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TAPER · 2 WEEKS OUT

DIRTY REIVER — 2 WEEKS OUT

Sharpness is banked. Now shed fatigue. Built around the 200km / 2,500m profile of the Dirty Reiver in United Kingdom.

200 km·2,500 m climbing·8-14 hours·April

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 DIRTY REIVER ACTUALLY DEMANDS

Dirty Reiver is the UK's flagship gravel event — 200km across Kielder Forest with 2,500m of climbing on forestry roads, single track, and open fell crossings. Self-supported navigation, weather-exposed. The event that established UK gravel.

KEY CHARACTERISTICS

  • ✓Forestry roads in Kielder — fast, wide, surprisingly rolling
  • ✓Weather can shift from sunny to snowy inside an hour in April
  • ✓Self-supported: carry what you eat/drink
  • ✓Short 130km + 65km options for first-timers
  • ✓Borderline mountain bike terrain in sections

COMMON MISTAKES

  • ✕Running road tyres — you will puncture
  • ✕Underdressing because 'it's April' — Kielder makes its own weather
  • ✕Pacing like a sportive — gravel eats your legs faster than tarmac

PACING

Gravel events punish overpacing effort because the surface varies. Target heart-rate rather than power — aim for high Z2 / low Z3 as your all-day ceiling. Let others go early on the fast sections; you'll catch them when the rough stuff starts. Eat on the flat sections when you can chew safely.

FUELLING

Self-supported means you pack it. 70-90g carbs/hour, more if cold. One water refill at the mid-point feed stop (if it's there — not guaranteed). Real food works better than gels when the ride stretches beyond 8 hours — sandwiches, bars, waffles.

KIT

Gravel bike with 40-45mm tyres — Rene Herse Humptulips, Challenge Getaway, WTB Nano. Tubeless with sealant. Mudguards help in wet years. Frame bag + top tube bag for food. Rain jacket that actually works. Head torch if you're a slower finisher.

WANT THIS BUILT AROUND YOUR FTP?

COACHED FOR YOUR EVENT.

Not Done Yet is the coached five-pillar system built around your actual event date. Personalised TrainingPeaks plan, weekly calls, expert masterclasses. 7-day free trial.

Apply for Not Done YetHow Coaching Works

$195/month · 7-day free trial · Cancel anytime

FAQ

COMMON QUESTIONS AT 2 WEEKS OUT

Is 2 weeks enough to train for the Dirty Reiver?+

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 Dirty Reiver?+

Forestry roads in Kielder — fast, wide, surprisingly rolling. running road tyres — you will puncture — so pacing discipline is the single biggest lever most amateurs miss. Gravel events punish overpacing effort because the surface varies.

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

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 Dirty Reiver?+

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 Dirty Reiver runs. 7-day free trial, $195/mo.

What gearing should I run for the Dirty Reiver?+

Gravel bike with 40-45mm tyres — Rene Herse Humptulips, Challenge Getaway, WTB Nano. Tubeless with sealant. Mudguards help in wet years. Frame bag + top tube bag for food. Rain jacket that actually works. Head torch if you're a slower finisher.

OTHER PHASES FOR THE DIRTY REIVER

Earlier phase ← 4 weeks out

PEAK PHASE

Later phase → 1 weeks out

RACE WEEK