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How to train for your first gravel race: 50 or 100 miles

Last checked: Oct 23, 2026. Race dates and course figures come from each race's page, which cites the organizer. This is general training guidance, not medical advice; check with a doctor before starting a new training plan.

Pick your track: first 50 or first 100

Not sure? Do the 50. 10 of the races below also run a course of 100 miles or more, so a spring 50 can become next year's 100. Our best races for first-timers list ranks every race by its shortest option.

Track 1: how many weeks to a spring 50?

These are the 31 races on our list with announced 2027 dates from March through May and a course between 30 and 60 miles. We show the course closest to 50 miles, and how many full weeks you'd have if you started on Monday, Nov 2, 2026.

Climbing shows "Not published" where the organizer hasn't given a figure. Check entry first: some of these use lotteries or sell out.

The first-50 plan

A first-50 week: Tuesday, an easy ride or trainer session (one harder session once you're in the build phase); Thursday, a steady ride; Saturday, the long ride; Sunday, an easy spin or a walk. Three or four rides a week is enough. Consistency beats the occasional huge weekend.

What "50" really means on gravel: it depends on the course. Barry-Roubaix's Thriller is 36 mi with 2,200 ft of climbing and a feed zone at mile 22. Highlands Gravel Classic's Farmlands is 54 mi with 4,341 ft and feed zones at miles 19.9 and 42.6. Southern Cross's 50 mile packs about 5,500 ft into 50 mi. The Mid South's 50 is 53 mi on red dirt that turns to sticky mud when it rains. Set your long-ride target by the climbing, not just the miles.

Want to wait until summer? UNBOUND Gravel's 50 (49 mi, 1,442 ft) and SBT GRVL's Red course (53 mi, 4,198 ft, 3 aid stations) both come in June and give you more weeks.

Track 2: how many weeks to a first 100?

These are the 17 races on our list with announced 2027 dates from March through June and a course between 100 and 150 miles. We show each race's shortest course in that range, and the weeks from Monday, Nov 2, 2026.

Climbing shows "Not published" where the organizer hasn't given a figure. Always check entry first: some of these use lotteries or sell out.

The first-100 plan

Every third or fourth week, back off. Fewer hours and no hard sessions let your body absorb the work. If you're starting with fewer than 12 weeks, shorten the base phase, not the specific one.

A first-100 week: Monday rest; Tuesday intervals on the trainer (easy spin in base); Wednesday an easy ride or strength session; Thursday steady, sustained efforts, hard enough that talking is clipped; Friday rest or a short spin; Saturday the long ride, outside on gravel when you can; Sunday an easy endurance ride on tired legs. Scale the hours to your life. The structure matters more than the totals.

Build the long ride

The long ride is what gets you to the finish. Our rule of thumb for both tracks: by the last month before the race, get in two or three rides that take at least two-thirds as long as you expect the race to take, on similar terrain. Gravel is slower than road, and courses like Crazy 8 Gravel Hundo (108 mi, 14,500 ft, self-supported) or MAMMOTH Endurance Gravel (136 mi, roughly 13,000 ft) take far longer than the miles suggest. Use your race's climbing figure to set expectations, not just its distance.

Winter riding: indoors and out

• Make the trainer do the hard work. Intervals are easier to nail indoors, and it means your outdoor rides can be long and easy.
• Keep the long ride outside when it's safe. Bike handling, clothing and fueling only get practiced on real roads.
• Ride in the dark? Use a bright front light and a rear light, even in daytime.
• Snow or ice? A mountain or fat bike ride, cross-country skiing or a long hike still build endurance. Don't force icy gravel.
• Strength training twice a week in the early weeks (legs, core, upper body) helps you hold position for hours.

Practice fueling now

Most riders who blow up at a gravel race run out of food, not fitness. For a first 50, the goal is simple: drink and eat something every 20–30 minutes from the start, and practice reaching for a bottle and opening food on gravel without stopping. For a first 100, your gut has to learn to take in a lot more carbohydrate while you ride. Many riders target somewhere around 60–90 g of carbs an hour on long efforts, the range we mention on our race pages; build up to what works for you over several weeks. On both tracks, use the same gels, drink mix and bars on long rides that you plan to use on race day, then match them to the aid gaps in our packing list.

Train for your course

• Climbing: SBT GRVL's Black course has 8,189 ft over 108 miles, and Steamboat sits at about 6,700 ft. Add long climbs, and arrive early if you can for the altitude.
• Sand: Croatan Buck Fifty is flat, but its sandy roads mean you never coast. Expect steady pressure on the pedals all day.
• Mud: The Mid South's red clay can turn to "peanut butter." Practice riding (and running) a muddy bike, and see our tires by terrain guide.
• Short, steep rollers: Barry-Roubaix has short, punchy hills and two-track sectors. Practice repeated hard surges.

Want the deep dive? Our sister site's buying guides: Best cycling computers · Best bike lights (The Gear Stash).

Still picking a race? The best races for first-timers list ranks races by their shortest course option, and the flattest list shows courses with the least climbing per mile.

Race dates are 2027 dates announced by organizers, as shown on each race page. The Gravel Stash isn't affiliated with any race listed here.