“Durability is so hot right now”
Anyone have recommendations for workouts in the TR library that might be good for durability training? I’m thinking workouts that front load Z2 and backload intervals. I don’t think I’ve seen any but maybe I’m just missing them.
I’d just filter through the workout library to find a 30-minute workout that fits your needs.
If you’re following a plan, you could look for 30-minute Workout Alternates as well.
Then just get as much Z2 riding in beforehand as you’d like and start the 30-minute workout. 
The key here is to switch over to carb oxidation after an extended duration spent oxidizing fat.
In my experience, the biggest driver of durability is volume, not workout structure. Not saying that interval timing doesn’t play any role in durability, but it’s not the main driver from what I understand.
And there are training benefits to doing intervals with fatigue in the legs, but there are also tradeoffs as the quality of the intervals can suffer a little. In my opinion, it’s a valuable approach to work in at times, but I still like to keep “fresh” intervals in the plan most of the time. I’ll typically work in more fatigued intervals as I get deep into my training, mostly during my 2nd build block. It can be a beat down mentally and physically, so my preference is small doses.
And if I was trying to build as much durability as I could with limited hours, I’d be working in a lot of long sweet spot intervals. It’s not as good as long hours of endurance over multiple seasons, but a pretty good path to get decent durability when time is limited. Again, just my experience, I assume it’s somewhat individual.
When I think of “durability” I think back to some of the 10k and 1/2 marathon workouts we would do in my college running days. Workouts like “The Michigan” is a good one… Or heading out for a 20-40 min threshold run then come back to rip some 300’s on the track. Negative split runs with a build up over the last 3 miles (with a scorching last mile) were good ones too.
A Swiss marathoner I trained with on occasion put me through the ringer with a half marathon “prep” workout where he would alternate 1k at 10k pace and 2k at marathon pace (no breaks) for a total of 10k. Those workouts where you are “recovering” at tempo pace really hurt and take a few before you feel somewhat in the groove.
I have simulated these in a custom workout as I haven’t seen anything like it in the library. Here is an example:
“Durability” seems to be a new term but not a new concept. We called it “speed reserve” back then… how fast can you sprint at the end of the race. As many have said volume is key to making sure you are strong at the end of the race. These workouts help but you need the foundation to support it.
Durability is mostly just fitness and proper fueling.
However a couple workouts I like to add are long endurance rides with little/no rest and the same long rides but with tempo/ftp or other intervals depending on your racing goals every hour or so. Think something like 6hr of z2 with 15m at ftp every hour.
Bumping the thread to maybe get some clarification. In a recent podcast episode there was talk of durability and in the discussion I formed a mental image of what one of those workouts might look like. I whipped it up real quick and here’s what I was thinking. This workout is essentially just Quail (3 hr endurance) immediately followed up by Muah (1 hour threshold).
Then I went poking around the forums to see what else has been mentioned on the topic and it seemed like folks were talking about having their threshold efforts spread out more throughout the workouts. Something like this:
Is one of those more correct than the other? Does it really matter? I was just looking for something to do for when I get antsy this winter and want to have some extra fun on the trainer.
Not a fan of intervals after endurance. In my experience, all it does is add fatigue, increases RPE and reduces quality of the intervals. There”s no magic workout to increase durability. It comes down to consistency (not just weeks but years), old school volume, interval sessions and long endurance rides.
But as for the question of which workout is better… I don’t think either are great but #2 is the better choice.
The biggest driver of durability (in my opinion) is pushing a bunch of TSS through your legs on long rides (consistently over multiple years). Doing the threshold work at the end is a good test of where you stand (and great mental/race training), but probably not the best path to building durability. But I honestly haven’t tried that approach, just seems like it would produce a lot of fatigue and require a lot of recover for the given stress. I’m personally a fan of lots of high endurance/tempo and sweet spot to drive significant TSS with less fatigue, but opinions clearly vary on this.
Except when training for very long days with very long climbs such as the Alps. Long zone 2 and tempo/sweet spot intervals towards the end are ideal
We would do something similar in college for early season base phase. On a 10 mile run about 3 miles out you crank up the pace til the last mile you are really flying. I don’t consider that “intervals” but indeed a great (and fun) way to get in shape!
“Durability” is essentially a fancy name for fitness.
You don’t need any super specific workout to train it, just large volume and a good amount of threshold work.
Welcome to the forum! 
I’d actually disagree with @Jolyzara on this one and pick option #1.
I think that doing those hard sets on slightly tired legs after a load of kjs (even if the quality isn’t superb at first) is a key part in building “durability.”
Like many other types of specific training, you can likely improve your abilities with this type of effort over time.
It will likely take some playing with power targets as you might struggle with intervals at 100% of FTP late in a workout right off the bat. 
