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How often are you racing on zwift or rouvy each week?
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I'm just curious to know how often people are racing compared to a general workout each week. I'm racing 5-6 times a week with maybe 1 workout in there. Am I over doing it going full gas so much or fast training makes you fast? I find it keeps it fun and motivating.

Thanks and stay well
Barry

Great things never come from comfort zones.
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Re: How often are you racing on zwift or rouvy each week? [Barry S.] [ In reply to ]
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I mean I think YMMV, but for me I couldn't imagine going full gas 5-6 times a week in Zwift races. I prefer to stick to my training and do the odd race or so.

How much volume do you do a week?
Last edited by: CMac90: Jan 31, 21 12:06
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Re: How often are you racing on zwift or rouvy each week? [CMac90] [ In reply to ]
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Not much volume, races are 15-25 miles each. 400+ miles this month, more than I've ever done inside by a lot.
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Re: How often are you racing on zwift or rouvy each week? [Barry S.] [ In reply to ]
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You serious Clark? That is ridiculous. Are you really "racing" as in trying to compete, or is this just a way to get motivated? Clearly you could perform a lot better if you limited the racing to 1-2 a week with structured training in between. If you're really going race-hard 5-6 days a week, and you're not dying after a few weeks, then you are blessed I guess
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Re: How often are you racing on zwift or rouvy each week? [Barry S.] [ In reply to ]
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Wow, yeah I'd be dying if I did that. I rode 800 miles this month, but couldn't imagine doing 5-6 days of intensity like that per week. I can't see any reason to do more than 1-2 per week on top of training, in my opinion.
Last edited by: CMac90: Jan 31, 21 12:32
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Re: How often are you racing on zwift or rouvy each week? [Barry S.] [ In reply to ]
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I think it a bit depends on the how you fall in the category you are in and what races you do. If you are at the upper end of your category and race conservatively then flatter courses can be not that hard a workout so 5-6 of those is very different, from regular full gas hilly races.
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Re: How often are you racing on zwift or rouvy each week? [Barry S.] [ In reply to ]
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Race ZRL every tuesday and TTT on and off on thursday, rest of the time run, bike and S&C workouts. It's not the intensity of racing that's the problem, I could find races where I can sit in the draft doing Z2 with efforts, it's simply that although I get an alright session out of that I get more out of a proper session. It's worth noting that 2/3 days a week are easy days with a rest day as well usually.
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Re: How often are you racing on zwift or rouvy each week? [Barry S.] [ In reply to ]
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3 races each week with my "team" (haha), 3 easy or base rides, one workout.

Do what is fun. Sometimes I'll race 5-6x/week, others once or twice depending on what the team does. If you are good at positioning and know the courses, some of your races won't be too intense so your mileage may vary and great things never come from comfort zones.
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Re: How often are you racing on zwift or rouvy each week? [Barry S.] [ In reply to ]
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Not doing many races, but doing 3-4 of the TdZ "fondos" each week.

The semi-competitive nature of them makes for a good sweetspot+ workout (typically about 95% FTP average for a 40-50min. ride with NP at FTP due to in-race surges).

It's also nice that they are all-level events; since I'm right between cats on Zwift, so in races I'm either catting up and getting shelled fairly quickly, or catting down and can make most of the selections (typically only losing to folks who are sandbagging worse than I am).

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Re: How often are you racing on zwift or rouvy each week? [Barry S.] [ In reply to ]
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For me, so far none. But it seems something people are getting into.

Washed up footy player turned Triathlete.
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Re: How often are you racing on zwift or rouvy each week? [Barry S.] [ In reply to ]
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I did that for a while.
Racing is hard but people forget that most of the time you should be trying to go as easy as possible so you can sprint at the end.
I do TTT regularly and sometimes 2x the same day. I also tend to do the really short races.
I never do any structured workouts, but I am hitting PRs from 5 sec all the way to 3+ hours. I am having lots of fun too.
Lately I have been doing some long easy stuff so not racing as much but I will be doing it again soon. I got addicted to the 5-10 min of pain that you really can't think about anything else other than the effort that you are putting on. I almost need it every day.

