but to be fair, for a couple years prior there were none and it was idylllic, that’s why I kept returning. Maybe it’s, ummm…cyclical? (I’ll show myself out).
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I’m so lucky to live in Denver. Plenty of flat roads to ride if I want to, but it’s actually only about 100 km to ride from my home to the top of Mt. Blue Sky over 14,000 feet elevation (if I want to). Only 25 km or less to ride into the foothills!
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Christ! At least the horseflies in the UK have pretty eyes…
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A re-remastered Defender with 4x MvdP (and partially Ganna) defending against Pog attacks up Cipressa and/or Poggio in last year’s MSR I think I could do over and over and over and over and over and over and over…
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I rode this for the first time yesterday. Dialed it down a bit as I’m just starting back after a few months of medical mayhem.
I enjoyed it (in a suf kind of way), especially the music. I like Phil Gaimon’s humor. His dad jokes were fun, though less repeatable than the jokes tied into cycling/Sufferfest storylines.
It’ll take me some time to return to it. I enjoy Gaimon’s “Week With” rides, so I’m hopeful for its repeatability.
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Did it today; it’s a great workout but really does need the SUF stuff adding back in. The work intervals are almost silent - lacking the SUF stuff, or the enthusiastic OL style narration we get with Sir @michael.cotty and I didn’t think the footage got the best of the each of the climbs.
There was an odd salvo of gunshots towards the end of the last interval (about 16:42 from the end). Not sure if they were from the OG version, the music(?) or the mean streets of the Nottingham (we did have the nickname “Shottingham” 30 years ago).
I’ll have my fingers crossed it’s on a re-remaster list somewhere, with the “Stop after three efforts” back in it’s rightful place!
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Welcome back, Dame @Cheryl.Vasan
I hope your return goes as smoothly as real downhill (you know, not the Sufferlandrian downhill that goes uphill)
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Well… I had this in my calendar for today before the May Challenge was announced. So despite a more stressful week than usual I really couldn’t see any excuse to drop it for another.
My goodness that was brutal. I had to stop 4 times. Only made it through the second interval without stopping. Aaargh.
Thank goodness the Suf music was there. That’s all…
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I’m not a huge Gaimon fan; it’s not him in particular, but I’m not much of a celebrity chaser, so I don’t get much motivation from watching somebody ride and listening to them talk a lot. Sorry Mike C, I guess I have to include your videos in this infamous group — lots to like but not very energizing. HOWEVER, I’ve done this workout a few times now and I agree the Suf music really makes it!
The structure of the workout is great (formerly was Defender), there isn’t much talk, and it has great tunes… though it’s still just watching one guy ride.
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Yes, the core Defender portions with the music is what makes the video still at least somewhat enjoyable.
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“I’m just too old for this sh!t…”
-- me 1/3rd thru 3rd interval
More seriously, I’m too new to have done the old “Defender” but I do feel like I missed out on something or other.
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That was about similar to my feeling too… I realized hey, I would stop in real life and get off the bike to take a photo, why feel bad about stopping to prevent suf bucket use a few times in this ugly workout..?
I was zone 5 most of the workout..but of course a few minutes after I finished I thought, I would do that again if it was back to being Defender and I was in a more regular fitness routine.
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Finally got round to Phil Wins the Tour today, mainly as it’s been no the monthly challenge. I didn’t mind the video, the bits in between the intervals were quite entertaining and the music is good. Watching someone ride a bike up a hill isn’t that engaging though, particularly in this format, at least on the on location videos you are doing the efforts with Mike, which I find more engaging.
I also think it’s a once only watch, now I’ve seen it, I’ve seen it. I really liked the old defender storyline and the motivational content that got you fired up for the last interval; much needed as defender hurts!
So good video on first watch but I think it will be a bit dull on second watch.
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It seems like the video was designed for Phil’s YouTube audience not for systm.
Systm workout may have been an afterthought. The app has not been creating much new content for a while now.
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