ENDURANCE WORKOUTS
Long, steady, unglamorous, and the reason the fast riders are fast.
THE IDEA
Endurance riding builds the aerobic machinery everything else depends on: mitochondria, capillaries, fat oxidation and the durability to still have legs after three hours.
The hard part indoors is not the intensity, it is the tedium. Structure fixes that.
Intensity: 56-75% of FTP (Z2)
SESSIONS
| Session | Structure | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Short base | 60 min steady | 65-70% FTP |
| Cadence ladder | 4 x 15 min alternating 95rpm / 75rpm | 65-72% FTP |
| Tempo touches | 90 min with 3 x 8 min lifted to 80% | 65% base, 80% lifts |
| Long ride | 150 min steady with a bottle every 45 min | 60-70% FTP |
| Sharpened base | 75 min steady plus 6 x 20s seated accelerations | 68% FTP, sprints free |
HOW TO RIDE THEM WELL
- Keep it genuinely easy. Drifting into tempo is the most common mistake in amateur cycling.
- A fan is non-negotiable — heat, not intensity, is what ends long indoor rides.
- Eat during anything over 90 minutes. 40-60g of carbohydrate an hour.
- Stand for 15 seconds every ten minutes to save your contact points.
FAQ
Is 60 minutes long enough for an endurance ride?
It helps, and consistency beats perfection. The deeper adaptations do favour 90 minutes and beyond when you can find the time.
Can I watch television during zone 2?
Absolutely — it is the one intensity where distraction is an asset rather than a problem.
KEEP READING
PUT IT INTO PRACTICE
LuftQuest is a free indoor cycling app: pair your power meter, pick a structured workout and let a very opinionated coach keep you honest.