Watts Next?

 four weeks to this schedule: Vo2 workout, ftp and other tests, short and long workout (short climb followed by long threshold climb). That is a three day workout schedule for now. It might get tweaked later. I'm just trying to train up for the fall season. I doubt that this Academy will be anything worth fighting for. Last year was the worst one yet. It was all tests, no comparisons, no true rewards. I did some of it but passed on committing to the whole routine.

It is a great idea to do some tests (even though races are much better). Only, Zwift needs to put up the results. It isn't fair that some of the entrants were hand-picked. The last two years have seen riders without the Zwift credentials getting selected into the finals. There is no transparency. And the finals were so boring. Will Zwift listen and up their game? Highly doubtful. It has become an advertising ploy.

My first workout went good, It was a few 4 minute intervals, starting hard for 30 seconds and ending hard with 30 seconds. Watts were 277, 285, 293, 291 = 286 average. I also did a step test which showed a 258 ftp with a 272 20 minute rate. I think the next workout is a series or 2 minute intervals with various resting phase and a scary crazy workout. I'm doing the grade with the extended goal of 20 minutes. I have done the Grade under 12 minutes. How to make this a true 20 minute test? Add a lot of weight. It will be done at 90 kilograms, I think. Maybe it is better if I don't know. We are calling it The Cheesecake Ride.

I felt really good today, and jumped on the Alp...not a great power but the first half was cracking under 18 and the top went pretty good under 21 to finish at 38:47! Wow. My Aethos 5 certainly helped. But it was old-fashioned gutting it out on the climb. I feel really happy with this effort. It shows I'm not at my all time finest. But, I am in a pretty good condition considering I have done a lot of sprinting last month. Great day. A top ten finish for me.

Jumped into a standard Zwift races. I lasted the first 20 minutes, then eased up and finished a lap. I had a great 15 minutes at high watts. The pack was very on and off, which is a bit silly, but okay. I set a pr on Brae at 49.79 as I finished with 30 seconds at 600 watts after using a draft. That part felt great. I had a difficult start but fortunately, no one went hard in the first few minutes. I think I just needed the old race stimuli for today as I didn't really have a training plan for this week. I may do another race Friday or Saturday. Or just another long climb in the big gear. I feel like I need a bit more muscle.

Ending August with a return to Tiny Races (So tough, even a top ten is a victory). I'm doing the A race where it is impossible to keep with the lead group. But, I did it! I did for the first race, at least. I finished 17 out of 42. I had to average 350 on any climb pieces, including the finish. I out-sprinted a few guys at the line. Some were upset at the start of the second race that they got chicked. Too bad Tilly or Fuhrer were not there. I still hope to line up with them some day.