It’s been over two years since I last attempted a challenge here (and failed miserably lol). So I think it’s time to ease back into it, and undertake a new little 30 day challenge – something that won’t be too taxing and will be actually achievable, lord knows I need the confidence boost!

After having a little think, I’ve decided I’m going to attempt to ride an hour each day on Zwift, the game-like indoor trainer. Sounds fairly easy I know but I just want to build up my consistency and as said, confidence, so not trying something too big.

With that said, let’s begin.

Zwifting Daily Diary

Below I’ll be adding a few notes each day.

Day 01: Tempus Fugit

Distance: 30.05km / Elevation: 45m / Time: 1hr 2m

Easy one to kick things off with today by doing Tempus Fugit, a very flat monotonous route for those unfamiliar. Happy with 30km in the bank!

Day 02: Three Sisters

Distance: 27.02km / Elevation: 546m / Time: 1hr 4m

Lunchtime spin today and I tackled some of the Three Sisters route which had a fair chunk of elevation involved.

Day 03: Dust In The Wind

Distance: 25.03km / Elevation: 338m / Time: 1hr

A ride today in a route I still need to fully tick off; Dust In The Wind in Watopia. Fun ride with some hills while listening to some Drum n’ Bass on Spotify.

Day 04: Figure 8 Reverse

Distance: 27.31km / Elevation: 242m / Time: 1hr

Pre-work spin today as I was feeling pretty fresh and done Figure 8 while listening to the Lex Fridman podcast with John Carmack to pass the hour.

Day 05: Three Sisters

Distance: 20.23km / Elevation: 500m / Time: 1hr 2m

Today was a bit of an interesting one, I ended up doing back to back spins. I started the first one at 11pm and then the next one right afterwards! Read day 6’s entry to find out why.

Day 06: Tick Tock

Distance: 26.07km / Elevation: 68m / Time: 1hr 1m

So I did a spin directly after yesterday’s (at 12:07am) because I wanted to get it out of the way as I was in Manchester today doing touristy bits and knew I would be walking loads and could possibly cancel when I got home!

Day 07: Castle to Castle

Distance: 32.05km / Elevation: 232m / Time: 1hr 1m

I had a very chilled day today after yesterday’s touristy day in Manchester (I ended up walking 15km!) So today was spent either on the sofa or outside having some champers and watching the birdies 🍾🐦

Day 08: Big Foot Hills

Distance: 32.06km / Elevation: 291m / Time: 1hr 1m

I felt a bit tired today so tried to put off my spin until later in the evening to get a little recovery in the legs. For some unknown reason when I did get going, I tried a hilly route and did nearly 300 metres 🤦🏻‍♂️

Day 09: Tick Tock

Distance: 31.24km / Elevation: 86m / Time: 1hr

Thankfully woke up feeing pretty good today and legs are finally back to near 100% after taking it easy the last few rides. Another easy one today after work though and day nine ticked off.

Day 10: Volcano Circuit

Distance: 26.22km / Elevation: 181m / Time: 1hr

I think I needed a bit of support today, as I didn’t want to think about the spin, so I chose a pace partner to coast behind! Saying that, I did lose them after about 15 minutes 🤣

Day 11: Road to Sky

Distance: 17.52km / Elevation: 462m / Time: 1hr

I did an after work route after a long day working and tried to kill myself by choosing the Road to Sky route, a pretty inclined road and tough as hell. I was pretty sweaty afterwards.

Day 12: Big Foot Hills

Distance: 28.64km / Elevation: 377m / Time: 1hr 1m

I had to clean the car interior this evening as it’s been… well, too long since I last did so. Ended up taking about 3 hours as I did the exterior too… I was wrecked and was ready for bed by the end. Just about got on the bike 😴

Day 13: Achterbahn

Distance: 14.22km / Elevation: 382m / Time: 1hr

As the sun was gloriously shining today I treated myself to a ride in the real world 🙃 and along the greenway to get some lunch. Feeling awesome after getting some vitamin D, I was energised to jump on the Wattbike but fell flat pretty quickly attempting a hilly route 😅

Day 14: Tempus Fugit

Distance: 28.11km / Elevation: 43m / Time: 1hr 1m

Another ride out IRL today, and following on from yesterday’s ride/Wattbike spins, I took it super easy and just did Tempus Fugit. Legs are a tad stiff…

Day 15: Chasing the Sun

Distance: 30.23km / Elevation: 297m / Time: 1hr 13m

After work Wattbike spin today. I think the fatigue is starting to kick in a bit already, the legs are feeling it, but still half way of this challenge ticked off. I can do it.

