Seven is 78 miles with about 10,500 feet of climbing on 96% unpaved roads of quartz grit and clay, with sharp rock that can cut thin sidewalls. The signature climb around mile 35 touches gradients over 20 percent — steep enough that many walk it — and being mid-May in the Southern Hemisphere, mornings start cold with rain possible on the descents.

This is a twelve-week plan for that much climbing on rough, tire-cutting gravel, built around the hours you have to train. Most of the work is repeated, steep climbing on loose ground, the demand a course with 10,500 feet of climbing and pitches over 20 percent makes.

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 and a mid-plan retest, so the plan runs on your real numbers


• The full Seven guide — terrain, gearing, fueling