12-Week Training Timeline • Race-Day Checklists • Packing List
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“As one of the Belgian riders I really enjoyed participating in the Hell of Hunterdon. It was and epic ride that, due to the cold and rainy weather conditions, truly evoked the spirit of the Flanders' Classic.”
— Bruno De Geest UNKNOWN
“The gravel roads were pretty bad last year; I'm sure they'll be pretty bad this year too. Lots of guys flatted, a few lost control on descents, especially early in the day before the pack strung out.”
— AnthonyC 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.
Rolling Endurance Spring Weather Training 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.
Rolling New Jersey hills require sustained effort.
NJ spring means variable conditions and rain possible.
Rolling terrain requires pacing discipline.
Rolling New Jersey hills gravel in Hunterdon County.
Hell of Hunterdon is a regional event in central New Jersey's Hunterdon County. The rolling hills terrain offers moderate climbing with rural scenery, and the proximity to NYC/Philly provides good access. However, the moderate organization and regional field keep it firmly in Tier 3. It's a solid regional event for New Jersey cyclists.
Around 5,800 feet over 81 miles delivers consistent punishment through rolling Sourland Mountains terrain. The 13% gradient on Hopewell-Amwell Road positioned 8 miles from the finish broke Dan McCausland's legs completely: 'My quads locked...
Welcoming environment that grew from 35 to 800 riders while maintaining accessible culture. Matthew Vandivort observed riders 'carrying a big smile on their faces' including 'rider in jeans that passed us mid-ride on a beautiful vintage steel bike with downtube shifters and toe clips.
Authentic spring classics atmosphere with Belgian flags at aid stations and proper suffering ethos. Post-ride party at Princeton Elks Lodge beats most events' offerings.
Regional NJ event.
A solid regional New Jersey gravel race with rolling hills terrain. Worth it for NJ cyclists seeking a local event. Not a destination race for out-of-state travelers.
Expected Race-Day Conditions:
Climate: New Jersey spring
Key Challenges: Spring cool, Rain possible, Variable weather
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 (New Jersey rolling hills gravel):
Reviewed Picks for This Course:
Top tire pick: Specialized Pathfinder Pro 38mm ($54.99) — See full analysis →
Climate Gear (New Jersey spring):
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.
Hell of Hunterdon Start Time: 7:30 AM. Set your alarm for 4:30 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 (75 miles): At ~12mph, expect ~6.2 hours on course. Endurance pace — target 60-80g carbs/hour (375-500g total, or 15-20 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: Early April New Jersey means variable conditions and high wind probability. The 2019 edition had 'the best weather they have had in 11 editions' according to organizers, while 2015 featured gusting wind that had 'riders leaning hard and being pushed …
Plan your fueling around these conditions — heat and humidity increase fluid and sodium demands significantly.
Aid Stations: Multiple aid stations
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: ~$60
Cost of Trip: Moderate (3/5)
Nearest Airport: Newark (EWR) 1 hour or Philadelphia (PHL) 1.5 hours
Newark (EWR) 1 hour or Philadelphia (PHL) 1.5 hours
Hunterdon County has moderate lodging options. NYC/Philly have extensive options.
Day before typically
At start/finish
Moderate 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.
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