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Hilly Vanilli Chase! Zwift Slowtwitch Indoors
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Fellow Slowtwitch Zwifters (or Zwifting Slowtwitchers) join us on Zwift each Thursday evening for a fun, exciting and challenging group ride.
The ride is in a chase format in which the D group leaves at 5 minutes before the hour, C leave on the hour and the C+ & B and up leave at 5 minutes after the hour. The D group tries to maintain a pace that keeps the group together, takes advantage of the stronger D riders and the benefit of the group draft. The "chase" groups work to catch the D group, if they can, in as short a time as possible with the C/B group trying to stay ahead of the B/A group.
It's a fun time on Zwift and as much of a workout as you want to make it.
The D group ride is the longest at about an hour and 10 minutes.
We have had the one and only Slowman ride with us and hope to see more Slowtwitch riders join in the fun.
Leave time D group is U.S. 8:55 PM (ET), 7:55 PM (CT) and 5:55 PM (PT) each Thursday evening.
I get the opportunity to lead the D group and appreciate any feedback or comments on the ride.
Jim.





Last edited by: jwricheyii: Jan 9, 19 10:49
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Re: Hilly Vanilli Chase! Zwift Slowtwitch Indoors [jwricheyii] [ In reply to ]
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That was fun - thanks - I was GABE EGGPLANT
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Re: Hilly Vanilli Chase! Zwift Slowtwitch Indoors [Reactions] [ In reply to ]
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I am really glad you enjoyed it and thank you for the positive feedback.
I hope you are able to join us again.
jwrichey
j.richey
Jimmie
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Re: Hilly Vanilli Chase! Zwift Slowtwitch Indoors [jwricheyii] [ In reply to ]
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I did this ride last night, my 5th Zwift ride thus far I think. I was in the C group (2.5-3.0 W/kg). I was able to hang with the group for the first 15 miles or so then got dropped off the back. It was interesting somebody made a comment about how flat the course was but of course that big arse hill was at the end! Good stuff!
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Re: Hilly Vanilli Chase! Zwift Slowtwitch Indoors [TrierinKC] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks for joining us!

I lead the C's and was the one who commented about it being flat (J Craft on Zwift). Compared to our other routes, that was pancake flat-minus the final 14 minutes on Keith Hill. When we're on NYC, it's really hard to keep a bigger group together staying 2.5-3.0 (several trips up the KOM). Watopia is a bumpier route with a Volcano kicker at the end.

Although that B group caught us pretty early last night, that was a good group and we kept it pretty tight. I'd love for more to show and then we can get an A group added, since the top B's on this ride are putting out A numbers. As long as everyone enjoys it and gets what they want out of it, I'm happy.
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Re: Hilly Vanilli Chase! Zwift Slowtwitch Indoors [AKCrafty] [ In reply to ]
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AKCrafty wrote:
Thanks for joining us!

When we're on NYC, it's really hard to keep a bigger group together staying 2.5-3.0 (several trips up the KOM). Watopia is a bumpier route with a Volcano kicker at the end.

I'd love for more to show and then we can get an A group added, since the top B's on this ride are putting out A numbers. As long as everyone enjoys it and gets what they want out of it, I'm happy.

Exactly. I've found that the relatatively flatter courses really help to keep the group together AND they seem to benefit the D group if we can hang together. I have had some tremendous assistance from some stronger riders who are willing to drop back and help some of the others.
The chase format makes this a very interesting and enjoyable ride. I get the chance to see some really, really strong riders as the scream past 45 - 50 minutes into the ride.
The more the merrier and if you are real strong and want an active recovery come join the D ride and ride along at 2.5 with some good efforts to help pull people back to the group. Thursday on Zwift.
Zwift, I love this game.
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Re: Hilly Vanilli Chase! Zwift Slowtwitch Indoors [jwricheyii] [ In reply to ]
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This makes so much more sense to me now. I saw the groups going by and I thought it was one REALLY long group. It must have been right at the point when they were all catching each other.
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Re: Hilly Vanilli Chase! Zwift Slowtwitch Indoors [AKCrafty] [ In reply to ]
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Yah there were two Bs in particular who were just hammering in the 4.0s and i was barely holding on at that point :)

But it looks like most of us stuck together until the finish.
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Re: Hilly Vanilli Chase! Zwift Slowtwitch Indoors [Reactions] [ In reply to ]
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I did it also and started with b group. Was not a good idea for my third ride back or so after a 2 month break! Held on for 35 minutes but then felt like was going blow majorly so dropped off. Parts of it felt like some people were doing intervals heh

I’m just not fit enough for that kinda effort right now so should have started with c group. Am on holiday here so don’t think I’ll be able make many more rides but was fun nonetheless
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Re: Hilly Vanilli Chase! Zwift Slowtwitch Indoors [jwricheyii] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks for organizing, I have done a few including tonight.

