Tour of Watopia

kingstongraham
kingstongraham Posts: 26,270
To keep me honest, and try and make sure I don't jib out of any days, going to put my times here and update as the month goes on. Anyone else giving this a go?

Stage 1: Big Loop - April 1st or 2nd ◦Distance: 42.8 km (26.6 mi) Elevation: 663 m (2175 ft)
Stage 2: Road to Ruins - April 3rd or 4th ◦Distance: 30 km (18.7 mi) Elevation: 275 m (905 ft)
Stage 3: Tour of fire and Ice - April 9th or 10th ◦Distance: 25.1km (15.6 mi) Elevation: 1166m (3827)
Stage 4: Figure 8 - April 11th or 12th ◦Distance: 29.6 km (18.4 mi) Elevation gain: 252 m (829 ft)
Stage 5: Three Sisters - April 13th or 14th ◦Distance: 48.3 km (30.0 mi)Elevation: 896.7 m (2942 ft)
Stage 6: Mountain 8 - April 19th or 20th ◦Distance: 32 km (20.2 mi) Elevation gain: 682 m (2,236 ft)
Stage 7: The Pretzel - April 21st or 22nd ◦Distance: 72.4 km (45 mi) Elevation gain: 1,360 m (4,463 ft)

My times:
Stage 1: 1h10m34 (3.6 w/kg)
Stage 2: 43m54 (3.7 w/kg)
Stage 3: 1h17m07 (3.6 w/kg)
Stage 4: 43m28 (3.9 w/kg)
Stage 5: 1h24m44 (3.6 w/kg)
Stage 6: 59m34 (3.6 w/kg)
Running total: 6h19m21
«13

Comments

  • dannbodge
    dannbodge Posts: 1,152
    edited April 2018
    Yep.
    Did Stage 1 last night. Although it's a "group ride" it felt like a race with the pace and way some people were pulling up the hills.

    Planning on doing the second stage tonight.
    I'm more annoyed at the start times. I'd ideally like to start around 7 rather than 8pm.

    Stage 1: 1h13m50 @ 221w avg (3.1w/kg)
    Stage 2: 46m25 @ 240w avg (3.4w/kg)
    Stage 3: 1h26m45 @ 223w avg (3.1w/kg)
    Stage 4:
    Stage 5:
    Stage 6:
    Stage 7:
    Total Time: 3h27m00s @ 228w (3.2w/kg)
  • sh3p
    sh3p Posts: 98
    Yup done stage 1 and 2 ..no reason to think i should miss any :)
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 26,270
    Over 1300 riders in the 6pm stage 2 ride last night. Legs were a bit screwed after going for my first run of the year on Sunday, so told myself I would just roll round and not treat it like a race. That didn't happen.

    Alpe next.
  • dannbodge
    dannbodge Posts: 1,152
    Over 1300 riders in the 6pm stage 2 ride last night. Legs were a bit screwed after going for my first run of the year on Sunday, so told myself I would just roll round and not treat it like a race. That didn't happen.

    Alpe next.

    Know that feeling.
    I was in the 8pm one with over 1000 others and as much as I try to not treat it like a race, it always turns into one.
    Legs felt alright though, we enough to set a tonne of PRs and matched my best 20min power.
  • rob13
    rob13 Posts: 430
    edited April 2018
    I'm also looking to do this, although if the weather is good at the weekend, not sure whether I'll want to stay in to do a Zwift session rather than riding on the road

    Stage 1: 1:11:51 @ 248w 3.3 w/kg
    Stage 2: 43:50 @ 252 3.4w/kg
    Stage 3: 1:20:07 @ 252 3.5w/kg
    Stage 4: 43:18 @ 258w 3.5w/kg
    Stage 5: 1:27:05 @ 239w 3.3w/kg
    Stage 6:
    Stage 7:
    Total: 5hr26m11s

    Dann, you must have been in my ride, as I too did the 8pm one. I ballsed out at the start to get into a good group, but then I just hung on and it was a hard ride all the way to the finish.

    Havent yet done Les Alpe so it'll be interesting to tackle it first time.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 26,270
    I found myself in about 400th place on the flat at the start of stage 1 because I went out easy not going wanting to blow up on the climb. Passed about 300 people on the climb.

    I think stage 3 will be that only much more so. If you do the first 10 minutes at full power, the last hour will hurt.
  • Stage 1: 1:11:41 @ 252w 3.8 w/kg
    Stage 2: 43:20 @ 269 3.7w/kg
    Stage 3:
    Stage 4:
    Stage 5:
    Stage 6:
    Stage 7:
    Total: 1hr54m41

    Was on the 8pm ride Sunday for stage one, and Last night |(tues) for stage 2)
  • rob13
    rob13 Posts: 430
    I found myself in about 400th place on the flat at the start of stage 1 because I went out easy not going wanting to blow up on the climb. Passed about 300 people on the climb.

    I think stage 3 will be that only much more so. If you do the first 10 minutes at full power, the last hour will hurt.

    I think its always worth going out hard for at least the first min or so just to position yourself into a group which is at least equal to or better than what you're capable of. If you struggle, you can then drop back into a group of your own pace which generally provides a better time than trying to drag yourself out of a group which is under your ability.
  • dannbodge
    dannbodge Posts: 1,152
    Sounds like the 8pm one is popular then.
    I was a bit quicker but by the time I got to the last 5 miles or so I was dying (i'm fast up the climbs but on the flat I struggle). Hopefully Stage 3 I'll be a bit quicker due to my power/weight.

