12-Week Training Timeline • Race-Day Checklists • Packing List
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“Heavy rain on gritty trails was causing problems with the bike, the temperature, the ground conditions, and my anatomy.”
— Gravel-Induced Problems - Bradley COMPETITIVE
“I rushed to the shop to buy food for the night and as I left I was met by Svenja. Having raced her a few times before over shorter distances I was well aware of how strong a racer she is, so I quickly stuffed my bags and pockets with food and set off on the long climb to Calar Alto.”
— Cara's Night Strategy ELITE
Race-Specific Training Focus:
Distance: 497 mi
Elevation: 52,493 ft
Location: Granada, Andalusia, Spain
Signature Challenge: The complete package—800km of desert heat, alpine altitude, and multi-day self-supported suffering through some of Europe's most extreme terrain.
Establish aerobic foundation. 70-85% volume in Z1-{{Z2}}. {{CTL}} rising steadily (+5-8/wk in loading weeks, netting about +10/month after recovery weeks). {{TSB}} slightly negative (-5 to -15). Week 4 = recovery week (60% volume). Feels boring but doable—you should finish most rides feeling like you could do more.
Layer intensity, develop race-specific fitness. 60-70% Z1-Z2, 30-40% Z3-Z6. Two to three quality sessions per week. The magic happens here: deliberately dig a fatigue hole ({{TSB}} goes to -25), recover just enough, then dig another hole. This is where fitness sharpens.
Shed fatigue, maintain sharpness. Volume drops 30-50%. Intensity stays high but duration decreases. Week 11: {{TSB}} rises to +5 to +10. Week 12: TSB targets +15 to +25 for race day. Fitness doesn't improve—the goal is to remove the fatigue layer so you can express the fitness you've built.
The world's hardest gravel race—800km through Spanish deserts and alpine passes, completely self-supported.
Badlands is gravel racing taken to its logical extreme. 800km, 16,000m climbing, 40°C+ deserts, 3,400m alpine passes, completely self-supported. It's not really comparable to other gravel races—it's an expedition that happens to be timed. The combination of distance, elevation, heat, and self-reliance creates something uniquely brutal. Finishing Badlands is a lifetime achievement that earns permanent respect in ultra-endurance circles.
Cara Dixon reports 42°C desert temperatures nearly caused heatstroke: "Just before the climb out of the desert I had to lie down, I knew my body well enough to know that I was balancing on the edge of heat stroke.
52,493 feet includes the brutal opening 20km climb with 850m elevation through El Sacromonte, followed by relentless climbing to Calar Alto Observatory. Bradley Shenton realized gear mistakes on climbs "ramping up to a maximum of 25 per cent" with his 40T chainring proving inadequate.
"This iconic climb is only 700m in length but has an average of 15% and a maximum gradient over 25%" describes Mirador del Fin del Mundo.
The world's hardest gravel race—where ultra-endurance meets extreme conditions. (est. 2018)
If you want the ultimate test of gravel endurance, Badlands is the answer. But respect what 800km in 40°C heat actually means.
Expected Race-Day Conditions:
Climate: Extreme Spanish summer—desert heat to alpine cold
Key Challenges: Extreme heat in desert (40°C+), Alpine cold at altitude, 30-40°C temperature swings
60-90 minutes Z2 endurance. Keep legs moving, nothing hard. Optional: 3 × 1 min Z4 to keep neuromuscular system awake.
45-60 minutes Z2. Maybe 2 × 3 min G Spot if you're feeling restless. Don't go hard.
Rest day or 30-45 minutes very easy spin. The last hard workout was 4-5 days ago. Everything now is just maintenance.
45-60 minutes Z2. Include 3-5 × 30 seconds Z5-Z6 (openers to keep legs sharp). Last real ride before race.
Travel day (if traveling) or rest day. Optional 30-minute easy spin if legs feel heavy.
30-45 minutes Z2 with 3 × 1 min Z4 openers. Course preview if racing Sunday. No heroics.
20-30 minutes very easy spin or complete rest. Do what's worked for you previously.
Tire Setup (Desert gravel, alpine passes, technical trails):
Reviewed Picks for This Course:
Top tire pick: Schwalbe G-One Bite 45mm ($69.90) — See full analysis →
Climate Gear (Extreme Spanish summer—desert heat to alpine cold):
Drivetrain: Chain clean and lubed. Shifting smooth across all gears. No chain slip under power.
Tires: Tubeless sealant fresh. Tire pressure set for race conditions. Check for cuts, sidewall damage.
Cockpit: Computer charged and mounted. Bottles/cages secure. Bento box organized.
Wheels: Thru-axles tight. No spoke issues. Hubs spin smoothly.
Don't: Install new chain race week. Change tire pressure drastically. Add new untested equipment.
Essentials: Spare tube (even if tubeless), tire plugs, CO2 cartridges (2-3) or mini pump, multi-tool with chain breaker, quick link, tire levers.
