Training Without Races: Virtual Racing
At this point Zwift, TrainerRoad, SufferFest, etc are household names for triathletes and cyclists. These platforms are great ways to get strong on the bike and scratch that competitive itch that you can’t quite reach right now. You’ve most likely tried virtual riding/racing in one form or another or you’ve at least seen Ironman hosting professional races on Zwift and hosting VR races for cheaters….I mean age groupers, sorry…kind of.
The Good
1.Watching the Pros compete. At this point in the summer I am desperately missing the Tour De France and, with the postponement of all the spring classics, it’s been too long since we have seen televised bike racing. Seeing the level of talent from professionals always gives me more motivation to go out and work hard myself. Ironman Live does a great job of streaming racing via Facebook and those races are the perfect background noise to have streaming all day long.
2. A great way to stay competitive, allowing you to push yourself. This is one of, if not the first, year in a lot of our adult athletic lives we haven’t had a goal race on the calendar. Something about that makes me feel a little bit aimless and adrift, what is all this training getting me? How do I know how good I am if I won’t have a way to test it until 2021? Having virtual races allows you to get some of that motivation and drive. Even if you can’t set “placing in your age group” or overall winning goals, you can try to set new PR’s. You can tackle the Zwift equivalent of hunting Strava segments (see our post from the other week), and prove to yourself you are improving by putting out better efforts on Zwift courses. This won’t take the full edge off of missing racing, but it can help.
3. Flexibility- This is one of the biggest perks of virtual racing. Not everyone loves the 3:30am wake up race day morning and all the preparation that goes into it, with overnight stays, flights, etc. Virtual racing avoids all those hassles because it can be done any day or time of your choosing, starting and ending in the comfort of your own home (if not riding/running there entirely). If every official Ironman could take place outside my front door, on my normal sleep schedule, it would be a dream come true.
4. Ability to test nutrition and gear - Are you curious to try the gel that all the elite marathoners have been using? New hydration pack/bottle you bought and don’t know if it can stand up to 20+ miles? The old adage of “nothing new on race day” doesn’t quite apply to virtual races. While having to walk off of a physical race course is always a *bit* of a blow to the ego/wallet, there are way fewer consequences of bailing on a virtual race if you bonk, or get a cramp, or get a weird chafe...especially if you are just in your “pain cave” and only need to roll yourself back to the couch.
5. You’re getting strong and your FTP is increasing. No secret here, structured indoor training is a great way to get strong on the bike. Even without a race in any form, training never goes to waste. Being fit is also always better than being unfit... and when racing does resume you’ll be happy you added some money to your fitness bank. You’re healthier, living a more active lifestyle, able to ride up a really steep mountain in case life ever requires that of you…
6. Last but certainly not least … no long bathroom lines for your last second panic pee.
The Bad
1.No race environment - The experience of racing is, ultimately, not just what you are doing physically, but the fact that you are doing it in the race environment. The crowd, the other competitors, and even the parts that aren’t fun (early morning wake up and anticipation), all make the race experience more memorable and significant. Beyond just that, you’re responsible for being your own pit crew in a VR… knowing the course, having enough nutrition/water, watching for traffic, etc. Those race volunteers are really taking a lot of burden off of the athletes! All alone and without those typical race day elements we sometimes forget about, it is harder to push yourself to new peak performances. And even if you do manage to set a new personal record, it doesn’t *feel* the same when there is no finish line. You’ll also lose out on valuable racing experience as virtual racing simply can’t take the place of the real thing.
2. Transitions - Yes, these actually matter during your race. Virtual racing could go pro or con on this really, depending on how diligent you are. This could be an opportunity to practice the often neglected fourth leg of the triathlon and really nail the transitions. Get your shoes laid out right, race belt, etc… and practice the speed and anxiety that are normally part of that hurried exchange. Most of what I’ve seen in the Virtual Race circuit, however, has been people taking the maximum breaks the race will allow. Ie, if you have 24 hours to ride 20 miles and run 3…. People are taking a 12 hour break between. That may make your times faster (I hope it does…) but it isn’t replicating a “triathlon” or even a brick workout anymore… it’s two separate workouts that you recovered for.
3. Blatant cheating. Ever wonder how the guy who rode at 8 watts/kilo for an hour on Zwift did it? Or how it was possible for the virtual KOM to be at 50mph? They cheated. Yup entering your weight at 120 pounds when you weigh 160 will increase your speed when the equation is based on watts/kilo. On a lighter note there are simply discrepancies between devices (trainers, power meters, etc) or race course (competitor #1 ran downhill and #2 ran at a 1% incline) that can lead to inaccuracies in virtual racing. The point is, be honest with yourself and everyone else with you online. If you need a reminder about who cares about your results (almost no one) see our last blog.
4. It’s a different sport - Even if you're not *blatantly* cheating, by its very nature virtual racing is a different sport than racing bikes, running racing, or triathlon. In a real race, someone passes you and...if you want to win...you go with them...regardless of the power output or pace or anything else. I was recently running with Mission Multisport coach Holly Benner and Caroline and I mentioned a goal power I’d like to hit during a race. Holly’s first question was “what are you going to do if someone passes you?” It is a race between people. In a virtual race where the competitors are completing the race segments on their own time, you have no idea where you are in relation to anyone else. Outside of that, Zwift and other virtual platforms have gamified training that, while entertaining, changes the strategy of racing as well. To a non-Zwift aficionado, the different drafting and power ups including burritos, cloaking, steam rollers etc, mean nothing. And a big part of succeeding in a competitive Zwift race would involve knowing how and when to use them strategically, and what they will mean for you. Being good at that is definitely a skill. But being good at video games won’t necessarily translate to the strategies and tactics of being good in race situations
5. Indoor training can burn you out - We’ve all been there, burnout is real. You’ve been working hard, potentially started this year in a training block for an Ironman, Half, or other goal race….and now the race is cancelled (or virtual)... and you can’t find the drive to care about training, especially when it’s just riding on Zwift 7 days a week. Looking at the same four walls can be draining, and just so boring. Plus, there is an incentive when riding the trainer or Zwift racing or Ironman VR to push BIG power, but you can’t PHYSICALLY go hard every day, and race every weekend.
6. You’re losing (and probably never had) bike handling skills. Hate to break it to you but riding indoors, regardless of your effort, will not necessarily translate to outdoor speed. I know smashing the pedals while holding onto your basebar will give you a higher output but when you go outside and stay in your aero bars for 15 minutes out of your 5 hour ride you’ll regret not practicing riding in that position. There are also ways to increase your speed without putting out more power. Cornering, riding the correct section of pavement, climbing in the right gear, descending confidently, timing your shifting, etc. All techniques that you won’t learn while riding indoors. In our area the corn is high right now, and if you want to time trial with the least amount of wind, you stay as close to the corn as possible on the side of the road to minimize air disruption. Go outside and learn how to really handle and ride your bike once in a while.
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-Ben Rotherham
Head Coach, MIssion Multisport