This training plan is for newer Gravel Riders, but does assume that the athlete has been riding 3-5 hours a week and can start out with 2 hour endurance rides and grow from there. The long rides are scheduled for the weekends, and the maximum amount of training Tuesdays through Friday is 2 hours, and peak volume at just over 11 hours of training in the peak week. Mondays are the designated rest day in this schedule.
This plan utilizes a combination of power and heart rate (HR) based workouts. It utilizes power for interval type work, and heart rate for endurance work (assuming many people use HR on gravel riding). In general, the interval work is best performed indoors on a trainer for most people. To utilize this plan, you will need both a power meter and a heart rate monitor.
Included in the plan are general notes on fueling, gear and race preparation. This plan is not specific to an individual year, meaning it can be applied to future years.
Your Results Matter. For most of us, we race for fun and not for a paycheck. For many, part of the fun is being able to show improvement over time... the feeling that the time you are investing will result in meeting your athletic or fitness goals. Tri2Max provides comprehensive and individualized coaching for Triathletes and Ultra Cyclists, designed to optimize your precious time and energy.