Not sure if this one was the smartest of ideas, but regardless today I did Workout #5 in this years Zwift Academy series. Rather than doing this as a group ride I opted for the solo workout.
If I could have been bothered, I would have waited the 15 minutes until the next one started at 5pm. But that would have meant finishing at 6pm, and you know, real life etc, etc.
I’d already checked out what lay ahead, and knew today’s ride would be fairly punishing. However, it looked like a great workout, so I was – mentally at least – up for it.
Unlike many of the structured workouts that I have done on Zwift, this one ended as hard as it started. Bowing in the middle, this one kicks off hard, gets slightly easier, then a tad easier still, gives you a break, then repeats it in reverse.
Yes, that means the final interval is going to be a challenge. Here’s the ride blurb:
High efforts. Long durations. Together, these can wipe out some of the most skilled cyclists. But today’s workout ensures that you’ll be ready for whatever climb, hilly ride, or terrain-shifting road comes next.
Starting today, we’ll start to build sustained power into your repertoire after increasing your VO2 Max. How? By performing longer efforts around your FTP, with a cadence element addition designed to enhance your muscular responsiveness to gradient changes–which you’ll likely encounter on longer segments.
Coach’s Tip: Zwift Academy Road was developed with structure in mind. For best results, complete the workouts in order.
This training program was designed by Stephen Gallagher and Dan Fleeman from Dig Deep Coaching. Their complete coaching approach ensures every Zwift Academy athlete learns the building blocks for successful training.
Zwift Academy Road 2021: Workout 5 | Upper Threshold Blocks
After the same old warm up routine (if it ain’t broke, etc) we were right into it today.
Pushing just over FTP (105%) for five minutes, I must say by three minutes in I’d confirmed my feelings that today was going to be tough. Knowing the next two intervals would only get easier was something of a comfort. But equally knowing I’d have to finish on this one in about 40 minutes time wasn’t exactly thrilling.
Technically I experienced a couple of drop outs during this ride – nothing major, just short blips. Keeping up the cadence was the real challenge though. Particularly as we went into the second set.
Having done a couple of other rides already this week I was thinking perhaps I ought to have done this one whilst I was fresher. It would likely have made more sense to do this one on Wednesday after two rest days, rather than one Friday after two riding days.
Even taking an easier ride yesterday likely took me into this one with a bit of extra fatigue than was sensible. Still, that had always been the riding plan for the week… I think.
My feedback for this one would be simply this:
It was harder mentally than it was physically.
After all, this was riding at 95%, 100%, and 105% of FTP, for five minutes each. Well, times two, but you get the drift.
In order to get that FTP, you need to have ridden harder than this for 20 minutes, so yeah… it’s easier. But it’s not easy.
Regardless, I was glad to see the back of this one.
And I think tomorrow will be either a rest day, or an easier ride. Ideally I’d love an outdoor ride, but the chances are slim. Today we’ve had rain pretty much all day, hail stone, high winds… the works. A far cry from the 18-20c we had two weeks prior.
Winter has come. Thanks Ned.
Anyway, a jolly fine calorie burn, well needed as I’ve been lapse lately and still feel bad for necking 8 beers or so a few weeks ago. Still working that off, yessir.
Who knows what Workout #6 holds in store, but what I do know is we will soon be repeating the Baseline Ride… only this time it’s called The Finish Line. Imaginative.
Will my performance have improved?
I’m… doubtful 😀
