OZIM Academy | GRAVEL - Beyond the Tarmac | 8 Weeks | Foundation
Build endurance for longer gravel adventures. Over eight weeks, combine easy riding, controlled tempo efforts and practical skills sessions. Gradually extend your Saturday rides to three hours while learning to pace yourself, prepare your equipment and organise food and fluids.
WHO IS THIS PLAN FOR?
For recreational riders who want to start following a structured programme. Foundation refers to structured training, not learning to ride a bike from scratch.
This plan suits you if you:
- have typically ridden around 3.5-4.5 hours per week over the last 4-6 weeks;
- comfortably complete easy rides lasting 90-120 minutes;
- can handle your bike safely on straightforward gravel;
- can ride on three days each week;
- want to prepare for longer adventures without focusing on a race result.
After a prolonged break, rebuild consistency first. Completing INTRO alone does not establish readiness for this workload.
YOUR WEEKLY ROUTINE
Monday: 20-30 minutes of strength.
Tuesday: controlled tempo, a reference session or easy riding.
Wednesday: 15 minutes of optional yoga.
Thursday: practical skills or easy endurance.
Friday: rest.
Saturday: a longer endurance ride.
Sunday: rest.
Cycling takes 3 hours 45 minutes to 5 hours 30 minutes per week. Including strength and optional yoga, total training time ranges from 4 hours 20 minutes to 6 hours 15 minutes. The longest ride is three hours. Equipment preparation and stops require additional time.
HOW THE PLAN PROGRESSES
The first three weeks combine effort control with longer rides. Week 4 is lighter. Week 5 returns to a familiar workload, followed by three-hour rides in weeks 6 and 7. Week 8 reduces the load and repeats the reference session from the beginning.
Weeks containing tempo include one moderate-intensity session. The other rides focus on easy endurance and practical skills.
WHAT IS INCLUDED?
- 24 cycling sessions.
- 8 short strength sessions.
- 8 optional yoga sessions.
- Workout purposes, execution guidance and fuelling advice.
- Written strength exercise and yoga pose instructions without relying on YouTube.
- An introductory note for each week.
WHAT DO YOU NEED?
A well-maintained bike suitable for your chosen terrain, a helmet and safe routes matched to your skills. Have a cycling computer or another way to track time, plus access to the workout descriptions.
Power-based execution requires a power meter and an appropriately set FTP. Without power, follow the stated perceived-effort and breathing guidance. A heart rate monitor is optional.
For longer rides, carry food, fluids, a phone and a repair kit. Plan resupply options and ways to shorten your route. Strength and yoga require a mat and the equipment specified in each session.
HOW TO FOLLOW THE PLAN
Read each description before riding. Terrain safety takes priority over power targets. Do not sprint to recover missed watts after a corner or increase terrain difficulty simply because ride duration increases.
Keep easy rides controlled. Practise eating and drinking according to the workout guidance and your established tolerance. Finish strength sessions with something in reserve. Yoga is optional.
Do not combine missed sessions to catch up. If the workload is too demanding, return to the last well-tolerated week. Completing the programme may then take longer than eight weeks.
This is a ready-made plan for independent use. It does not include individual coaching, ongoing analysis or calendar adjustments by a coach. It is not a specific race or ultra-distance programme.
At the end, review long-ride comfort, effort control, fuelling organisation and recovery. Use these observations to choose your next training stage.
I help road, gravel, MTB and indoor cyclists train with purpose. Through OZIM Academy, I offer individual coaching and ready-made training plans in English and Polish, including structured training for Zwift and TrainingPeaks Virtual.
From your first structured workout to virtual racing and outdoor goals, my approach combines physiology, training data and practical cycling experience. I help you understand your effort, build consistency and fit training into real life.