Tiago
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Re: How often are you racing on zwift or rouvy each week? [eganski] [ In reply to ]
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I'm riding on rouvy, so there's no drafting benefit and I'm riding on rollers, so there's no coasting. Last year I only rode workouts on my own, but this year I tried racing and really liked it. I'm riding pretty hard each time, going for the win, so I'm not sitting on. I know I would benefit from doing less racing and taking a walk around break to give my sensitive parts a rest. I find racing very motivating and fun, but it seems like I might be over doing it compared to most here. Thanks everyone, It's always interesting to hear what others are doing, since I'm on my own here.
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Re: How often are you racing on zwift or rouvy each week? [Titanflexr] [ In reply to ]
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Titanflexr wrote:

The semi-competitive nature of them

Semi-competitive? If you want to cross the line first, it's full-on LIT.
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Re: How often are you racing on zwift or rouvy each week? [Barry S.] [ In reply to ]
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Once a week or once every two weeks.
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Re: How often are you racing on zwift or rouvy each week? [Barry S.] [ In reply to ]
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Barry S. wrote:
I'm riding on rouvy, so there's no drafting benefit and I'm riding on rollers, so there's no coasting. Last year I only rode workouts on my own, but this year I tried racing and really liked it. I'm riding pretty hard each time, going for the win, so I'm not sitting on. I know I would benefit from doing less racing and taking a walk around break to give my sensitive parts a rest. I find racing very motivating and fun, but it seems like I might be over doing it compared to most here. Thanks everyone, It's always interesting to hear what others are doing, since I'm on my own here.

There latest program does have drafting benefit. If you are racing a Rouvy sanctioned race on Rouvy AR (it will have a crown next to it when you sign up), a green draft box will appear in the upper center to let you know. If fades out if you slip out of the draft zone.
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Re: How often are you racing on zwift or rouvy each week? [Barry S.] [ In reply to ]
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On a normal week without and TdZ stuff, I usually race once on Rouvy and once on Zwift. The Rouvy ones I pick are usually 25-35 minutes and Zwift tend to be a bit longer (although I do like crit city and those are usually 20 - 25 minutes). Sometimes I will do a short TT vo max race and use that during another workout if it fits.

I will usually sandbag once a week for a high tempo workout to help me work on drafting. I need to replace the big ring on my bike so I can’t sprint and don’t usually win those.

Generally I try to make the races sorta fit with a workout I’m doing.

Dan Mayberry
Amateur a lot of things, professional a few things.
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Re: How often are you racing on zwift or rouvy each week? [Barry S.] [ In reply to ]
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How old are you? 5 100% efforts / week are way too much for me. But maybe you’re not in the right zwift category and aren’t going full gas? If so , move to the right category :)

So this is a double edged sword.

When I started to zwift I would do 4-5/week and within a few months completely shattered myself. I’m pretty sure these races helped beat up my body so much, I got pneumonia (which is not fun at all)

Now, I try to limit to 2-3 / week. These replace interval workouts in my cycling training plan
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Re: How often are you racing on zwift or rouvy each week? [Barry S.] [ In reply to ]
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Recently, I've been doing a race as a part of my longer Saturday ride. Generally the race I choose is in the 45 min to 1 hour range. The thing I do like about Zwift racing is that I wouldn't normally go that hard in a training ride or for intervals at 90-95% for such a long duration. I am biking at least 45 minutes every day and was just under 1,000 miles of biking in January. Generally Tuesday and Thursday are interval days on the bike. Consistency is the key I've found as I've gotten older - haven't had an 'off' day since last year. If getting in some races each week helps with that go for it. Personally, I probably couldn't race 5-6 times a week and be happy with my results. When I do a race I'm trying to keep with the lead A group and have a decent finish.

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Re: How often are you racing on zwift or rouvy each week? [Barry S.] [ In reply to ]
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Barry S. wrote:
I'm just curious to know how often people are racing compared to a general workout each week. I'm racing 5-6 times a week with maybe 1 workout in there. Am I over doing it going full gas so much or fast training makes you fast? I find it keeps it fun and motivating.

Thanks and stay well
Barry

It really really depends on how you do it and what the data looks like for your races.

"In season" the guys who love racing crits on our bike team will often do the 30min 4/5 race and the 45 to 50min 3/4 race, or a masters race tossed in there on the same night every week. Then also do "weeknight worlds" which is about 75 to 80min.

