You just finished 100 miles of gravel. Your legs are destroyed, your hands are numb, and you're already thinking about the next event. The question everyone asks: when can I train again?

Here's the uncomfortable truth: you're probably going to rush it. Almost everyone does. And that's why so many gravel riders spend the season feeling flat, picking up nagging injuries, or wondering why their fitness isn't progressing despite all those miles.

Nastya Gavrilova, certified Pilates instructor and recovery expert at Recovered puts it bluntly: "Gravel riders consistently underestimate what they just put their body through. It's not just the distance — it's the vibration, the constant micro-adjustments, the hours of gripping handlebars on rough terrain. Your whole system needs recovery, not just your legs."

Let's look at what the science actually says about recovering from gravel events — and why it's different from road racing.

Your muscles don't just get "tired" after a long gravel race. They get damaged at a cellular level, and the markers tell the story.

Research on ultra-endurance events shows creatine kinase (CK) — a key marker of muscle damage — can spike 22 to 98 times above baseline after 100+ mile efforts. That's not a typo. Your muscles are literally breaking down and rebuilding.

Here's what makes this important: CK typically peaks 24-48 hours after the event in trained athletes, but can take 72 hours to peak in less experienced riders. And complete normalization? Studies show that takes 7-14 days.

The inflammatory response follows a similar pattern. C-reactive protein (CRP) — another damage marker — can remain elevated for up to 8 days post-event. Research on inflammatory cytokines shows IL-6 levels can increase 121-fold during ultra-events.

The practical takeaway: When coaches say "one day of recovery per 10 miles raced," they're not being conservative. The science backs it up. A 100-mile gravel race needs at least 10 days before you're truly recovered at the cellular level.

If you're tracking your recovery with an app like Recovered, you'll see this play out in your daily recovery score — it should climb gradually over 7-10 days, not bounce back after 48 hours.

Here's something road cyclists don't have to deal with: the constant assault of vibration on rough surfaces.
Research on cycling-specific vibration shows it's not just uncomfortable — it's metabolically expensive. Vibration exposure increases blood lactate by 24% at maximal intensities and forces your body to reach metabolic thresholds faster.

But the real cost is what's happening throughout your body. A study on off-road cycling found vibration causes nearly 50% increased muscle activation during sustained efforts. And it's not just your legs — your calves, arms, forearms, core, and stabilizing muscles all work overtime to handle the terrain.

The math adds up: gravel racers burn an estimated 10-15% more calories than road cyclists at equivalent perceived efforts. You're paying a "vibration tax" on every mile.

And the fatigue accumulates. Research shows that long-term vibration exposure produces measurable declines in muscle force that can persist for up to 180 minutes post-exercise.

Pro gravel racer Keegan Swenson describes it perfectly: "Your feet start to wear on you, your hands, neck, back — all that stuff, especially when you're carrying extra weight."

What this means for recovery: Don't compare your gravel race to a road race of the same distance. The full-body stress is significantly higher. Plan for longer recovery.

Here's where most riders screw up: they feel surprisingly good 3-5 days after the race and jump back into structured training.

That "good feeling" is deceiving. Acute inflammation has subsided, but cellular repair is still happening. Push hard during this window and you extend true recovery by weeks.

If you're not familiar with HRV and why it matters for athletes, check out our complete guide on low HRV causes. The short version: HRV measures your autonomic nervous system's readiness, and it's the most reliable objective indicator of recovery status.

Research on HRV and exercise recovery gives us objective guidance:

• Low-intensity exercise (<70% VO2max): HRV normalizes within 24 hours
• Threshold-intensity work: Requires 24-48 hours
• High-intensity or ultra-endurance efforts: At least 48-72 hours for complete autonomic recovery

But after a 100-mile gravel race? You're looking at significantly longer. Your HRV should trend back toward baseline over 7-10 days. If it's still suppressed after 3+ days of rest, that's your body telling you it's not ready.

The protocol:

1. Establish your personal HRV baseline over 7-10 days of normal training
2. After a big event, track morning readings against your 7-day rolling average
3. When HRV sits at or above baseline for several consecutive days, you're ready for intensity
4. If HRV stays suppressed, stick with Zone 1 or complete rest

Studies on HRV-guided training show this approach produces better VO2max improvements and reduces the number of athletes who don't respond to training. Your body knows when it's ready — HRV helps you listen.

