The best examples of cycling workout plans for long-distance rides

Real-world examples of cycling workout plans for long-distance rides

Let’s start with what you actually came for: real examples of cycling workout plans for long-distance rides that you can plug into your calendar. Think of these as templates you can adjust, not rigid rules.

Each example of a cycling workout plan below assumes:

• You have at least one long ride day on the weekend.
• You can ride 2–4 days during the workweek.
• You have access to a bike computer or app (like Strava, Garmin, or Zwift) to track time, distance, and basic effort.

I’ll use Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) on a 1–10 scale to keep things simple:

• RPE 3–4: Easy, conversational pace
• RPE 5–6: Steady, “all day” endurance pace
• RPE 7–8: Hard but controlled, can speak in short phrases
• RPE 9–10: Very hard, short bursts

Beginner-friendly examples of cycling workout plans for long-distance rides (up to 60–70 miles)

If you’re newer to cycling or you’re stepping up from 20–30 mile rides to your first 50–70 mile event, this beginner-friendly example of a cycling workout plan will help you build endurance without frying your legs.

8-week beginner long-distance cycling plan (3 rides per week)

You’ll ride three days a week: one short easy ride, one moderate ride with a bit of tempo, and one long ride on the weekend. The long ride grows gradually so your body has time to adapt.

Weekly structure (Weeks 1–4):

• Day 1 – Easy spin (45–60 minutes, RPE 3–4)
  Flat or gentle terrain. Focus on relaxed pedaling and smooth cadence. This ride helps you recover while still building basic aerobic fitness.

• Day 2 – Endurance + short tempo (60–75 minutes)
  First 40–50 minutes at RPE 4–5, then 2–3 blocks of 5 minutes at RPE 6–7 with 5 minutes easy between. These small tempo efforts teach your body to handle a bit of pressure on the pedals.

• Day 3 – Long ride (start at 90 minutes, build to 2.5–3 hours)
  All at RPE 4–5. Add roughly 15–20 minutes each week, as long as you’re finishing feeling tired but not destroyed.

Progression idea (miles are approximate, based on 13–15 mph):

• Week 1: Long ride ~20–25 miles
• Week 2: ~25–30 miles
• Week 3: ~30–35 miles
• Week 4: ~35–40 miles (cut back week if you feel drained)

Weeks 5–8: keep the same three-day structure but continue stretching the long ride:

• Week 5: ~40–45 miles
• Week 6: ~45–50 miles
• Week 7: ~50–60 miles
• Week 8: Taper week: cut weekday rides by about a third and keep long ride around 35–40 miles if you have an event.

This is one of the best examples of cycling workout plans for long-distance rides if your main goal is simply finishing your first big ride without suffering through the final hour.

Intermediate examples of cycling workout plans for long-distance rides (metric century to full century)

If you can already ride 30–40 miles comfortably and want to hit a metric century (62 miles) or a full century (100 miles), you’ll benefit from a bit more structure. This intermediate example of a cycling workout plan adds tempo and some light intervals.

10-week intermediate plan (4 rides per week)

You’ll ride four days a week: two shorter weekday rides, one focused workout, and a long weekend ride.

Weekly structure:

Day 1 – Recovery / easy spin (45 minutes, RPE 2–3)
Very relaxed. If you’re using a heart rate monitor, keep it in your lowest zone. This ride should feel almost too easy.

Day 2 – Tempo intervals (60–75 minutes)

• Warm up 15 minutes at RPE 3–4.
• Do 3–4 × 8 minutes at RPE 6–7 with 5 minutes easy between.
• Cool down 10 minutes.

Tempo work improves your ability to ride at a strong, steady pace for long periods—exactly what you need on rolling terrain.

Day 3 – Endurance ride (75–90 minutes, RPE 4–5)
Steady, mostly flat to rolling. This is your midweek “mini long ride.”

