MidSouth Gravel 2024 Recap

Better late than never for an @midsouthgravel recap post, right?

Photo by Gretchen Powers

Going into the weekend, I was determined to do the 100 mile distance. I've been riding a lot more this year and wanted to beat my time from last year, plus I loved the B-road section and couldn't wait to do it again.

As event day approached, however, I got realistic with myself and decided to do the 58 mile.

A couple of factors played into this: I've been struggling with energy management thanks to some new psychiatric medications, I had a very full schedule of events at MidSouth prior to the ride itself (including giving the keynote at the rider's meeting), and @allbodiesonbikes was throwing the DFL Finish Line party, and I kind of needed to be there for it.

Riding the 58 mile was definitely the right choice - and led to an incredibly fun day on the bike, complete with two trips down the @ombraz slip & slide, a picnic at mile 40, and zero mechanicals! I was clearly on the party pace train, enjoying the absolutely perfect weather and companionship on course.

I averaged 10.1 mph for the ride, which is pretty typical for me, hitting a max speed of 31.6 mph. While my ride took 8 1/2 hours, only 5:48 of that was moving time. I never felt like I was wasting time with my stops, however, soaking in all the good vibes at the aid stations, selfies with new friends, and a well-deserved picnic/stretch break.

Event weekends are a marathon for me, with the hardest work coming in the days leading up to the ride. The actual ride for me is my time - to relax, to be in my own head, and to reflect on how far we've come as an organization. I cherish those hours on the course, a chance to test my mental and physical strength, and honestly, to recharge for all the work that is still to be done.

I am so grateful for the @allbodiesonbikes family who came out to MidSouth and were instrumental in running the expo booth and the amazing vibes at the DFL party. Thank you to @unlearnpavement for trusting me to give the keynote speech at the Rider Meeting. Thank you to @ridewithgps for partnering on the DFL party and sharing a booth all weekend.

And thank you to all my partners and sponsors who continue to support me in this work of building an inclusive cycling community:

@ridecannondale for the Topstone bike that has carried me across thousands of gravel miles

@rideshimano for robust components

@lazersportna for keeping my brain safe

@shredly for the cutest apparel around

@ridewithgps for navigation and stoke

@twistedspokecbd for the best chamois cream and energy chews

and so many more brands that support my work!

Marley's 2023 MidSouth Gravel 100 Recap

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My event season officially kicked off a couple weeks ago, with MidSouth Gravel in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Heading into the weekend I was feeling a bit wary about my capability to ride 100 miles - my knee is still not back to 100% and my lungs are still clearing themselves after a bout of bronchitis. 

Celebrating my DFL win at the end of MidSouth

But there is something incredibly special about MidSouth Gravel and spoiler alert, I ended up riding all 100 miles AND taking home the coveted prize of DFL (Dead F*cking Last.) Here’s how it all went down…

I signed up for MidSouth 2023 before my knee surgery (in September 2022.) I figured the 100 mile distance would be a good goal to shoot for - knowing that I could always drop down to either the 50 mile or the 12 mile Inspiration Ride. I did in fact change my distance choice during check-in on Friday, only to be convinced by Event Director Bobby Wintle to for the 100.

If you’ve never had the pleasure of meeting Bobby Wintle in person, I strongly recommend taking a trip to District Bicycles in Stillwater, Oklahoma to do so.. Bobby is the heart and soul of the bike community in Stillwater, having built a friendly, supportive and adventurous community around him. 

After a rousing Rider Meeting, Bobby had me dang near convinced I could do anything I could put my mind to - so I decided then and there that I’d ride the 100 miler. What could go wrong?

MidSouth is like a family reunion with your cousins that you actually like.

One of my goals for the event season this year is to really take care of my body and to be more intentional with my time during events. I learned the hard way last year that the days before the ride of socializing, spending time at the expo and leading shake down rides was a perfect recipe for emptying my tank before arriving at the start line. To that end, I’ll be doing less shake-down rides, instead hosting community All Bodies on Bikes rides adjacent to the big events. Keep an eye out for more.

I’m proud to say I’m off to a good start this year, limiting my time at the MidSouth Expo while still visiting all my sponsors and friends. I was also lucky enough to be invited to the Skratch Labs house for a delicious dinner on Friday night where I got to enjoy a delicious dinner with some of my cycling heroes, including Meg Fisher and Ellen Noble! This weekend was off to a great start! 

Bike, Food and Hydration Preparation

I rode my Cannondale Topstone 4, the same gravel bike I’ve been on since Unbound Gravel in 2022. This year, I’ve swapped the stock drivetrain for a Shimano 1x11 GRX system, capable of handling steeper hills a bit better. Even with the improved climbing gears, I still walked a couple of hills, being extra careful with my knee.

My beautiful bike, taking a much needed rest.

I also worked with accomplished cycling coach and endurance racer Ernie Lechuga on a bike fit, making small modifications to my fit including lowering my handlebars and shifting my saddle position.  MidSouth would be the first big test of the bike fit and in retrospect, it was a key factor in my success.

