2.5 Hour Low Zone 2 Ride
Two and a half hours at the low end of Zone 2 for riders with high weekly volume who build their base with long, strictly easy rides.
- Duration
- 2 h 30 min
- Effort
- 91
- 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 → 62% FTP55 → 68% HRmax |
| 2 | IntervalEndurance Low Zone 2, nose breathing | 60 min | 58-66% FTP65-74% HRmax |
| 3 | IntervalEndurance Eat and drink, stay low | 60 min | 58-66% FTP65-74% HRmax |
| 4 | Cool-downRecovery Easy spin home | 15 min | 58 → 45% FTP68 → 55% HRmax |
About this workout
Riders who train ten hours a week or more can collect a lot of aerobic work at low intensity without piling up fatigue. This ride holds the low end of Zone 2, 58 to 66% of FTP, for two hours between an easy warm-up and cool-down. It is the long easy day of a polarized week, not a slow version of a hard ride.
The challenge is discipline. Keep the heart rate under about 74% of maximum, and let it guide you when the power meter says you could push more. Eat from the first hour, 40 to 60 g of carbohydrate per hour, and drink to thirst. Ride rolling terrain in a low gear so climbs don't pull you into tempo.
If the heart rate drifts more than ten beats in the second hour at the same power, the ride was too long or the fueling too thin. Shorten it to two hours next time.
Tips
- Choose a flat or gently rolling route so the power stays low on its own.
- Ride with a partner if you both agree on the same easy pace.
- Compare the heart rate of the first and second hour to see how much it drifted.
Good forGran fondoFull-distance triathlon
Season phaseBase