A complete 8-week plan designed for working athletes with limited time. Built around 5 sessions per week — four weekday rides of up to 2 hours and one weekend long ride — this plan takes you from a solid aerobic base to the start line of your first Gran Fondo with confidence. No power meter required: all sessions are guided by Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE), so the plan adapts to how your body actually feels each day.

Who is this plan for?
You have a full-time job, a life outside of cycling, and a Gran Fondo on your calendar. You can ride up to 2 hours on weekdays and have one longer window on weekends. You may not own a power meter, and you don't need one. This plan is built for you.

How intensity is measured
Every session uses RPE on a 1–10 scale:
RPE 1–2 — Very easy. You could hold a full conversation effortlessly.
RPE 3–4 — Easy to moderate. Comfortable, sustainable, aerobic base work.
RPE 5–6 — Moderate to hard. You can still speak in short sentences. This is your tempo zone.
RPE 7–8 — Hard. Speaking is difficult. This is threshold work.
RPE 9 — Very hard. Only short efforts are sustainable at this level.
RPE 10 — Maximum. Sprints only, fully all-out.

Using RPE makes the plan inherently adaptive — if you're tired, stressed, or under-recovered, your body will tell you through perceived effort, and you can train accordingly without overreaching.

Plan structure
8 weeks organized in a 2:1 loading pattern — two weeks of progressive work followed by one recovery week. The final two weeks include a race simulation and a structured taper so you arrive at your Gran Fondo fresh, confident, and ready.

What you'll develop
— A robust aerobic engine capable of sustaining long efforts
— Pacing awareness and nutritional habits for events of 3–6 hours
— Threshold tolerance and the ability to handle short surges in a group ride context
— Confidence on the bike over long distances

Equipment
Bike, helmet, and a way to track time. A heart rate monitor is useful but optional. No power meter required.

Recommended weekly schedule
Monday: Rest | Tuesday: Quality | Wednesday: Intervals | Thursday: Rest | Friday: Endurance | Saturday: Rest or easy legs | Sunday: Long ride