12-Week Training Timeline • Race-Day Checklists • Packing List
12-week training timeline, race-day checklists, packing list, and a personalized fueling calculator — free, instant access.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
“The goal was to not get carried away and blow up on the first, decisive climb on Barr Road. The race started on two track at Upland Hills farm, out onto a narrow gravel road and the shenanigans started as everyone fought for position. I played it calmly and awaited Barr Road which came up promptly.”
— Michael Green UNKNOWN
“I'd chosen to ride with higher volume 2.1 MTB tires on my gravel bike knowing that the final mile and a half was fast singletrack and a tight uphill climb. I was really happy with how they rolled on the gravel and helped me feel really comfortable on the corners...”
— Michael Green UNKNOWN
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.
Weather Training Rolling Endurance Dress RehearsalShed 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.
Early-August Michigan can be hot, humid, wet, or all three.
The long course stacks more than 3,000 feet of short climbing into 52 miles.
Singletrack, rough two-track, and sand arrive at the private-land finish.
Michigan local gravel challenge.
De Ronde Van Grampian is a local Michigan race with a compact but specific challenge: 52 miles, 3,123 feet, relentless rollers, and a rough singletrack-and-two-track finish. Strong execution and local character lift it above a generic county-road ride, but its regional field keeps it in Tier 4.
Solid Michigan Gravel Race Series event that brings together the local scene without pretense. Two bike shops providing mechanical support shows real community investment, not just race-day opportunism.
Historical weather data shows average highs of 80°F and lows of 63°F, with a 52% chance of rain on any given day. Weather varies dramatically year to year - Mike Adsit faced "super humid, 91%" conditions in the inaugural 2022 race, while Jason D enjoyed an "absolutely perfect weather day" in 2023.
The published 3,123 feet over 52 miles creates steady grinding work rather than a single mountain pass. Barr Road, Drahner Road, and the long-course rollers place it in the rubric's 2,000-4,000-foot band.
Local Michigan event.
A solid local Michigan gravel race. Worth it for Michigan/Midwest riders. Not worth traveling for.
Expected Race-Day Conditions:
Climate: Michigan summer
Key Challenges: Variable weather, Heat and humidity possible, Rolling terrain
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.
20-30 minutes very easy with 3 × 1 min race-pace openers only if that is part of your practiced routine; otherwise take complete rest. Finish logistics, charge devices, and get off your feet.
Race day. Follow the warm-up, fueling, pacing, equipment, and safety plan you rehearsed. Nothing new.
Tire Setup (Rolling Michigan gravel with a technical finish):
Reviewed Picks for This Course:
Top tire pick: Vittoria Terreno Wet 40mm ($79.99) — See full analysis →
Climate Gear (Michigan summer):
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.
De Ronde Van Grampian Start Time: Not published for 2027.
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 (52 miles): At ~12mph, expect ~4.3 hours on course. Endurance pace — target 60-80g carbs/hour (260-346g total, or 10-13 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: Historical weather data shows average highs of 80°F and lows of 63°F, with a 52% chance of rain on any given day.
Plan your fueling around these conditions — heat and humidity increase fluid and sodium demands significantly.
Aid Stations: One aid station at approximately mile 33 on the long 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:
Cost of Trip: Moderate (3/5)
Nearest Airport: Detroit (DTW), approximately 1 hour by car
Detroit (DTW), approximately 1 hour by car
Oxford has limited lodging options. Book ahead.
The current event page lists 7:00-8:30 AM at Upland Hills Farm; the final 2027 schedule is pending
Start and finish are at Upland Hills Farm; final 2027 parking instructions are pending
Oxford has limited dining options. Stock nutrition.
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.
We use cookies for analytics to improve this site. No ads, no tracking across sites. Learn more.