We’ve all been there. You’ve signed up for an event in the winter, thinking this will be the year all the stars align and you’ll get your best fitness yet. But then, suddenly, the event is here, and it’s overdue.
Now that Unbound is still a few days away, we can’t help you rack up the miles, but we can give you some last-minute tips on getting your fuel right for the big day.
Whether you’re doing a 100-, 200-, or 350-miler, Unbound is a test of endurance, self-sufficiency, and gear. Unrelenting terrain, sharp cobblestones and soul-sucking mud or sun-baked roads will test your thinking, tires and gear. At the same time, you need to properly fuel the machine—your body—to keep hitting mile after mile.
For some tips on nutrition and fueling strategies, we reached out to a few gravel experts in the latest Unbound Gravel experience — 200- and 350-milers.
How to properly fuel your body while riding (extremely) long distances
(Image credit: Lifetime)
You have to respect the distance. This is not a traditional race. It’s completely different, and you never know how your body will react. And that, I think, is the cool part
Maxx Chance, 11th Place Unbound XL 2022
Your body is like a steam engine locomotive. You need to burn coal – calories – to start the engine and keep the train moving forward.
Cutoff times for the 100-, 200-, and 350-mile unlimited events are 10 hours, 20 hours, and 36 hours, respectively. For some riders out on the course, the Unbound is a race against time, and they need every minute they have to successfully reach the finish line in Emporia, Kansas. This is the hours spent in the saddle revving the engine and eating fuel.
How much fuel only?
(Image credit: Anne-Marie Ruck // Future)
In the year In 2021, pro gravel runner Alexi Vermeulen drank 2800 liquid calories, ate another 700 calories and drank over 7 liters of fresh water to complete the 200-mile event in 11 hours and 29 minutes. For those resisting the XL phenomenon, the required calories are at least double.
Chance says he consumed 960 fluid calories every 75 miles or so between each fill-up. This alone provides about 4500 liquid calories. Then he added solid foods from gas stations.
Ultra distance icon, Rebecca Rush, has won three Unbound Gravel 200 titles and one Unbound XL among her many accolades. The Pebble Hall of Famer has mastered the art of fueling her body and tells Cycle Weekly that she logs 200 calories and 20 ounces of water per hour as a basic guideline.
“It takes a lot of discipline because in really long events, you don’t want to eat. It’s not fun or exciting anymore. It’s work. And you probably burn more than that in an endurance event. But your gut can’t take as much,” she says.
An early adopter of the gravel movement, Yuri Hauswald won the 200-mile race at the 2015 Unbound at the age of 45 and three years later finished second in the longer Unbound XL. He also burns 200 calories per hour.
“If I can, I shoot at least 200 calories because you’re working in a caloric deficit all that time. And the deeper the hole, the harder it is to put the shovel in,” he said. “Rebecca Rush and I call it Sip, Sip, Nibble, Nibble – where you’re always getting a little bit of food and hydration.”
Sip, sip, nibble, nibble: How and what to eat to keep the legs moving
(Image credit: Kenny Wen)
Stop for help or gas stations
To consume enough calories, you should eat and drink more often a lot of. For most race distances, there are aid stations where riders can fill up. It is not mandatory to stop; A person may choose to carry their needs on the bike, but if we were to follow the 20 ounce water per hour guideline, you would be carrying a lot more weight. The fastest 100-mile time was over 5 hours in 2022, which means hauling around 6.25 pounds (2.8 kg) of water. And that doesn’t include any food.
“In my opinion, you can’t carry enough without filling the race,” said Vermeulen, and he encourages all riders to take the time to stop at the aid stations provided, even if it’s unusual to stop mid-race.
With a fully self-supported 350 mile event, however, there are no official aid stations. Riders have to carry a large amount of fuel on their bikes and rely on the few gas stations available to fill up along the way.
“The gas stations are your lifeline,” Rush said. “They’re your only source of fuel, and once they’re gone, you’re on your own.”
Set an alarm
If you’re having trouble eating, a simple but effective way to stick to your diet is to set an alarm, says Rush.
“Eating when you’ve been doing something this long can be a discipline. So make sure you remember to eat. Even if you’re not hungry, you’ll feel good; putting that food in your mouth is worth it.”
If you put in waste, you are going to put out waste energy.
(Image credit: Forward)
Haribo, chewing gum, chips and peanut M&Ms are common at endurance events. Quick, easy and delicious carbs are good because a calorie is a calorie, right? Yes and no.
“Before I fell in love with cycling, I was doing these week-long adventure runs. Eco testI believed that I was going too long and too hard and I wanted pizza or Swedish fish [a popular chewy sweet in the US]. And I did, but I’ve been able to adapt since then,” Roush explains.
“If you put garbage in, you get garbage out. That being said, it doesn’t mean I won’t eat gummy bears or anything, but it won’t matter.
Instead, Rush plans a menu for each event based on the time in the saddle and the weather.
