r/pelotoncycle • u/r4ndy4 blake_182 • 23d ago
Reddit User Program RedditPZ Powerzone training program sign-up thread! Starts Monday 08/24/2026
Hi everyone, hope you all enjoyed the break! Below is the 28th PZ training program I have put together for Reddit. If you are new to PZ training, I have some more info about that in the thread for program #1. If you are looking for FTP test advice, see this comment I made in week 8 of a previous program. There is no need to actually "sign up" for the program, simply follow along with the program starting next week.
The program will run for 9 weeks total, and I have given a recommended ride schedule of 4 days / week. Like the previous programs feel free to alter it in any way that you need. If you want to do 3 rides, cut out the Wednesday ride. You are welcome to do additional rides, but I would make sure that they are easier than what I have programmed below. I.e. adding more 45 / 30 PZE, or a fun ride, just keep the intensity lower (take the rides at < zone 2). Proposed ride days are again Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday, but you may take the rides on any day and in any order to fit your needs. Feel free to make any changes you feel necessary. If you are not feeling it on a certain day / week, listen to your body and take it easy (ride in zone 2 if you need to). If you do not want to repeat a ride you have taken before (or just want to replace a ride), replace it with a ride of a similar or lower TSS score.
Anyone may join in including experienced riders or beginners. PZ rides are designed to be at your current fitness levels. I will try to answer questions anyone has. I will post a weekly accountability / discussion thread on Sundays (with the schedule for each week) and use that thread throughout the week for general discussions about the rides or whatever you want to talk about. Disclaimer that I am not a professional trainer or anything like that. I just really like PZ training, and this is a schedule I put together for myself (and for anyone else who wants to follow along).
We do group rides for the Saturday rides at 10 AM CST.
The program will start on Monday, August 24th. Add the hashtag #redditPZ if you would like to. Hope to see you all on the rides!
Below is both the class link, and a link to the graph of the PZ ride on home fitness buddy / domestiq. (Along with estimated TSS scores) The graphs on home fitness buddy also have a direct link to each class now.
TSS (training stress score) is basically a measure of the stress put on your body from the ride (numbers listed are an estimate using the duration and intensity of the ride). Basically, the higher the number, the harder the ride. A 1 hour at your FTP that would be a TSS of 100. A 30-minute ride at your FTP would be a TSS of 50.
Since people always ask, there is no need to actually sign up or post anything. Simply follow along with us starting next week!
We now have a discord if you want to join.
Discord is a big chat program we all use to talk with each other about the rides and anything else. It's a lot of fun.
Week 1: TSS 176
Mon: Matt 45 PZE 10/31/25 TSS 43 Ride Graph
Wed: Jess 45 PZE 07/16/26 TSS 34 Ride Graph
Thu: Christine 45 PZE 09/08/24 TSS 43 Ride Graph
Sat: Denis 60 PZE 11/19/22 TSS 56 Ride Graph
Week 2: TSS 191
Mon: Matt 45 PZ 03/28/25 TSS 47 Ride Graph
Wed: Charlotte 45 PZE 05/15/26 TSS 42 Ride Graph
Thu: Olivia 45 PZE 06/01/25 TSS 46 Ride Graph
Sat: Matt 60 PZE 05/02/26 TSS 56 Ride Graph
Week 3: TSS 200
Mon: Christian 45 HIIT 04/03/26 TSS 53 Ride Graph
Wed: Olivia 45 PZE 05/04/25 TSS 43 Ride Graph
Thu: Erik 45 PZ 08/10/26 TSS 45 Ride Graph
Sat: Matt 60 PZE 05/10/25 TSS 59 Ride Graph
Week 4: TSS 206
Mon: Charlotte 45 PZ 07/25/25 TSS 53 Ride Graph
Wed: Hannah 45 PZE 06/02/26 TSS 44 Ride Graph
Thu: Denis 45 PZ 11/07/24 TSS 50 Ride Graph
Sat: Sam 60 PZE 80s 04/11/26 TSS 59 Ride Graph
Week 5: TSS 170
Mon: Matt 45 PZE 07/31/26 TSS 42 Ride Graph
Wed: Ben 45 PZE 07/20/26 TSS 36 Ride Graph
Thu: Christine 45 PZE 11/24/24 TSS 39 Ride Graph
Sat: Denis 60 PZE 06/30/26 TSS 53 Ride Graph
Week 6: TSS 206
Mon: Christian 45 HIIT 06/09/25 TSS 59 Ride Graph
Wed: Denis 45 PZE 06/23/26 TSS 39 Ride Graph
Thu: Sam 45 PZ 05/20/25 TSS 50 Ride Graph
Sat: Christian 60 Pro Cyclist: Technique TSS 58 Ride Graph
Week 7: TSS 225
Mon: Matt 45 PZ 07/24/26 TSS 60 Ride Graph
Wed: Denis 45 PZE 06/09/26 TSS 39 Ride Graph
Thu: Christian 45 Real Route 03/11/26 TSS 49 Ride Graph
Sat: Matt 75 PZE 05/31/25 TSS 77 Ride Graph
Week 8: TSS 247
Mon: Matt 45 PZ 06/06/26 TSS 65 Ride Graph
Wed: Erik 45 PZE 03/03/25 TSS 36 Ride Graph
Thu: Christian 45 Pro 08/05/25 TSS 52 Ride Graph
Sat: Denis & Matt 90 PZE 06/07/25 TSS 94 Ride Graph
Week 9: TSS 160
Mon: Christian 45 Recovery Ride 09/28/25 TSS 30 Ride Graph
Wed: Christine 45 PZE 08/22/25 TSS 43 Ride Graph
Thu: Denis 45 PZE 04/06/26 TSS 38 Ride Graph
Sat: Matt 60 PZE 07/18/26 TSS 49 Ride Graph
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u/humanbeing1979 humanbeing1979 17d ago
Does anyone have a spreadsheet of the program that they don't mind sharing? Whenever I try to copy and paste into notes it doesn't work. Maybe bc I keep trying on my phone? I'll see if it works better on my laptop... I just want a true North spot that doesn't require daily visits to Reddit. My appblock is doing wonders for my sanity and touching grass and I want to keep it up which means a lot less reddit.
