Why Race?

Racing
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I’m kinda new to Zwift, so please excuse my ignorance. I’ve been using Zwift now for about a year, starting with weight loss - and now that I’m close to my target BMI, I have started to race on Zwift.

I started in D class - and when discussing possibly joining a league, I was told by the sports director that I would need to race in C class, and rely on my sprints to be a contender in the races.

So I’ve been practicing going the distance in a higher class - and have been riding with C Cadence, doing workouts, etc. Raising my FTP, etc.

Yesterday I did a C criterium race. I was the only woman in C, B or A class. I did ok! 20th place of the pack. But I realized there’s something missing.

Am I to get a jersey from a race? A badge? A something? Other than seeing that I need to be at the cusp of B class to win a race - I’m wondering what the object is here. It seems friendlier and more fun to just ride with the pace partners.

I must be missing something simple.

Thanks

molly

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Hi @mollymomentum, are you signed up on Zwiftpower? The only “award” you get for racing on zwift is a little trophy next to your name on zwiftpower, otherwise the awards are personal fitness gains.

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Yes, I’m on Zwiftpower. Personal fitness gains are uber tracked via Zwift & Companion and Strava. I would expect zwift racing was gamified like all the rest of Zwift!

I mean, it is sport and all.

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my competitive side wants to beat people and test myself against others, that’s why i race plus i find it a really good workout

you dont get anything for racing other than the little trophy for 1st. 2nd or 3rd and sore legs from giving it your all

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Its pretty funny you don’t even get the little trophy icon on Zwift, or Strava - only on Zwiftpower that looks like an afterthought.

While I like to be competitive, I think Zwift is dropping the gamification ball here in a huge way. Lotsa badges and kudos for the newbie, and then poof - you’re sent to a poorly designed stat site for an icon? :thinking:

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Most all the IRL races I compete in at least have a beer tent at the finish line… come on Zwift, send me a pint! Preferably an IPA.

@James_Zwift, make this happen :laughing:

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There should be a podium ceremony… Champagne. Confetti. Trophies.

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Some of us just like to race. And its not necessarily for no.1. Raced today, dropped by the pack, eventually in a small group of 5, positions 80 to 85. Was there a sprint for the finish - you betcha. 80th is better than 81st any day.

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What about podium girls (or a boy for Molly) ? Perhaps if Hincapie was organizing the race…

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Gin would also be fine.

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Molly
I’m disappointed that the Team Director you approached doesn’t, from what you write, seem that encouraging. I’m not sure whether you have joined that team or not but I am sure there are other far more welcoming teams or ladies teams about.

My advice for what it is worth is that although the banter with Pace Partners is fun you are much more likely to identify the team/ladies team you wish to join if you do more group rides. I know you have done some but there are loads out there and almost all are very welcoming and with a fair bit of banter.
I think if you throw out a ‘how easy is it for a lady to join this team’ message you will get some positive feedback.

I note that you have already picked up some podiums in your D category races, and that you are putting out some very good Watts, but clearly winning(twice) and podium placing doesn’t give you the buzz that most of us can only dream about.

From what I have seen of your power numbers and the fact that you don’t have to leave Z4 in your HR to do well I think you might have a little more to come and be an even more competitive racer.

It would be great if a ladies team could snap you up and I’m sure you would then get the buzz you require from team racing.

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Molly
Sorry I also meant to say I think there is something on your profile you can change to make yourself available to team recruitment or such like.
I don’t know how it works but I imagine some teams will spot your potential and ask you if you want to join them.
Others here may point you in exactly the right direction.

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I was hoping for something more - even training / coaching assistance, things like that. I didn’t join up - as I wasn’t sure I could even race in C class. I agree, the banter is great fun in group rides. I have helped sweep in group rides to be more engaged and get more workout out of them.

I enjoy racing, love the adrenaline and endorphin rush afterwards. I appreciate your reply, and will look to see if I can just find the right team to connect with.