Prior to the race, I also added a few more ounces of sealant to both tires. I’ve been running the Panaracer 700 x 43 Gravel King SK tires for all of my gravel rides and knock-on wood, have had zero issues. I love these tires for just about any surface - chunky gravel, smooth tarmac and sloppy singletrack.

The other modification I made to my bike for this race was installing a side-loading bottle cage on the top tube. With my tiny frame (I ride an XS bike), there isn’t room for 2 full-sized water bottles within the triangle, so instead, I have one bottle in the triangle, and one on the top. Both of these bottles get filled with Skratch Hydration Fuel for electrolytes, while my plain water goes on my back in an Apidura hydration vest.

I have no idea how the math works out, but based on all my training rides, I know that I expend roughly the same amount of calories as feet climbed during a ride, with caloric burn slowing throughout the day. For example,  on a typical 30 mile, 3000 ft training ride in Arkansas, I’ll burn between 2800 and 3200 calories, depending on how hard I’m pushing myself. On a 50 mile ride, 3500 foot ride I’ll hit about 5500 calories and last year during Unbound, my Wahoo predicted I burned nearly 8,000 calories. 

I have no idea if this is accurate or not, but I know that it means I need to eat all day long. As I’ve increased my training miles, I’ve also dialed in my on-the-bike nutrition a bit more as well. 

I like a mix of gels, bars, trail mix, and real food on the bike.

This year for MidSouth, I carried the following

• Bag of magic trailmix (peanuts, peanut butter m&m’s, gummy bears, oreos)

• 4 packs Twisted Spoke CBD Energy Chews (use the code Marley for 10% off your purchase at Twisted Spoke)

• 3 packs Skratch Energy Chews

• 2 Skratch Rice Cakes

• 4 GU Energy Gels

• 1 Emergency Burrito (bean and cheese from the day before because I forgot to take it out…definitely still edible if it came down to it.)

I ate almost everything, except the burrito and one pack of Skratch Energy Chews. While on the course, I also ate the following delicacies:

• 2 packs Cheetos

• 3 Clementines

• ½ a non-alcoholic beer from Cloudburst Brewing

• 1 oreo

• 1 Samoa Girl Scout Cookie

• 3 pieces of bacon from the Chamois Butt’r Aid Station

• 1 Cup of Cold Brew Coffee from Aspen Coffee Roasters

• ½ peanut butter and jelly quesadilla

And I think that’s it.

I have my Wahoo Bolt set up to remind me to drink every 20 minutes and to eat every 100 calories. While it’s annoying to get those reminders, I find it’s actually helpful, as otherwise it’s easy to let yourself get hungry. Some of the best advice I ever heard was from Meg Fisher, who said “If you think you’re sad, you need to eat.”

The Actual Ride

You’d think I’d have a ton of details to share about the ride, covering 100 miles and over 14 hours. In truth though, there really isn’t a ton to share.

The important bits:

-My bike rode beautifully. Zero mechanical issues, zero fit issues.

-The course was absolutely magical. If you’ve never ridden in Oklahoma, I recommend making it happen as soon as you can. Rolling red dirt hills punctuated by frequent cow pastures might sound boring, but it’s not. I was genuinely surprised by the amount of oil and gas equipment out there - seemingly every field had an operational oil derrick.

-The rest stops were amazing and stayed open for me! Thank you to all the folks who waited out in the dark and cold - it was a huge mood booster to come around the corner and see lights when I expected to see nothing!

-The single track was probably my favorite part of the course. Challenging yet rideable for the most part, I took my time in this section. By the time I got there, it was pitch black and I had been riding with the Red Dirt Jeep Club as my escort for the previous 30 miles, enjoying the benefit of their insanely bright lights. I took the opportunity of being away from the jeeps to center myself, taking a few minutes with all my lights off to breathe in the chill night air, to look up at the stars, and to count my blessings. I knew that as soon as I got out of the single track, it was a quick shot to Stilwater, where hundreds of people would be waiting for me at the finish line.

The Finish Line

I didn’t realize I was in last place until Mount Butter, about mile 62. I knew I was going slowly, but until that point, hadn’t seen any of the tell-tale jeeps that follow the last rider. The last riders caught me at Mount Butter, and we proceeded to together for the next 15 miles. As the sun set behind us, we yo-yo’d back and forth until mile 77, when he threw in the towel and quit. Now, it was just me and the Red Dirt Jeep Club, slowly making our way back to Stillwater. 

After the guy I was riding with quit, it sunk in that as long as I finished the ride, I would be DFL (Dead F*ing Last.) And honestly, there was never any question of me finishing the ride. 

As each mile ticked by during the ride, I let my mind wander to everything that had led me to this moment. I talked to myself - reminding myself out loud everyone who supported me in making this wild life possible - my sponsors, family and friends, the race organizers, and my fans. I wouldn’t be here if not for everyone who has given me a hug, words of encouragement, or a smile when I was feeling down. With this mindset of gratitude, I rode through the OSU campus, continuing to pick up additions to our rolling parade. 