Nutrition: Gels, bars, chews—whatever you practiced with. Bottle with sports drink pre-mixed. Extra water bottle.
Other: Sunscreen, chamois cream, arm warmers/vest, rain jacket (if forecast), extra base layer.
Race essentials: Bib number and pins, race chip, ID and emergency contact info.
Badlands Start Time: 4:30 PM. Set your alarm for 1:30 PM.
Wake up. Coffee if you normally drink it (not the time to change habits). Breakfast: 100-150g carbs, minimal fat, minimal fiber. Oatmeal with banana and honey, bagel with jam, or white rice with a pinch of salt.
Start sipping sports drink. Begin hydrating and topping off fuel. Apply chamois cream and sunscreen.
Arrive at start area. Check in, use porta-potty. Get your head right.
Light warmup ride: 10-15 minutes easy spinning. Wake up the legs.
Final gear check: bottles filled and secured, nutrition in pockets, tire pressure verified, drivetrain sounds good. Run through your performance statements mentally.
Openers near the start: 2-3 x 30 seconds at race effort with easy spinning between. Gets HR up, legs awake, reminds body what fast feels like.
Roll to start line. Find your position. Deep breath.
6-2-7 breathing if anxious. You're ready. Trust your training.
Your Fueling Math (497 miles): At ~10mph, expect ~49.7 hours on course. Survival pace — palatability and GI tolerance are the limiters — target 30-50g carbs/hour (1491-2485g total, or 59-99 gels).
Carb targets scale with duration: shorter races burn more carbs per hour at race intensity, while ultra-distance events shift toward fat oxidation and GI tolerance becomes the limiter (Jeukendrup 2014, van Loon et al.).
Enter your details for a complete race fueling plan — carbs, hydration, sodium, and an hour-by-hour strategy.
Your numbers are the easy part.
Hitting them at race intensity is a trained skill — gut training over 4-6 weeks, bottle logistics, heat adjustments when the plan meets the weather. The custom training plan builds your fueling protocol into the actual training weeks, so race day is a rehearsal, not an experiment.
BUILD MY PLAN — FUELING INCLUDEDGet race-day tips in your inbox
What Riders Say About Conditions: Cara Dixon reports 42°C desert temperatures nearly caused heatstroke: "Just before the climb out of the desert I had to lie down, I knew my body well enough to know that I was balancing on the edge of heat stroke.
Plan your fueling around these conditions — heat and humidity increase fluid and sodium demands significantly.
Aid Stations: None—self-supported. Resupply at public establishments only.
2-3g carbs/kg bodyweight. Low fat, low fiber. Familiar foods only. 500ml water with meal.
One gel (24g carbs) with 200ml water. Tops off blood glucose.
Focus on pacing, positioning, settling in. Sip on drink. Heart rate is spiking, gut blood flow is reduced.
First gel or equivalent (24g carbs). Start your fueling clock. Hydrate consistently.
Consume carbs consistently by the clock. Target rate depends on race duration: 80-100g/hr for races under 4 hours, 60-80g/hr for 4-8 hour events, 50-70g/hr for 8-12 hours, and 40-60g/hr for ultra events (12+ hours). At lower intensities fat becomes your primary fuel and GI tolerance is the limiter. Set a timer. Your brain will be stupid. It will forget to eat.
Practice eating real food on easy rides. Start with 40-50g carbs per hour, mostly solid. Build tolerance gradually. SGLT1 transporters can double in 2 weeks of consistent gut training (GSSI).
Increase toward your race-day target rate. Mix of liquids and solids. Practice eating at tempo pace. Your gut adapts to what you train it for.
Hit your race-day target rate (see duration-scaled targets in your prep kit). Race nutrition only (gels, drink, bars you'll use on race day). Practice at race pace. For ultra events (12+ hours), include savory and mixed-macro foods alongside gels.
Stick with what worked in training. No new products. Trust your gut (literally).
Known Suffering Zones:
Budget Planning:
Cost of Trip: Budget-friendly (2/5)
Nearest Airport: AGP (Málaga) - 90min drive; GRX (Granada) - local but limited; SVQ (Seville) - 2.5hr
AGP (Málaga) - 90min drive; GRX (Granada) - local but limited; SVQ (Seville) - 2.5hr
Granada city for pre/post race. During race: bivvy/sleeping bag as needed, occasional hotel/hostel stops for resupply and rest. Plan your sleep strategy.
Pre-race in Granada with bike check and mandatory equipment verification.
Granada start/finish area.
Self-supported—resupply at villages, bars, shops. Carry enough between stops. Spanish villages may have limited hours.
Spin in Z1 after crossing the finish line. Let heart rate drop gradually. Stopping abruptly causes blood to pool in your legs.
20-30g protein, 60-100g carbs, 500-750ml fluid with electrolytes. Chocolate milk, protein shake with banana, or whatever the finish line has.
You lost 1-4 liters of fluid. Drink 500-1000ml within the first hour. Add electrolytes. If pee is dark yellow by evening, keep drinking.
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