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New Zwift Workout: The Early Base Grab Bag

If you're looking for a way to kickstart your fitness this year, or you want to try something different, Zwift might be the thing for you.  If you don't know what it is, Zwift is an online social media style cycling platform.  You ride through virtual worlds, tackling KOMs, sprint points, chasing your friends and completing mileage goals to unlock virtual gear and new routes.

One of the most valuable aspects of the Zwift experience is their workout builder.  This allows you to complete pre-built workouts in the game environment.  During these workouts, it provides you guidelines for power, time, heart rate, cadence and all other data you'll need to know to target specific fitness parameters.  And while Zwift comes loaded with its own sets of workouts, you can easily add your own workout files to the program and create your own workouts.

Just like my previous Zwift Workouts, you can download this one and add it to your library to use any time.  Click through the jump to get the details and grab the new Early Base Grab Bag workout!

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Making The Most Of Your Indoor Cycling Training

Whether it's escaping the weather as winter sets in or grabbing a quick hour workout, the indoor trainer is a valuable tool in any cyclist's arsenal.  It can be mind-numbingly boring though.  That doesn't mean that it can't be one of the most valuable training modalities available to you.

In this episode of the Tailwind Coaching Podcast, I'll show you why the trainer is such a valuable tool.  I'll also give you a few of my favorite workouts and interval progressions.  These won't just get you fit: they'll keep you motivated to get on the trainer again and build even more fitness.  And the variety they offer will help you round out your fitness and get you strong and confident when you get back out on the road.

So click through the jump and learn how you can get the most out of your indoor cycling training.

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Is Zwift Killing Cycling?

There's no doubt that the online training platform Zwift has experienced exponential growth in the last few years.  In fact, Zwift users have managed to rack up more than 200 million kilometers in 2017.  That's a LOT of miles, and probably a lot of fun too.

There's also little doubt that Zwift is an amazing training tool.  In fact, I've relied on it for much of the past two winter seasons to both build fitness and maintain motivation.  What seems to have risen recently, however, is the concept of Zwift racing.  More than once, I've seen people comment about the validity of these competitions.  Are people using the online format to easily cheat?  Is it even racing if you're not in the same room with someone else?

There are even plenty of people on various Zwift Facebook groups that eschew outdoor riding completely in favor of a virtual riding platform.

A few years back, I wrote about how Strava had the potential to be a fitness wrecker.  Now, hearing that people are turning to Zwift instead of the outdoors, I'm wondering, “Is Zwift Killing Cycling?”

Click through to explore the pros and cons of this burgeoning platform:

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Motivation Monday: Pacing For Preservation

If you read my previous “Motivation Monday” posts, you'll know I was somehow suckered into riding the Monkey Knife Fight on April 14th.  I'd suggest you read those posts to get an idea of what I've gotten myself into and where I've been so far in terms of training.  The short, short version of it is this: it's a spring classic, PA style.  That means dirt roads, gravel, steep climbs, shitty weather and lots and lots of fun.  And beer.  There's a beer sponsor.  I think it's Funk Brewing, actually.

In past columns, I've detailed some of my training theory behind a ride like this.  Yeah, it's lots of muscular endurance and plenty of VO2 max work.  No, it's not glamorous at all, but it gets the job done.  In all honesty, training never is glamorous, is it?

I've also gone on to explain how you can tell when your fitness has climbed enough for an “out of order” fitness test.  Since then, it's been pretty quiet.  Why?  Well, there are a couple factors I'll detail today.  But in reality, it's just been grinding out intervals and hoping to get fit enough to not die.

And what's my plan for not dying on this thing?  Click through the jump to find out!

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Motivation Monday: Testing Time

If you read my first “Motivation Monday” you'll know I was somehow suckered into riding the Monkey Knife Fight in April.  I'd suggest you read that post to get an idea of what I've gotten myself into.  The short, short version of it is this: it's a spring classic, PA style.  That means dirt roads, gravel, steep climbs, shitty weather and lots and lots of fun.  And beer.  There's a beer sponsor.

In past columns, I've detailed some of my training theory behind a ride like this.  Yeah, it's lots of muscular endurance and plenty of VO2 max work.  No, it's not glamorous at all, but it gets the job done.  In all honesty, training never is glamorous, is it?

Today, I'm going to chat about how you know it's time to test (even if it's outside your scheduled testing time) and modify your program a bit.

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