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Available to: Life, Forward, Endure, and Advanced
The PATHFINDER Cycling Challenge is designed to support and improve the cardiovascular and muscular endurance demands of ruck athletes. Cycling offers a joint-friendly alternative for aerobic training, reinforcing stamina, leg strength, and aerobic efficiency without added impact.
Strong legs make strong ruckers. The more power you can generate in your lower body and lungs, the stronger your pace under weight. Cycling is a smart strategy for building the engine that carries you through long-distance efforts.
Challenge Purpose
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This Challenge focuses on developing aerobic base, muscular endurance, and conditioning through structured cross-training. For those aiming to complete the PATHFINDER Triathlon Challenge, this is a logical first step. But even if you’re not triathlon-bound, integrating cycling can:
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Improve cardiovascular efficiency
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Boost lower-body strength and muscular stamina
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Provide a low-impact endurance option during recovery-heavy weeks
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Reinforce consistency in cross-training discipline
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Challenge Parameters
Conditions:
You can complete this Challenge on a road bike, mountain bike, trail bike, gravel bike, or stationary bike (such as Peloton, Wattbike, AssaultBike, etc.). Choose the platform that suits your training environment and access.
Timeframe:
Complete six (6) rides of 30 minutes or more over a six-week period. These do not need to be consecutive weeks, but consistency is encouraged. If you’re already cycling as part of your regular training, those rides can count toward this Challenge as long as they meet the time minimum.
Progression Guidance:
As with all PATHFINDER Challenges, progression matters. Start with manageable effort and volume. As the weeks pass, gradually increase intensity, duration, or both. Mixing long Zone 2-style rides with shorter interval-focused sessions will yield the best performance results.
Challenge Requirements
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Each ride must be a minimum of 30 minutes to qualify for Challenge credit.
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Program completion is based on time, not distance. We recognize the wide variation in ability and access to equipment among PATHFINDER rosters.
Safety & Best Practices
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Never wear a weighted ruck while cycling. It compromises your posture and increases injury risk.
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Always wear a helmet when riding outdoors. No exceptions.
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Ensure your bike is properly fitted to your body. Seat height, handlebar reach, and pedal position all matter. A local bike shop can help if you’re unsure.
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If riding outdoors:
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Follow traffic laws.
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Use front and rear lights for visibility.
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Ride defensively and predictably.
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- See the National Safety Council for some common sense rules of the road. Obey all traffic laws.
How Do I Start Training?
Start where you are. Go slow, build consistency, and don’t force movements that feel wrong. If something hurts, skip it. The foundation of ruck readiness is already being laid through your regular workouts and weekly miles.
If you’re ready to push your conditioning further, adding plyometrics, like burpees, mountain climbers, and squat jumps, can increase power and endurance. As always, train with intention, not ego.
Road, Trail, or Mountain Bike?
Finding the right terrain for your cycling Challenge is a key part of your success. Here’s how to get started:
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Match the ride to your skill level. You can use AllTrails to find biking trails, in addition to hiking trails, nearby. We also really like MTB Project, which is a free resource with more mountain bike trails. For MTB, stick to green and blue trails if you're a beginner or novice at mountain biking.
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Gear up properly.
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Consider a skills refresher.
If you’re new or returning to cycling, look for beginner lessons in your area. Many mid- to large-sized cities offer intro classes or clinics.
- We know mountain and trail biking can be intimidating, but it's worth the time, effort, and learning curve, just like with every other sport! The more you ride, the more comfortable you'll get.
Getting started in mountain biking? Check out...
...or maybe you're new to road cycling. You may want to watch Everything You Need to Know if You're New to Road Cycling.
and lastly, you may want to check out Beginner Mistakes and How to Avoid Making Them | Global Mountain Bike Network.
STATIONARY BIKE
There are a million stationary bike workouts out there, and we encourage our rosters to find what best suits them. We recommend trying a gym class first (we're big fans of ClassPass for access to boutique gyms for supplemental in-person workouts).
You can try a free ClassPass trial with 20 bonus credits* to use at a variety of studios and gyms near you.
You can also use a Peloton or other stationary bike. There are many stationary bike classes on YouTube as well.
Just a few of the YouTube options we found:
Train with Global Cycling Network | Global Cycling Network | Playlist
30-Minute Cycling Workouts | Kaleigh Cohen Cycling | Playlist
67 Free Full-Length Cycling Workout Classes | Studio Sweat onDemand | Playlist
We recommend trying a variety of distance, interval, and hill-climb cycling workouts to receive the most benefit.
Does a 30-Minute Cycle Count as a Workout?
No. A 30-minute ride will only count toward your Cycling Challenge credit, not your daily workout requirement.
If you'd like it to count for both, ride for at least 45 minutes, or follow your ride with another training session to meet the full workout standard.
The 30-minute time frame was intentionally kept short to make this Challenge accessible to as many rosters as possible, especially over a multi-day period. It's a floor, not a ceiling. #CTHT
Cross-Training Integration: Making Cycling Work With Your Program
Cycling is a low-impact way to build aerobic capacity and strengthen the lower body, which makes it particularly useful for recovery, endurance gains, and injury prevention. Here's how to make it work alongside your PATHFINDER programming:
Weekly Integration Options
Option 1: Recovery Ride (best for heavy training weeks)
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When: Day after long ruck or heavy leg strength day
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Ride Type: Easy Zone 2 ride (conversational pace)
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Time: 30 - 45 minutes
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Purpose: Flush soreness, maintain aerobic capacity without added impact
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Add-on suggestion: Post-ride mobility or short core workout
Option 2: Conditioning Ride (swap for a ruck/other cardio day)
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When: Mid-week or as part of your second cardio session
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Ride Type: Moderate intensity or hill intervals
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Time: 45 - 60 minutes
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Purpose: Build power, lung capacity, and quad/hamstring balance
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Add-on suggestion: 10 - 15 minutes ruck weight farmer carries or step-ups to simulate carry fatigue
Option 3: Brick Session (Ruck + Ride Combo)
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When: Weekend or whenever you have extra time
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Ride Type: 30 min ride plus 30 - 45 min ruck
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Purpose: Simulate Event fatigue, challenge legs and lungs in sequence
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Important: Start slow and scale. This is deceptively difficult.
Training Notes
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Don’t ride on heavy ruck days unless you're used to doubling up. Let one be the focus.
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If ruck pace is a current focus for you, prioritize rides that build leg stamina (long, steady) or power (short hills or interval bursts).
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For injury-prone athletes or those coming off illness, cycling can help maintain capacity without risk of reinjury.
Challenge Safety & Restrictions
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Always carry a basic first aid kit.
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Ruck safely. Share your route and estimated return time with someone who can assist in an emergency.
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Obey all laws. Do not trespass. If unsure about access to any facility, consult management for permission.
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You assume all risks. PATHFINDER is not liable for any injury, damage, or death resulting from participation in its programming.
All PATHFINDER Challenges are © PATHFINDER Ruck Training. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution is prohibited.
ALL PATHFINDER CHALLENGES ARE COPYRIGHT © PATHFINDER RUCK TRAINING.
1-does a 2hr ride count for 4 rides or 1?
2- where do I chart this ?
The cycling is definitely going to be one of my challenges on a C2 bike.