“A couple hundred calories and a bottle of water is where I start. Then, I look at macronutrients and micronutrients, so carbohydrates, fat and protein. It basically takes into account the gas that goes into the car,” she says.
“Carbohydrates are our main fuel source, which consists of high- and low-glycemic or fast-burning and long-burning carbohydrates. And then fat and protein are really long-burning fuels, like putting a big old log on the fire as a pile and burning twigs.”
Micronutrients, Rush says, are like the oil in your car. Smaller amounts may be needed, but they are essential to keep things running smoothly. These include electrolytes, minerals and vitamins.
Rush is the first to admit that considering macro and micronutrients is a no-brainer when binge eating itself is a chore.
“Sometimes you’re going to get a happy meal that tastes good but probably doesn’t do anything good for you, but you eat it anyway because it’s the middle of the night and you’re crying and want to eat gummy bears. That’s good too, but again, it can’t be the point.”
So how do these endurance athletes ensure they meet their nutritional needs while staying happy?
Some, like Canadian Gravel private owner Rob Britton, rely solely on sports nutrition. “I took as many bottles as I could,” said the former road racer, who finished sixth in last year’s Unbound 200. EFS-PRO If I mix the drink mix and the rest of my calories Liquid bullets – Maybe three to four an hour.”
For the long haul, it’s a balancing act of liquid calories and a variety of solid fueling snacks.
“It really comes down to water, sports nutrition and any convenience store snacks,” says Hauswald.
Liquid calories, the main thing
(Image credit: Forward)
Whether it’s First Endurance’s EFS hydration mix, Gu Roctane’s energy drink mix, or Skratch Labs’ super high-carbohydrate sports mix, all of the runners interviewed rely on liquid calories.
“I would say the high carb drink mixes were a total game changer for me,” said Chance, who drank most of his calories.
“I had a half-size frame bag that fit a liter and a half. [hydration bladder] And he guided the tube to my slave with a magnetic clip. It gave me easy access. I had 960 calories in the bag, and those lasted about 50 to 60 miles. I didn’t have to worry about drinking gels every hour or anything like that because I knew I was getting my calories and hydration just by drinking while moving.
Chance said he was boosted by gas station meals. “I used the gas stations. I ate a slice of pizza at two in the morning and stuff like that, but my electrolytes and fuel mostly came from the drink mix.”
Hauswald also relied on drink mixes for the events.
“I’ve been adding in my tried and true Gu Roctane liquid calories, gel and then some chews or some bars and something salty or sweet from the convenience store,” he says. “I have some memory of the last four or five hours of the XL event, and I only went back to the gel because I wanted to be done.”
Rush also carries beverage packages because they are a reliable source of nutrients and are light in weight. Between aid stations or gas stations, she grabs some chews and other sports nutrition, but makes time for real food refueling opportunities.
Pizza, nuts and beef – happy fuel
(Image credit: Anne-Marie Roque)
While sports nutrition can be the foundation of a rider’s diet during long-distance events, convenience stores or aid stations play a big role in keeping you happy and motivated to eat.
After hours of the same sweet, texture-free sports diet, riders often experience something called taste fatigue – when they get sick and tired of eating the same thing and don’t consume anything. The offerings at mid-race stops help break that monotony and give drivers something to look forward to.
“Variety is key because your palette is going to change, and the only options you can choose from in the show are good,” says Hauswald. “Not only because you’re sick and tired of the same thing, but a slice of pizza or a breakfast sandwich might be a good carrot to dangle there—a silly little trick you can play with yourself to find, go to the next convenience store.
Chances are, he says, he’ll simply wander around until something speaks to him, knowing he’s getting nutrients from his drink mix. Rush, however, has a less strategic approach.
“Gas stations are in a tough spot, and you can play Russian roulette with some terrible food choices. A lot of junk food has a lot of sodium and weird junk in it, and you start to get bloated, or you get gastrointestinal problems.” she warns.
In situations where real food isn’t an option, Rush’s go-to is nuts, dates, and whipping cream. Foods that are calorie dense, semi-healthy and far from sports nutrition.
Caffeine
(Image credit: Forward)
Whether it’s a cold Coke pick-me-up or a strategic dose of caffeine taken every few hours, caffeine can be a valuable asset during long events like Unbound. There are many studies that credit the stimulant for improved mental focus and improved physical activity. On the other hand, caffeine can interact negatively with certain medications, is dangerous for people with high blood pressure or heart disease, and if you don’t generally consume caffeine throughout the day, it’s a good idea to make sure your sports nutrition contains caffeine. And the racing adage applies here too: don’t try anything new on race day.
If you regularly consume caffeinated sports nutrition, Hauswald recommends measuring your caffeine intake and alternating between caffeinated and decaffeinated gels or drink mixes.
“I didn’t have any sleep or sleep problems that would force me to double up on caffeine or anything like that,” he recalls. “I fell asleep like a baby when I was done!”
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