Sarah's been training for 12 months to tackle Badlands 2025 — an 814-818km self-supported ultra-distance gravel race through Spain starting August 31st with nearly 15,000 meters of climbing. In this episode, Anthony (who coached her through the entire build) and Sarah geek out on every detail: bike setup, nutrition, pacing strategy, and the mental game of racing through a desert on minimal sleep.
Key Takeaways
- Gear down to a 48/35 crankset with 10-36 cassette — if a climb is too steep to ride with that setup, it's better to walk and conserve energy than grind it out under load
- Test your fueling strategy robustly before the race (Sarah nailed hers at Rift); gels are highly individual, so what works for one rider may cause digestive issues for another
- Hydration is non-negotiable: carry 3-5 liters at all times, and hit the long desert section fresh in the morning rather than fatigued, ideally after rest on day one
- Technical skills matter as much as fitness for gravel ultras — building handling and confidence on technical descents while fatigued is critical to staying safe
- A 10-day taper is proportionate to the length of the event and buildup; focus on killing fatigue while preserving fitness through short, intense efforts rather than long duration
Expert Quotes
"You're a better bike handler than the level you are on the bike, if that makes sense. Which is kind of scary... But it's good cuz the worst thing you can really be is fast on a bad bike handler. — Anthony"
"I just don't know how somebody would train for an event like this and not have a coach because it has been such a long process to get me from basically couch to doing this race. — Sarah"
"Plan's all great until you get punched in the face, isn't it? And I think Badlands has the potential to punch us in the face for sure. — Anthony"