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Zwift Update 1.0.30360 Released

Eric Schlange
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Zwift Update 1.0.30360 Released

Zwift Update 1.0.30360 Released

Zwift released a major game update tonight, bringing dedicated running paths and custom ride routes to our favorite virtual fitness paradise.

Both of these features are major news for Zwifters, so let’s dig into them further…

Welcome to Run Valley!

Dedicating Running Paths

Five new run paths are now available in game. This is the first time we’ve ever had dedicated paths just for runners, so that’s a pretty big deal and shows Zwift’s commitment to the running crowd.

Each of these paths begin near the same spawn point, a new one just for runners located in newly-christened “Run Valley”. Here are the new paths (click the path name for a more detailed writeup):

  • 11.1 Ocean Blvd (11.1km): In honor of Zwift HQ’s address, this 11.1km route takes you over the 360 bridge, into the underwater tunnel, and then brings you back home via Run Valley
  • 5k Loop (5km): Take a twisting and turning 5km journey through the heart of Run Valley, down onto the beach path, and along the scenic skyway over the ocean
  • Chili Pepper (8km): This short and spicy route takes you through the heart of Run Valley and then on a quick trip through the Volcano
  • Jon’s Route (12.5km): Take a scenic tour of Watopia that hits all the highlights of the running path and flat route
  • That’s Amore (6.5km): Run – or walk – your way from Run Valley over to the Italian villas. If you really want to earn your pizza slices, this route will help you do it!

Custom Ride Routes

Zwift’s update notes say:

“Added support for unique routes that are used only in scheduled events, allowing for more variety in events.”

This is exciting news for Zwifters who take part in group activities, since it adds a nearly endless level of variety to group rides and races. If event organizers can now define custom ride routes we can have races which begin with a two laps of Volcano Flat but end with Watopia Hilly, for example. Or something much more complex! We’ll see what ride organizers come up with.

Additional Updates

Here are a few smaller features included with this update:

  • Some training plans now support “optional” workouts
  • Road intersection UI changed
  • When adding a Daily Target in running you can now enable the Distance Markers feature
  • Improved support for iPhone XS and XS Max
  • Cloud workout sync: this feature was enabled when the update originally arrived, because I tested it and it worked great. But presumably some bugs popped up which led to it being disabled for now, since I’m being informed it is not currently functional or included in the official release notes. Hopefully it will be back soon.

Read the full release notes >

New intersection UI

5 Tips to Improve Your Zwift Race Results Today

Eric Schlange
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5 Tips to Improve Your Zwift Race Results Today

5 Tips to Improve Your Zwift Race Results Today

People take part in Zwift races for a variety of reasons. Whatever your motivation, it’s hard to deny that we all want to finish high on that leaderboard. Here are five quick tips you can implement right away to boost your Zwift race results.

Pick Your Best Racecourse

Are you a bigger rider who does better on flat routes, or a lighter rider with a high power/weight ratio that helps you win on the climbs? Or perhaps you’re somewhere in better, a puncheur best suited to rolling courses with short, hard climbs.

Whatever suits you best, it helps to understand the layout of each Zwift route, then choose races which cover the routes that play to your strengths. Here are the details (profile, length, etc) of each and every Zwift route >

Pro tip: Zwift Companion doesn’t currently make it easy to see which route a race is on, but the events app over at ZwiftHacks does, and I highly recommend it.

Start With a Useful Powerup

Powerups are accepted in essentially every Zwift race these days, so it pays to begin your race with a useful one! This will let you use the draft boost or aero helmet to make the start a little easier, or perhaps the feather to punish the competition on that first short climb.

Learn more about powerups in Your Guide to PowerUps in Zwift.

Stay Out of the Wind

Come on, this is rookie stuff. Just like racing outdoors, Zwift racing requires you to conserve energy so you have something left when it really matters. That means staying in the draft for most of the race, only putting your nose out when it’s time to attack.

Drafting in Zwift lets you maintain the same speed as the person you’re behind while expending less energy. Read Drafting in Zwift: power savings and advice to get the specifics.

Use Fast (Virtual) Gear

As you level up in Zwift, you unlock new frames and wheelsets. These aren’t just eye candy–they change your speed in game. In fact, simply upgrading from the stock wheels to the Zipp 808’s will take ~40 seconds off an hour long race.

