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Thanks Miro, a good plan. Now to find 2 spare hours in the evenings :-)
This is an example of a Sunday club run (most recent) with a solo return.
It all just felt a bit harder than it used to. Only two more weeks of mad work hours and then normality will hopefully resume and I'll start on your plan.
TTM
miro_o
Basically this is what I do if I've been out of it for a while. I'm not saying it's the best way but it's better than other routes I've tried so I may aswell share...
Start with an hour in mid-to-high z3 twice a week, then push that out (as quickly as you like, these will probably feel quite easy) until you can do 2hours+ at sweetspot. 3hrs really. Try and find quiet, open roads where you can get on with it relatively free from junctions etc. If you're bonking on these some 2hr+ z2/3 rides might be needed initially. Your long weekend rides will be useful here (if they are slow/easy going). You can do all of these on consecutive nights or a day on / day off or whatever. I find blocks most effective (but more draining).
Then, 4 to 8 weeks later... start doing these 2hr+ rides drifting above threshold (over hills, grippy sections).
Then do them with a few sustained kicks (8mins or longer). Push these kicks out longer, or do one 20min chunk just above threshold.
Then add some backed up intervals (5x5m or shorter) and the sharpening stuff that @Smallfurry mentions to your week. I'm not even sure these need to hit into z5 - there value for me is in training for quicker recovery.
Oh look you're fit for 4hr+ rides with hard/fast bits!