If You Have…60 to 75 minutes

TEMPO TRAINING Warm up for 10 minutes. Reach a pace that feels like hard work but is sustainable for a 40k race (an RPE of about 7). Ride for 15 minutes, then pedal easy for three. Repeat twice more. Cool down. As you gain fitness, increase the tempo time and decrease recovery until you are at tempo for an hour.
The Benefit: You will gain power to climb or bridge a gap—and be able to sustain such efforts. Tempo intervals train your cells to be efficient at producing energy, which improves your threshold and boosts your sustainable race pace.

ADULT BREAK Find a few friends who can sneak away (your lunch hour is an ideal duration), and practice your pack-riding skills. Experiment with various pacelines: You know you can do a single file, now try a double or a rotating paceline. Challenge each other to signpost sprints and king-of-the-mountain wins.
The Benefit: Time spent riding with a small group will hone your balance and riding skills, your drafting technique, your ability to read other riders to predict their moves and your group-race tactics. Plus, it’s fun.

STEADY-STATE Ride at a moderate intensity (RPE of 6) for an hour or more. This can be surprisingly difficult to sustain. Make sure that your breathing remains under control and your legs don’t burn.
The Benefit: This workout improves your ability to tap into stored body fat as a fuel source, which enhances endurance by reducing your reliance on stored carbs or glycogen stores. As your fitness increases, you’ll ride longer and more comfortably without fading or bonking, and your steady-state pace will get faster.

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