The G3 "Oklahoma's 1st Gravel Race Series"
Starting in 2019 a couple of gravel bike enthusiasts embarked on creating a 3-race gravel series on the back roads of Logan County. The roads around Logan County, Kingfisher County and Lincoln County are famous for many of the Land Run 100 stories that have become legendary in the gravel riding/racing world.
The 3 races would each be 100k in length and progress in intensity at each race. When I saw this race series being promoted, I knew I had to be in it. To win? Most definitely not. But that is the great thing about gravel racing. Not everyone is in it to win. Sometimes the competition is in your head, with yourself. If I could finish all 3, I would consider it a success. Not to mention a great raining tool for the 2020 Land Run 100.
All three races began in downtown historic Guthrie (my unofficially adopted hometown) Not because I live just a few miles south of there but because all of the gravel riding and training I do is within 25-50 miles of Guthrie. Historically some the best roads in the state for graveling.
I always try to mentally break down a longer race/ride into 2 or 3 equal parts in my mind. This helps me compartmentalize a ride instead of looking down at my GPS and saying "Hey, look only 59 miles to go" That is demoralizing for me on a 65 mile ride. The race directors did a great job of setting up aid stations at about the halfway point and I used that as one of my "goal markers". Since most of us have more fatigue in the last half of the race, I tried to also cut the second half into "quarters" and that seemed to make the second 30-33 miles more manageable. Again, this is just my mental game. You might find it better to just dive off in a 70 mile race and ride until you drop. I can't do that
Race 1: September 21, 2019. https://www.strava.com/activities/2728684177
The weather called for a possibility of light rain but the temperature was high enough that even if it did rain, my choice of gear would still be about the same. I didn't worry about it and it only drizzled a little in the first few miles then cleared up nicely. The roads were still a little dusty and very fast. Perfect for a race.
Before we even got out of town, we were directed onto the right of way (not the road) of a major highway, which was tall grass hiding big holes. And of course a drainage ditch. Everyone dismounted but I downshifted and took it on MTB style. I felt good. That would soon end
After we got outside of town, we hit some fast hard packed roads and were ready to settle into the first half of the race and start logging some miles to the half way point. Guess again! at mile 8 we turn into a field and traverse across a pasture cyclocross style. The grass was tall and the ground under it was rough. After a little less than a mile of that, appears an unannounced aid station with mimosas! Although cool, I was just getting into a rhythm and pedaled through the stop and got back on some actual roads
This was about a 12-13 mile stretch that was pretty boring...until we turned south and realized that sometime during the last hour or two, the winds picked up from the south, a lot. It was only a 2 mile segment but it seemed like 10. Oh yeah then we went north a mile and then back south AGAIN. Guess what? The wind was still blowing.
As we finally turned back towards Guthrie, I had ridden these roads before and was feeling in my element....for a little while. Then we were funneled of of our safe hard pack gravel road into another pasture. What's up with the pastures? This one was also rough but was only about a 1/4 mile or so.
Now we were certainly on the home stretch back to Guthrie, right? Kind of. After yet another turn into the south wind, we got treated to some equestrian trails. Yes, equestrian trails. It was basically bad MTB singletrack. I cut my teeth on a MTB but I didn't think that was cute.
NOW CAN WE GO HOME? Sure, just a little turn north and a few miles of a tailwind and even some paving. Oh, did I mention a creek crossing without a bridge! (pictured). At this point I think they were just trying to kill us.
2 more miles and we are back in town but not before we got to re-cross the drainage ditch from mile 1. I dismounted and walked across it this time
I finished in 5:41. I was pleased. I treated myself to several beers at the Mexican restaurant at the finish line. AMAZING. We learned that they went out of business right after that. That news could affect the turnout for race 2
Race 2: October 5, 2019 https://www.strava.com/activities/2765586658
Race 3: October 19, 2019 https://www.strava.com/activities/2801390136
The 3 races would each be 100k in length and progress in intensity at each race. When I saw this race series being promoted, I knew I had to be in it. To win? Most definitely not. But that is the great thing about gravel racing. Not everyone is in it to win. Sometimes the competition is in your head, with yourself. If I could finish all 3, I would consider it a success. Not to mention a great raining tool for the 2020 Land Run 100.
All three races began in downtown historic Guthrie (my unofficially adopted hometown) Not because I live just a few miles south of there but because all of the gravel riding and training I do is within 25-50 miles of Guthrie. Historically some the best roads in the state for graveling.
I always try to mentally break down a longer race/ride into 2 or 3 equal parts in my mind. This helps me compartmentalize a ride instead of looking down at my GPS and saying "Hey, look only 59 miles to go" That is demoralizing for me on a 65 mile ride. The race directors did a great job of setting up aid stations at about the halfway point and I used that as one of my "goal markers". Since most of us have more fatigue in the last half of the race, I tried to also cut the second half into "quarters" and that seemed to make the second 30-33 miles more manageable. Again, this is just my mental game. You might find it better to just dive off in a 70 mile race and ride until you drop. I can't do that
Race 1: September 21, 2019. https://www.strava.com/activities/2728684177
The weather called for a possibility of light rain but the temperature was high enough that even if it did rain, my choice of gear would still be about the same. I didn't worry about it and it only drizzled a little in the first few miles then cleared up nicely. The roads were still a little dusty and very fast. Perfect for a race.
Before we even got out of town, we were directed onto the right of way (not the road) of a major highway, which was tall grass hiding big holes. And of course a drainage ditch. Everyone dismounted but I downshifted and took it on MTB style. I felt good. That would soon end
After we got outside of town, we hit some fast hard packed roads and were ready to settle into the first half of the race and start logging some miles to the half way point. Guess again! at mile 8 we turn into a field and traverse across a pasture cyclocross style. The grass was tall and the ground under it was rough. After a little less than a mile of that, appears an unannounced aid station with mimosas! Although cool, I was just getting into a rhythm and pedaled through the stop and got back on some actual roads
This was about a 12-13 mile stretch that was pretty boring...until we turned south and realized that sometime during the last hour or two, the winds picked up from the south, a lot. It was only a 2 mile segment but it seemed like 10. Oh yeah then we went north a mile and then back south AGAIN. Guess what? The wind was still blowing.
As we finally turned back towards Guthrie, I had ridden these roads before and was feeling in my element....for a little while. Then we were funneled of of our safe hard pack gravel road into another pasture. What's up with the pastures? This one was also rough but was only about a 1/4 mile or so.
Now we were certainly on the home stretch back to Guthrie, right? Kind of. After yet another turn into the south wind, we got treated to some equestrian trails. Yes, equestrian trails. It was basically bad MTB singletrack. I cut my teeth on a MTB but I didn't think that was cute.
NOW CAN WE GO HOME? Sure, just a little turn north and a few miles of a tailwind and even some paving. Oh, did I mention a creek crossing without a bridge! (pictured). At this point I think they were just trying to kill us.2 more miles and we are back in town but not before we got to re-cross the drainage ditch from mile 1. I dismounted and walked across it this time
I finished in 5:41. I was pleased. I treated myself to several beers at the Mexican restaurant at the finish line. AMAZING. We learned that they went out of business right after that. That news could affect the turnout for race 2
Race 2: October 5, 2019 https://www.strava.com/activities/2765586658
Race 3: October 19, 2019 https://www.strava.com/activities/2801390136
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