Welcome back to Season 2 of What’s in Pete’s Pocket. In this limited series, Pete Stetina will be checking in from 6 events this season. He will share tips for fueling and what to expect leading into the event and pen a follow-up shortly after. This one is on his first Grasshopper pre-season race.
These days it seems a trend for riders to eschew smaller races for dedicated training camps, and only turn up to one’s 5-star race once they’re good and ready. To be honest, I am not a fan of this. In most other mainstream sports, there are preseason matches. These games are usually covered and scrutinized; designed to hone one’s craft before the biggest competitions get underway. I am a proponent of such events, as I believe they serve a very important part in the ecosystem of ANY athlete’s sporting year. These events act as a dress rehearsal of sorts; a lower stakes stage to cross t’s and dot i’s.
There are a slew of benefits to be gained in attending a regional event. If you’ve signed up for a major race, you’re investing time, travel, and money into your success. You need to approach your goal with complete intention; just winging it rarely works. What better way to prepare than at a regional event where the stakes are lower?
I do just that, attending one or two regional races during the early season and treating them as a dry run of sorts. Very often, one can push themselves deeper in competition as there is always that special X factor once we pin a number on, so I approach them as I would my main objective, with full attention to detail. I practice fueling and tactics, I test new equipment, and push myself to the limit. Only then can I see what works and what needs more fine tuning. If I’m off the pace physically I have enough time to adjust my training plan with my coach to correct those weaknesses.
I’m lucky to have the Grasshopper Adventure Series in my backyard. These events predate the term “Gravel” and because Northern California is one of the deeper talent pools nationwide, these events usually draw an unusually high level of competition from globally ranked pros finding warmer winter climates to very elite amateurs, and everyone in between.
‘Hopper number one, Low Gap, was last Sunday. Freezing (thankfully dry!) conditions did nothing to dampen the communal stoke that is palabale on the start line of this perennial season opener. At 47 miles, it’s short in the grand scheme of things, which makes it the perfect tuneup no matter where one finds themself in late January. I am pleased to report that things went swimmingly and I was able to take home the win. It’s important to start the year off with momentum, and perhaps more importantly, I still found some minute details to attend to before the biggest races are in the crosshairs.
Wherever you live and whatever your goals are for this 2025 sporting season, consider investing in yourself and supporting your local racing community by signing up for a regional early season event. And remember that old adage: Never try something new on race day. So order up some Maurten Bicarb, Swiss RX supplements, or those fancy new gels you’ve had your eye on at The Feed, and see if it works for you.
Photo Credit: Paul Miller