Day 4 – Long ride (start at 2.5 hours, build to 5–6 hours)
Stay mostly at RPE 4–5. Include some gentle hills if your event is hilly. As weeks go by, your long ride mileage might look like this:

• Week 1: 35–40 miles
• Week 2: 40–45 miles
• Week 3: 45–50 miles
• Week 4: 50–55 miles (cut back Week 5 to ~40 miles if needed)
• Week 5: 55–60 miles
• Week 6: 60–70 miles
• Week 7: 70–80 miles
• Week 8: 80–90 miles
• Week 9: Peak long ride ~90–100 miles
• Week 10: Taper week: reduce all rides by about 40–50% before your event.

Among all the examples of cycling workout plans for long-distance rides, this one hits a sweet spot: enough intensity to make you faster, but still very doable for busy riders.

Advanced examples of cycling workout plans for long-distance rides (performance-focused)

If you’re chasing a time goal, riding with a fast group, or tackling a hilly gran fondo, you need sharper efforts. This advanced example of a cycling workout plan includes threshold intervals and climbing work.

12-week advanced long-distance plan (4–5 rides per week)

Day 1 – Easy spin (45–60 minutes, RPE 2–3)
Very relaxed, mostly flat.

Day 2 – Threshold intervals (60–75 minutes)

• Warm up 15 minutes.
• Do 3–5 × 10 minutes at RPE 7–8 with 5 minutes easy between.
• Cool down 10–15 minutes.

These efforts sit near your lactate threshold and train you to ride hard for long stretches without blowing up.

Day 3 – Endurance ride (90–120 minutes, RPE 4–5)
Include rolling terrain. Keep it steady.

Day 4 – VO2 / climbing efforts (60–75 minutes)

• Warm up 15 minutes.
• Do 5–6 × 3 minutes at RPE 8–9 with 3 minutes easy between.
• Cool down 10–15 minutes.

You can do these on a hill, on a trainer, or on flats with a headwind. These short, hard bursts raise your ceiling so your “all day” pace feels easier.

Day 5 – Long ride (4–6+ hours)
Ride mostly at RPE 4–5. Every other week, sprinkle in 3–4 × 20 minutes at RPE 6 on hills or into the wind. Practice your race-day pacing and nutrition.

This is one of the best examples of cycling workout plans for long-distance rides if you already have a solid base and want to race your event rather than just survive it.

Time-crunched examples of cycling workout plans for long-distance rides (busy schedules)

Maybe you work long hours, have kids, or just don’t want to live on your bike all week. You can still train smart for long-distance rides with less time if you’re willing to make your weekday rides count.

Here’s a time-crunched example of a cycling workout plan that uses three focused rides during the week and one long ride.

Day 1 – Sweet spot intervals (60 minutes)

• Warm up 10–15 minutes.
• Do 3 × 10 minutes at RPE 6–7 with 5 minutes easy between.
• Cool down 10 minutes.

Day 2 – Short, hard intervals (45–60 minutes)

• Warm up 10–15 minutes.
• Do 8–10 × 1 minute at RPE 8–9 with 1–2 minutes easy.
• Cool down 10 minutes.

Day 3 – Easy spin or cross-training (30–45 minutes)
Very easy ride, or a brisk walk, or light jog if your body tolerates it.

Day 4 – Long ride (3–5 hours)
Keep this at RPE 4–5. Try to gradually extend the duration every couple of weeks.

This is one of the most realistic examples of cycling workout plans for long-distance rides for people who can’t ride five days a week but still want to tackle 60–100 mile events.

How to build your own example of a cycling workout plan

You might like pieces of several plans above. Good. That’s exactly how most experienced riders train—they mix and match.

When you build your own example of a cycling workout plan for long-distance rides, keep these simple principles in mind:

• Have one long ride each week.
  That’s your anchor. For many riders, this is Saturday or Sunday.

• Add 1–2 quality workouts.
  These can be tempo, threshold, or short intervals, depending on your level.

• Leave room for recovery.
  At least one truly easy day per week. Some weeks, two.

• Increase your long ride gradually.
  A common guideline is to bump your long ride by about 10–20% every week or two, then take an easier week.

For general physical activity and heart health, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services suggests at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, plus strength training twice weekly. You can read more in their guidelines here: https://health.gov/our-work/nutrition-physical-activity/physical-activity-guidelines.

