Gravel Race Nutrition: What to Eat Before, During & After

Gravel race nutrition is where most riders lose time — not on the climbs, not in the technical sections, but in the slow fade that comes from underfueling or eating the wrong thing at the wrong time. A 6–10 hour gravel effort is a nutrition problem as much as it is a fitness problem. Here’s a complete protocol for what to eat before, during, and after your next race.

The Basics: Why Gravel Nutrition Is Different

Gravel races are longer than most riders’ training rides, which means you’ll encounter a physiological situation your gut hasn’t been fully trained for. Your body can process roughly 60–90 grams of carbohydrate per hour at moderate intensity — but only if you practice. Show up to a 100-mile race having never eaten on the bike for 6+ hours and you’ll hit the wall hard, regardless of fitness.

The other gravel-specific challenge: you can’t always eat when you want to. Technical terrain, heavy traffic with other riders, and sustained effort at race pace all create windows where eating isn’t possible. Build a strategy that front-loads calories in easy sections and uses high-density, easy-to-consume foods during the hard parts.

Pre-Race Nutrition: The Night Before and Race Morning

The night before: A moderate-carbohydrate dinner — pasta, rice, potatoes — without going overboard. You don’t need to carbo-load like a marathon runner; just eat a normal, slightly carb-forward meal and avoid anything unusual, very high in fat, or known to cause GI distress. Dinner should finish 3–4 hours before you go to sleep. Alcohol is a recovery killer — skip it the night before race day.

Race morning: The goal is 200–400 calories 2–3 hours before the start. Classic options: oatmeal with honey and banana, toast with peanut butter and jam, rice with eggs. Avoid high-fiber foods (salad, raw vegetables, legumes) and high-fat items that slow gastric emptying. Hydrate with 500–750ml of water or electrolyte drink in the 2 hours before the start. Stop drinking 30 minutes out to avoid starting with a full stomach.

During the Race: Hourly Fueling Strategy

Hours 1–2: Your glycogen stores are full. Start eating at the 45-minute mark regardless of whether you feel hungry — don’t wait for hunger signals on a long race day, because by the time you feel hungry, you’re already in a deficit. Target 60 grams of carbohydrate per hour in this window. Easy options: energy chews, banana pieces, rice cakes.

Hours 3–5: This is the critical window where races are won or lost nutritionally. Maintain 60–80 grams of carbohydrate per hour. Use a mix of fast-absorbing sugars (gels, chews) and real food that provides satiety and minerals (PB&J squares, salted potatoes, dates). If using gels, alternate between glucose and fructose sources — your gut has separate transporters for each and can absorb more total carbohydrate when both are used together.

Hour 5+: Gut sensitivity often increases in the back half of a long effort. Transition toward easier-to-digest options — liquid calories, simple gels, broth at aid stations. If your stomach is turning over, reduce intake to 40–50 grams per hour and use small, frequent doses rather than large hits every 30 minutes.

Hydration: More Than Just Water

Dehydration impairs performance at as little as 2% body weight loss. For a 160-pound rider, that’s about 3 pounds — surprisingly easy to reach on a warm day. Target 500–750ml per hour in normal conditions; up to 1,000ml per hour in heat above 85°F. Plain water is fine but electrolytes matter: sodium, potassium, and magnesium are all lost in sweat and need replacing on efforts longer than 2 hours.

Practical electrolyte sources: Skratch Labs Hydration Mix (real fruit, not synthetic), Precision Hydration sachets (multiple sodium concentrations for different sweat rates), or simple DIY — 1/4 teaspoon of salt per 24oz bottle in hot conditions. Avoid sugar-free electrolyte tablets in hot weather — the insulin response from carbohydrate-free hydration can cause cramping in some riders.

Aid Station Strategy

Don’t linger at aid stations, but don’t rush through them either. A 2-minute stop to refill bottles, grab real food, and assess how you feel is almost always worth the time — especially in the back half of the race. At Unbound, aid stations are roughly 50 miles apart; you need to leave each one with enough fuel and water for 3–4 hours. Most experienced riders pre-fill a gallon zip-lock bag with their aid station food selection and hang it off their handlebars for the next section.

Post-Race Recovery Nutrition

The 30-minute window after you cross the finish line is when your muscles are most receptive to glycogen replenishment. Get 40–60 grams of carbohydrate and 20–30 grams of protein in as quickly as possible — chocolate milk is genuinely one of the best post-race recovery drinks thanks to its 4:1 carb-to-protein ratio. Continue eating real food (a full meal within 2 hours) and stay hydrated for the remainder of race day.

For the days after a long gravel event, prioritize sleep and easy food. Your immune system is suppressed for 24–48 hours after extreme efforts — this is when colds and infections are most likely. Stay away from crowds when possible, eat anti-inflammatory foods (berries, fatty fish, leafy greens), and resist the urge to do anything hard on the bike for at least 3–5 days.

Practice Makes Perfect

The most important thing you can do is practice your race day nutrition on your long training rides. Use the same products, the same timing, the same volume. Race day is not the time to experiment with a new gel brand or an untested aid station food. Treat your nutrition like you treat your gear — test everything before race day. Check our start here guide for more gravel racing resources.