Is it possible to create a distance-based bike workout, rather than a time-based workout?
I created a time-based workout for climbing Alpe du Zwift (Road to Sky Route), see: Free Custom Workout for Everest Challenge: Alpe Du Zwift Endurance Climb
It works pretty well but would be better if I were able to create a workout based on the distance for this rather than time, as changes in my FTP and/or weight change the timing as well as unforeseen circumstances, such as technical or other issues that make me go off the bike temporarily during a workout.
It should be relatively straightforward for Zwift to implement the coding. However, in Zwift, the time to cover distance is unreliable because speed is often overestimated. Therefore, calculating the speed differential according to the course chosen would be necessary, which is why time and power are commonly used metrics.
The problem is the distances in Zwift are completely unrealistic.
Pair your Garmin with your trainer and have it running alongside Zwift and compare the distances. Zwift might read 31km while your Garmin shows a real distance of about 25km or less, depending on route.
It would be easy enough to set “do interval for X amount of kms” but the distance itself rather meaningless unless Zwift makes the pace of riding in game a lot more realistic, which means no more Coco groups rolling 2.5w/kg at 40km/h (cue outrage).