12-Week Training Timeline • Race-Day Checklists • Packing List
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“I did the Big Squatch course and enjoyed almost every minute. I say 'almost' because I didn't feel great on the big climb at the start and once I recovered it was too late to catch back onto the lead groups... After the peak, the day's real fun began.”
— Jonathan Maus UNKNOWN
“Nearly everyone was on a drop-bar road bike with tires ranging from about 35-45 mm in size (for reference, most Tour de France racers ride 25 mm tires).”
— Tire Selection [UNKNOWN LEVEL]
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.
Climbing Strength Rain Preparation 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.
5000 feet of climbing requires strong aerobic capacity and climbing fitness.
Oregon weather means rain is possible. Prepare for wet conditions.
Regional Oregon Coast Range mountain gravel with significant climbing near Portland.
Sasquatch Duro offers a genuine mountain gravel challenge with significant climbing in Oregon's Coast Range. Carlton is a small wine country town near Portland with good access and amenities. The course is challenging with 5000 feet of climbing through forests and wine country. It's a well-organized regional event with a moderate field.
The 62-mile course delivers 5,000 feet through rolling wine country terrain described as 'mellow climbs and fun descents.' This represents substantial climbing density that rewards fitness while remaining accessible to cross bike setups in Carlton's hilly landscape.
Described as '62% gravel' with surfaces from 'smooth gravel to rugged sections' through vineyards and forests. Recommended 38-45mm tires and cross bike compatibility indicate technical variety without requiring mountain bike skills for the figure-8 course format.
The route travels through 'rolling vineyards, lush forests, serene farmland' with a 2.8-mile neutral rollout west from Carlton before timing begins. Wine country setting provides scenic variety, though the figure-8 format means seeing terrain twice on the long course.
Growing regional Oregon mountain event.
A solid regional Oregon mountain gravel race with genuine climbing challenges. Worth it for Oregon cyclists or those seeking a Coast Range mountain experience near Portland. Not a destination race for distant travelers, but a good regional mountain event.
Expected Race-Day Conditions:
Climate: Oregon Coast Range
Key Challenges: Rain possible, Variable weather, Moderate temperatures
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 (Coast Range mountain gravel):
Reviewed Picks for This Course:
Top tire pick: IRC Boken Double Cross 42mm ($59.99) — See full analysis →
Climate Gear (Oregon Coast Range):
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.
Sasquatch Duro Start Time: 10:00 AM mass start. Set your alarm for 7:00 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 (67 miles): At ~12mph, expect ~5.6 hours on course. Endurance pace — target 60-80g carbs/hour (335-446g total, or 13-17 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: Mid-April in Oregon's Willamette Valley creates typical Pacific Northwest spring weather uncertainty. No specific weather data available, but the event was cancelled in 2024 due to fire danger at the previous Oakridge location, indicating weather can…
Plan your fueling around these conditions — heat and humidity increase fluid and sodium demands significantly.
Aid Stations: Long-course aid at miles 18, 30, and 46
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: ~$80
Cost of Trip: Moderate (3/5)
Nearest Airport: Portland (PDX) 1 hour
Portland (PDX) 1 hour
Carlton has wine country lodging. Small town with good options. Portland (1 hour) has more.
Day before typically
At start/finish
Wine country town with good dining options.
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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