Watts Up in Watopia: 2022 Starts Now
Tis the season of waning goals. We tend to let our training slide a bit this time of year. After all, the new year is not that far away. And then! Then! We’ll really start back at it. But, if you wait until January, you may already be behind. 2022 really starts now. So, get out your calendar and start planning around one of these Zwift Academies.
All you need to get started with Zwift Academy Road, Run, or Tri is a baseline ride or run. This will establish your starting point and the parameters of your workouts. At the end of the academy, you will complete a finish ride or run and measure your improvement. You will be that much further along toward meeting your goals once it is officially 2022.
For Zwift Academy Road, use the scheduler to find baseline rides throughout the week. The road academy can be completed anytime between August 30 and October 24, but your baseline ride should be completed before September 27. Academy Road consists of a baseline ride, three workouts, a recovery ride, three more workouts, another recover ride, and a finish ride. You are sure to see an increase in your FTP.
For Zwift Academy Run, registration is now open, but the academy starts on October 4 and ends on November 29. Academy Run consists of a baseline 5k run at the beginning of the academy (before November 1), eight runs of varying structure and intensity during the academy, and a finish line 5K at the end of the academy to mark your improvement. Don’t be surprised if you see one of your best 5K times at the end of the academy.
For Zwift Academy Tri, registration is also now open, and the academy begins on October 18 and ends on December 13. Academy Tri consists of a baseline ride and run (before November 14), five road workouts and five run workouts, and then a finish line ride and run to chart your progress. The order of the road and run workouts will be guided by the Academy coaches. This regimen will have you starting 2022 tuned up and ready to go for the ride and run.
Check out what we have planned this week on Zwift.
Guest World Schedule
Here’s this week’s guest worlds, so you can plan to earn some of the route badges you are missing:
Monday: France & Paris
Tuesday: France & Paris
Wednesday: France & Paris
Thursday: Makuri Islands & New York
Friday: Makuri Islands & New York
Slowtwich Indoors Event Preview (All Times Eastern)
Go to Zwift Events to sign up for these rides and runs.
Monday Group Run, 7:00 AM & 7:00 PM
Join us for a group run on the virtual track of May Field that will kick start your week.
Tuesday Ride of the Valkryies Workout (Women Only), 6:00 AM
This event is by and for women. It’s an almost no-drop, rubber-banded Structured Training workout, featuring a warm-up, set of intervals, and a cool-down. This week’s workout is It Doesn’t Look That Bad.
Tuesday Structured Training, 7:00 PM
Our Tuesday ride features triathlon-focused cycling workouts written by coaches and pro athletes affiliated with Slowtwitch. The workouts last 60 minutes and will help add variety and interest to your weekly training schedule. This week’s workout is May the 4th Be With You.
Wednesday Group Run, 7:00 AM & 7:00 PM
A more scenic group run on the Quatch Quest course.
Thursday Rise & Grind, 5:35 AM
This workout is a 55-minute early morning bracer for the East Coast crowd. Be sure to get a warm-up in and enter the staging area at least 5 minutes before the start. The groups will be fenced with the exception of designated KOMs and sprints, as well as the last 10 minutes of the ride. This ride is double-drafted, so don’t let gaps open up, or you’ll be off the back quickly!
Thursday Hilly Vanilli Chase, 6:55 PM
This double-drafted ride uses a chase format with the D group getting a 5 minute head start on the C group, which will get a further 5 minute head start on the B group. The goal is to have all three groups complete roughly the same amount of distance by the end of the ride. The D and C groups will utilize the fence until they are caught by the group behind. Teamwork is key to the groups catching or staying away. Gather some friends and get them organized to chase!
Friday Festina Lente, 9:00 AM
This structured training workout is designed to get you geared up for the weekend. Roughly translated as “make haste, slowly,” Festina Lente features a workout that will get your engine running but still leave some in the tank for the big rides and races you have planned for the weekend. This ride is led by members of the Kanberra Cycling Team as lead beacon. August will feature a progression of four workouts designed by Craig Polston of EVOQ.BIKE. This week’s workout is Threshold+Bursts.
