When I was 26, I would jokingly refer to my bike as the CWM (Cross Wind Missile). I'm not 26 anymore...

About Me

My name is Dean Russell and I raced road bikes and some track endurance in the 1990s. I stopped racing in 1999 when I was 26. After almost thirteen years of being a lazy slug I decided to put my sorry backside onto a bike seat and have another crack at racing. This blog chronicles my journey from being completely unfit and overweight to becoming one of the oldest Elite A grade riders in Queensland...and then slipping nicely back into Masters racing.

Saturday, 12 May 2018

Zwift Rides and Races; finding some of the best spots to spend your indoor time

Anyone who rides with me or is coached by me knows that I am a huge fan of the indoor training platform Zwift. I just can't get enough of it! 


If you are new to Zwift, it may be difficult to navigate your way through the multitude of events that you can participate or compete in through the Zwift Companion App. The following rides and races are events that I have found to be spot on in terms of achieving what I need from a particular session (keeping in mind that I am in Australia and obviously ride in that time zone):

SAS 1-2-3 Ride: 
5.55am, 45 minutes, weekdays. This is a great recovery ride with some good social banter. The pace is nice and steady and perfect for spinning out those sore legs. Always on a flat course.

AHDR Bacon Rolls:
5.50am, 60 minutes, Monday, Tuesday, Friday. Very similar to the SAS ride (above) but the pace is higher and duration is a little longer. This is my 'go to' recovery ride on a Monday and Friday. Always on a flat course. 

AHDR PretzHELL:
7.02am, 72km, Sunday. For my money, the best longer bunch ride on Zwift. Normally over the Watopia Pretzel course with a big group and plenty of climbing. There is a mini-race at the end if you are keen. If you are wanting to avoid the cold conditions outside on a Sunday morning and get a great workout, then this is the ride for you. 

GGCC Glasgow Green CC Cat & Mouse Training Ride:
5.45am, 30 km (varies), Wednesday. I stumbled across this organized group ride and it is an excellent option. You select which group you start in and then the ride unfolds as a 'handicap training race' where the faster groups have to catch the slower ones. A good steady pace with plenty of work at threshold. This is often a great mid-week ride for me.

The Chop (WBR) Race:
6.00am, 30 km (varies), Thursday. This is one of many races hosted by the WBR (World Bicycle Relief) Zwifters (I am a proud member of the Race WBR team). This is very much like the Cat & Mouse ride mentioned above, except that it is a full gas handicap race. Riders start in graded groups and chase each other all the way to the line. This is a quality workout! 

WBR 1 Lap Flat Race:
Various times, 10km (varies), every day. The WBR 1 lappers are probably the best 'bang for your buck' rides in terms of time on Zwift. Quick warm up, race, quick wind down. Some big efforts and a hard workout all over in thirty minutes from getting on the bike to getting off. Always good sized fields and a high pace. If you are short on time I can't recommend these enough.

KISS 2km Pursuit League:
7.05pm, 2km x 4, Saturday. A really bad time slot (Saturday nights), but a unique and fun race that involves four 2km Individual Time Trials with a twenty minute break in-between. Something different and a guaranteed heart starter!

So there you have it, a few options to think about if you are trying to work your way through the huge number of events available on Zwift.

Ride on!

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