Day 16: Chasing the Sun

Distance: 25.1km / Elevation: 250m / Time: 1hr 1m

I just wanted to do my hour today at a relaxed pace while listening to a podcast. I did stick to this plan for the most part, until I seen an upcoming sprint that I just had to kill myself with 🤦🏻‍♂️

Day 17: LaGuardia Loop Reverse

Distance: 32.23km / Elevation: 316m / Time: 1hr

So this evening’s ride was pretty interesting… Zwift’s UI got updated and I noticed an event that was on in the next few minutes – I apparently entered a little race (and came 7th out of 13th).

Day 18: Volcano Flat

Distance: 27.03km / Elevation: 129m / Time: 1hr

After work spin today and I just wasn’t feeling it at all, so I decided to get it ticked off before I really didn’t feel like it later! An easy one with just 129m of elevation.

Day 19: Tempus Fugit

Distance: 26.04km / Elevation: 38m / Time: 1hr

I got up early and drove over to The Peak District to do a hike today, got back home about 7pm and felt exhausted… but did my hour. Today I nearly bowed out of this challenge 😴

Day 20: Hilly Route

Distance: 28.07km / Elevation: 326m / Time: 1hr 3m

I woke up feeling pretty fatigued from yesterday’s events so I took it super handy until later in the evening (when I again thought about throwing in the towel 🤣)
Another day ✅

Day 21: Flat Route

Distance: 26.68km / Elevation: 146m / Time: 1hr

Another flat-ish route today as the legs are getting no recovery and I’m starting to feel a little bit worse for wear. Ended up watching YouTube e-bike videos to pass the time!

Day 22: Out and Back Again

Distance: 31.02km / Elevation: 234m / Time: 1hr 9m

I had a pretty crappy day today, just one of those days where the head wasn’t in the right space and I thought about packing this 30 day challenge in, obviously didn’t but super close.

Day 23: Watopia’s Waistband

Distance: 31.83km / Elevation: 107m / Time: 1hr

Had to get the car MOT’d so the walk back from the garage and back again ended being about 12km, a little lunch-time nap and I was ready to crack out nearly 32km on a group ride! Damn solid day 💪🏻

Day 24: Climber’s Gambit

Distance: 25.62km / Elevation: 326m / Time: 1hr

I see I’m pretty close to ticking off the Strava Climbing Challenge for the month, so I might as well put a few more metres in the bank!

Day 25: Volcano Flat

Distance: 30km / Elevation: 116m / Time: 1hr 2m

After 25 days, I can safely say this little challenge has become easier, and just a routine I do everyday. This was exactly what I wanted to experience and my confidence is pretty high.

Day 26: Beach Island Loop

Distance: 28km / Elevation: 110m / Time: 1hr

Treated myself to a home cooked burger and chips this eve, then got far too comfortable on the sofa and had to run to get my gear on and on the bike for 11pm!

Day 27: Road to Sky

Distance: 15km / Elevation: 422m / Time: 1hr 5m

Another push tonight to reach 7,500 metres for my Strava badge, this time on the infamous ‘Road to Sky’ route 😅. I managed to tick off 422 metres, so very close!

Day 28: Three Sisters

Distance: 19.3km / Elevation: 468m / Time: 1hr

Up at 5am today to drive to The Peak District for a 10 mile hike. If I was going to not get on the Wattbike on any day, it was going to be today 😵. When I got back in the door and before I fell asleep I got on and did my hour 💪🏻

Day 29: Volcano Circuit

Distance: 31.6km / Elevation: 148m / Time: 1hr

Nearly there, nearly there… This challenge has become a bit of a habit at this point but the compounding of each day has made my body pretty fatigued. Penultimate day, after tomorrow I can relax!

Day 30: Road to Ruins

Distance: 18km / Elevation: 175m / Time: 1hr

Final Day!! And I got my Strava ‘August Cycling Challenge’ badge! It’s been a trip undertaking a 30 day challenge after all these years but I did it, and I feel amazing. Now time to rest and maybe plan the next one 👀.