I think that's doable.

My personal wisdom with this Zwift racing is that if it isn't an intentional week of "in season" racing or a "peak week" in a plan........5-6x a week is way too much.

I said it depends on your data though. There are "super sprint" races where you go hard for only like 6min. There are 30min crits. Etc......

From a training perspective you might be selling yourself short. If you do them too often you don't recover or don't have the energy/form to build the other zones up properly.

Racing is the icing for average joes, not the kale, rice, beans, meat, etc... Pro's seasons are so long and events so large, they are exceptions to this.

Also, it's just training if you're backing way way off in the races just to "be there". Racing implies a goal to win.
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Re: How often are you racing on zwift or rouvy each week? [HuffNPuff] [ In reply to ]
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Cool, that's good to know. I'll have to look into that. I usually find something that works into my schedule and sometimes it's last minute.

I'll be 50 in a couple months and haven't seen my numbers dip as to what I can maintain for an hour or how many surges I can throw in during that time.
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Re: How often are you racing on zwift or rouvy each week? [Barry S.] [ In reply to ]
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None..........how much am I riding Zwift since it got cold? Too much....Zwift needs new routs bad!
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Re: How often are you racing on zwift or rouvy each week? [mvenneta] [ In reply to ]
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mvenneta wrote:
How old are you? 5 100% efforts / week are way too much for me. But maybe you’re not in the right zwift category and aren’t going full gas? If so , move to the right category :)

So this is a double edged sword.

When I started to zwift I would do 4-5/week and within a few months completely shattered myself. I’m pretty sure these races helped beat up my body so much, I got pneumonia (which is not fun at all)

Now, I try to limit to 2-3 / week. These replace interval workouts in my cycling training plan

Yikes, that's one way to get some time off and another reason I might need to limit things. I'll be 50 in a couple months. I'm riding rouvy, so I don't think there are level up categories like a 2/3. I know there are challenges to do, but I like picking my races and routes rather than them doing it for me. I'm riding to win the races I'm in, so no sitting on. Some days I feel more beat up than others afterwards, but I seem to be recovering well that my numbers are not going down the next day.

Great things never come from comfort zones.
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Re: How often are you racing on zwift or rouvy each week? [Barry S.] [ In reply to ]
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Even one 'full-gas' race per week is too much for me when I'm doing balanced triathlon training as I am now!

I'm doing the 80/20 'advanced Oly' plan to stay in shape, possibly race in the spring if things open up, and there's no way I would be able to bury myself with an hour or more of Z4-5 riding and finish the rest of the week.

I can ride outdoors year-round, but due to darkness and scheduling constraints, I tend to ride Zwift 1-2x/wk. I love the Tour De Zwift and other fondos, and I make it a point to ride them at Z2 with sprinkles of Z3 on pickups and climbs for the large majority of the ride, even if it means I'm not finishing anywhere as high as I could potentially. If I have z3-4 work on my schedule, in the 80/20 plan it's rarely more than 24-32 combined minutes, so I can easily get that on climbs as well as saving for a final 10-15 minute push to the finish where I let myself get competitive again and start dropping the hammer.

Works well, still feels quite challenging, but I don't overdo myself.
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Re: How often are you racing on zwift or rouvy each week? [Barry S.] [ In reply to ]
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I am racing on Zwift probably 2-3 times a week. I started using Zwift about 3 or 4 months ago and the racing aspect has caused my cycling mileage to go from maybe 100/month to 5-700 miles per month. I enjoy it a lot and like that it keeps me entertained in the absence of other races. I am only riding though and not doing any running or swimming at the moment. I will usually do a short race on Tuesdays and Thursdays then do one at the end of a long ride on Saturday if I am not outside.
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Re: How often are you racing on zwift or rouvy each week? [Barry S.] [ In reply to ]
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Currently in week 10 of a 12-week FTP building plan on Zwift. Typically 4-5 rides/week, lots of sweet spot but the intensity is increasing towards the end of the plan. I'm racing ZRL once a week and maybe one additional race or TT on top of that. I don't think I could handle any more racing with the demands of the plan.

Not running much due to a nagging injury and not swimming due to pandemic.
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