What I did to prepare for Sebring 2017 ---today

[RojoRacing]

I rode the Warlow TR workout today - but I created the workout in Zwift the night before. Took me about 8-10 minutes to create it, and it is pretty accurate.
It is an odd thing riding an ERG workout in a field of 1000 other riders thoough.
You are just "pegged" to your wattage for whatever segment of the workout you are on (no biggie there - we are used to that).
The odd thing is to have all these riders around that you are helpless to really interact with like you normally would (catch them, be in a pack, draft someone, etc) - because whatever your ERG wattage is, that is what you have to ride.
My ride below averaged 200+ watts with NP of 220 - I only got barely over 20mph. That's my Hybrid MB speed on the rode! haha
On the Vendetta - I would probably be averaging more like 25.
I did get upgraded to a TT bike and some 50mm CF wheels, so we'll see if that will make any difference the next time.

View attachment 3895

I rode the Warlow TR workout today - but I created the workout in Zwift the night before. Took me about 8-10 minutes to create it, and it is pretty accurate.
It is an odd thing riding an ERG workout in a field of 1000 other riders thoough.
You are just "pegged" to your wattage for whatever segment of the workout you are on (no biggie there - we are used to that).
The odd thing is to have all these riders around that you are helpless to really interact with like you normally would (catch them, be in a pack, draft someone, etc) - because whatever your ERG wattage is, that is what you have to ride.
My ride below averaged 200+ watts with NP of 220 - I only got barely over 20mph. That's my Hybrid MB speed on the rode! haha
On the Vendetta - I would probably be averaging more like 25.
I did get upgraded to a TT bike and some 50mm CF wheels, so we'll see if that will make any difference the next time.

View attachment 3895

I heard it shows in game start and finish inflatable arches to mark you sprint segments and such, is that true? The TT bike is like 1 min faster per hour with no draft I think but you can't draft with it but that doesn't matter in ERG mode.

My new estimated FTP from today's race is 294 at 70kg, inching ever closer to that magic 300 watt wall I want to get over.

 

[DavidCH]

Well the wedges arrived today and I put one on my right cleat and three on the left cleat. My cleats were right back today.

Big difference. Top of my legs are spent but my knees and calf muscles have still got some go and the knees don't ache after an hour on some hills.

So I am very pleased about that.

Let's see what happens on the big Sunday ride.

 

[LarryOz]

My new estimated FTP from today's race is 294 at 70kg, inching ever closer to that magic 300 watt wall I want to get over.

Wow Jason! - I was up over 300watts in my younger days (about 2 years ago) - but I think age is catching up with me a little now!
It takes a lot of effort to get and keep it at 4 watts/Kg once you get as old as I am, that it for sure!
It would be a really interesting test for you to put your Garmin pedals on your upright bike and ride about the same route you did on Zwift and see if the FTP is any different.
Don't know anything about the inflatable arches for the Sprints - sorry.

 

[ratz]

It is an odd thing riding an ERG workout in a field of 1000 other riders thoough.

See I boring, I just sit and watch WKO4 training videos; on the long slow stuff. Double bang for the time.

 

[ratz]

Rode Pettit. felt sleepy easy after several days of hard work. Perhaps added by the first night of more than 3 hours of sleep I got in awhile; all hail the Christmas work lull...
Tested out the new Kickr Firmware and Checked in on how power match is working; Still left leg only with P1 Pedals so that was disappointing. It definitely works, but definitely prefer to get input from both legs.
Lastly Tested doing Zwifter-Road using two iPads. iPad #1 using ANT+ to control the kickr and record data. iPad #2 using Bluetooth to monitor the data from all the sensor and feed them into Zwift. Definitely could not train in Zwift the urge to grab a wheel and smack down someone is way to constant.

Might play with power match again on Sunday's long right. Tomorrow maybe going to add so tractor pulls after the workout just to get some of that strength data updated to current levels in the analysis tools.

 

[CruzLike]

Might play with power match again on Sunday's long right. Tomorrow maybe going to add so tractor pulls after the workout just to get some of that strength data updated to current levels in the analysis tools.

View attachment 3898

What is a tractor pull? I'm familiar with the 3000 hp ones.

 

[CruzLike]

This weekend is Christmas and I will be away and probably on a different feed bag also.
I had planned to ride Warlow on the rest day that Ratz slept through. I chose to maximize my rest, skip Petit and ride Warlow Sat. am. I think the rest was a genius idea. Warlow was not easy. Remember, I'm a couple weeks removed from base work. I'm still not used to 95%-110% 9 minute grinds. On the last set I was moaning as I pushed though. The last set was as much physical as mental. I'm glad that was over.

Merry Christmas to all.

I will ride again on Monday. Looking forward to the 3+ hour tour.

 

[ratz]

What is a tractor pull? I'm familiar with the 3000 hp ones.

Start of interval 60-70rpm end of interval 110-120rpm

 

[LarryOz]

Woke up at 4am to do my 3:15 Tenaya. Pretty docile compared to most of the other workouts during the week, just a lot longer. 3:15 for on ly 151 TSS - I think I would rather go super hard for half the time for the same TSS, but I understand that is not the goal - Got done just in time to do about 12-hour of "house-work" to prepare for all our out of town guests that will be arriving tomorrow at some point.
Ending up with 6 days of riding and 639 TSS - went over estimated by 138 . No turning back now though..
My Sebring track loop is uploading to Youtube now, and I'm building the 11 mile loop video also. Should get to post the Sebring loop later today, and maybe the other on Monday.
Merry Christmas everyone!

