January stats and racing on Zwift
So we've let go of January, one of the darkest months for a road cyclist in Finland. You need to get back on track with training after the Christmas-break. The lack of sunlight does not make it any easier. However, I managed to do the best January, ever. Having said that, I mean the best January tracking hours in the saddle. I am far behind looking at fitness and power, but tracking hours is the way to get back there.
A big reason behind the hours is using Zwift. I've been using it since early beta, and even during longer easy rides, I prefer to stare at Zwift instead of Netflix. Zwift has taken huge leaps since 2015, and besides graphics and routes, the biggest leap is organized races. I decided to try out a 40 km race on Watopia. I chose a flat route, despite I think the hilly routes would suite me better. I was a bit skeptical at first, but I have to admit - racing on Zwift is really close to real life. I found myself pushing and keeping an eye on the other riders the same way I would do in real life. The day I chose to race my legs were heavy and I found myself gasping for air. My heart rate was shooting like a rocket. I chose to mark myself as category C, and that was pretty accurate, I finished first in that category. A nice start to racing on Zwift, and I will definitely try it out again!
I had just switched to a new saddle (Specialized Toupe Pro Saddle), and I could really feel that afterwards. If you are smart, you usually get used to a new saddle before racing. And I really got a good reminder of why. I could barely walk after I've finished, and sitting was even worse. It took me a good amount of painkillers and some 5 hours to get me back on track. My thighs, butt and legs were completely destroyed. But a couple of rides later, my body had adapted to the new saddle (more about the saddle later).
I also met up with an old colleague from my time at Canyon, while riding on Zwift.
Since I love data and lack great photos to share, below some stats from January.
Since all the images above are from virtual reality, I will finish off this post with a picture from real life. The winter is really holding a tight grip at the moment, and spring seems to be far away.
That's all for now, thanks for reading!
Cheers!