This Virtual Week: Slowman Writes His First Zwift Workout

As I lurch toward the 20th Anniversary of Slowtwitch (which we’ll celebrate near the end of June), I contemplate our successes, failures, hallmarks and false starts. Here’s another one. Another what (success or false start) I can’t yet say.

In either case here it is, This Virtual Week, and the idea is to tell you all what we as a community are doing virtually, which in the great majority of cases will mean on Zwift. New rides, new runs, what courses, what pros or other guest leaders are leading which events. Let’s get started.

I’ve written my first Zwift cycling workout. I’m leading Tuesday Structured Training, which’ll take place at 7pm Eastern, 4pm Pacific. Two things of note: 1st, it’s my debut as workout writer, and we all may finish this thing not sufficiently tired, or we may all be force to give up partway through because it’s too hard (I have not yet pre-ridden my own workout); 2nd, this workout is called Atlantic City Wattbuilder. The reference is to the Atlantic City 70.3 and in the weeks forward-going you’ll see a number of workouts named for, and/or made with, specific events in mind.

In truth, Atlantic City Wattbuilder could be Galveston Wattbuilder, or Malibu Wattbuilder. But I told my friend Stephen Del Monte that in honor of the successes he’s building on the Jersey Shore (Escape the Cape, Women’s Philly Tri), I’d write Zwift workouts that some of his customer-athletes might use as preparation for his races. I hope Atlantic City Wattbuilder works the way I intend.

Kelly Burns Gallagher will guest lead Ride of the Valkyries (Tue morning, 6:00am EST), giving our usual leader, Leslie Knibb, a breather.

The Slowtwitch Rise & Grind takes place Thursdays at 5:35am EST, as usual, it’s for all levels; and Thursday afternoon's Hilly Vanilli (send-offs at 6:55; 7:00, and 7:05 pm EST) remains my cult-of-one favorite.

Speaking of ride leaders! I’m going to start profiling some of our ride leaders. I have one, in particular, in mind that I’m going to start with. If you’d like to be a ride leader, I’d like to hear from you.

And finally, I’ve built my first Zwift run workouts. But we don’t have Zwift runs on the schedule because I need about a dozen run leaders to commence and I have 4. If you run on a treadmill, and are free Tuesdays, first half of the day (we have 3 leave times) to help lead these, I’d sure love it if you got in touch with me.

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