BLOG 1: Zero to Hero: How to Train for Your Next Gravel Adventure
I'm Ben Turner, better known as The Adventure Coach. I help busy people unlock their adventurous side through structured training, nutrition, mindset, and mountain skills. Whether it's coaching for your first gravel ride, or a long-awaited endurance adventure, I help you go from 'maybe one day' to 'mission accomplished.'
Training for gravel can feel overwhelming when you’re starting from scratch. Do you need a coach? A power meter? Should you be riding intervals or just heading to the café with mates? The truth is, training for gravel doesn’t have to be complicated. But it does need to be smart.
In this blog, I’ll walk you through the key principles of gravel training, grounded in both evidence-based practices and my journey - from the wet climbs of Costa del North Wales to finishing the 360 km TRAKA in Girona. Whether you’re aiming for your first gravel event or building toward something bigger, this guide is designed to give you a structured and accessible path forward.
Step 1: Build Your Base (Zone 2 is Your Friend)
Gravel riding is an endurance sport at its core. The most important thing you can do, especially early on, is build your aerobic base. That means long, easy rides in Zone 2, where you can hold a conversation, stay relaxed, and let your heart rate settle. This isn’t glamorous training, but it’s where the magic happens.
Zone 2 training primarily targets your slow-twitch muscle fibres, which are rich in mitochondria and efficient at using fat as a fuel source. Studies have shown that consistent Zone 2 training increases mitochondrial density and capillarisation, both of which improve endurance performance (Seiler, 2010; Mujika, 2010). In other words, this is the training that makes you go longer with less effort.
Think of Zone 2 as the coffee ride zone. It’s the pace where you’re cruising, not crushing. The goal? Train your body to become efficient at burning fuel over long durations. If you’re new to gravel or endurance riding, this is where your fitness foundation gets built.
During my TRAKA 360 prep, Zone 2 was the backbone of my training. While I couldn’t mimic Girona’s sunshine in North Wales, I could replicate the terrain - hours on loose gravel, long slogs on fire roads, steady climbs, and descents. That conditioning made all the difference.
Step 2: Structure Your Training Week
To build toward a major gravel event, you need more than just volume, you need a structured week that develops both endurance and capacity. Here’s a simple layout that’s backed by research and works for most riders:
- 1x Long Ride: This is your cornerstone. Start with what you can realistically handle. A 2022 review on endurance training strategies confirms that progressive overload (gradually increasing the duration of your long rides) is one of the most effective ways to improve aerobic endurance. If your longest ride is 30 km, start by adding 10–20% more distance each week, tailoring it to your event terrain and elevation.
- 1x Interval Session: These helps raise your physiological ceiling. VO2 max intervals (e.g., 4–6 sets of 4 minutes at 90–95% of max effort with equal recovery) improves your maximal oxygen uptake (Midgley et al., 2006). Alternatively, overgearing sessions (high resistance intervals on a slight incline) build muscular endurance and torque, both of which are critical for gravel.
- 1x Time Trial Effort: Sustained efforts help with pacing, mental fortitude, and muscular fatigue resistance. These simulate race-day demands and build confidence.
- 1x Easy Ride (Optional): Low-intensity rides promote active recovery, neuromuscular conditioning, and overall ride economy without contributing to significant fatigue.
Step 3: Strength Training - Yes, You Need It
Gravel is a full-body sport. Your arms, shoulders, and core take a hammering over rough ground. During TRAKA, my upper body fatigue surprised me just as much as my legs did.
Multiple studies (e.g., Rønnestad & Mujika, 2014) highlight that strength training improves cycling economy, peak power, and time to exhaustion. Ideally, aim for 2–3 strength sessions per week focused on compound movements like squats, deadlifts, lunges, and pull-ups, alongside mobility and core work. You don’t need a fancy gym. Bodyweight or a few kettlebells go a long way.
Step 4: Make It Specific
If your target event is mostly gravel, then most of your riding should be on gravel. Get used to technical climbs, loose descents, and cornering on sketchy ground. If your event has big elevation, train for it. If it’s flat and fast, learn how to pace.
That said, there’s more than one way to build gravel fitness. In the winter or off-season, I used the turbo trainer to build my aerobic base when weather or light made outdoor riding difficult. I also mixed in road and mountain bike sessions, especially when gravel wasn’t practical.
The beauty of gravel is that it’s a hybrid discipline, you can borrow from all types of riding to get better. When I was training for TRAKA 360, I knew 81% of the route was gravel, but that didn’t stop me from doing key aerobic rides on the road, or interval sessions on my mountain bike. In fact, using my heavier, full-suspension MTB for hill repeats helped build both strength and technical handling while keeping training fresh and enjoyable, which, by the way, is the unsung hero of any consistent training programme.
Some days I’d ride over 100 miles on the road, linking up gravel segments to mimic the rhythm of TRAKA. On others, I’d hit perfect gravel loops to simulate race pace and test gear choices. Specificity doesn’t mean rigidity, it means building intelligently for the challenge ahead.
Final Word: Start Where You Are
You don’t need to be an elite rider to train for gravel. You need a plan, a bit of grit, and the willingness to learn. Begin with what you have. Add structure, build your engine, and trust the process.
My journey from soaking wet hill repeats in North Wales to crossing the finish line at TRAKA 360 was far from flawless—but it was consistent, focused, and real.
And that’s how gravel riders are made.
More to come soon on fuelling, gear choices, race-day tactics, and mindset. Let’s keep pushing forward.
And if you find yourself on your journey, wanting to improve your ability on gravel and take your training to the next level, then maybe The Adventure Coach can help you. Coaching isn’t just about faster splits, it’s about unlocking your potential and providing structure, accountability, and support tailored to you.
Whether you’re just starting or chasing specific goals, having someone in your corner thinking for you can be a game-changer. If you’re ready to get serious about your gravel journey, I’d love to help.