    My plan for Alpe is only run Zwift using the power reading, then stick my trainer in ERG mode on the Tacx app and set it to about 240w
    I've already done it and tbh it's actually a bit boring.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 26,270
    Looks like we've got a race on here.
  • rob13
    rob13 Posts: 430
    edited April 2018
    Looks like we've got a race on here.

    Weirdly 3 out of 4 of us posting very similar times despite taking part in different events.

    Graham/Tim, looks like you'll have the advantage up the Alpe unless I can find a few more watts :D
  • My Alpe time was 52 mins dead when i had a play over the weekend.

    Should be a good one. GOing for next tues at 8pm.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 26,270
    6pm tonight for me if I can face it after commuting... Might be replicating real world by riding with wet feet.
  • dannbodge
    dannbodge Posts: 1,152
    I'll be doing the 8pm one tonight
  • rob13
    rob13 Posts: 430
    Well Ive done mine, I'll post the time update later, just so I haven't got a target on my back! First time up the Alp, didnt quite know how bad it would feel suffering for so long. Oddly enough, once I reached hairpin 7, I felt pretty strong, and my HR seemed to calm a bit. Its a very honest session though as there's not really much chance to get swept along with anyone else.
  • I'm hoping for the 8pm one tonight but will be late leaving work, and it's a 35km cycle home, currently in the rain. Might be a very quick change into dry shoes and onto the trainer, or it might be a dive into the fridge for a beer and delay until tomorrow ............
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 26,270
    1:17 for me. 53 minutes for the alpe. Pretty happy with that.

    I felt like giving up halfway up, so that probably means I didn't have much more to give.
  • rob13
    rob13 Posts: 430
    Good time Graham, definitely ahead now. I'll have to hope for a mechanical! Next one is pretty flat.
  • dannbodge
    dannbodge Posts: 1,152
    1:26 for me (my original post updated)
    59:47 up the Alpe, I'm really not a fan of this route.
    I find it quite boring
  • Well .... I made the 2000 ride, by the skin of my teeth! Straight off the commuter onto the turbo, Can of Coke down the hatch and away I went .....

    1:17:57 for me, 52:34 up the alpe.

    We must have been pretty close to each other Graham!

    Stage 1: 1:11:41 @ 252w 3.8 w/kg
    Stage 2: 43:20 @ 269 3.7w/kg
    Stage 3: 1:17:57 @ 3.6w/kg
    Stage 4:
    Stage 5:
    Stage 6:
    Stage 7:
    Total: 3hr12m38

    Stage 4 - tomorrow (wed 11th at 2000)
    Stage 5 - Friday 13th 2000
    is the plan .....
  • My maths puts Graham ahead!

    Running total: 3h11m35 vs 3hr12m38 I need to find a minute and a half somewhere!!!

    Ride On!
  • dannbodge
    dannbodge Posts: 1,152
    I need to find 15.
    That's certainly not going to happen any time soon.

    What are your FTPs and Power to weights?
    Be interesting to see what the differences are between us and how that relates to the times we are getting.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,738
    Question; is there not a massive temptation when competing to drop your weight by a couple kilos?
  • dannbodge
    dannbodge Posts: 1,152
    Question; is there not a massive temptation when competing to drop your weight by a couple kilos?

    For some people there is and they do. It's called "weight doping".

    I personally don't see the point. You're only cheating yourself.
  • There's no point in cheating in my mind. I'd rather not win, and play fair to myself, than win, knowing I'd cheated the system. no fun in that. Others can do what they want, it's a training platform at the end of the day.

    My FTP is 286.

    Not sure my exact Power to weight ration, but I tend to average between 3.7 - 4.2 depending on how much other stuff i've done in a day! I race in A cat, but never win!
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 26,270
    Dannbodge wrote:
    I need to find 15.
    That's certainly not going to happen any time soon.

    What are your FTPs and Power to weights?
    Be interesting to see what the differences are between us and how that relates to the times we are getting.

    FTP is 278w, weight 71kg.

    Average 263w up the Alpe, had a little dip but must have just been in my head. Found enough for a final blast - last 5 minutes averaged 287w.

    No point in putting a fake weight on there - but there are obviously some who do. If them doing that makes my training harder, then it's all good. It probably makes about the same difference as the power coming from something other than a PM.
  • rob13
    rob13 Posts: 430
    I tested myself last month and my FTP was 263w. I'm currently 73kg and the plan is to get down to 71kg as I've dropped from 80kg at Christmas. I'm averaging about 3.4 or 3.5 for any distance. I'm doing about 5 or 6 hours a week on the bike.

    I too don't see the point in weight doping, as I only compare my results with my own. I'm using a Tacx Neo, so I get consistent results but I think there are too many variables to compare with others. I've joined the B group recently from winning in the C's.
  • sh3p
    sh3p Posts: 98
    Nice times guys putting me to shame
    Ftp is 212 and 66kg
    Did some more after and didnt note the time down..
    The climb was 1.11.55 178w so 2.7wkg

    Stage 2 was a steady ride round with my wife 138w

    Stage 1 was 177w so looks like i should be able to push harder..onwards and upwards:)
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 26,270
    sh3p wrote:
    Nice times guys putting me to shame
    Ftp is 212 and 66kg
    Did some more after and didnt note the time down..
    The climb was 1.11.55 178w so 2.7wkg

    Stage 2 was a steady ride round with my wife 138w

    Stage 1 was 177w so looks like i should be able to push harder..onwards and upwards:)

    If you go to zwiftpower.com you can see the results for all the events if you want to.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 26,270
    Question; is there not a massive temptation when competing to drop your weight by a couple kilos?

    If the results actually mattered, and I convinced myself that everyone else was doing it, then probably yes because there is no real way that you're going to get found out. As it is, no temptation at all.

    So the same as doping really.