It\u2019s no secret that Gravel Bike Racing is the new shazam and events are popping up all over the world to take advantage of the craze. There are so many different types of gravel grinder events from charity rides to grand fondos to full-blown races and they come in all shapes and sizes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here are a few tips that can make your GROAD (gravel road) experience the best it can be. <\/span>I\u2019m going to highlight some broad categories that you will want to take into consideration whether you are a seasoned road racing veteran trying to escape the traffic or a total beginner looking for a new adventure.<\/span> It can be easy to get swept up in the excitement and adrenaline rush as you imagine yourself flying through the countryside in your neon spandex with cows giving an encouraging nod at your impressive speed. <\/span>Before you go grinding up the muck, have a look below to see if you can find a nugget for your saddlebag. It could be the difference between a majestic experience and putting your machine out at the next garage sale.<\/span> Ok, so let\u2019s dive in.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n There are sooooo many options for gravel riding now. It is fantastic! You have everything from the short 50k \u201csmooth like butter\u201d country roads that are not much more than brown tarmac to full-blown 200 mile plus moonscape adventures with mixed sections of dirt, sand, chunky flint rock, rutted farm paths, gnarly climbs, and creek crossings.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n A couple of quick things to consider, in general, you will spend more time on the bike than you normally would if you were covering the distance on pavement. Pretty obvious but worth stating. If you are used to cruising along at an 18-20 mph average, get used to dropping that speed by 20-30% straight off the bat. A more upright position, beefier tires, and greater rolling resistance will slow you down even the biggest engines. Consider adding a minimum of 30% to your normal time for covering a specific distance on pavement when choosing your event, even if the elevation is similar. So if you are one of those folks that can crank out a 5 hour century on the pavement; you\u2019re looking at about 6 \u00bd hours or more for the same distance on the gravel. You will want to take this time difference into consideration as you choose your gravel race and make your plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Also, depending on your location, your course is likely to have a lot of ups and downs. Generally speaking, gravel roads follow the terrain much more than paved roads, which means more curves, dips, and rollers than on the pavement. Not to mention, event organizers like to throw in some \u201cfeatures\u201d in order to make your event special. This is part of what makes these events interesting and unique. You just need to plan for these demands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is obvious, right? But let’s look at a few ideas that might not always be obvious in order to help you maximize your enjoyment and performance.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n At the end of the day, you are pedaling a bike. So, let’s start there. If you are a seasoned rider you will only have to make a few adjustments to your training plan to maximize your gravel performance and experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n First, you\u2019ll need a training plan. A periodized plan that takes into account your starting point, the demands of your event, as well as your schedule so that you get the training and recovery you need. If you already have a plan, great, if not we have training plans available <\/span>here<\/span><\/a>. If you are set on doing your own training here are a few things to consider including.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Often the first thing to go on a long gravel ride is your neck and shoulders. If you are on loose surfaces or washboards your upper body takes a beating. Regardless of what kind of suspension or tire pressure you run, it is definitely worth incorporating posture, core, and upper body strength work into your plan. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n The main areas you want to focus on are core stability and posture. Maintaining a good position on your bike is essential to combat fatigue and optimize energy output. If your structural integrity breaks down everything else will follow. It may seem trivial but just some simple posture exercises that focus on pulling your shoulders back, lifting your chest, and keeping your head neutral can be a game-changer at the end of a long day. Better yet, go a step further and add a strength plan that incorporates full-body strength and yoga to your plan. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n You don\u2019t need to become a full-on cross fit junky but incorporating strength a couple of times a week will make your experience much better. You might even be able to fill out that oversize t-shirt you got in your swag bag.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Depending on where you are riding it\u2019s likely that you will have some stretches of GROAD that leave you questioning whether you need to schedule a trip to the dentist or wishing you had a fat bike. Some of this can be addressed with equipment choices. No matter what bike you choose you need to learn how to handle that machine in all kinds of conditions. The answer to this is simple…<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Find some gravel or sand near you and get out and practice. Practice riding through it, practice finding a line around it, and practice being relaxed as you do. A lot of energy can be lost or saved in these sections, and it is much safer to know you can handle yourself when you are in the depths of the fire swamp. Practice these things on a regular basis. Then practice some more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This may seem counterintuitive for a long endurance gravel event. Nonetheless, this is one of the areas that gets overlooked. When gravel riding you are more likely to have to tap into your neuromuscular strength with high torque efforts and frequent accelerations. Again, it depends on your landscape and terrain but gravel roads tend to have more frequent rollers and event organizers love to throw a spanner in the mix with some crazy obstacle. Every time you drill down into the pedals for a high torque effort you are chipping away at your muscular strength reserves (burning a match). Doing this for hours on end can take a toll and can lead to cramping. The most common cause of <\/span>cramping<\/span><\/a> is muscular fatigue. Incorporating neuromuscular training into your training can go a long way to mitigating this. The best recipe is to add in some strength training. Ideally, you already have strength in your program or you are a few months away from your big event. But even as little as 6 weeks of strength training can go a long way to slowing the rate of muscular fatigue and breakdown associated with gravel riding. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Outside of the <\/span>4DP metrics<\/span><\/a> that you will want to incorporate into your training here are some types of training rides that are important to include:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n What? I\u2019m doing this for fun, why do I need to practice mental training? Well, you know the phrase, \u201cit seemed like a good idea at the time?\u201d Often things are not what they seem. And if you chew off a bit more than you can chew you\u2019ll be glad to have the mental training feather in your cap.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Mental preparation is a good idea no matter what event you choose. Sure, you can probably get by in a short event without having a good look at where you are and where you\u2019re headed\u2026 But why?<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Why would you not want to take the opportunity to have a look in the mirror, truly see who is looking back at you, and make a plan? This piece could quite literally be the single most important choice you make in training. This is what will help you keep the train on the tracks when things are not going your way. Not just in the middle of a 200 km gravel race but a good mental training plan can help to keep yourself balanced in work, life, and training.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Having a <\/span>meal\/nutrition plan<\/span><\/a> can be the difference between smiling so hard you come back with bugs in your teeth and relying on finding those bugs for a snack. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nChoosing the Course<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nPhysical Preparation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nCore and upper body strength<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Bike Handling<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Go practice! <\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Neuromuscular Power and Strength<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Training Stimulus<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nMental Training<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nFueling<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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