You've heard about the "anabolic window" for post-exercise nutrition. Is it real or bro-science?
The answer: it depends on when you need to perform again.

Research on glycogen resynthesis shows muscle glycogen synthesis rates peak in the first 30-60 minutes after exercise. Delaying carbohydrate intake by just 2 hours can reduce glycogen synthesis rates by approximately 50%.

For a single gravel event with a week until your next hard effort? The window matters less. Eat well over the next few days and you'll be fine.

But for multi-day events, back-to-back race weekends, or when you need to train again soon? The window is real.

The evidence-based protocol:

Within 30 minutes:

• 0.6-1.0g/kg carbohydrates (high-glycemic)
• 0.3-0.5g/kg protein
• For a 70kg rider: roughly 50-70g carbs + 20-35g protein

Over the next 4-6 hours:

• Continue carbohydrate intake at 1.0-1.2g/kg per hour
• Target a 3:1 or 4:1 carb-to-protein ratio

Before bed:

• 30-40g casein protein supports overnight muscle repair

Hydration:

• Replace 150% of body weight lost
• Sodium-containing beverages retain 74-77% of fluid vs. 58% for plain water

What about supplements? Tart cherry juice shows moderate evidence for reducing soreness, but requires 4-5 days of pre-loading before the event — not helpful the day after. Omega-3s (2,400mg+ EPA+DHA daily) help with inflammation but need 4+ weeks of consistent use.

When researchers rank recovery interventions by evidence quality, sleep extension comes out on top. Not ice baths. Not compression boots. Sleep.

A systematic review on sleep and athletic performance confirms what coaches have known forever: athletes need 9-10 hours nightly — substantially more than the general population's 7-9 hours.

Why? Approximately 95% of your daily growth hormone production occurs during sleep. Research shows sleep deprivation directly impairs glycogen resynthesis, elevates cortisol, increases inflammatory markers, and produces a 10% decrease in self-paced endurance performance.

Ted King, former WorldTour pro turned gravel champion, tracks sleep meticulously via WHOOP. He targets 78% recovery scores before major races and adjusts his schedule when sleep suffers at altitude.

Practical steps:

• Target 9-10 hours for the first 3-4 nights after a big event
• Naps work: meta-analyses show 20-90 minute naps between 1-4pm improve power output and reduce perceived exertion
• Allow 30+ minutes after waking from a nap before any training
• Prioritize sleep over extra training when you have to choose

Should you ride easy the day after a race? Sit on the couch? Walk?

ACE-sponsored research compared active vs. passive recovery and found: active recovery at the right intensity accelerates lactate clearance and maintains subsequent performance better than complete rest.

The key phrase: "at the right intensity."

Recovery performed at or above threshold intensity actually delays lactate removal and decreases performance. You're adding stress, not removing it.

The protocol for active recovery:

• 15-20 minutes at 55-60% of heart rate reserve (Zone 1)
• Conversation should flow easily
• If you're breathing hard, you're going too hard
• Walking, easy spinning, gentle swimming all work

Research on cold water immersion shows additional benefits after racing in hot conditions — 10-15°C water for 5-15 minutes maintained sprint power by 12.4% compared to passive recovery.

A systematic meta-analysis on recovery techniques found massage and cold water immersion had the strongest evidence for reducing muscle soreness and markers of inflammation. Compression garments showed more limited evidence.

Elite gravel racers have learned recovery lessons through brutal experience.

Dylan Johnson (elite ultra-endurance racer and evidence-based coach) emphasizes that travel adds at least one extra recovery day. Catching two flights extends recovery beyond what the race itself demanded. His training plans include recovery weeks every fourth week, because "you need recovery time built into your year."

Ian Boswell (former WorldTour, now elite gravel) brings Grand Tour wisdom: professional road racing "taught me how to manage recovery during a race — you learn what works for you." His nutrition philosophy centers on eating liberally: "Eat until you're full and then take a couple more bites. Have a snack if you wake up in the middle of the night."

Lachlan Morton (Tour Divide record holder) structures rest into ultra-events: for his record, he forced himself to stop for 12 hours out of every 48, prioritizing 6 hours of sleep nightly over pushing through on power naps. Post-event recovery took "a couple of weeks before my body slowly started to reset."

