TRI247 Workout Series #15 – with TRI247 Editor John Levison
Wednesday, 21st March 7.00pm UK time (GMT) on Zwift
(ZWIFT MOBILE LINK >>> http://zwift.com/events/view/49624)
The week’s TRI247 group workout on Zwift will be lead by TRI247 Editor, John Levison.
Just over a week ago I was fortunate enough to spend a few days in Moscow, hosting the European Triathlon Union’s annual Presidents’ Gala Dinner and ETU Awards (more on that HERE).
Inspired by that experience, this weeks TRI247 group workout is called the Russian Steps, a classic workout designed to develop your VO2 Max. This session will have you Putin out some hard work…

If you’ve still not tried out the Zwift experience, why not sign up and give it a try. I can honestly say that it has totally transformed my enjoyment for cycling – and especially my previous perceptions and experience of indoor riding – over the past four months. Besides, if the current ‘Beast from the East’ type weather continues, you are unlikely to find too much time to ride outside in the U.K. at least.
All I need now is for a time trial not to be cancelled (all four I’ve entered this year have been!), to test out the indoor efforts out on the road. No worries, I’ll just keep training on the virtual roads of Zwift until the weather eventually warms up.
The Russian Steps session
My last Zwift session, the High Five (HERE) in January comprised of relatively long (five minute) intervals, with similarly long recoveries. The Russian Steps session this week is very different. Three blocks of short, sharp (but increasing length) efforts… the twist being that at the interval length increases, the rest interval decreases.
The three blocks of intervals are book-ended by two, five minute efforts at your FTP level. That should provide a quality hour of work. Help yourself to a recovery Vodka afterwards!
[You can set yourself a reminder on Zwift here: http://zwift.com/events/view/49624]
(As with our other events to date (Lucy Charles | Lucy Gossage | Lionel Sanders | Joe Skipper | John Levison | Ruth Purbrook | Tim Don | Reece Barclay| Harry Wiltshire | Paul Shanley | Karl Alexander | Jenny Gowans | Matt Bottrill), we will publish the Zwift Custom Workout file from the session after the event, so that you can also do the session in your own time).
Joining Instructions:
The workout will begin promptly at 7.00pm UK time, Wednesday 21st March 2018. It is worth logging in 10 or 15 minutes before the session to make sure you are set up and ready to go, where you will be able to warm up in the virtual ‘holding pen’.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNTXAkky4qE
Look for the TRI247 Winter Series event in the list on the right of the screen once you have paired your sensors. Click to JOIN and you will be taken to the start line ready to begin the workout.
Make sure you have set your FTP level correctly before you join the workout as all the intervals are based on a percentage of FTP so it is important to get that right. If in doubt, dial the FTP number down 10 or 20 watts as it is better to finish the session than to feel like it is too challenging.
If you have never used Zwift before but don’t want to miss out, head to the Zwift support page for tips on how to get the most out of your setup.
After the session head over to the TRI247 Facebook page for some post ride chat.
Zwift Group Rides: TRI247 Workout Series
The cool thing about a group workout on Zwift is that varying levels of ability can ride together in a group and all finish the session together having done the same relative effort, even if the actual watts are significantly different. It is not a race, but a shared goal to get a good session in the training log.