To really dig into how Zwift equipment affects in-game speeds, check our Zwift Weight/Watt/Equipment Speed Tests. If you’re pressed for time, just read The 5 Fastest Bikes in Zwift (and How to Get Them).

Warm Up

If you’re anything like me you tend to take warmups less seriously when you’re hopping on your bike for a free race in your garage, versus an outdoor race you drove hours and paid money for. But most Zwift races are short and fast, so coming into them warmed up is essential.

Experienced cyclists know that a proper warmup is key if you want to perform your best in any hard cycling effort, but newer cyclists often don’t understand this. Come into your races like a pro–read Pre-Race Warmups on Zwift.

“In The Pens” Racing Podcast Episode 9: Zwift Teams

Greg Leo
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“In The Pens” Racing Podcast Episode 9: Zwift Teams

“In The Pens” Racing Podcast Episode 9: Zwift Teams

Greg and Adam discuss teams on Zwift–why join one, how to find one, and tips on racing together.

For a thorough post on Zwift teams, read Teams on Zwift: Why, Who, and How to Join.

Visit inthepens.com to access the podcast archives.

Here’s a Sneak Peak at Zwift’s First-Ever Run Path

Eric Schlange
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Here’s a Sneak Peak at Zwift’s First-Ever Run Path

Here’s a Sneak Peak at Zwift’s First-Ever Run Path

Game Master Jon Mayfield posted a Zwift run to Strava early this morning which covers new Watopia territory: a path just for runners! Apparently it was good enough to inspire Jon to hit his 10k PR, so that’s a good sign. See Jon’s run here >

Here’s the new run path (in white) overlaid on the Watopia hilly course in Strava.

The new path is 5k in length. While Strava shows 163′ of climbing per lap for Jon’s run, that is because (according to Jon), “It reads the incline from the treadmill (if you have a bluetooth treadmill) and Zwift stores the grade you actually ran into the file.” So Jon ran this activity at a slight incline.

Typically when a new route is leaked on Strava by ZwiftHQ, its release is less than a week away. Looking forward to it!

Teams on Zwift: Why, Who, and How to Join

Eric Schlange
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Teams on Zwift: Why, Who, and How to Join

Teams on Zwift: Why, Who, and How to Join

Team affiliation runs deep in competitive cycling, so it’s no surprise that teams have been a part of Zwift from the beginning. In some cases Zwift teams are born out of real-life cycling teams, and in the case of at least one team (TeamODZ) the Zwift team became a real-life team!

Here’s an introduction to Zwift cycling teams, with a particular focus on teams who race together.

What are Teams Doing on Zwift?

Team members typically race together in individual events or team events such as team time trials or the Zwift Worlds Team Race. Some teams also organize regular Zwift group rides–these often begin as team training rides then later open up to anyone interested.

Lastly, team members interact with each other outside of Zwift, typically via Facebook. Facebook is the main place where Zwifters interact, but the main Zwift Riders group is too large to facilitate intimate, ongoing interaction. A team’s Facebook page is a good place for a small group of Zwifters to get to know each other, congratulate each other on race efforts and share racing/training tips.

To get an idea how racing with a team works on Zwift, watch the end of the Zwift Team Worlds 2017 A race below, where TeamODZ’s Justin Wagner took the win. You can hear Justin’s teammates talking to him on Discord, acting as a virtual “team car” to help guide his efforts.

How Many Teams Exist?

If we define a team as any group with 10 or more ZwiftPower-registered riders, there are 116 teams at this time on Zwift. To view this list of teams along with contact info, rider county and more visit ZwiftPower’s teams page.

How Do I Join a Team?

You can check the “Available for recruitment” box in your ZwiftPower profile to encourage teams to reach out to you, but unless you are posting very strong race results you will probably need to take the initiative to reach out and join a team.

In many cases, joining a team is as easy as joining the Facebook page and starting to race under that team’s name and (if they have one) kit of choice. Some teams have more stringent requirements for team members–contact the team manager for details.

Note: this is an updated version of a post originally written in August 2016.