 

[LarryOz]

For anybody who would like to ride the 3.7 mile loop of the Sebring racetrack for practice, play this video with the repeat on!
It starts and stops right about where the timing station is usually setup.
Enjoy:

 

[ratz]

Well at least I found out Zwift has four levels of racers. They take your ftp divided by weight. Then you sign in at your ability level . That makes it better but still I'm a weak level D I suppose its time to say "shut up legs" and be grateful I can still play. This is the break down.

• (A) : 4.0w/kg or higher
• (B) : 3.2w/kg to 4.0w/kg
• (C) : 2.5w/kg to 3.2w/kg
• (D) : 2.5w/kg or lower

Excellent I will enter mine manually as 2.4w/kg and then proceed to race.....

 

[LarryOz]

That makes it better but still I'm a weak level D I suppose its time to say "shut up legs" and be grateful I can still play.

Look at it this way: the only way is up. Just chase those guys around and before you know it you'll be better and beating people. Then they will make you change your group to "C", and then ... "B".

Heck, I was at a "D" level when I started riding in June 2014. I'm a solid "B" now and probably will never see the "A", but that'S OK because I'm pretty old now! But its still fun to shock some of the younger guys every now and then!

Also good to remember the groups are not age dependant, and it's way easier for the young studs to have higher power to weight ratios.

 

[ratz]

Heard this guy in a red suit was going for the ham'r sleigh record in one night. Jumped on the trainer and rode around with him for 3 ¼ hours too keep him company. I hear that's a thing people do.

 

[LarryOz]

Merry Christmas everyone!
My 3rd installment in my promised segments of the Sebring video series: "The Sebring 11 mile loop" finished uploading last night.
Enjoy:

 

[DavidCH]

Now the roads have dried out and nobody on the roads because of xmas day it was perfect to have a first at a 3 hour 20 ride. I chose a route that I have an average of 35kph and just do two loops of that but what I didn't plan was how exhausted I would be. I didn't take any jells just a little water. I had money in my pocket but no bars open being xmas day. The first loop I took easy and the second loop I decided to go as fast as I could. The wind picked up too which made it more of an ordeal.

When I got back, I found that I was slow in my coordination, oddly enough it wasn't my legs that hurt the most, it was the tension in my shoulders. I had brain fuzz too. Since I've got back I have been eating like a horse and feel much better.

Nutrition will be key for next Sunday's ride.

All I can say is Merry Christmas folks.

 

[LarryOz]

Well instead of riding the 1st ride of the week "Tunnabora", Jason coaxed me into a "gentle" 2hr rider around Watopia.
Haha - It was anything but gentle - 2 trip around the "Mountain-8" course. NP of 231 for me.
I found out I could not climb the 14% grade with 38x26! haha - I just about died - cadence slowed down to 40 - ouch. (I had to temporarily modify the Zwift grade settings just to make it the final bit to the top!
So instead of 60 minutes at 08. IF and 64 TSS, I got 121 minutes at 0.92 IF and 168 TSS - I guess the rest of the week should feel easy after this!

 

[ratz]

So instead of 60 minutes at 08. IF and 64 TSS, I got 121 minutes at 0.92 IF and 168 TSS - I guess the rest of the week should feel easy after this!

Well the smart thing would be to take Tuesday as an OFF day the plan calls for yellow ride to be skipped if you over cook yourself the weekend before; and that Zwift ride counts as over cooking it during base building. Resting is sometime harder than riding.

 

[ratz]

To accomodate the family schedule I flipped my Saturday and Sunday; did the long Tenenya 3:15 ride on Saturday. That was good ride; caffine free which doesn't happen on work weeks and on a lot of sleep. Still cooked it pretty late into the night; and wound up taking Sunday off the thought of riding Warlow on Sunday just left me flat (part of the reason there is usually a day off after those 3 hour trainer sessions) so took an old guy day; and then road Warlow today. Didn't really have any desire to do it today either but it went well and I hit all the intervals. So back at it tomorrow with Tunnabora and I'll skip most likely ragged to avoid cooking it hard for 4 days in a row; instead opting for 2hard-1off-1hard to get back on sequence.

 

[CruzLike]

Larry: Thanks for posting the 11 mile loop. It was the only segment that I had not seen.

Today I worked on the 1st version of the Quest headrest. The prototype has been exhausted and the refined version is coming.
I rode Tenaya. I'm a day late because I took my rest day on Christmas day. by the time I was at the end of the 3:15 ride. I was drained a little. The last couple days my diet has not been Keto. Might say I was carb loading. I have a sweet tooth that was exercised this weekend. I expect my diet to have fewer distractions this week.
BTW. Santa brought me a CB jersey. Looking forward to wearing it. If I ever get outside again.

 

[LarryOz]

I rode 90 minutes today in recovery mode since I over-cooked it on Monday.
Tried to keep my wattage at 130 and HR around 100bpm.
They only way to really do this in Zwift is to be in ERG mode however - otherwise - you want to chase down everything that passes you!
Tomorrow I'll go cooking again!