for you, forever. It sounds just like Krusty’s Canyonero.
Canyonero… Canyonero(ad)!
And so that’s that for my week on the bike.
For once, it’s nice enough outdoors to have been able to go out and get in a ride, but I have – instead – opted for Zwift.
It’s about as cold today as it was yesterday, and yesterday was very cold on the legs. So no big loss really. At least indoors you’re hot and sweaty, even at active recovery endurance levels of effort.
My next ride will probably be Tuesday night. And almost certainly will be the next Zwift Academy workout (number 3, if you’re following along).
Until then, it’s ice cream, pizza, and generally being a bit lapse with my fitness. I’m generally a bit knackered at the moment and feel like slacking off.
