As more athletes head indoors for their workouts, Zwift is welcoming them back with some new content and features. Two major changes are the new routes in the Urukazi map expansion in Makuri Islands and new experimental pack dynamics (version 4).
Tour of Makuri Islands
If you would like to explore the new Urukazi routes at your own pace, you can register for the Tour of Makuri Islands, which starts on Nov. 3rd and ends Nov. 24th. The dates are posted for the six stages, but not all of the route information has been revealed. For both the running and cycling Tours of Makuri Islands, the first 4 stages are on existing routes and the last two stages are on new Urukazi routes. If you only want to pick up the route badges in a group event, aim for those last two. But, if you also want to pick up the kit and matching sunglasses, then plan on completing the whole tour.
ZRacing Sprint Series Makuri Islands
If you would like to race two of the new Urukazi routes, you can participate in the November ZRacing Sprint Series. The monthly series is an omnium based on time, which is tracked on the Zwiftpower site (for which you will need to have an account and login with your Zwift credentials). See Zwift Insider for details on the series, and look for the series races listed in the events. Note that Stage 3 (Nov. 14-20) and Stage 4 (Nov. 21-27) are on new Urukazi routes and that Stage 4b and Stage 5 are a mandatory double event for the omnium rankings.
Pack Dynamics (Version 4)
Zwift has been experimenting with the 4th version of their draft dynamics. While tweaks are still being made and input is encouraged on the Zwift forum, you can try it out in the following events:
- Zwift Insider’s Tiny Races
- Pack’s Thursday Social PACK Social + KOM After Party
- Pack’s Saturday SUB2
- Herd’s Doughnut Ride
- Herd’s Sunday Endurance Ride
- 3R’s Wednesday True2 Steady Ride
- HISP’s Los AvHISPados
Here’s what we at Slowtwitch have planned for the rest of the week.
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
Saturday: Makuri Islands & New York
Sunday: London & Yorkshire
Slowtwich Indoors Event Preview (All Times Eastern)
Go to Zwift Events to sign up for these rides and runs.
Monday 100/100 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. Don’t forget that each of the five ride workouts and five run workouts have a short and long option. Rather than canceling a workout when you are crunched for time, you can complete the short version and still reap the benefits of the program.
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.
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.
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 an early morning bracer for the East Coast crowd. Get your work done before heading off to work.
Thursday SWIFT Ride, 6:55 PM
The newest ride to the Slowtwitch Indoors family, Slowtwitch SWIFT (Strong Women, It's Fun Together!) is here to bring another women's only ride to a slightly friendlier time slot. This ride will focus slightly more on strength-based work so bring those climbing legs. But even if you're feeling more like Mark Cavendish in the mountains of the Tour de France, so long as you keep the pedals moving, you'll stay with our group.
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.