Come Zwift With Me

Due to the Quebec forest fires a couple of weeks ago, the air quality was really poor and I was forced to do the entire two day 225K Ride To Conquer Cancer in my basement.

For me riding a conventional bike trainer for 3-4 hours is both mentally hard and boring as hell. Sure you can try to watch TV or listen to music, but at some point you start praying that the ride will soon be over and it seems to never end soon enough.

The only reason I got through that weekend ride was with the help of Zwift - an indoor cycling virtual training app.

Zwift eliminates boredom

One of the great benefits of Zwift is that you don’t get bored unlike being on a conventional indoor trainer. You are riding in a virtual world competing with other riders which engages the mind especially during the more challenging strength or intensity workouts.

Zwift is easy to hook up

I’m challenged when it comes to technology but to my surprise it was fairly easy to get Zwift up and working.

I installed my spare bike on a smart trainer which gives me important feedback on power, cadence and heart rate.

I also hooked up my laptop to my big screen tv, added a fan along with a couple of water bottles and a towel and I was good to go.

By using Zwift I’m riding less but better

I found that riding on Zwift is more effective and less time consuming than riding outside. I’ve traded volume for intensity and my training is very specific now. I can train in the mountains or for a time trial – everything is done with a purpose.

When riding on Zwift there are no stoplights or trains to stop for, and no descents to coast down. I end up spending more time working at higher intensities than I do outdoors and as a consequence I get fitter faster.

I usually do two high intensity one hour rides a week on Zwift along with one long ride outside on the weekend usually Saturday doing endurance. It’s important to spend some time riding outside to help with your bike handling skills as well as be mentally tough with respect to whatever environmental conditions are thrown at you.

Using Zwift is safer than riding outside

At my age (68) I don’t want to get into any more bike crashes.

With Zwift there are no motorists to worry about and you don’t have to worry about crashing with another rider during a group ride.

It also doesn’t matter if it’s too hot/cold outside or if it might rain. You don’t have to worry about road conditions or closures or where you can find water. You are free to focus on the workout and nothing else.

I began training on Zwift earlier this year and have only touched upon what’s available in the Zwift universe. There are a large number of training programs, group rides and individual workouts to choose from and they keep coming up with new things all the time.

Riding on the trainer is fun now - it feels more like a game than traditional training and I get to ride with friends/strangers from all over the world which makes the time spent on the trainer fly by.

I’m working on aspects of my riding I’ve totally ignored before and I’m making significant progress with respect to strength, power and endurance.

I only wish I knew about Zwift when I was training for Ironman last year. Maybe things would have turned out better.

Please note; This article is provided for informational purposes only and is not an endorsement of any product or service. Always be sure to consult a healthcare practitioner before starting any exercise program.