Tuesdays Topics | Power Zone Pack Ireland Map Race

This week, I am linking up with  Kookyrunner and Zenaida  for Tuesday Topics again and I am joining today with an off-topic (but workout related) post. 

As you know from my previous posts, I am always up for a good workout challenge, especially as part of a team effort. It’s motivating to know that you’re not just competing for yourself but for a whole team. The Peloton platform offers the perfect setup to do this from home.

I’ve been doing Power Zone Challenges for almost a year now (I’ll have to talk about them in a different post, but I posted about what Power Zone Training is here), and. since we’re currently in between PZ challenges, I decided to join the Ireland “Map Race”.

What’s a Map Race you ask?

Angie VerBeck, who runs the Power Zone Pack website, came up with this concept for the downtime between Power Zone Challenges (for those of us, who enjoy structure and like to have a “goal” at all times). For a map race, she sets a start and end location on the map (we’re currently doing an Ireland Map Race – 200 miles from Belfast to Galway) and you and your team try to reach the finish line first.

The caveat: the “team bike” moves across the map based on average miles achieved by the team, not based on all cumulative miles, so it’s imperative for all riders to work together to keep the average mileage high.

All miles synced through the Peloton app to the PZPack website count (including tread and outdoor miles), so you can cycle, run, and walk to add miles for your team. Cycling, for obvious reasons, is the most efficient to rack up miles faster.

It’s a lot of fun and there are quite a few teams that are HIGHLY competitive. My team #streakersarmypubcrawl is a split-off from the Peloton Streakers group (now Streakers365) on Facebook, with whom I also ride the Power Zone Challenges and we’re also very competitive. We’re currently in 5th place (out of 118 teams) and about to cross the finish line.

Our team leads have done amazing job motivating everyone, putting ride stacks together, and to coordinate swarm rides (getting as many people as possible to ride together at the same time), so we can do this as a true team. I might have said before I got a Peloton that I didn’t really care about the leader board, but I take it all back (I just didn’t know better!). Seeing the same people show up on it again and again is really motivating and it builds an amazing community!

Have you done a Map Race? Do you have more questions about it?

  1. That is a really cool and motivating challenge! I am not on peloton but I can see the appeal of something like this if I had a peloton. I am considering trying the peloton ap this fall. I’m on beachbody now but can’t really find a strength training program that is appealing to me, so I think I will do a 30-day trial of peloton in September. I’ve just been focusing on running this summer but I know I really need to be strength training, too.

    1. I can invite you to Peloton for a 60-day trial, if you’re interested. I started on the app and found it so versatile, with all the content they offer.

  2. This is so cool, and I didn’t even know it existed. What a fun way to get your workout in. And congrats to your team- 5th out of 118 is amazing! You guys must have worked hard, because I can imagine there are a lot of competitive teams out there.

    1. The competition was fierce but it was so fun to battle it out with a team.

  3. This is awesome! I love how you are finding ways to have fun and stay motivated. The caveat is interesting. It makes sense but it must still be kind of hard to get the bike to move. I guess that is what makes if fun and interesting!!

    1. Yeah, I was like “why is this bike not moving”… and then realized, EVERYBODY has to really put in an effort for the average to be high! ;)

  4. FIFTH PLACE!!! Wow, great job, San! That sounds fun!

    1. Thank you, Nicole – it was a blast.

  5. I would find being part of a team that competitive so stressful! I wouldn’t want to be responsible for letting down other people. I think it’s so interesting how that drives some people – it’s crazy to imagine a personality so different from my own! I’m happy you find it motivating and that it help you.

    1. You know, I was thinking about this during the challenge, how I didn’t want to let anybody down… but strangely, it didn’t stress me that much, it just motivated me to get on the bike every day.

  6. This is so cool! I’m endlessly impressed with how whole-heartedly you’ve embraced Peloton and all it has to offer.

    1. Thank you, Elisabeth, I appreciate it ;)

  7. What a great team challenge! I have not heard of these rides, but they sound like a great way to build relationships, via the Pelo biking community.

  8. I’ve not heard of this type of race, but how fun. What a great way to stay motivated and build virtual relationships with other Peloton peeps.

  9. This is really cool! I had no idea this challenge existed, but what a really fun way to stay motivated. I find that team challenges always give me extra motivation.

    1. Yeah, it definitely helps me to show up and push through!

  10. I love this idea! So motivating!
    I did the Great Virtual Race Across Tennessee this year. It’s not quite as genius as your challenge – you just add up your running/walking miles and that moves you along a map.
    Did you win anything special after the challenge? T-shirt or mug?

  11. Always fun to read how enthusiastic you are with. your challenges.

  12. OK, the competitive person in me loves this idea. The part of me that feels like I can never let people down is a bit anxious. ;) It sounds like these are specifically linked to Peloton, though. Is that correct? Or, are the “events” like this, and Pelofondo, outside of the Peloton universe? In other words, if I’m not a Peloton-ite (:>) could I participate?
    And good on you for taking on these team challenges… I do like the idea of working together towards a common goal.

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