3 Hour Endurance Road Ride
A three hour outdoor ride at steady endurance power with a clear eating plan, for riders preparing for gran fondos and long road races.
- Duration
- 3 h
- Effort
- 123
- Level
- Advanced
- Focus zone
- Endurance
Your values
Targets relative to your threshold values. Enter your values to see absolute numbers.
| # | Step | Length | Target |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Warm-upEndurance Easy start, roll out gently | 15 min | 45 → 65% FTP55 → 70% HRmax |
| 2 | IntervalEndurance Settle in, start drinking early | 50 min | 60-72% FTP65-78% HRmax |
| 3 | IntervalEndurance Eat 30 to 40 g carbs, stay steady | 50 min | 60-72% FTP65-78% HRmax |
| 4 | IntervalEndurance Keep eating, hold the same power | 50 min | 60-72% FTP65-78% HRmax |
| 5 | Cool-downRecovery Easy spin home | 15 min | 60 → 45% FTP68 → 55% HRmax |
About this workout
Long rides prepare you for the last hour of a sportive or road race, when glycogen runs low, the saddle gets uncomfortable and the gut has to cope with food at effort. Three hours at 60 to 72% of FTP is a solid long ride for riders who already handle two hours without trouble.
Warm up for 15 minutes, then ride three blocks of 50 minutes. The block notes are eating reminders. Aim for 40 to 60 g of carbohydrate per hour, starting in the first hour, and one bottle per hour. Keep the power steady on rolling terrain. On climbs, allow it to rise to the top of the range but not beyond, and keep pedaling on the descents rather than coasting the whole way.
Finish with 15 minutes of easy riding home. Increase to three and a half hours after a few weeks, or add a tempo block in the last hour once the base is solid.
Tips
- Eat something every 20 to 30 minutes from the first hour, before hunger appears.
- Plan a route with water stops if one bottle per hour is more than you can carry.
- Ride the climbs seated in a light gear to keep the power inside the range.
Good forGran fondoRoad race
Season phaseBaseBuild