Gravel Racing

“How do I train for my first gravel race??” The distance, the terrain, the tactics, Gravel racing is a whole different animal. We want to cover every aspect of preparing for you gravel race in this article. Want to get dirty? Read on!

Why is gravel riding so hard? The big difference with a gravel race is that there’s NO COASTING or sitting in. Or, way less of it than most of us are used to from road racing.

Gravel takes the difficulty up a notch.

For gravel racing you need to be able to consistently pedal a bike for a very long time. Many of these races are 100 miles or more, so you really need a 100 mile gravel training plan.

Gravel Training Requirements

FTP, VO2Max, Long Bike Rides.

Your gravel training needs to reflect the demands of your racing, and we’ll get to why it’s not just going to be a sweet spot group ride out there! Queue VO2Max work!

Seriously, reread that last paragraph. Gravel racing is not just FTP work; gravel racing, even though it is a LONG race in terms of duration, has a lot of VO2Max efforts, especially because you need to have the power to get over the hills!

Gravel is a different beast than road racing! The distance and NO COASTING!

This sounds dumb to say, but if you’re training for Unbound Gravel, you need to think of your training as a 200 Mile Gravel Race Training Plan! Or ask yourself, “How To Ride 200 Miles of Gravel” and map things backwards.

Success for gravel races won’t be met by working one physiological system over and over again.

Gravel Racing Training Plan

INcrease Threshold Power

In order to increase your Threshold Power, we are big fans of Lactate Clearance Intervals, or Over Unders. While there isn’t a lot of data yet on these, lots of athletes and coaches talk about using them, and have found bigger gains than training steady steady Threshold or Sweet Spot intervals.

At some point during the race, you’re going to need to be able to stay on the gas for extended portions of time, so make sure you’re used to doing that. You can utilize is longer, low threshold intervals, or the nicely marketed term “sweet spot intervals” to enable yourself to continually push on the pedals for long durations of time. But read on, that’s not my suggestion for gravel training.

There is one camp of thought that promotes the use of Sweet Spot intervals for this consistent pedaling. The theory is that in order to push sub-threshold power for a long duration of time, you need to train exactly that way: push sub-threshold power for long durations. Think 2 x 30 minutes or 2 x 45 minutes. I am not in that camp. Instead, increase your threshold power and you will naturally be able to push that sub-threshold power for longer durations. Increase your aerobic capacity with VO2Max work, and you will be able to push sub-threshold for long durations of time. This way, you get the benefits that come with training at sweet spot, but also reap the benefits of true threshold training (with over unders and traditional FTP intervals) and the benefits of VO2Max Training.

All this to say: Do not get stuck doing sweet spot intervals over and over again.

One other litmus is that if you are dead set on training with sweet spot intervals, once you are hitting 60-80 minutes of sweet spot in a workout, MOVE ON to Over Unders and VO2Max Intervals.

Check out this video about how we’re doing too much Sweet Spot, or this full Sweet Spot Training Guide.

Too Much Sweet Spot

For a few years we recommended going longer and longer on the Low Threshold / Sweet Spot intervals, but have veered away from this because it tends to dull athletes power production when they need to go harder than that (like in gravel racing).

Too much Sweet Spot training, and the Higher FTP and VO2Max numbers would suffer. That said, you can sprinkle in some longer intervals such as 2 x 30m or 1 x 45m of Sweet Spot if your event demands that of you (Leadville, or if you find yourself riding alone in a gravel events quite often). But once you’re able to complete this duration, I would quickly move off of it. Like anything else in cycling training, if you keep doing it, you’ll plateau.

Threshold Bursts

I’ve been talking about these intervals a lot lately because they are so helpful to gravel and road racing. Execution of the intervals is key.

VO2max Intervals

This should maybe be the first tip because it’s not talked about enough for gravel training.

You’re going to need this to power over short climbs and to also ride with stronger riders. ALL of us are riding with stronger riders in some aspect, but in gravel, the level of competition has really been amplified now that former World Tour Pros and Continental Pros are throwing their hat into the ring. I think it’s AMAZING!!!

