The Harvest 50: Gravel, Growth, and a Personal Best

This past Saturday, I raced in the Harvest 50 gravel event in Zionsville, Indiana. Riders could choose between a 25-mile or 50-mile course, and I opted for the 25—a mix of 40% paved and 60% unpaved roads. Though I’d ridden the route twice before, I still felt nervous. Familiarity helped, but there’s a different vibe to racing.

Previewing the Course

The first time my husband and I rode the course back in July, I struggled. I was new to gravel riding and trying to break in a Brooks saddle. The discomfort made the ride feel longer. I stopped several times just to relieve the pain. The chunky gravel was challenging, and the heat didn’t help. It was 97 degrees and humid, and I was tired, cranky, and slow. My average speed was 10.4 mph, turning what I’d underestimated as a two-hour ride into nearly three.

A few weeks before the race, we rode the course again. The weather was cooler, and I had switched to a saddle I use on my road bike which was more comfortable. Aside from a few brief stops (fixing a headlight mount, a wrong turn I quickly corrected, and yielding to cross traffic), I kept rolling. I felt stronger, and although I was still slow on the gravel, my average speed rose slightly to 10.7 mph. My stop time also improved–dropping from 24 minutes to just under 7. I call that progress!

Realistic Expectations

As my husband reminded me, most people who race—whether it’s a marathon or a gravel ride—aren’t doing it to win. We race for the experience and to challenge ourselves.

While it would’ve been amazing if the race predictor (which had me finishing third in my age group) was right, I knew better. My previous speeds were nowhere near those from past Harvest 50 events. I set realistic expectations and focused on riding my own race.

Race Day

Since Zionsville is a two-hour drive, we stayed at a hotel the night before and attended the packet pickup party. The next morning, we ate breakfast, checked out, and headed to one of the designated parking lots. We pumped our tires, geared up, warmed up, and took a quick bathroom break before the 10 a.m. start.

Led by a police escort, over 300 riders rolled out from the grass fields of the Maple Lawn Farmstead. The weather was perfect—clear skies, sunny, and in the 70s.

I focused on having fun and staying steady. The first few miles were paved, then came the rolling hills and gravel that naturally spread out the riders. Sometimes, I rode solo, other times alongside others. I felt more confident on this gravel course than I had before—it didn’t feel as loose or chunky. I kept a steady pace, stayed hydrated thanks to my trusty hydration backpack (a game changer), and skipped the rest stop.

I paced behind a couple for about five miles or so, then surged past them once we hit pavement again. Volunteers waved me in at the finish line, and I felt great crossing it.

A Personal Best

I stopped my Garmin and checked my stats. I hadn’t set up my dashboard to show speed during the ride, so I had no idea how fast I was going. When I saw my average speed—13.45 mph—I was thrilled. A personal best! It was faster than both of my previous rides on this route and exceeded my expectations for race day.

While I can’t say for sure exactly what made the difference, I have a few theories about what helped me pick up speed.

• The adrenaline of race day.
• Rain earlier in the week made for ideal gravel conditions.
• I picked my line and held it.
• I used the SILCA Tire Pressure Calculator and lowered my tire pressure.
• I strength trained twice the week of the race.

Although I placed 10th out of 12 in my age group, I felt content. I raced my own race and crossed the finish line with a personal best and a sense of accomplishment.