Ted King shifted his entire nutrition philosophy after transitioning to gravel: "I used to count every calorie I ate. Basically, I was malnourished for all those years. Now that I'm more liberal with my diet, I'm able to recover better and maintain fitness without getting injured."

1. Training Through the "Feel Good" Window
Days 3-5 after a race, you feel surprisingly good. Inflammation has subsided, soreness is fading. This is exactly when people make the mistake of hammering a hard session.

Cellular repair is still happening. Push hard now and you extend true recovery by weeks.

2. Ignoring HRV Trends
Your body tells you when it's recovered — if you're listening. Persistently suppressed HRV means you're not ready, regardless of how you feel.

3. Skipping Recovery Weeks
The evidence-supported structure: 3 weeks of building, 1 week of recovery. Recovery weeks should include approximately 50% of normal volume with no high-intensity work.

Feeling fine doesn't mean you don't need the recovery week. That's exactly when you need it most.

4. Underestimating Gravel-Specific Fatigue
100 miles of gravel is not the same as 100 miles of road. The vibration tax, upper body demand, and constant micro-adjustments add significant stress that doesn't show up in your power file.

5. Treating More Volume as the Answer
Transcontinental Race winner James Mark Hayden: "Without recovery, your body doesn't have time to repair muscle damage and you can't get stronger. You need to think about ride recovery first and training second."

Days 1-3: Acute Phase
Do:

• Sleep 10 hours
• Eat liberally — protein and carbohydrates
• Light walking or gentle swimming for 15-20 minutes
• Drink plenty of fluids with electrolytes

Don't:

• Any structured exercise
• Resist the urge to "spin out" the legs
• Stress about losing fitness

Expect peak muscle soreness at 48-72 hours. This is normal.

Days 4-7: Easy Movement
Do:

• Recovery-paced rides under an hour (Zone 1 only)
• Continue prioritizing 8-10 hours of sleep
• Gentle mobility work or yoga

Don't:

• Any intensity
• Long rides
• "Test" your legs with a hard effort

Most biomarkers begin normalizing during this window.

Week 2: Gradual Return
Do:

• Build volume at recovery intensity
• Short endurance sessions (60-90 minutes)
• Monitor HRV trend — should be moving toward baseline

Don't:

• Structured intervals
• Tempo or threshold work
• Rush back if HRV remains suppressed

Week 3+: Return to TrainingIf HRV
If HRV has stabilized within normal range for several consecutive days:

• Return to moderate training intensity
• Build conservatively
• Fitness gained from the ultra-event will express itself over coming weeks

Complete adaptation from a major ultra-endurance effort may take 4-6 weeks.

How long should I take off after a 100-mile gravel race?
Plan for 10-14 days before returning to structured training. The first 3-7 days should be complete rest or very easy movement only. Research shows muscle damage markers take 7-14 days to fully normalize after ultra-events.

Can I ride the day after a gravel race?
Light spinning (15-20 minutes, Zone 1) can help with blood flow and stiffness. But actual training? No. Your body needs rest, not more stress — even easy stress.

Why do I feel good on day 3-4 but crash later?
Acute inflammation subsides quickly, creating a false sense of recovery. Cellular repair continues for 7-14 days. Training hard during this window interrupts the repair process and extends true recovery.

Is gravel racing harder to recover from than road racing?
Yes. Research shows vibration adds 10-15% to energy expenditure, forces nearly 50% more muscle activation, and creates full-body fatigue that road racing doesn't. Plan for longer recovery from equivalent distances.

Should I take a full week off after a gravel race?
For 100+ mile events, yes — at minimum very easy activity only. Shorter gravel races (50-60 miles) may need less, but the vibration and terrain demands still exceed road racing of similar duration.

Gravel racing is harder on your body than the miles suggest. The vibration tax, full-body engagement, and rough terrain add stress that doesn't show up in your power file but absolutely shows up in your recovery needs.

The athletes who win at gravel aren't just the ones who train the hardest — they're the ones who recover the smartest. They sleep 9-10 hours, eat without restriction, track their HRV trends, and resist the urge to prove they're recovered before their body confirms it.

Your next big performance isn't built in the race. It's built in the recovery that follows.