Zwift Racing

I completed my first Zwift race tonight..woohoo!  The first time I entered a race on Zwift I got shelled.  Dropped like a hot potato.  I had no idea the races go out so fast.  In Zwift, if you lose the draft, good luck getting back on.  And, that's exactly what happened in my first race. So, this time I was ready.  I just didn't know how long I could hang before I was dropped.  The race tonight was a 10km, 1 lap race.  The shorter the race, the higher the intensity..just like in real life racing.  I entered the "D" category which is supposed to be between 1-2.4 w/kg.  The "C" category is supposed to be between 2.4-3.2 w/kg.  My power to weight ratio is about 2.9 w/kg.  So, why didn't I enter the "C" Category?  Well, that's because I got shelled from the last "C" Category race which is why I signed up for the "D" Category.  Tonight's race when out hard/fast.  I think I was averaging over 300w for the first few minutes.  It settled down after that, but I was still averaging over 200w.  On the last climb of the race, I got dropped by the field.  But, unbeknownst to me, our "D" race merged with the "A" thru "C" Category riders.  That is, we were all riding together.  I didn't know that.  I thought all the riders around me were "D" riders.

The results: I came in 2nd place in the "C" Category averaging 2.9 w/kg for 15 minutes.  My Normalized Power was 232w and Average Power was 226w for the race.  So, I pretty much rode at my max power to weight ratio.  It also seems like Zwift automatically upgraded me to "C" Category based on my performance..which is fine with me.  My FTP right now is about 220w.  I want to get that back up to 250w by the Spring of 2018.  I don't think I'll ever get it back up to 275w where it was in 2015..but that's ok.  I weighed 175 lbs back then.  I only weigh 160 lbs. now.  It's much more fun to ride at 160 lbs than 175 lbs..especially when you hit the hills.  I know.  When I first started riding in 2003 I weighed 195 lbs.  It was no fun climbing any hill..not even the shortest of climbs back then.  Climbing when I weighed 175 lbs. was much easier.  It's even easier at 160 lbs.  It's fun passing all the fatty patty's on a climb..haha.  Hey, I used to be one.

I'm starting to like Zwift racing.  Why?  Because it's a great workout.  You're expending close to maximum effort..more so than if you just did a solo workout.  The other thing that's nice about it is that there's no crashes..haha.  And, you don't have to listen to all the BS talking/chatting/yelling/etc. that normally goes on with real races.

Check it out.  I think you'll like it.  Power ON!  Coach Rob