It’s March, and in March we go FAST! Welcome to the BaseCamp Winter Group Coaching TIME TRIAL CHALLENGE!! On Saturday, March 22nd we are heading to Watopia to push the pace alongside the dinosaurs on the Jurassic Coast route!
GOALS: Aerodynamics, preparation, pacing, mental focus, toughness
WHERE: Jurassic Coast route in Watopia
The full course: https://zwiftinsider.com/route/jurassic-coast/
Another look: https://whatsonzwift.com/world/watopia/route/jurassic-coast
Total distance: Will vary by group, see below!
The challenge starts as soon as you start pedaling, no neutral roll out and no drafting!
WHEN: Saturday, March 22nd - timing as follows:
Earth: 10 AM ET
Wind: 10 AM ET
Fire: 11:15 AM ET
Water: 11:15 AM ET
Aether: 11:15 AM ET
Open: 1:00 PM ET
SOLO (on your own): Complete by 5:30 PM EST
WHICH GROUP!?!
The goal for every rider is to be out on course for about 24-30 minutes. To achieve that, we recommend the following breakdown:
Earth: Best for those with an FTP of 3.5+ w/kg
Wind: Best for those with an FTP of 2.9-3.5 w/kg
Fire: Best for those with an FTP of 2.5-2.9 w/kg
Water: Best for those with an FTP of 2.0-2.5 w/kg
Aether: Best for those with an FTP of .5-1.9 w/kg
Open*: Open to those with any FTP
*NOTE: Anyone can compete in the “Open” category if you can’t make your specific group race time. The length for this meetup below will be set for the same distance as the Earth group, and race results will be shown based on that distance. However, you can still join this meetup if you are racing a shorter distance; you’ll simply note the total distance for your group and when you hit that distance in the meetup, you can stop and pedal easy to the finish. In this case, the race results will not be reflective of your exact placement, but if you want to see how you would have stacked up in an earlier race, you can take a screenshot or make a note of the time you finish your planned distance and then go back and look at earlier results on Zwift.
DISTANCE:
Each group will have a different stopping point on the course to achieve our planned time. Below are the distances for each group.
TIP: We suggest doing at least one recon ride to see roughly where your finish point will be
Earth: 11 miles
Wind: 10.4
Fire: 9.5
Water: 8.8
Aether: 7.7 miles
Open: 11 miles
HOW:
Over the next few days Tina, Tim, and Namrita will be sharing articles and info on pacing, nutrition, warm up strategies, course recon, bike and wheel choice, and much more.
One important note: You must be on a TT bike to complete this challenge! TT bikes do NOT allow for drafting, so while you’ll be near your fellow BaseCampers, you will not be able to draft off someone else.
You’ll see the total distance you have remaining in the meetup bar at the top of your screen while riding. We’ll also be chatting more about pacing and exact finish lines soon!
Can’t make the group times on Sat.? Choose the SOLO group (and then read the info on the challenge page to learn how to make sure your ride counts on Zwift or outside!).
AWARDS: OH YES! We’ll have 5 more prize packages up for grabs for anyone that completes the challenge following the guidelines we laid out.
Big Prize Alert: All five prize pack winners will also receive their very own Fierce Hazel True Grit saddle bag! This is your last chance to win some incredible goodies, so don't miss this one
HOW DO I SIGN UP? Head here: https://www.joinbasecamp.com/time-trial-challenge
I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS!
First place to start is in the challenge page: https://www.joinbasecamp.com/time-trial-challenge
We have key FAQs listed there including:
Can I do this outside on Saturday and what requirements do I need to meet?
Can I do this solo on Zwift on Saturday?
What if I can’t do this on Saturday?
In TrainingPeaks I have a workout listed besides the challenge; should I do that too?
Should I load a workout when I join the meetup?
Do I need a special bike?
Will I get dropped?
Will a coach be with me?
Can I join the meetup late?
Can I use a coffee stop?
As noted throughout the post above, lots more info to come. Feel free to ask other questions (though we might ask you to hold the question for a day or two if we’ve got a post coming on it!).
LASTLY: We said this before but it’s worth sharing again: the TT challenge (and all our challenges) are designed to be a safe and controlled environment to TRY and PRACTICE before big events, group rides, races, personal challenges, etc. You have a team of coaches here to help you, your fellow athletes around to support you, and a low risk opportunity to try new things. This challenge will be tough for everyone, regardless of how long it takes. Hard is not bad! This is a great place to try pushing your edge and seeing what you can do. And we’re going to do it together! Let’s go.
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