Beyond Gels: Variety in Your Gravel Race Fueling Arsenal
Why flavor fatigue happens and how to combat it If you’ve ever been 4 hours into a 100-mile gravel race, staring at another packet of strawberry gels, and nearly vomited at the thought of putting one more in your mouth, you’ve experienced flavor fatigue. It’s real, it’s brutal, and it’s one of the biggest reasons […]
The Gravel Race Nutrition Formula: 50-80 Grams of Carbs Per Hour
Your glycogen stores will empty between 90 minutes and three hours in a long gravel race. It doesn’t matter how fit you are, doesn’t matter how perfectly you paced. Without external fuel, you’ll be riding on fumes by the time the course really gets interesting. The bonk doesn’t care about your FTP. But here’s what’s […]
The Psychology of Gravel Racing: Managing Doubt and Fear
How to train your mind as hard as your body so you can finish strong There’s a moment, or maybe more than one, in every long gravel event – you know the one. The legs are fine. The fuel is there. But somewhere around mile 60 (or 80, or 100), a voice starts whispering: You […]
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, […]
How to Race Strong in the Final Hour of Your Gravel Event
You’ve ridden 75 miles. Your legs are screaming. Your stomach is somewhere between “meh” and “please no more gels.” And that rider who was sitting on your wheel for the past two hours just accelerates up the next climb like they haven’t been suffering at all. Welcome to the final quarter of your gravel event. […]
Gravel Riding Skills: Master the Rough Stuff and Ride Faster
The thing that separates good gravel riders from great ones isn’t raw power, although that helps. It’s what happens when the road gets rough. Potholes, washboard, loose rock, ruts, etc., that’s where races can be won or lost. And here’s the truth many riders miss: you don’t ride around technical terrain. You ride through it […]
Why Mountain Bike Tires Win in Arkansas Gravel
by Coach Anthony James If you’re showing up to an Arkansas gravel event with the same tire setup you’d use in Kansas or Colorado, you’re already behind. Here’s the thing—most gravel racing advice out there assumes you’re riding smooth, rolled crusher dust on endless country roads. That’s fine for the Great Plains. It’s great for […]
How to Pace a Gravel Race: Finding Your Sustainable Speed and Finishing Strong
Gravel racing has a reputation for explosive starts, chaotic early miles, and long stretches of lonely riding. But if your race lasts four hours or more, success rarely comes from the rider who attacks hardest in the first hour. It usually comes from the rider who manages effort the best. Pacing is one of the […]
Gravel Racing Strategy: When to Work the Group and When to Draft
by Coach Paul Warloski If you’ve raced gravel, you already know how the early miles usually play out. The front group explodes off the line, the strongest riders disappear up the road, and the rest of us settle into smaller groups trying to hold speed and survive the day. For most racers, success isn’t about […]
How to Taper for a Gravel Race: A Three-Week Plan for Peak Performance
by Coach Paul Warloski You’ve put in the miles, the long rides, the intervals, and the strength training. Your fitness is built. Now comes the part that trips up a lot of athletes: the taper. Here’s the truth: tapering isn’t about gaining fitness. It’s about shedding fatigue so your body can deliver the fitness you’ve […]
