Virtual Active: Costa Rica Ride

    Virtual Active has released their Bike Series 2. The titles in this series are Costa Rica, Argentine Patagonia, Chilean Patagonia, Panama and Tierro del Fuego. Unlike their Bike Series 1 (which contained a 55 minute ride and a 35 minute ride), the DVD’s in Bike Series 2 feature only one 55 minute ride (and, as always, you have the option of doing it guided or unguided).

   Yesterday I did the Costa Rica ride. It’s led by Buddy Mucuha (who led the British Columbia ride in Bike Series 1), who I really like as a Virtual Active trainer—he’s calm and encouraging without seeming phony.

Length: 55 minutes

Format: like all the other Virtual Active rides, the Costa Rica ride is divided into “stages". Each stage is around 5 minutes in length and usually features a new geographical area (although sometimes a stage continues in the same area as the previous one). Each stage usually features a particular skill to focus on. Some VA rides focus on speed or climbing but Costa Rica has a bit of everything. One stage features a heavy hill climb, one stage features jumps, another features sprints, etc. Buddy describes Costa Rica as an “advanced power ride” and I’d agree. Like all VA rides, you always have the option of doing the “unguided” workout if you want to ignore the format.

Here’s a screenshot of the profile to give you an idea of what you face:

           

Music: the music is mostly instrumental and seemed to have a suitably Latin flair. Once I got going and working hard, I really didn’t notice the music, which tells me it was neither terrible nor particularly memorable. I had to really pay attention to it in order to be able to comment on it here. 

Footage: the Costa Rica ride takes you to various locales around the country, including  the Monteverde Cloud Forest, La Paz Waterfall and Laguna Arenal. I love crossing the suspension bridges in the cloud forest and at one point you cross (without a bridge) a crocodile-infested river. During the final stage you ride along a beach at sunset.

Difficulty: Buddy describes the Costa Rica ride as an “advanced” ride and, as far as Virtual Active workouts go, I’d have to agree.  It’s not as advanced as some of the Sufferfest workouts but it is an advanced ride. (But remember: you can always do the “unguided” ride and spin along to the scenery at your own pace).  The toughest stages for me were the two back-to-back sprinting stages—8 minutes of 15 seconds on/15 seconds off. (And during the "off" intervals you're still pedalling at 80RPM.) 8/10 for difficulty.

Other Random Thoughts: I think Costa Rica may become one of my favourite Virtual Active rides. It’s just a feel-good workout with beautiful scenery, lots of variety, a perfect level of challenge and a fun trainer. The only thing I didn’t love was the music, which didn’t add too much to the ride. (There is a music-off option for the guided ride, so next time I may play my own music while still having Buddy guide me). 8.5/10.