Aid Station Strategy: Maximizing Efficiency at 100-Mile Gravel Markers

You’ve trained for months. 

Your legs are ready. 

Your bike is dialed. 

But at mile 70 of a 100-mile gravel race, when your legs are screaming and your stomach is rebelling, the aid station can make or break your day.

Most riders treat aid stations like a buffet. 

They roll in, stop for 3-5 minutes, stuff their pockets with everything that looks edible, and then wonder why they feel sluggish or blown up later.

Your aid station strategy is part of your training. 

The best gravel racers treat every support point like a pit crew—efficient, purposeful, and deliberate.

The Philosophy: Race Fuel, Not Comfort Food

Before we get tactical, let’s get mindset right.

Your body during a 100-mile gravel race is a machine running on borrowed energy. 

Glycogen stores deplete. 

Blood sugar spikes and crashes. 

The gut becomes less permeable to absorption under stress. 

Every aid station stop is an opportunity to maintain momentum, not restart it.

Rolling up to an aid station and downing a sleeve of cookies might feel good in the moment, but 15 minutes later, you’ll either be chasing a blood sugar crash or dealing with gut rot.

The goal at every aid station is simple: Replenish what you’ve burned, maintain what you’re burning, and get back moving in under 90 seconds.

I asked my athlete Chris about his strategy: 

“Aid stations aren’t just about nutrition—they’re also the best opportunity to reset,” he says. “I’m deliberate about bathroom timing, refills, and what I actually need to stop for so I can be efficient and get back on course quickly. Having a clear plan reduces decision fatigue and helps me keep my focus on riding smart all the way to the finish.”

What to Grab (The Essential List)

Not everything at the aid station is worth your time or stomach space. Here’s what actually matters:

1. Water / Electrolytes

• Priority: HIGH
• If it’s hot or you’ve been sweating heavily, prioritize hydration first.
• Top off both bottles—even if you’re carrying hydration pack, two bottles gives you backup.
• Pro tip: If the race offers “aid station bottles” (pre-filled), grab one and keep moving. Don’t stop to fill from a jug unless you’re critically low.

2. Sodium/Electrolytes

• Priority: HIGH in hot conditions, MODERATE in cool
• Look for electrolyte tabs, pills, or salty snacks.
• If you’re cramping or feeling sluggish, this is your first intervention.
• Quick hit: Salted peanuts, pretzels, or electrolyte chews all work.

3. Simple Carbohydrates (Fast Energy)

• Priority: HIGH when fatigued
• Gels, chews, fruit snacks, or banana pieces.
• When to grab: Between miles 40-60 (the “bonk zone”) and miles 70-90 (when glycogen is depleted).
• Why: Your brain craves glucose when fatigued. Simple sugars hit the bloodstream fast.

4. Real Food (For Races Over 6 Hours)

• Priority: MODERATE for long efforts
• If you’re out there more than 6 hours, your gut can handle solid food.
• Small pieces of banana, potato wedges, or simple sandwiches (white bread, peanut butter) work.
• Caveat: Don’t experiment with new foods at an aid station. If you haven’t trained your gut on it, don’t try it on race day.

Here’s Chris’s strategy for coming into the aid station: 

“I think about aid stations as checkpoints in a fueling strategy, not just places to grab whatever is available,” he says. “I use the same fuels in training and racing, so race day is just execution—not experimentation. That consistency lets me stay confident in what my body will tolerate, even late in a long gravel race when stress, heat, and fatigue are high.”

What to Skip (Save Yourself)

1. Heavy, Fibrous, or Fatty Foods

• Skip: Large sandwiches, burritos, greasy snacks, high-fiber bars
• Why: Under exercise stress, blood is diverted away from digestion. Heavy foods sit in your stomach and create GI distress.
• The rule: If it sounds good sitting on a picnic blanket, it’s probably wrong for a moving athlete.

2. Anything New

• Skip: “Oh, I’ve never tried that!” moments.
• Why: Race day is not the day for food experiments. You don’t know how your gut will react under fatigue and stress.
• The rule: Train with your aid station foods. If the race advertises “Hummus and veggies” at mile 50, don’t rely on it unless you’ve practiced eating it on training rides.

3. Excessive Volume

• Skip: Filling every pocket and both hands
• Why: Extra weight slows you down. A stuffed jersey = a slower rider.
• The rule: Take what you need for the next 30-45 minutes, not the rest of the race.

Minimizing Stop Time: The 90-Second Rule

Here’s where most riders lose minutes—and the race.

