12-Week Training Timeline • Race-Day Checklists • Packing List
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“The gravel was a mix of sharp, protruding rocks from the surface and underground (much like the Flint Hills), but the pea gravel was EVERYWHERE and especially at the bottom of some very technical descents and on areas where...”
— Gravel Surface
“Coming from road racing background, I thought I wanted a gravel race bike with a somewhat aggressive position and 'sporty' handling. And it was great on tamer gravel courses, but scary as hell on technical descents and not great on singletrack sections.”
— TexanDad COMPETITIVE
Race-Specific Training Focus:
Distance: 99.6 mi
Elevation: 6,200 ft
Location: Bentonville, Arkansas
Signature Challenge: Approximately 6,200 feet of gain across 99.6 miles of loose, rocky Ozark gravel and mixed surfaces.
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.
Fall gravel perfection—stunning scenery, top-tier town, legitimately hard course.
Big Sugar takes everything great about fall gravel—colors, weather, community—and combines it with a legitimately hard course. The Ozarks' endless punchy terrain creates a unique challenge. Add Bentonville's cycling culture and you've got a complete experience.
Canopy-covered gravel roads wind through remote Ozark highlands featuring water crossings, ancient sandstone bluffs, and aid stations serving bacon and whiskey. The course travels through Sugar Creek valley with multiple water crossings ranging from shallow splashes to hub-deep submersion.
The Life Time Grand Prix finale creates championship-level drama where every position matters for series points. Cecily Decker noted "it was full gas from the start" while battling for overall series position.
Climbing gain varies by year and route (organizer-stated ~6,200ft for the 2025/2026 100-mile course; earlier editions and planned-but-weather-cut routes have cited figures north of 7,000ft) through the Ozark Mountains, and competitive riders describe it as relentless punishment regardless of the exa…
The fall classic. Where the Grand Prix battles play out in the Ozark Mountains. (est. 2019)
If you want a fall gravel destination with a legitimately hard course and top-tier town, Big Sugar delivers. Just bring your climbing legs.
Expected Race-Day Conditions:
Climate: Ozark fall
Key Challenges: Morning temps 35-50°F, Afternoon can reach 65-70°F, Occasional rain creates mud
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 (Ozark Mountain gravel with punchy repeated climbs):
Reviewed Picks for This Course:
Top tire pick: Schwalbe G-One Bite 45mm ($69.90) — See full analysis →
Climate Gear (Ozark fall):
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.
Big Sugar Gravel Start Time: Saturday 7:00 AM. Set your alarm for 4:00 AM.
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 (99.6 miles): At ~12mph, expect ~8.2 hours on course. Lower intensity — fat oxidation increasing — target 50-70g carbs/hour (412-577g total, or 16-23 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: Late October Arkansas weather proved its volatility in 2025 when severe storms, tornado warnings, and lightning forced the course to be cut from 100 to 50 miles.
Plan your fueling around these conditions — heat and humidity increase fluid and sodium demands significantly.
Aid Stations: Well-stocked aid stations throughout course
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:
Entry Fee: ~$175
Cost of Trip: Above average (4/5)
Nearest Airport: Northwest Arkansas (XNA) - 20 minutes to Bentonville. Tulsa (TUL) - 2 hours.
Northwest Arkansas (XNA) - 20 minutes to Bentonville. Tulsa (TUL) - 2 hours.
Book 3+ months early. Bentonville hotels are nice but limited. Consider Rogers or surrounding areas.
Friday at event expo. Great vendors, good energy.
Downtown start requires early arrival or shuttle from remote lots.
Bentonville food scene is excellent. Plan a nice dinner.
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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