12-Week Training Timeline • Race-Day Checklists • Packing List
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“Between miles 25 and 52, I climbed more roads and descended into hidden 4x4 and snowmobile trails where I was glad to have flat bars instead of drops.”
— Matt Miller COMPETITIVE
“For the first hour, I didn't see anyone else. Usually in Colorado, if you're riding and need help, you only have to wait a few minutes for someone to pass by. Not here.”
— Matt Miller COMPETITIVE
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 Self Sufficiency 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.
4000 feet of climbing requires good aerobic capacity.
Remote location and minimal support mean managing your own nutrition and mechanicals.
Small grassroots Upper Peninsula wilderness ride with remote location.
The Crusher is a small grassroots gravel race in Michigan's remote Upper Peninsula. The wilderness setting is beautiful and the terrain is more challenging than lower Michigan, but it's extremely remote with minimal amenities and a tiny field. It's an honest local event for hardy Upper Peninsula cyclists who want an affordable wilderness gravel ride.
Hogback Mountain immediately forces hike-a-bike with "30-pound bikes up the mountain" in what Chris Spurrier calls a "rock scramble." The climb out of L'Anse at mile 160 was "long, and we knew it, but it would have been the last real climb to deal with." Michigan's highest peak Mt.
Bears, river crossings, wilderness sections with zero cell service, and navigation by GPS through logging roads and jeep trails—it's adventure riding. The remote UP terrain delivers the 'feel alone yet present' experience riders rave about.
"We camp together. We cry and laugh together. We CRUSH together" at Trail's End Campground captures the basecamp atmosphere. The Facebook group serves as "the best source for up to date Crusher information and help from the community.
Small regional Upper Peninsula event.
A small local gravel race in remote Upper Peninsula wilderness. Perfect for locals or those seeking a remote wilderness ride. Not worth the long drive for most riders unless you're combining with Upper Peninsula tourism.
Expected Race-Day Conditions:
Climate: Upper Peninsula summer
Key Challenges: Variable weather, Cooler temperatures possible, Rain possible
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 (Upper Peninsula gravel roads):
Reviewed Picks for This Course:
Top tire pick: Specialized Pathfinder Pro 38mm ($54.99) — See full analysis →
Climate Gear (Upper Peninsula 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.
The Crusher Start Time: 5:30am. Set your alarm for 2:30 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 (62 miles): At ~12mph, expect ~5.2 hours on course. Endurance pace — target 60-80g carbs/hour (310-413g total, or 12-16 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: July through September in northern Michigan means everything from summer heat to early fall cold, often in the same ride. The three-month window makes weather prep impossible—you might get perfect 70s or 40-degree rain.
Plan your fueling around these conditions — heat and humidity increase fluid and sodium demands significantly.
Aid Stations: Minimal 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: Above average (4/5)
Nearest Airport: Marquette (MQT) or Green Bay (GRB) - varies, or Detroit (DTW) 5+ hours
Marquette (MQT) or Green Bay (GRB) - varies, or Detroit (DTW) 5+ hours
Very limited lodging in Upper Peninsula. Look for nearby towns or camping.
Race morning
At start/finish
Rural area with minimal dining. Bring your own.
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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