Crooked Gravel is 67 miles of mountain gravel with about 5,600 feet of climbing, starting near 8,700 feet and averaging around 9,600 feet, with a high point of 10,500 feet. The air is thin the whole way, and afternoon thunderstorms are possible.

This is an eight-week plan for riders who want to get to the start ready for the distance and the repeated climbing, built around the hours you actually have. Most of the work aims at riding for hours and climbing on tired legs, though the thin air is the race’s demand, not something a plan can hand you.

WHAT'S INSIDE

• Structured workouts on your calendar, with real power and heart-rate graphs


• Strength work built in, with video walkthroughs


• Weekly notes from me, plus the Gravel Grit mental program


• A testing week, so the plan runs on your real numbers


• The full Crooked Gravel guide — terrain, gearing, fueling