Race Day Nutrition Crisis Management: What to Do When Your Plan Goes Wrong
You spent months preparing for your race. You tested your fueling strategy during training, packed your nutrition, and reviewed your pacing plan. Then race day happens. The aid station runs out of drink mix. Your stomach suddenly revolts. You drop a bottle. Your gels become impossible to swallow or the gravel road is so rough […]
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 […]
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, […]
Recovery: The Hidden Component of Gravel Race Success
by Coach Paul Warloski Here’s a truth that separates fast gravel racers from frustrated ones: two athletes with identical training volumes will perform vastly differently based on their recovery habits. The hours you spend recovering are when the actual adaptation happens—when your body rebuilds stronger than before. Gravel racing demands everything: sustained hours of endurance, […]
Fuel Your Performance: The Science of Pre-Workout and During-Exercise Nutrition
Let’s fuel your success with the right knowledge! The difference between average and exceptional cycling performance, whether you’re preparing for a gravel race or cyclocross, often lies in the details of what you eat and when you eat it. The cyclists who excel have mastered the art of fueling their bodies strategically. Whether you’re tackling […]
The Morning Training Dilemma: Fasted vs. Fueled Performance Explained
by Coach Paul Warloski Early morning training can be a beautiful thing—the roads are quiet, the air is crisp, and you can knock out your workout before the day gets crazy. But should you eat first? How long can you ride or run fasted before performance suffers? Is training empty really making you faster? The […]
Race-Week Fueling: How to Eat During Your Taper for Peak Performance
by Coach Paul Warloski You’ve reduced your training volume to freshen up before your A event, whether it’s cyclocross, gravel bike race, or a trail run. Now match it with smart nutrition during your taper. During the seven to 14 days before your A-priority race, the goal isn’t to eat less; it’s to arrive topped […]
Maximize Your Endurance Performance: 6 Essential Pillars for Efficient Training and Optimal Health
by Paul Warloski, Simple Endurance Coaching With countless training methods and advice available, how can you simplify your approach and still get the best results? We’ll explore six key pillars—Aerobic Training, HIIT, Strength Training, Nutrition, Sleep, and Mental Health—to help you focus your training efforts based on your goals and available time. 1. Aerobic Training: […]
Adopting a Pro Athlete Mindset: How Making Key Lifestyle Changes Can Bring Success for Everyday Endurance Athletes
One of my junior clients texted me from St. Louis after one of the Gateway Cup crits didn’t go very well. “I’m actually so done. I’ll do anything to get better. I will not complain, I will do everything this winter.” The junior had done well in Cat. 4s in the Chicago Grit series, but […]