These pro’s can be beat!

In order to find yourself on the podium, we need to come prepared with a full tool belt. A gravel race is not going to be constant power; TRAIN FOR THIS.

Incorporate VO2Max training into your preparation!

High Torque / Low Cadence Work

Low cadence drills may help you raise your FTP if done in succession through a solid block of training by recruiting more muscle fibers towards a 95-98% FTP effort.

When you find yourself in some gravel that you just can’t spin through, as you’re losing traction, gearing down into a harder gear can help the bike “stick” to the gravel, giving you more speed. Because you’ll be pedaling at a lower cadence that normal, you want your body to be used to this.

When you do these intervals, you might notice that you put out more watts than you’d expect. This is a good thing, BUT it is taxing on the muscles. So if they haven’t been trained to withstand this stimulus, they get tired pretty quickly.

Start off with 4 x 8m @ 95% at 60-70rpm. Eventually move to 50-60rpm, and extend out to 3 x 15m. Aim for 90-105% FTP, but the goal is to really focus on cadence.

Gravel Race Nutrition

Check out all of our nutrition blogs, but I aim for 120g of carbs per hour on these gravel races, at a minimum, because of the extreme amount of pedaling and wattage that it takes to get through the day.

At races like Funk Bottoms gravel, I had 1100g for an 8.5h race (130g per hour) and I ran out!

Carbohydrate Loading

I’ve made big personal gains in the currently murky knowledge department regarding carb loading and the effects that 8-12g of carbohydrates per 1kg of body weight can negatively have on you for not only the race, but the season.

That being said, for gravel races that are 100 miles or more, I’d definitely target 8-9g of carbs per 1kg of body weight without overeating. This might require some planning on your part, and this is definitely only recommended if you’ve practiced carb loading before your event.

If you haven’t practiced carb loading, just lean your diet towards carbohydrates. What does that mean? Instead of salmon and veggies the night before the race, eat some pasta, or rice and chicken. Get the carbs in, but don’t overdo it if you aren’t used to it.

If you’re going 1,000-1,500 calories over your daily allotment just once, that’s no big deal, but if you’re doing it every weekend for 2 nights in a row, you can quickly add a pound here or a pound there, and it’s probably not going to help your racing. So, be wise and TIMELY WITH YOUR CARB LOADING.

Ketones For Gravel Racing

Check out the full post on Delta G ketones, but I’d recommend half of a bottle of Delta G ketones for every 1-2 hours based on your experience with them.

Ketones wipe away the feeling of fatigue on the long races and increase the ability to focus during hard portions of the race, and just give that added boost that is very different from caffeine.

Try Delta G Ketones today with this awesome discount link!

Gravel Race Tips

Wheel sucking: BE CAREFUL

We’re going to want to draft, but leaving that extra bit of space between you and the rider in front can help you dodge a massive rut or boulder that you can’t see if you’re riding RIGHT ON TOP of someone and they dodge it at the last second.

I also know some guys that will purposely drag people through the gnarliest sections of the course to try and make them flat or lose some speed. Hey, it’s a tactic, and maybe not one that I’m going to use, but you’ve been warned that it’s going on!

Detach From The Head Unit

You want to have a general sense of where you are headed before the race starts. Are you going clockwise or counterclockwise? Does the map loop over itself at all? Are there any weird sections that take you on parts of the course that will be confusing to a Garmin or Wahoo?

When you have a general sense, you’re more able to FOCUS on the race and the terrain ahead. There’s nothing worse than seeing someone looking down at their Garmin for too long, only to hit a big pothole on the gravel road, and go flying into a ravine. It happens.

Have The Right Gearing!

This might be more for the roadies ;-)

As one, coming to gravel, I never thought I’d need a 34T cassette on the back with a 36T up front. I was WRONG. Some of the hills can be so steep that this is ALMOST not enough gear when the going gets tough. I need to get a 34 up front, and maybe even a new rear derailleur for more gear in the back!

