“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.
