Continuing with my (re)exploration of Zwift, I rode an easy introduction to training workout before a quick clean up and dinner with Sue and a daughter.
Looking for another ride in the evening, and with a lack of suitable group rides, I had to go with a race.
Nothing too far just eighteen kilometres made up of six laps of a circuit in Glasgow. This kind of closed circuit race consisting of a number of laps is known as a criterium or crate (hence the title).
I started in the Cat. E pen with eighteen others and waited for the off.
Now, I know the theory that, at the start, you need to get away with and stick with the lead group but there’s a big difference between theory and practice. Needless to say, within the first kilometre I was languishing in fifteenth place but at least there were riders behind me.
The course is undulating with the main climb, The Clyde Kicker, just after passing the railway station.
Although short and only 3.6% you can really feel it in the legs but I managed to peak at over five hundred watts.
Most of the riders behind me dropped out so I was effectively at the back.
There was one trailing rider whom I’m sure was stationary at the finish line as I passed him at the complete of each of my laps but who managed a burst at the end to finish just a few seconds behind me. Not quite sure how that happened.
The main point of the exercise was that I actually finished coming in fifteenth out of nineteen starters and sixteen finishers.
The cherry on top of the icing on the cake (is that big enough) was the banner that flashed up after finishing the race and cool down …
I was rather happy with my small FTP increase especially as I was suffering with a cold so definitely wasn’t at my best.
After putting in over four and a half hours of riding so far this week, I’ll be taking a rest day tomorrow ahead of a group ride on Sunday with The Wobble Cycling Club (WCC).
When I used to ride on Zwift, I joined this online club enjoying the very social aspect of their group rides. The rides were lighthearted usually with plenty of banter.
It was nice, a few days ago, when I rejoined the WCC Facebook group and received a couple of messages welcoming me back.