GCN Handicap Race Tomorrow

Zee Kryder
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GCN Handicap Race Tomorrow

GCN Handicap Race Tomorrow

Get in on the action tomorrow September 25 for a special handicap race hosted by GCN on Zwift! This one-off race starts at 7PM BST/2PM EDT. Here’s GCN’s Daniel Lloyd talking about the event:

The course is 3 laps of Innsbruckring covering a total distance of 26.4km. The D group will depart at 7:00, the C group at 7:07, the B group at 7:10, and the A group at 7:12. This will have a large turnout as GCN will broadcast it live on their Youtube channel.

Get to the starting pens early. This way, it won’t take you 5 to 7 seconds just to reach the start line. With a handicap race, you are trying to catch the other groups ahead of you by working together in your category group. But remember, you need to beat the others in your group at some point. This mixture of teamwork and competition is what makes handicap races fun and challenging!

This event is similar to the ongoing CHOP races held regularly on Zwift. Watch a recent CHOP finish below as several groups are brought together on an exciting last lap around the Volcano:

See event details on Zwift.com >

The Endurance Lab Coaches’ Corner 43

The Endurance Lab
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The Endurance Lab Coaches’ Corner 43

The Endurance Lab Coaches’ Corner 43

Join the Endurance Lab coaches as they discuss:

  • Why train different cadences and when to use them
  • Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) vs. real food, and general use of supplements in sports
    and more!

Zwift World Champs Week 2018

Zee Kryder
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Zwift World Champs Week 2018

Zwift World Champs Week 2018

A week of special events lie ahead. Starting today, Zwift is offering a daily world champ challenge with each day celebrating that day’s event at the UCI World Championships in Innsbruck, Austria.

From Zwift: “The Zwift World Champs Week celebrates the 2018 UCI World Championships in Innsbruck-Tirol. Choose from daily events similar to the races happening that day. The week starts off with the Time Trial events, where riders battle against the clock. The aim simple, but not easy: get aero, ride hard, and push through the pain until the very end. The UCI Road Races begin midweek. Get ready to get caught up in the fun because the World Championships create an atmosphere like no other.”

Scheduled events (various start times apply for each day):

  • Monday September 24 Junior Time Trial 20km of Innsbruckring
  • Tuesday September 25 Elite Women’s Time Trial 28km of Innsbruckring
  • Wednesday September 26 Elite Men’s Time Trial 56km of Innsbruckring
  • Thursday September 27 Junior Women’s Road Race 36km of UCI Short Lap
  • Friday September 28 U23 Men’s Road Race 90km of UCI Short Lap
  • Saturday September 29 Elite Women’s Race 78km of UCI Short Lap
  • Sunday September 30 Elite Men’s Race 130km of UCI Short Lap

If the road race distances are a bit much for you, there’s also an opportunity to join a shorter version of these challenges. Simply join the “B” group to participate in a single lap (24km) event instead of the full event.

Kit Unlock

Finish any stage to unlock the Zwift Innsbruck Fan Jersey/Kit.

Event Schedule

See the full schedule of events at zwift.com/events/series/2018-world-champs-week/

Distribution/Probability of Zwift PowerUps

Eric Schlange
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Distribution/Probability of Zwift PowerUps

Distribution/Probability of Zwift PowerUps

In a recent “In the Pens” podcast host Greg Leo asked the question: just how are powerups distributed in Zwift? We decided to find the answer and went straight to the source: Game Master Jon Mayfield himself. Here’s his answer:

Note: in mid-2019 Zwift began allowing event organizers to customize the distribution of powerups in their events. So while the chart above applies to free riding and is the default setup for events, specific events may distribute powerups differently.

To learn more about how Zwift powerups work, read Your Guide to Power Ups in Zwift.

Zwift Coaching Podcast 16 – Training Camps

Eric Schlange
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Zwift Coaching Podcast 16 – Training Camps

Zwift Coaching Podcast 16 – Training Camps

Nutrition, rest, managing fatigue, focusing on you, and split days are critical to a successful training camp. ​

Download Greg’s Race Day Simulations Workout

About the Podcast:

The Zwift PowerUp Cycling Podcast features training tips from host Matt Rowe (Rowe & King), with regular co-hosts Greg Henderson (Coach Hendy) and Kev Poulton (Powerhouse Cycling).

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