Every time you stop completely, your heart rate drops, your legs cool down, and restarting requires mental and physical momentum. 

The goal: In-and-out in 90 seconds or less.

How to Execute:

1. Pre-Plan Your Stop

• Before you see the aid station, know what you’re grabbing.
• Say it out loud: “Two bottles, one gel, one handful of pretzels.”
• Don’t decide at the table.

2. Slow, Don’t Stop

• If the course allows, roll through at 8-12 mph while grabbing items.
• Many aid stations have volunteers handing things out—make eye contact, point to what you want, keep moving.

3. One Hand on the Bar

• Practice taking bottles from hand-ups while coasting.
• Keep your dominant hand free for grabbing and your other hand on the hoods.

4. Stash and Go

• Don’t open wrappers at the aid station. Put them in your pocket and open them once you’re back on the bike and moving.

5. The “Lap” Method

• Some racers do a full loop around the aid station tent, grabbing items as they circle.
• Others grab, ride 50 feet, handle fueling, and rejoin.
• Find what works for you in training.

Here’s how Chris plans his station refuels: 

“Before a race, I calculate my ideal intake timing for calories and hydration, then map that against aid station locations under different pacing scenarios,” he says. “Gravel races are unpredictable, so I plan for slower and faster speeds and know what I need to carry to bridge any gaps. That way I’m fueling on a schedule, not reacting when I’m already behind.”

Planning Your Between-Aid-Station Strategy

This is where most riders fail. 

They rely entirely on aid stations and then bonk when one is closed or overcrowded.

The Formula:

Distance Between Aid Stations × Your Expected Pace = Time You’ll Be Without Support

Example: 25 miles between aid stations at 14 mph = ~1 hour 47 minutes without support.

Your Personal Fueling Calculator:

Segment	Miles	Time	Calories Needed	What to Carry
Start → Aid 1	25 mi	~1.5 hrs	200-300	2 gels, 1 bar
Aid 1 → Aid 2	25 mi	~1.5 hrs	200-300	2 gels, electrolytes
Aid 2 → Aid 3	25 mi	~1.5 hrs	250-350	2 gels, real food option
Aid 3 → Finish	25 mi	~1.5 hrs	200-300	1 gel, soda (if offered)

Key principle: You should arrive at every aid station with enough fuel to get to the next one if things go wrong. 

Aid stations are support, not reliance.

The Mental Game: Staying Sharp When You’re Tired

At mile 70, you’re not just tired physically—you’re also cognitively fatigued. 

Decision-making gets sloppy. 

You might grab three gels when you only need one, or forget to top off water because you’re focused on the food table.

Build a habit: At every aid station, pause and ask yourself three questions:

1. Water: Am I carrying enough to get to the next station?
2. Fuel: What have I burned since the last station?
3. Body: Am I cramping? Sluggish? Nauseous? Adjust accordingly.

This 5-second mental check prevents the “Oh no, I didn’t bring enough” moment at mile 90.

Put It Into Practice

Your aid station strategy is just as trainable as your FTP or your climbing legs.

Next time you’re on a long training ride:

• Practice grabbing bottles while coasting.
• Test your fueling timing (every 30-45 minutes, not just when hungry).
• Simulate a “race stop” – roll up, grab items, roll out – and time yourself.

In your next 100-mile gravel event, you’ll roll through aid stations while others are still deciding what to eat.

Three Things To Know About Using Aid Stations During Long Gravel Races

1. Plan your fueling between stations, not just at them.
Know the distance between aid stations and calculate how long you’ll be without support. Always carry enough to get to the next station if something goes wrong.

2. Grab simple, familiar carbs—skip the heavy food.
Your gut under stress can’t handle heavy, fibrous, or fatty foods. Stick to gels, chews, electrolytes, and simple sugars. And never try anything new on race day.

3. In-and-out in 90 seconds or less.
Stop completely and your heart rate tanks, legs cool down, and you lose momentum. Pre-plan what you need, roll through if possible, and stash wrappers to open once you’re moving again.

Need More? 

Unlock the secrets to mastering gravel racing with our FREE Guide to Gravel Racing! Get yours here.

BOOK A CALL so we can discuss your goals, answer questions, and talk about making your endurance training more effective, fun, and Simple.

Paul Warloski is a:

• USA Cycling Level 1 Advanced Certified Coach
• RRCA Running Coach
• Training Peaks Level 2 Coach
• RYT-200 Yoga Instructor
• Certified Personal Trainer
• Certified Nutrition Advisor