The Rift is 124 miles across southern Iceland on black volcanic sand, sharp lava rock, and loose highland roads — a durability and handling day far more than a climbing one. The weather can turn cold and wet with little warning, the lava chews tires from mile 25 on, and near mile 100 you ride through glacial river crossings.

This is a six-week plan for the Rift, built around the weeks you have left. Six weeks can’t build the endurance a 124-mile Icelandic day demands from scratch — but with a base, it’s enough to extend your long ride and get you to the start with a plan for the surfaces, the weather, and the crossings.

WHAT'S INSIDE

• Structured workouts on your calendar, with real power and heart-rate graphs


• Strength work built in, with video walkthroughs


• Weekly notes from me, plus the Gravel Grit mental program


• A testing week, so the plan runs on your real numbers


• The full Rift guide — terrain, gearing, fueling