Sitting vs. standing. You will find that even during some KOM attempts that there is no option to stand or you will spin out on the gravel or dirt, so make sure that you have enough gear that you can sit and still pedal the bike!

Gravel Race Tire Selection

I’ll admit this is not my specialty, and I’d recommend you jump into the EVOQ.BIKE Discord before making any big changes, but tire size and tread selection can be critical depending on demands of the course.

Puncture protection is something that I would prioritize. If you flat, your race can be nearly over unless you are extremely strong! Getting the right rubber is pretty critical, and don’t run a completely worn out tire. Sure, tires aren’t cheap, but you’ve spent so much time training, that having the right gear on the bike is a must.

Tire size is also critical. The larger the tire, the lower psi that you can run, and the more control you’ll have over your bike. It will also absorb more of the bumbs and ruts which may not seem like a big deal on a two hour ride, but when it’s 5 hours or more, it definitely makes a difference. Athletes like Ted King and Dylan Johnson are advocates of big tires, the Dylan talking about 47mm this year except for at Unbound because of the mud.

I ran Continental Terra Speed 45mm at both of my wins this year, and they felt awesome! More info on Funk Bottoms 200 and Gravel Grinder Nationals here.

Gravel Race Checkpoints

Things can be hectic here, so be ready to be QUICK.

I’d go to fill up water before signing in, as sign in is fast, whereas it can take 20 seconds to fill once bottle from those big Orange Gatorade tubs. Save time wherever you can!

Also, keep an eye on your competitors. If they are taking off without you, YOU NEED TO MAKE MOVES NOW.

Stay Calm When Things Go Wrong

We all say what happened at Unbound in 2023. The mud had people making crazy choices! Chasing way too hard, riding the mud longer than they should have and wrecking their bikes, etc. Those that stayed calm, survived!

You might flat, the aid station might be mayhem, you might take a wrong turn (or a few like in Iowa Wind and Rock).

Remain calm, not only to conserve mental and physical energy, but to reduce stress. Things quickly and be on your toes, and you’ll navigate through all of the obstacles that gravel presents!

Long Training Rides!

You need to log miles if you don’t want to fall apart out there. If the race is 100 miles, you need to ride 100 miles of gravel before the race if you want to finish strong.

There really are no short cuts here, just as there are no short cuts to the massive benefits that the long ride provides us road cyclists.

Just like in remaining calm above, there are mental and physical benefits from completing 100 miles or 200 miles of gravel training before your big day.

Plus, it’s fun!!! If the training isn’t fun, we’re doing something wrong!

How Do You Taper for a Gravel Race?

Since gravel racing demands such a high level of aerobic fitness, it can be really easy to OVER taper yourself before a long race. Since gravel races are so demanding, it would seem as though you’d want to take a pretty serious taper beforehand. However, when you’re used to training hard, if you completely shut it down before your gravel race, you might find that you feel stale and blocked by the time the race rolls around.

If you are tapering for a gravel race, you definitely need to keep up a good CTL (Chronic Training Load) heading into it. If you have a gravel “A” race coming up, a good strategy is to take your rest week the week prior to that of your gravel race. Then, the week of, get in some good solid training with a moderate amount of volume and intensity to get the engine running again. You will be rested from your recent rest week, but the cobwebs will be blown out and you'll be ready to crush.

Training For Gravel Racing

“How do I become a better gravel rider?”

Gravel racing calls on almost all of your physiological systems.

Whether you are taxing the VO2Max and Neuromuscular system to surge over rolling hills and climbs, or pegging some Threshold and bursts in a paceline trying to break away or bridge up to a lead group, or simply finishing strong and being able to ride at endurance pace at hour 5, 6, or 10 of your event, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO DO IT ALL.

This won’t magically happen. Get a training plan that will help you cover ALL of your bases.

YOU CAN DO IT! TRY NEW THINGS!!!!

If you need help, shoot me a note (BRENDAN@EVOQ.BIKE) or contact us online to learn more.

Ride Hard, Have FUN!

EMAIL BRENDAN

Gravel Racing & Training Tips