Even more addicted for 2021

stats of the week: run 17 km, zwifted 233 km, tm walked 12 km

Looking back to this damned year I have to realise that it was my worst running year since 1995, for 25 years! The corona year saw me running just 1232 km. During summer the motivation was low and in autumn the meniscus knee stopped me right until now.

I can take a bit of comfort in looking at my cycling year. 5,500 km respresent my 4th best bike year of all times. Mounting Mont Ventoux twice, from Sault and from Malaucene, was the highlight of the year. 

A number of events I had entered for 2020 have been delayed to 2021. Syltlauf, Berlin Half Marathon, Gran Fondo Mt Ventoux, Santini GF Mt Ventoux, Karwendelmarsch. The GF Mt Ventoux has already been cancelled also for 2021, Berlin has been shifted to August. I wonder if anything will take place. Only one plan is fixed for the new year. I hope to ascend Mt Ventoux six times, 2 each way. The book "Der kahle Berg", newly translated into German, lets me feel even more addicted. Fortunately we bought a small lodge at the foot of the adored hill what will enable us to spend more time cycling around and up.

(amazon link)

Surviving in artificial world

stats of the week: run 10 km, cycled 96 km, zwifted 155 km/4:40h, tm walked 12 km

The streak of daily exercising continues. Since 11th Nov I count 40 days of any kind of sports activity. I am happy with this history although I would love to run longer distances and I miss the trail runs. The knee is still improving and I hope the meniscus will recover without surgery.

I enjoy joining the Zwift Ride Groups meanwhile. It is a bit disappointing that I can only keep up with the slowest of four performance categories. To keep a power of around 140 Watt for one hour seems to be my current limit while I see others easily riding at an average of more than 200 W. However, I found a new sports world within I can survive during this long Covid winter.

Tough Watts

stats of the week: run 13 km, indoor cycled  5 h/155 km, tm walked 12 km, hiked 8 km

Got more involved into Zwift cycling after I joined my first group rides what is much more entertaining than following workouts. My free month is nearly over now but I already decided to subscribe for the lockdown winter months. I find it quite tough to exceed 130 W average for duration of one hour. Counting my current weight 130 W means 2 W/kg what doesn't sound that much.

On Tuesday I was happy to complete a proper run of 8 km by a pace of 5:36 min/k. But things ended up with much more meniscus pain after the next only short jog. Feel forced now to stop running for a week. Luckily cycling doesn't cause any problems. Alas, I am back to Diclofenac for a while.

Lonesome winter coming

stats of the week: run 20 km, indoor cycled 2h45min, tm walked 14 km, hiked 10 km

Although I miss the longer jogs I begin to feel satiesfied with this kind of varied training. Weather get too bad now for more montain biking. You still see tough guys riding the woods but that's nothing for me. I ordered a training guide for indoor cycling and start getting used to Zwift sessions.

Corona is still strong in our area despite a "light" lockdown. It is a lonesome time and life has changed a lot for me. Without the sports I can luckily do it would be really depressing. It is going to be a long winter.