Pure endurance volume — the aerobic engine that fuels everything else.
2745 miles rewards fat oxidation. This volume work shifts your fuel mix so you're still burning fat at hour 5, not bonking at hour 3.
STRUCTURE
15min progressive warm-up → 2.5hr steady Zone 2 → 15min cool-down
EXECUTION
This is the foundation ride. Perfectly steady Zone 2 — no surges, no coasting, no excuses. Nasal breathing pace. This is where fat oxidation improves, mitochondrial density increases, and your body learns to go long. The most important ride of the week.
POWER
65–70% FTP steady — if heart rate drifts above Z2, reduce power
CADENCE
80–90rpm — find your sustainable rhythm and hold it
POSITION
Alternate every 30min: hoods → drops → tops. Build position endurance.
RPE
3–4 throughout — conversational pace, never labored
RACE-SPECIFIC: TOUR DIVIDE
HEAT PREP June in Banff, Alberta to Antelope Wells, New Mexico — June start means snow on Canadian/Montana passes, spring mud in Wyoming, afternoon thunderstorms in Colorado's high country, and desert heat in New Mexico. Temperature swings from below freezing at 11,000+ feet to 100°F+ in the desert. Weather changes rapidly at altitude. Wildfires and smoke increasingly common. Begin heat acclimatization 10–14 days before Tour Divide — 20–30min sauna sessions or midday rides in full kit. Pre-load sodium 48 hours out. Target 500–750ml/hr with electrolytes on race day. Race-day realities: Extreme desert heat in final sections.
NUTRITION Ultra-distance fueling for 2745 miles: 80–100g carbs/hour from mile 1 — don’t wait until you’re hungry. Practice your exact race-day nutrition in every long training ride. Carry backup calories. 2745 miles burns 8,000–12,000+ calories — you cannot replace them all, but you must try.
ALTITUDE Tour Divide with 200,000ft of climbing, much of it above 8,000ft demands altitude preparation. Arrive 5–7 days early for acclimatization. Expect 5–15% power reduction at altitude. Increase iron intake 4 weeks out. Hydrate aggressively — altitude increases fluid loss by 20–40%. Snow at elevation any time.
TERRAIN Mixed terrain at Tour Divide requires surface adaptability. Include weekly rides on mixed mountain bike terrain following the continental divide to build confidence. Expect: gravel roads, forest service roads, blm roads.
