Finnish Gravel is 110 miles with about 2,100 feet of climbing near Lahti, on a mix of gravel roads, tarmac, and Nordic ski paths, with some loose stony gravel on the hills. It runs in August, when highs sit around 70F, rain showers are possible, and the near-24-hour daylight means sunset comes after 11 PM.

This is an eight-week plan built around the hours you can give it, aimed at the long distance rather than the modest climbing. Most of the work goes toward steady riding that gets you used to being on the bike for the time 110 miles takes, because the distance is the main demand here more than the hills.

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 Finnish Gravel guide — terrain, gearing, fueling