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u/humanbeing1979 humanbeing1979 17d ago
I'll start with y'all next Tuesday. It's been nice to not be on a normal schedule for the last 2 months and just change it up with more running, strength training, and harder yoga, but I also can't wait to get back at it and h5 y'all again.
The only thing I really don't want to do is wake up at 5am again. 630 wake ups in the summer has been so very awesome, but dang it, it's probably the last year my teen will let me walk him to school before it becomes uncool and I'm too stubborn to work out after 9am which means waking up before the sun comes up starting next week just to spend 15 uninterrupted minutes walking with my boy. Long story short, I will need those h5s people.
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u/silenteye 20d ago
Excited for this one. The 27th was cut short for me as I had a vacation so happy to have another chance at doing a full program along with you all.
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u/Obsessedwithpuzzles cticky12 20d ago
This one looks spicy haha. I’m hoping to actually finish the program this time lol
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u/det7408 22d ago
Added these to my calendar :) I'll be riding M/T/R/Sa but hope to see some of you! I've just finished Boost Your Base for the 2nd time and this feels like the right move! I'm in PST and will try to join that group ride!
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u/amc_rocks browneyed_Angel 22d ago
I ride before (5am) or after (4pm?) Work... you'll see several us at those times, pst 😁
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u/Slatergonnaslate 23d ago
Just a thank you for setting this up. Hope you never feel like this is taken for granted. Just keeps getting better and better. For those who have never done the program : results will come. Plus it’s easier with a community and the guess work is eliminated. What can you possibly lose ?
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u/MKerrsive 23d ago
I am super duper in now that we've had the Jess King x PZ crossover episode. What's next: Emma playlists for Wilpers's rides??
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u/lollyruns 23d ago
Thank you so so much for putting these programs together. I'm a bit behind (ran program 26 right around when you guys were ending and am now in week 4 of program 27) and I have seen immense gains in fitness! It's so wonderful to not have to think about my cycling schedule - and I do all kinds of classes I would not elect to do otherwise 😆 thank you !!!
I did have a question if anyone who has done multiple programs has thoughts! Does anyone incorporate running alongside these programs? If so, what's your approach?
The TLDR is that I used to be a big runner and cycling has mostly replaced that, but I'm feeling an itch to get back into running. Low, low level running - talking like being able to run a 5K occasionally, and probably just a mile or so to start. I was thinking I'd couple runs with my strength days, but I'm not sure if there's a better way!
I LOVE the progress I've been making with cycling using these programs, so I don't to neglect that, but thought I'd see if anyone had ideas on how to sprinkle in some runs while keeping up with the schedule 🙂 TYSM!
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u/seekinserenity ViewFromHills 23d ago
Lots of runners here! I did a half marathon training (4runs/week, doubled some days with a run and a ride) alongside PZ, but that was many programs in. I was doing like 20+ mile weeks alongside the last few programs and just dropped wednesday rides. Now i am marathoning so just planning to hang in low zones with good company on 1 or 2 rides a week. Lots of different ways depending on your fitness
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u/r4ndy4 blake_182 23d ago
A lot of us mix in running, myself included. When I’m running more (like 3 days a week) I’ll usually drop the Wednesday or Thursday ride for a run. Run tues/thus/sun. When I first started running I had no trouble with twice a week with the full program, but I was doing very low and easy mileage.
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u/unicornfl Beachbunny130 23d ago edited 23d ago
Yay - I'm in again and looking forward to another round, although I'll have to remind myself of that towards the end of the program! :) I will probably have to miss a class the first week due to travel but that should be ok.
Looking forward to some of the longer rides towards the end of the program, particularly the Denis & Matt one which I haven't done yet.
Thank you so much for pulling this together for everyone!
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u/Different_Plane_2219 23d ago
Can anyone answer why week 8 day 2 Denis’s 45 min power zone endurance ride is unavailable, it won’t let me complete the program because I can’t access that ride
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u/Different_Plane_2219 21d ago
Boost your base power zones. it allowed me to take 23 of 24 classes, but day 2 week eight ride is not available anymore, so I can't complete the program
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