A cop car with full lights and sirens jolted me out of my peaceful headspace, alerting the finish line that I was on my way. As I rolled down the finish line chute, I heard Bobby Wintle screaming my name, the crowd going crazy, and all I could do was smile and enjoy the first champagne shower of my life.

Read More

Check out the media coverage from MidSouth:

• The Adventure Stache with Payson McElveen

• Bicycling Magazine

• The Radavist

MidSouth Gravel 2022 - The Weekend that had it all

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I first heard of the MidSouth Gravel race a few years ago on Instagram - images of thick clay mud clogging derailleurs and talks of some Bobby guy who gave epic finish line hugs. Honestly, it didn’t register as much of a thing for me - why would I use precious vacation time and hard-earned money to ride my bike in Oklahoma?

Well, fast forward two years and even though we’re already a week post-event I can’t stop gushing about MidSouth. This is a truly special event. What follows below is part ride-recap and part thank you to the organizers and community. It might be a bit chaotic at times but I think that reflects the manic energy of the weekend that I’m still buzzing on. Enjoy.

The Ride

The MidSouth Gravel course is infamous for its variable conditions - if it’s dry, the course is fast and zippy. If it’s wet, the red clay turns to thick peanut butter, eating derailleurs and forcing many to hike their bikes.

This year’s weather forecast did not make preparation easy. In the week leading up to the event, the forecast called for snow, rain, wind, and sunny skies. With this potential weather mess, I seriously considered taking my single speed Surly (that I had raced cyclocross on.) I know how this bike fits and rides, and while it might not be the most fun with only one gear, it seemed the most logical choice.

If you’ve seen photos, you’ll know that I did not end up riding this bike .

With freezing temperatures and snow falling on Friday before the race, the real question was what would actually prevail on race day?

I ended up on my Velo Orange Piolet, the same bike I rode for the All Bodies on Bikes film and my attempt at the Baja Divide. With a Shimano GRX drivetrain with12 speeds in back and a teeny-tiny little climbing gear, there was no question I could climb the hills of Oklahoma. To be determined if the roads would be passable or pure peanut butter, but the decision was made.

As predicted, a cold front blew in on Thursday afternoon, dumping an inch of snow on Stillwater, Oklahoma. The wild weather didn’t seem to deter anyone, as nearly 40 people turned up for my Chamois Butt’r pre-ride, and even more took on the 50k Ultra Run in the snow. Brrrrrrr.

Throughout the day on Friday, the sun came out and the snow melted away, clearing the way for the winds to whip through and dry out the course. All my fears about a muddy course were gone - it was almost entirely dry on the course by the time we rode on Saturday.

And ooh, that course. I would ride that every day if I could. Punchy climbs, fast descents and absolutely gorgeous views. Every time I ride in the MidWest I’m astounded by how pretty it is - you really just don’t get that when you’re driving through on the interstate.

Most of the course looked like the photo above - red dirt, small gravel - overall easy to handle gravel. The 56 mile route had a really fun little double-track section that led into shale steps, requiring a bit of mountain bike style handling. This was my absolute favorite section of the course and while I wish there were photos of it, for once I was too busy riding to get out my camera.

My goal for MidSouth was to use it as a gauge of my fitness and readiness for this upcoming season. I’ve signed up for more gravel events and riding than I ever have before, including a quickly approaching 100 mile attempt at Unbound Gravel. Overall, my body felt great throughout the entire ride, minus the need to poop from mile 33 on. You haven’t lived until you’ve searched desperately for a porta-potty in the middle of Oklahoma and come up empty. *(I’m happy to report I made it to the finish line without a poop incident.)

Sweet sweet salvation

I rode most of the day alone, but surrounded by some incredibly kind, inspiring and fun people. At the back of the pack, we’re all out there on our own journey. It’s kind of funny - I’m pretty slow, but my body felt good the whole time, so I found myself often cheerleading struggling riders, offering food and letting people ride my wheel into the epic headwind.

I finished my ride in a little over 7 hours, with 6ish hours of riding time. I met my goals of limiting my time at rest stops, eating consistently throughout the day, and having a good time. Crossing that finish line I definitely still had a lot of miles left in my legs which I think sets me up well for the rest of the season.

Community is everything

If you read or hear anything about MidSouth, you will undoubedtly hear about the magical community surrounding this event. It’s not a lie. The intentionality, love, care, and energy that Bobby, Joshua, Sally, Crystal, Clare, Trevor & so many more people have put into this whole weekend is unreal. I’ve never attended a more welcoming, inclusive, and downright fun event. Bobby and his team go out of their way to ensure that every single rider/runner/family member feels just as welcome as the winners and the pro’s. And that finish line hug from Bobby was truly amazing.

As an event planner myself, I know the work that this takes. It doesn’t come automatically. But damn this team is doing a phenomenal job, and I hope that other event organizers take a page from their book. Great work MidSouth - can’t wait to go back to Stillwater for more.