Chequamegon is 41.7 miles with 2,561 feet of climbing from Hayward to Cable. The Birkie ski trail, forest roads, snowmobile routes, wooded paths, and large mass start turn a compact distance into a fast day of repeated surges and constant position changes.
This is an eight-week plan for that day, assuming you already have a riding base. The shorter build concentrates on repeatable harder efforts, sustained speed over mixed off-road terrain, and pacing practice for a race that stays active from the start.
41.7 MI · 2,561 FT CLIMBING · BIRKIE SKI TRAIL + WOODED PATHS · 8 WEEKS · 7–11 HR/WK · FINISHER
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 Chequamegon MTB guide — terrain, gearing, fueling
Hey, I'm Matti. I spent 11 years at TrainingPeaks, where they trusted me to teach coaches how to coach at TrainingPeaks University. I raced Amateur Elite with Rio Grande Cycling Team and podiumed my age group at Unbound 200 in 2026. I have a degree in biology and exercise physiology from St. Olaf. I'm also a middle-aged dad of three, so I know training doesn't happen in a vacuum. I help gravel riders get stupidly fast without becoming the person who brings a food scale to a party