Question: is there a way to see the route before the ride? Tonight we were cruising Central Park for 3 or so laps, then suddenly we turned onto the Sky Loop and I was not ready and promptly went out the back like poop through a goose. If I know a climb is coming like that I will try to be ready.
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Re: Hilly Vanilli Chase! Zwift Slowtwitch Indoors [jwricheyii] [ In reply to ]
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Enjoyed the ride tonight...until receiving a notification of an email from my kid's teacher. The wind just went out of my sails.

Will endeavor to be back next week. Thank you, organizers. :)


#cureMS
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Re: Hilly Vanilli Chase! Zwift Slowtwitch Indoors [dseiler] [ In reply to ]
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I apologize for my absence and my tardy response.
Our internet service at home has been out since 14 January due to a severed fiber cable. (I haven't Zwifted in FOREVER and it's torture.)
I hope to be back in the Zwift saddle again this week and ready for Thursday.
I've been limited to my catalog (extensive) of Spinervals DVDs and TrainerRoad workouts.
I have realized that the company and scenery on Zwift not only make the time go by more quickly it also distracts from the effort.
I will be happy to log back in and see the changes I'm reading about. (I can't get the android app to work effectively so I can only read and dream.)
Hope to see you this week.
Ride On.
JWR
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Re: Hilly Vanilli Chase! Zwift Slowtwitch Indoors [jwricheyii] [ In reply to ]
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just want to say, the hilly vanilli was dope yesterday.

our D group had, i don't know, between 11 and 13? jimmie, you were the bomb. great leadership. i got caught by the first C after 67min, 3min from the end. i like how it was flat most of the way, and then ended on the hill. sort of like a lot of grand tour stages.

because we stuck it out there so long i never really saw what was going on with C and B groups. i must assume the Bs just never made much headway, which is not like them. i'd like to know what was going on in those groups.

Dan Empfield
aka Slowman
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Re: Hilly Vanilli Chase! Zwift Slowtwitch Indoors [Slowman] [ In reply to ]
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Slowman wrote:
just want to say, the hilly vanilli was dope yesterday.

our D group had, i don't know, between 11 and 13?

That was SO much fun!
We were a great team. Everyone stayed together and took advantage of the draft. It was great.
Thanks for the opportunity to beacon.

JWR
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Re: Hilly Vanilli Chase! Zwift Slowtwitch Indoors [jwricheyii] [ In reply to ]
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We are having great turn out and a lot of fun riding in our Zwift Slowtwitch Hilly Vanilli Chase ride.
Our time has changed so we now start at 6:55 pm eastern time US, 5:55 central, 4:55 mountain (are you sensing a trend here?) and 3:55 pacific.
I am not good at the maths but "savvytime" says that time is 10:55 pm GMT.
We still use the chase format, such that the D group leaves 5 minutes before C which leaves 5 minutes before B.
We have ridden the new routes and courses on Zwift and we like them very much (except the GIRO D'ITALIA which it tough on the group D pack).


If you want to improve your Zwifting skills (and I ask you, who doesn't?) ride with a group for which the pace is relatively easy for you, and try pulling and drafting. Most of our rides feature "double draft" so you can pull slightly harder than the group and not go over pace.


If you just want to hammer with the hard core, leave with the B group and chase us down.


That is all.
JWR
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Re: Hilly Vanilli Chase! Zwift Slowtwitch Indoors [jwricheyii] [ In reply to ]
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Do I have to weight dope and not have a calibrated trainer to join or can anybody join?
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Re: Hilly Vanilli Chase! Zwift Slowtwitch Indoors [triathlete37] [ In reply to ]
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triathlete37 wrote:
Do I have to weight dope and not have a calibrated trainer to join or can anybody join?

I think the group D ride is the only one that sticks to a prescribed pace. The B and C group are mainly comprised of people who weigh only 10-12 kg and crank out 400-500 watts (ahem) for their FTP. (Just to be clear I am kidding.)

I adjust my weight (up) for a couple of group rides on Monday evenings. I like the rides but the 1.5 w/kg pace puts me in the fence all the time so I put on 75-100 lbs and ride a little harder.

If you ride with the D group we do try to stick to our advertised pace of 2.0 - 2.5 w/kg. This makes us predictable and usable for riders that want that pace and it proves the power of the Zwift draft because we can work together and make a good showing of it.

Having never ridden with the C or B I can only assume they hit it hard from the get go.
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