Which plan would you recommend for someone who is new to structured training, wants a plan, and is intimidated by seeing all of the rides at 60 minutes and high intensity? I think it’s a great challenge, and something that to me there isn’t really an obvious answer.
Yeah, this is a relatively rare situation for the customer-type we serve. I’d personally suggest either Traditional Base Low Volume and swap to shorter workouts with Workout Alternates, or more likely just encourage them to do TrainNow Endurance rides with consistency.
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It just makes me think of 10-12 years ago when I was getting back to exercising and I started running. I just started with easy short runs Tuesday and Thursday. Then longer easy runs on the weekend. No pressure. No structure beyond running on those days. Just get in the habit of that consistent week to week plan. Many months later I would start to add a few sprints sprinkled in to those runs.
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I don’t see how TrainerRoad would be more or less miserable than other options? If anything, it is the only option that adapts training for your abilities.
Cycling (unless it’s your job) is something we do for fun, and fun is what we should be encouraging new cyclists focus on. That will bring about more happy healthy cyclists that, at some point in their journey might turn to TR to get them fast.
It very much sounds like OP is an experienced person who has been turned to by someone new for advice, but who is exporting what is right for them onto what is right for someone else. I’m not convinced that’s something we should be encouraging.
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I agree on that! It should always be fun for all of us, and just because one thing works for somebody doesn’t mean it’s the best option for others.
My message was specifically addressing that TrainerRoad would be “miserable” compared to other software options.
There are many ways to use TrainerRoad for many different situations. 
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I think they’re doing exactly the right thing for their friend, and it’s you who are assuming too much about their wants and needs. Check out the details of the OPs posts.
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Believe someone mentioned Traditional Base LV, adding my vote for it. Great way to rebuild a base of fitness. Riding is training, so if hard intervals are intimidating don’t fight it just ride endurance and start building consistency and volume which are first principles in this sport (LOL I’ve just dispelled the myth of having to train with hard intervals).
For myself, its better done outside or simply letting Zwift control my Kickr and doing a flat route with power targets on Garmin 530. Just ride and toss in some accelerations. I did Tempus Fugit route last night for about ~100 minutes, first inside ride in months. Could feel the gentle 1% inclines and declines. Tossed in a couple short/hard efforts on some under 1-min segment because I did the full route twice. So much better than being locked into erg. Your mileage may vary.
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My wife and I don’t use TR software, or Zwift really.
But Zwift is a wonderful gateway drug to TR when encouraging people through their cycling adoption journey
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Has anyone got a copy of Joe Friel’s Bible they could borrow?
Ignoring where I think he says words to the effect of ‘this is for people who have been riding consistently for a couple of years’ 
: I think he does a great job of explaining progressive overload and the idea of macro, meso and micro cycles to anyone excited by the prospect of a ‘plan’.
Then they could jump on intervals.icu and lay out what they hope to do each week, month and season.
Half the fun of having a plan for me is in writing it 
I think plans are great for removing guilt on days you know you don’t ‘need’ to ride and adding accountability on days you ‘do’.
And if they’d planned their own workouts then they would be the duration and intensity they know they can manage 
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