Long-distance cycling training usually goes beyond those minimums, but it’s helpful context when you’re deciding how much time to commit.

2024–2025 training trends you can borrow

Sports science doesn’t stand still, and modern long-distance cycling plans look a bit different than they did a decade ago. When you look at the best examples of cycling workout plans for long-distance rides in 2024–2025, a few themes keep popping up:

Polarized or “80/20” training

Many riders are using an 80/20 style approach: roughly 80% of training time at easy, conversational intensity and 20% at higher intensity. This pattern shows up in endurance research and can be easier to sustain long term. The key is making your easy days truly easy, and your hard days honestly hard.

Strength training for cyclists

More cyclists are lifting weights, especially in the off-season. Studies suggest that strength work can improve cycling performance and reduce injury risk, especially as we age. The National Institutes of Health has a helpful overview of strength training benefits here: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/exercise-physical-activity.

Even one or two short strength sessions per week—think squats, lunges, hip hinges, and core work—can support long-distance riding.

Indoor training and smart trainers

Indoor platforms like Zwift and TrainerRoad have made structured training easier to follow. If you have a smart trainer, you can turn almost any example of a cycling workout plan into a set of indoor sessions with power-based intervals.

Just remember: the bike doesn’t care whether the miles are indoors or outdoors. Your body responds to time, intensity, and recovery, not scenery.

Fueling and recovery inside these cycling workout plan examples

You can follow the best examples of cycling workout plans for long-distance rides and still fall apart if you ignore fueling and recovery.

On the bike

For rides longer than about 60–90 minutes, most riders do better with:

• Around 30–60 grams of carbohydrate per hour (some experienced riders go higher).
• Regular sips of water; in hot weather, add an electrolyte drink.

Mayo Clinic has a good general overview of sports nutrition and hydration here: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/exercise/art-20045506.

Off the bike

• Eat a balanced meal with carbs and protein within a couple of hours after your long or hard rides.
• Prioritize sleep—7 to 9 hours for most adults.
• Light stretching or easy walking the day after a big ride can help you feel less stiff.

Recovery isn’t a luxury. It’s where your body actually adapts to all the work you’re doing.

FAQs: real examples of long-distance cycling workout plans

Q: Can you give a simple example of a 4-week cycling workout plan for a 50–60 mile ride?
Yes. Here’s a short, focused example:

• Ride three days per week.
• Day 1: 45–60 minutes easy (RPE 3–4).
• Day 2: 60 minutes with 3 × 6–8 minutes at RPE 6–7.
• Day 3: Long ride, starting at 90 minutes and building to about 3–3.5 hours by Week 4.

This is one of the easiest examples of cycling workout plans for long-distance rides to follow if you’re short on time.

Q: How many weeks do I need to train for a century ride?
Most riders do well with about 10–12 weeks of focused training, especially if they already ride a bit. If you’re starting almost from scratch, give yourself 16–20 weeks and keep the early weeks very easy.

Q: What are good examples of weekly mileage for long-distance cycling?
Many century riders train in the range of 80–150 miles per week at peak, depending on pace and schedule. The more important factor is your long ride. If you can comfortably ride 70–80 miles in training, you can usually stretch to 100 on event day with good pacing and fueling.

Q: Is indoor training enough for long-distance rides?
You can build a lot of fitness indoors, especially using structured interval sessions. Still, try to do at least some long rides outdoors to practice handling, wind, and real-world terrain.

Q: I’m over 50. Should I change anything in these examples of cycling workout plans for long-distance rides?
Many older cyclists find they recover better with slightly more easy days and more attention to strength training. Spreading hard workouts out (instead of stacking them) and prioritizing sleep can make a big difference. It’s always wise to talk with your healthcare provider before starting a new, higher-volume training plan, especially if you have existing medical conditions.

If you treat these as living templates—adjusting for your schedule, fitness, and how your body feels—you’ll quickly discover which examples of cycling workout plans for long-distance rides fit your life best. The real magic isn’t in the perfect plan; it’s in showing up, week after week, and letting the miles quietly add up.