# Badge-hunting: Ven-Top done (and never again) **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [February 19, 2022, 2:26am UTC](https://forums.zwift.com/t/badge-hunting-ven-top-done-and-never-again/578198 "2022-02-19T02:26:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Otto\_Destruct](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/gozwift/user_avatar/forums.zwift.com/otto_destruct/32/505718_2.png) [@Otto\_Destruct](https://forums.zwift.com/u/Otto_Destruct)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2022, 2:26am UTC](https://forums.zwift.com/t/badge-hunting-ven-top-done-and-never-again/578198/1 "2022-02-19T02:26:10Z")
First off: I’m glad I completed it, and I even got into a good flow while doing it. I took a break about 2/3 of the way up (around the 1000-meter mark), changed my entire kit (fresh, dry chamois and dry-wick shirt) and felt pretty refreshed for the remainder. That said: holy heck that is a beast. The false flats are real. Just when you think you’re going to get a respite…haha sucker! Lather, rinse, repeat, about a hundred times. I feel like even London’s PRL Full and Watopia Uber Pretzel will be “easier” in a way - instead of a single monster climb, it’s a bunch of up and down with variety - feels more natural to take a break between segments rather than just stopping halfway up a climb. (I’ll revisit that theory once I knock those off) Data-points: - Consumed two 750mL bottles of water with a scoop of Gatorade powder each, plus about half a bag of Dare “Real-Fruit” gummies, totalling about 750kcal. - Had a Wahoo Headwind fan sync’d to heart-rate, using a Polar chest strap, listened to podcasts and watched a MasterClass for distraction, also had the Companion app up for game control. - I was using a Tacx tablet holder with an iPad & an [adapted phone tray](https://forums.zwift.com/t/phone-tray-add-on-for-tacx-tablet-bracket/576285). This is route badge #98 for me (of 107, or 112 if you count the 5 being added during the Tour of Watopia). Got me a lot closer to the Z1 as well. (about 5,000m left) TL;DR: did Ven-Top, didn’t die, and you can too. ---
**Author:** ![SeattleSauve](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/gozwift/user_avatar/forums.zwift.com/seattlesauve/32/452992_2.png) [@SeattleSauve](https://forums.zwift.com/u/SeattleSauve)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2022, 2:36am UTC](https://forums.zwift.com/t/badge-hunting-ven-top-done-and-never-again/578198/2 "2022-02-19T02:36:46Z")
> [@Otto\_Destruct](#): > > Dare “Real-Fruit” gummies Oh man, I have “Real-Fruit” gummies sitting there on my table staring at me. I should use those on my next ride - kinda worried I’m gonna accidentally choke on them when I’m having a hard time breathing 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Otto\_Destruct](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/gozwift/user_avatar/forums.zwift.com/otto_destruct/32/505718_2.png) [@Otto\_Destruct](https://forums.zwift.com/u/Otto_Destruct)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2022, 2:48am UTC](https://forums.zwift.com/t/badge-hunting-ven-top-done-and-never-again/578198/3 "2022-02-19T02:48:23Z")
> [@SeattleSauve](#): > > Oh man, I have “Real-Fruit” gummies sitting there on my table staring at me. I should use those on my next ride - kinda worried I’m gonna accidentally choke on them when I’m having a hard time breathing 🙂 Water…LOTS and lots of water to wash those down! More seriously though, I’ve been playing around with different ride snacks and find “disappearing food” works better - stuff like cheesies, Reese cups whatever - that sort of melt away when you chew them. I love gummies but extra work to chew seems like a liability when sweatin’ it out on the bike. ---
**Author:** ![SeattleSauve](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/gozwift/user_avatar/forums.zwift.com/seattlesauve/32/452992_2.png) [@SeattleSauve](https://forums.zwift.com/u/SeattleSauve)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2022, 3:15am UTC](https://forums.zwift.com/t/badge-hunting-ven-top-done-and-never-again/578198/4 "2022-02-19T03:15:54Z")
Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. After reading how much of a grind Ven-Top was I decided to do it while on a workout for the badge, so got the badge, but didn’t have to deal with the grind of doing the same slope for such a long time (I mean, the workout was no joke though :)). Haven’t done those longer rides (Uber Pretzel, or PRL Full) yet. ---
**Author:** ![Ralph\_Minkus](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/gozwift/user_avatar/forums.zwift.com/ralph_minkus/32/414770_2.png) [@Ralph\_Minkus](https://forums.zwift.com/u/Ralph_Minkus)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2022, 10:47am UTC](https://forums.zwift.com/t/badge-hunting-ven-top-done-and-never-again/578198/5 "2022-02-19T10:47:07Z")
IMHO Ven Top ist Not a big Deal. The only Challenge (not yet achieved) for me ist, to make the climb under 90 Minuten 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Otto\_Destruct](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/gozwift/user_avatar/forums.zwift.com/otto_destruct/32/505718_2.png) [@Otto\_Destruct](https://forums.zwift.com/u/Otto_Destruct)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2022, 11:02am UTC](https://forums.zwift.com/t/badge-hunting-ven-top-done-and-never-again/578198/6 "2022-02-19T11:02:09Z")
Being Old-and-Slow, “under 90 minutes…to the halfway point” would be good enough for me. 😉 Respect for the watt factories who can do Ven-Top sub 90, or AdZ sub 60. Grüße aus Kanada!