The Long Hold
50 min · 50-60 TSS · IF 0.81 · 92-95% FTP · Zone 4 (Sweet Spot)
What this workout does
One unbroken block just under threshold. No rest, no reset - as much mental training as physical, teaching you to sit with sustained discomfort and pace it well.
A single continuous block at 92-95% FTP builds the specific endurance to hold near-threshold effort with no resets - the exact demand of time trials and long climbs. It trains steady-state pacing, fuel efficiency, and mental tolerance under sustained stress. Use it once your interval-based threshold work feels established.
How to ride it
Indoor / trainer
Warm up 15min. One continuous 30min effort at 92-95% FTP. Cool down 5min. Start conservative - the last 10 minutes are where the workout lives.
Outside
Pick a long, quiet flat road or steady false flat with no stops. Settle at 92-95% FTP and hold it for the full block - controlled discomfort, short-sentence breathing, even pacing to the end.
Workout structure (50 min)
- Warm-up 15m 55% - Hold 30m 94% - Cool-down 5m 55%
Targets are a percentage of FTP. This is the same shorthand the free workout builder understands — paste it there to edit any step, or download the workout for Zwift, Garmin or any smart trainer.
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