One of the major tips I always give out to people taking up cycling training – particular those working full-time – is to get quality over quantity.
You can go out for four hours on a Sunday and pedal around but if all you are doing is pedaling around then you’re more or less wasting your time. The best way to make use of your time is to get a coach – but obviously that’s a bit biased of me!
For people who work full-time, who will be the people doing these events, you are restricted time-wise. There’s no point going out and riding aimlessly. You may as well make the most of the time you have available.
Even when I was full-time that was my approach. The long efforts you need to be doing should come at the weekend, and then the focused stuff should be during the week. You need to prepare for the specifics of the event…