12-Week Training Timeline • Race-Day Checklists • Packing List
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“It only took 2 revolutions of your wheels to build up enough clay to stop you dead in your tracks. Paint stirrers handed out at the start were helpful in clearing mud (and clear coat) from the frame but ultimately, the few riders that brought CX sized tires were the true winners.”
— Richard Poole ELITE
“Unlike the hard bedrock of the flint hills and similar gravel roads that pattern the Midwest, The Mid South (or 'Mud South') hosted in Stillwater, Oklahoma is characterized by its rich red clay.”
— Red Clay Surface
Race-Specific Training Focus:
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 Dress Rehearsal Aggressive Fueling Robust Taper Wind TrainingShed 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.
Mid South's weather lottery means you could face 40°F freezing rain or 75°F heat. Training in varied conditions prevents race-day shock.
Oklahoma red clay becomes unrideable peanut butter mud when wet. Bike handling prevents crashes and energy waste when conditions turn.
Mid South's exposed ridgelines amplify wind. Training in wind builds the strength and tactics needed for tactical pack racing.
Tests nutrition, pacing, and mental preparation for 100 miles. Skipping it means discovering problems on race day.
The early-season gravel race with the biggest heart and the most unpredictable conditions.
The Mid South is what happens when someone builds a gravel race around unreasonable hospitality instead of unreasonable suffering. Bobby Wintle hugs every finisher. The DFL gets the biggest trophy. The community shows up like their lives depend on it. And the weather? The weather does whatever Oklahoma wants. When it's dry, you get a blazing-fast tactical race. When it's wet, you get an unrideable mud nightmare. Either way, you finish to live music, local beer, and a town that genuinely wants you there. This isn't the hardest gravel race. It's not the longest. But it might be the one with the biggest heart.
Historical weather data shows average highs of 65°F and lows of 45°F, with a 37% chance of rain on any given day. Weather defines survival and tactics. The 2025 edition saw 60 mph winds and wildfires with Air Quality Index hitting 500+, while historical conditions create 'horror stories.
Bobby Wintle 'hugs every. single. finisher. as they run or ride across the finish line' with authentic personal connection. The event 'has become known in the gravel world as one of the most welcoming events on the calendar' with 60% growth in nonbinary categories and dozens of junior competitors.
Richard Poole called the first 50 miles 'the hardest 50 miles I've ever done' through conditions where 'it only took 2 revolutions of your wheels to build up enough clay to stop you dead in your tracks.
The unofficial U.S. gravel season opener. Known for Bobby's finish-line hugs, unpredictable weather, iconic red clay, and one of gravel's strongest community vibes. The DFL (Dead F*cking Last) rider gets a giant steer skull trophy and massive celebration. (est. 2006)
If you're asking whether Mid South is 'worth it,' the answer depends on what you value. If you want predictable conditions and a hard number to chase, look elsewhere. If you want a race that feels like a reunion with people you haven't met yet, where the community actually gives a damn, and where finishing dead last is celebrated as loudly as winning—this is it. You'll either love the chaos or hate the unpredictability. But you won't forget it.
Expected Race-Day Conditions:
Climate: Oklahoma weather lottery
Key Challenges: Weather unpredictability is THE defining feature, Red clay turns to peanut butter mud when wet, Wind exposure on open roads
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 red clay gravel):
Reviewed Picks for This Course:
Top tire pick: Schwalbe G-One Ultrabite 40mm ($69.90) — See full analysis →
Climate Gear (Oklahoma weather lottery):
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.
The Mid South Start Time: Pro 100 on Friday, March 12; amateur cycling on Saturday, March 13; exact 2027 start times pending.
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 (106.9 miles): At ~11mph, expect ~9.6 hours on course. Lower intensity — fat oxidation increasing — target 50-70g carbs/hour (481-674g total, or 19-26 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 65°F and lows of 45°F, with a 37% chance of rain on any given day. Weather defines survival and tactics.
Plan your fueling around these conditions — heat and humidity increase fluid and sodium demands significantly.
Aid Stations: The current published route places aid at miles 28, 61, and near the final sector; verify the final 2027 rider documents.
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: Above average (4/5)
Nearest Airport: Oklahoma City (OKC) or Tulsa (TUL) - both ~1.5 hours to Stillwater
Oklahoma City (OKC) or Tulsa (TUL) - both ~1.5 hours to Stillwater
Book early (October when registration opens). Stillwater has limited lodging but more than you'd expect for a college town. Hampton Inn partnership. Camping options available downtown (including courthouse lawn). Expect $150-250/night for basic rooms. Volunteers get guaranteed 2027 registration as a perk.
Friday before race. Downtown Stillwater. Expect lines but not Unbound chaos.
Free parking available downtown. Easier than Unbound logistics.
College town pricing = cheap. Lots of options downtown. Post-race celebration has food trucks and local beer. Stock your own race nutrition—aid stations are sparse.
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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