The TDZ snuck up on me this year!
I just got home from 2 months in Kona chasing Strava run segments. It was fun. I walked into my pain cave back in Alaska last night to jump on Zwift for first time in 2 months with zero biking. I was surprised to see TDZ started and last night was last races for Stage 1. I had to race but decided to jump in to C race and just go for a cruise whereas I usually do A. Test the sandbag algorithm maybe?
It was scramble to get all my stuff together, music, water, spandex, shoes etc. 5 minutes to race time... start spinning.
I noticed the categories are broken into ABCD etc but now appears that the criteria is based more on course length than FTP of riders? They all sat 1-5 w/kg. Either way I just planned on sticking with the front and see where it went.
3x lap Central Park, total 12 miles. This will be fast.
We started and it definitely was not as hot out the gates as A race. Almost comfortable for a few minutes, then I started to sweat. A couple guys made little pops off the front like they were gonna run. I made a couple half decent efforts trying to reel the guys back into the group.
We settled into a rhythm on the flats and jumping up to 5-6w/kg on the short climbs, but staying comfortable.
At end of 1st lap we were a group of 10 (out of 150 total) pushing the pace a little. I hatched plan to relax through 2nd lap and then hammer the third. I'm sure most were thinking something similar. That lap could be real long if I go too hard too early...
1st lap 9min, 2nd lap 18min. Alright looks like 7-8 minutes of pain...
Right after the banner I hammered the first hill at maybe 6-7 watts and dropped into steady 4.5 for the duration. I can do this! I made a quick 50 meter gap (7sec) and could see their numbers jumping as they tried to bridge back up to me. Time to bury the needle!
I held 4.5-4.8 or so for another couple minutes and then the reality of the effort made itself known to me. labored breathing. Running legs not sure what to do with bike pedals. No sand bag algorithm to be seen.
I knew they wanted too reel me in bad. I could see their numbers staying strong and I knew if they worked together they could probably get me. Maybe I was far enough ahead they were now racing for second...?
I swear the little mile mark number never moved so slow!
2.5 miles I cant do this.
2.25 OMg
2.01 Im still here?
1.75 on deaths door
I could see they were up to 5 sec back
1.5 legs getting wobbly
1.25 they at 4 sec
.9 my left calf started cramping. My wife comes to see what the noise is all about
.5 they at 4 sec
Then I saw the numbers start jumping 7.5! 8.4! They smell blood!
400 feet and I can barely get out 4.2
Dude is down to 3 sec. I died and then was reborn again 1000 more times in that last 30 seconds of racing and then crossed the finish 1st, 2 seconds up... I nearly fall off the bike and go outside to cool off, my dog looked concerned.
Anyway, I was dead today. resting a couple days before Stage 2.
Im thinking a couple more C races to build confidence then jump back up to A and see what happens... is this sandbagging considering race criteria?
I just got home from 2 months in Kona chasing Strava run segments. It was fun. I walked into my pain cave back in Alaska last night to jump on Zwift for first time in 2 months with zero biking. I was surprised to see TDZ started and last night was last races for Stage 1. I had to race but decided to jump in to C race and just go for a cruise whereas I usually do A. Test the sandbag algorithm maybe?
It was scramble to get all my stuff together, music, water, spandex, shoes etc. 5 minutes to race time... start spinning.
I noticed the categories are broken into ABCD etc but now appears that the criteria is based more on course length than FTP of riders? They all sat 1-5 w/kg. Either way I just planned on sticking with the front and see where it went.
3x lap Central Park, total 12 miles. This will be fast.
We started and it definitely was not as hot out the gates as A race. Almost comfortable for a few minutes, then I started to sweat. A couple guys made little pops off the front like they were gonna run. I made a couple half decent efforts trying to reel the guys back into the group.
We settled into a rhythm on the flats and jumping up to 5-6w/kg on the short climbs, but staying comfortable.
At end of 1st lap we were a group of 10 (out of 150 total) pushing the pace a little. I hatched plan to relax through 2nd lap and then hammer the third. I'm sure most were thinking something similar. That lap could be real long if I go too hard too early...
1st lap 9min, 2nd lap 18min. Alright looks like 7-8 minutes of pain...
Right after the banner I hammered the first hill at maybe 6-7 watts and dropped into steady 4.5 for the duration. I can do this! I made a quick 50 meter gap (7sec) and could see their numbers jumping as they tried to bridge back up to me. Time to bury the needle!
I held 4.5-4.8 or so for another couple minutes and then the reality of the effort made itself known to me. labored breathing. Running legs not sure what to do with bike pedals. No sand bag algorithm to be seen.
I knew they wanted too reel me in bad. I could see their numbers staying strong and I knew if they worked together they could probably get me. Maybe I was far enough ahead they were now racing for second...?
I swear the little mile mark number never moved so slow!
2.5 miles I cant do this.
2.25 OMg
2.01 Im still here?
1.75 on deaths door
I could see they were up to 5 sec back
1.5 legs getting wobbly
1.25 they at 4 sec
.9 my left calf started cramping. My wife comes to see what the noise is all about
.5 they at 4 sec
Then I saw the numbers start jumping 7.5! 8.4! They smell blood!
400 feet and I can barely get out 4.2
Dude is down to 3 sec. I died and then was reborn again 1000 more times in that last 30 seconds of racing and then crossed the finish 1st, 2 seconds up... I nearly fall off the bike and go outside to cool off, my dog looked concerned.
Anyway, I was dead today. resting a couple days before Stage 2.
Im thinking a couple more C races to build confidence then jump back up to A and see what happens... is this sandbagging considering race criteria?