Dirt Race

 I tried a race today, the Libby Hill After Party is a good course for my legs, albeit a little long. I need a group that's not too fast. I struggled to keep with leaders. I always seem to fall back right after the sprint line. I had to drop back to the fourth group today to find an endurable pace. I hit the finishing hill with a group of 14 and finished third with another gal taking first. That was 77 and 79th place on screen, of 209. But overall, I rode terrible. My avatar is still not drafting for the first minute of the race and it tires me out. 

Why do I try to ride with the big boys (and a pro named Alice)? I just can't plod along too slowly or I will end up with a group that I can too easily outsprint. I want that shot at the title. A true B with the mind of an A racer. I'm still waiting to see if Zwift can fix me being put as an A instead of B racer. One big mistake and I'm stuck for now. Today's wattage was a bit low for me, 243 with a 1:32 time on Libby which is not too shabby. But, I expected better. Maybe I'll race again tomorrow.

And again the next day, 10 laps of Crit City with 260 watts the first 5 laps followed by 190. I cruised for one lap at 150 watts. No excuses, just didn't have it when I needed it. I'm thinking of working the 2020 Tri program of five workouts. I remember it was tough but not too hard. Races can wait for a bit until I recover some oomph.

Toying with Retirement

 After the Tour de Zwift, I am left a little bit weak and tired. I've actually thought of retirement. I expect at my age to go down a bit every year and it is hard to accept mentally. I love racing. Recently, an error in my race weight has me stuck as an A racer for the next three months. LOL, I always said I wanted to be an A cat and now I am complaining. I set my weight but somehow it didn't set and I didn't notice my weight was way off. Zwift won't correct this. It is just my burden to bear or so they say. 

Maybe I should go back and re-ride all of my Alp sections. I do love sprinting each section (although Strava does not record every section). I still own a dozen or so sections. There's a few that keep getting taken away by 'fliers' that are in a group banded ride. They can get a slingshot at 40 kph. There's just too many to delete them all would be a waste of time. I like training at 400-500 watts, pure sprinter's delight. 

I don't see much on the horizon except a new Tokyo course to attack in July and Belgium in September. I'm sure this is a training lull that I will get out of. Right now, it feels quite sluggish in training. Got any ideas? 

EDIT: I did a race today, fell back from the lead group very early and just stuck with a small group. It went fairly well. Our group swelled to about 13 as the laps went on. Three of us took off on the final hill before the sprint in NY. I caught the draft, passed and then surged into the lead and won the group sprint. Doh! I wore but forgot to pair my HR. Still a decent race for  riding just under 250 watts when I use to race at 260 or 270. I have to keep my hope alive. 

Who is Zee Kryder

  Today is September 19 2020. I am preparing for the Zwift Academy. I missed the 2016 Academy but I have done fairly well in the last three years. I was preparing for the Zwift Time Trial World Championship, which is now cancelled.(I was last year's winner) I just did my best hour power riding up Ventoux today.

     I've done some work behind the scenes for Zwift. Here's some of my work that has come to fruition: Designed the Highline in New York, the Speed Wheel in time trials, the Invisible Power-up and a little more. I got the T-Rex thrown in Titan's Grove by talking directly with Eric Min. Still trying to get Campy wheels, Ventum paint special, and a Greek Marathon Running course. Trike bikes for para-cyclists is on my radar also. I started the social group ZwiftOff, a group that use Zwift for weight loss and hope for official recognition some day. 

     I've won a few titles. Several people will point out that the early days lacked a lot of competition, which is true. It was fun all the same. I won the Switzerland National Zwift Championship in 2018, the Zwift World Time Trial Race in 2019, and the Tour de Zwift in 2020. I've also finished top twenty in the CVR Race Series and I took fifth place in the KISS Europe Race Series. I entered and won one race in the KISS American Race Series beating Brit Mason by a hair (one of my most exciting finishes). EDIT: I also finished first in the Swiss Nationals December 2020. Woo Hoo!

     I interviewed for the Academy Semi-Finals but simply can't compete with the top amateurs. I don't have enough race experience. My goal this year will have to be the forward KOM. My 10 second sprint has diminished in the last year or so. My thirty second and one minute power are still pretty sharp. After five minutes, I slow again. We will give it a go. Maintaining top form is a difficult task. EDIT: I finished about tenth. Some of the competition was wicked fast, 1:40 to my 1:46.

     Some of this blog was to record what I was doing, more for myself than the readers. I appreciate you few readers and all those who follow and encourage me with ride-ons. I only wish I had Zwift when I was younger.  

     Edit: Feb 2 20121, I'm riding the Tour de Zwift but there is no GC compilation. I'm just doing it although. It used to be a race. I'm very disappointed in Zwift for this failure. They have left me down a lot this past year, from the Nationals (moved from Feb. to Dec.) to letting the Time Trial World Championship go, I've trained hard for nearly nothing. The Moviestar race is tomorrow, but I'm skipping it ( I think) because I don't have much of a chance of surviving the first lap and I don't want to skip dinner with my hubby just to burst into the race for 15 minutes all for nothing. I would like to say I finished in the top 20 or so. But, I don't think it matters unless I can compete for the win. If it was a flat course or just one lap, then maybe I would have a chance. 

     I'll find some goal soon, then we'll be at it again. Until then....