12-Week Training Timeline • Race-Day Checklists • Packing List
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“There's a howl worthy downhill around mile 12 and the finish is fast and fun too. The sun was out the whole time, and it was starting to get hot! Only one bottle came with me, and I downed every last drop.”
— Kari Stuart ELITE
“I cut the course. I would never do this on purpose but alas, this is often the reality when it comes to technical trail races in the mountains. My Strava data clearly shows me turning around in the middle of an ascent.”
— Jason Fitzgerald COMPETITIVE
Race-Specific Training Focus:
Distance: 100 mi
Elevation: 3,500 ft
Location: Saranac, Michigan
Signature Challenge: Constant rolling terrain—cumulative elevation without big climbs. April cold and mud risk.
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 Dirty 30 gets by on Michigan charm and distance options, but without signature terrain or serious prestige, it's more local weekend fun than destination race.
Dirty 30 is a Michigan Gravel Race Series event in April—meaning cold starts, mud potential, and early season fitness reality checks. 100 miles, 3,500 ft of constant rollers (no big climbs, just relentless ups and downs). Field is ~500, vibe is regional community. This isn't a destination race; it's a solid early season test for Midwest riders. If you're from Michigan or nearby, it's a good value ($45-$75). If you're flying in, there are better options.
Historical weather data shows average highs of 57°F and lows of 38°F, with a 55% chance of rain on any given day, and gusts reaching 27 mph. Mid-April delivers testing conditions with dramatic temperature swings and serious wind exposure.
Small field creates personal racing where 6-second margins matter and families participate together. Stuart's daughter Cassie joined the free kids event, discovering gravel racing: "when I called her a 'rockstar' she replied, 'Well yea, we are riding on rocks, mom!'" The Michigan Gravel Race Series …
3,500 feet over 100 miles creates strategic suffering through timing rather than sustained climbing. Ivan the Terrible delivers the signature punch positioned brutally "just a mile or two from the end of the race, which makes you wonder if gravel racing is maybe not all that fun after all.
Regional early season race. MGRS community favorite. (est. 2010s)
If you're in Michigan or the Midwest and want an early season race, Dirty 30 is solid. It's affordable, community-focused, and a good fitness test. If you're traveling from afar, this isn't worth the trip. Save your dollars and vacation days for something bigger.
Expected Race-Day Conditions:
Climate: April Michigan early season
Key Challenges: Cold morning temps (35-45°F common), Mud if recent rain, Spring weather variability
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 (Rolling Michigan gravel):
Reviewed Picks for This Course:
Top tire pick: Schwalbe G-One Ultrabite 40mm ($69.90) — See full analysis →
Climate Gear (April Michigan early season):
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.
Dirty 30 Start Time: 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 (100 miles): At ~12mph, expect ~8.3 hours on course. Lower intensity — fat oxidation increasing — target 50-70g carbs/hour (416-583g 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: Historical weather data shows average highs of 57°F and lows of 38°F, with a 55% chance of rain on any given day, and gusts reaching 27 mph. Mid-April delivers testing conditions with dramatic temperature swings and serious wind exposure.
Plan your fueling around these conditions — heat and humidity increase fluid and sodium demands significantly.
Aid Stations: Multiple on 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: ~$83
Cost of Trip: Above average (4/5)
Day-of and day-before options
Free at event site
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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