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Cheating in Zwift is bad enough as it is when the only thing you can win is a sense of pride and accomplishment. Imagine how bad it would be if there was some sort of badge awarded.

The reason I race is because it gives me the motivation to ride at my threshold for 30 minutes. I can’t be arsed putting myself through that sort of pain just for a workout.

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If you have not yet found the Zwiftinsider website try this link to a Teams on Zwift Comprehensive Guide Teams on Zwift: A Comprehensive Guide | Zwift Insider
Or this link to How to Race on Zwift How to Race on Zwift (Setup, Strategy, and More) | Zwift Insider
From the same website.

IMO Zwiftinsider markets Zwift far better than Zwift does itself. Through Zwiftinsider I was made aware and joined three different group workout training plans (I think about 4-8 weeks each) and got satisfaction and motivation through completing them all.

For me Zwiftinsider provides 1-2 hours of most interesting and informative reading each week.

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I’m fairly new to Zwift, have done a few races and seen myself go from B to A grade relatively fast.

My move to A was down to a nuts B-grade crit - not my thing IRL, so wanted to see if it wasn’t in Zwift too. And I was right - 40 minutes at absolute warp speed just to hold the bunch, and comfortably out-kicked in the final. But, fair enough I was UPG’d by ZP as I had to do 4.5w/kg average - I only weigh 59kg, hence why crits are not my thing!

But, hell I got a good workout from it, and since having raced a few A’s I’ve upped my FTP a bit and have learned to be a bit more savvy at tactics. I’ve, on the whole, learned a lot and ridden way way harder than I would have in a normal UK winter where it’s just too grim for much riding. There is no other way I’d have held 4.5w/kg for 40 mins or whatever riding anywhere else.

But, yesterday’s race I did might have been the final straw. In the start pen was just constant bickering/accusations of people riding in the wrong cat (I think though I was in a pen with A’s we could see the whinge/chat from B and C too - is that right?) and then, once we kicked off, anyone trying to push on a bit, attack but showing a burst of high w/kg, or holding a high power for more than 10-seconds was greeted with more accusations.

So, why do YOU race? I do it because it’s safe, fast, fun and a great workout in a busy schedule. I also do it to get away from the trolls of Twitter and the general bad news of our world. What I don’t need is more of that trolling getting in the way of a fun time. Sure, there might be some idiots in there but I just ignore them, like I would do in a real race.

At the end of the day, it’s a made up race in a world that doesn’t exist against people you don’t know. None of us are making any money out of it, so why so serious? I really hope this new Cat Enforcement method helps to weed out the cheaters, and so stop the moaning, otherwise I’m not interested.

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Sorry but why did you merge this item @Gerrie_Delport_ODZ ? It’s an entirely different question to the one you’ve merged it to, which is why I emphasised the YOU.

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people in races are pretty friendly on the whole and if you pick the right series you’ll see the same faces often … personally i race because they’re basically open watt group rides. i can do my intervals in them, and pick courses that match the intervals i want to do. i do group rides also, but generally only for endurance rides or z1+sprint stuff.

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From another perspective, when I started Zwift (and later RGT) racing I thought of it as a means of improving my real life racing so I didn’t mind ZwiftPower (ZP) bumping me up to B quite early, after all what doesn’t kill you makes you strong(er). More recently I have gradually evolved towards virtual racing as an end itself as:

  1. Its safer - I don’t have to worry about a broken collarbone etc and the novelty of crashing and breaking something tends to wear off quite quickly,
  2. I don’t have to get up at 3:30AM to get to a 6AM race start in time for a decent warm up (and then have the possibility of a puncture ruining the race for me after all that effort).
  3. Much more variety - I can pick and choose which races I want to do.
    Obviously virtual racing has a well documented downside in people cheating with weight doping or even using an e-bike, but there does seem to be a core of people who are quite honest.

So in my case I have to try to find motivation to get back into RL racing after COVID !!

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