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TAPER · 2 WEEKS OUT

BADLANDS — 2 WEEKS OUT

Sharpness is banked. Now shed fatigue. Built around the 800km / 16,000m profile of the Badlands in Spain.

800 km·16,000 m climbing·60-120 hours·September

THE FOCUS RIGHT NOW

SHED FATIGUE.

Two weeks out you're in taper territory. Fitness plateaus or nudges up — you don't lose meaningful fitness in two weeks, but fatigue disappears fast. Short sharp efforts to keep legs awake. Everything else is volume reduction.

THIS WEEK'S ANCHOR SESSION

RACE-PACE OPENERS

60min ride with 3x3min at race pace + 3x1min at VO2. Not training — priming. The efforts remind your legs what fast feels like. Nothing more.

THE WEEK

A TYPICAL WEEK, 2 WEEKS OUT

Monday

REST

Rest is the session.

Tuesday

OPENERS (60MIN)

Short sharp race-pace primers.

Wednesday

45MIN Z1

Coffee spin.

Thursday

60MIN Z2 WITH 2X5MIN AT THRESHOLD

Final sharpening effort.

Friday

REST

Full rest.

Saturday

90MIN Z2 WITH OPENERS

Short, easy, prep the pre-event day.

Sunday

60MIN Z1 OR REST

Total reset.

DON'T DO THIS

The taper-anxiety mistake: riding harder in taper because your legs feel fresh. Fresh legs aren't a problem — they're the whole point. Hold the line.

EVENT INTEL

WHAT THE BADLANDS ACTUALLY DEMANDS

Badlands is one of the hardest self-supported ultras in the world — 800km across Andalusia and the Tabernas Desert (Europe's only true desert) with 16,000m of climbing. Mixed gravel/road, 40°C+ daytime heat, freezing desert nights. The race that made Lachlan Morton famous on the Roadman Podcast.

KEY CHARACTERISTICS

  • ✓Self-supported format — resupply only at open shops + fountains
  • ✓Tabernas Desert crossing: 40°C+ daytime, freezing at night
  • ✓16,000m climbing across 800km averages 20m/km — relentless
  • ✓Sleep strategy is part of the race (2-6 hours/day at best)
  • ✓Mix of road + gravel + rough dirt — tyre choice is a gamble

COMMON MISTAKES

  • ✕Underestimating the night desert cold — riders treat 'Spain in September' as warm, it isn't at 2am
  • ✕Treating it like a long sportive — Badlands breaks people who haven't done shorter ultras first
  • ✕Poor tyre pressure — either too light (punctures) or too firm (fatigue)

PACING

Don't race the start. Badlands has a 4-5 day finishing window for most riders and the leaderboard means almost nothing if you DNF at km 400. Sustainable pace — roughly 60% of your 8-hour FTP as an all-day ceiling. Sleep plan written in advance: where, how long, triggered by which km.

FUELLING

No aid stations. You carry or you resupply from shops. 80-100g carbs/hour on the bike minimum. Calories eaten at shops count. Salt + electrolytes critical in the desert crossing. Cafés and gas stations become your crew.

KIT

Ultra-endurance bikepacking setup: dynamo hub, frame bag, saddle bag, bar bag. 40-45mm gravel tyres with good sidewalls (Challenge Getaway, Pirelli Cinturato, Schwalbe G-One Ultrabite). Bivvy bag + emergency blanket for forced sleep stops.

WANT THIS BUILT AROUND YOUR FTP?

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FAQ

COMMON QUESTIONS AT 2 WEEKS OUT

Is 2 weeks enough to train for the Badlands?+

2 weeks out your training can't meaningfully change your fitness — you're in taper. Focus on recovery, hydration, familiarisation with your kit + fuelling, and event-day logistics. Don't try to add fitness this close to the event.

What's the hardest part of the Badlands?+

Self-supported format — resupply only at open shops + fountains. underestimating the night desert cold — riders treat 'Spain in September' as warm, it isn't at 2am — so pacing discipline is the single biggest lever most amateurs miss. Don't race the start.

How many hours a week should I train at 2 weeks out from the Badlands?+

Drop to 6-8 hours with minimal intensity. The taper protects the fitness you've built rather than growing more. Short, sharp openers to keep legs awake. Nothing aerobically challenging.

Do I need a coach to train for the Badlands?+

You don't need a coach to finish. You do need structure. If you're new to sportives, have a target finish time, have a plateau you can't break, or have a history of peaking wrong, a coached plan pays for itself. Inside Not Done Yet the plan is built backwards from your event date — base, build, peak, taper timed to the week the Badlands runs. 7-day free trial, $195/mo.

What gearing should I run for the Badlands?+

Ultra-endurance bikepacking setup: dynamo hub, frame bag, saddle bag, bar bag. 40-45mm gravel tyres with good sidewalls (Challenge Getaway, Pirelli Cinturato, Schwalbe G-One Ultrabite). Bivvy bag + emergency blanket for forced sleep stops.

OTHER PHASES FOR THE BADLANDS

Earlier phase ← 4 weeks out

PEAK PHASE

Later phase → 1 weeks out

RACE WEEK