My Massive Comeback at the Unbound Gravel 200, Power and Race Tactic Analysis

[@DylanJohnsonCycling]

If you want to step up your training I have coaching and online training plans available here: Coaching: www.ignitioncoachco.com/signup Online training plans: www.trainingpeaks.com/coach/dylanjohnsontraining#trainingplans

[@durwoodhill2798]

Dylan, you do such a great job narrating these race videos. And your science-based training videos are also top notch. You are not just a incredible cyclist, you are also a great trainer, a great artist (yes the production of your videos is artfully done) and a great narrator. I'm a huge fan, you are extremely talented and generous in your contributions to the cycling community. Thank you Dylan! T

[@goslingmarcus]

What a great ride. Doing 500+ watts for 30 secs after 10 hours must have hurt :)

[@imterribee]

I find it quite amusing and humbling that it only took you an extra 25 minutes to get over 200 miles done compared to me who only did the 100 distance in 10 hours and 25 minutes. It's not like it was my first time on a bike, but that course beat me down on almost every turn. My thoughts on rerouting: I had a feeling it was going to be a long day when a train stopped us just 2 blocks into the race so I was totally ok with adding an extra 2 hours to my day by trudging through mud while trying to carry a bike that felt like it was covered in bricks (yet another reminder to start strength training). I have no complaints about the day personally, but I still think they should have rerouted. I was just doing the 100 distance so I knew all I had to do was keep moving forward and I would be able to get it done. However, I feel bad for the people who went knowing they would be cutting it close on the 200 mile course to begin with, then were faced with adding an extra two hours to their time the first 11 miles. That 4-mile mud section doesn't add any value to your cycling ability so not sure what the point of keeping it in was. Not to mention, all the people out there who don't have the budget to buy new bike parts after each race. There were a lot of damaged and unrideable bikes out there. It was a shame to see that I was surrounded by so many DNFs when I still had about 90% of the ride to go. I think mud is a cool aspect of Unbound, but 4 miles of unrideable peanut buttery/nutella like sludge? That seemed a bit ridiculous and unnecessary in my honest opinion. I think it would be great if they address the matter and make it a standard to reroute if there is more than an 'X' amount of a hike-a-bike section for future races.

[@wibblemu9]

This is the video on unbound that i was most looking forward to

[@laggypirates]

This is my favorite video of the year, every year.

[@JibbaJabber]

Finally, its dropped 😊😊😊😊😊

[@Christian-pw5ws]

The last comment from Rick is gold!!!

[@imprezaaudi]

Connor Dunne from GCN did the event. He was woefully under prepared and suffered massively, taking some 17 hours to finish- which was near to a miracle. Great comeback from you 👍

[@BadTanLines]

It's kinda nice to see all these videos up. I no have no desire to ever do this race now after seeing what happened this year! Probably saves me a lot of money!

[@robhangen2639]

I watched the GCN video over the weekend - it was a BRUTAL day! Great perseverance! I reckon backwards hat would say all you needed were 33 more miles to take the win :)!

[@wescheslak9408]

Congratulations 🍾🎉🎊🎈

[@joerenner8334]

I would love to hear you talk about mental toughness, and how you have developed yours. Congrats on your incredible effort!

[@_Inferis]

Riding through mud will get you mentally tough!

[@ktakashismith]

Maybe by experiencing constant positive reinforcement for suffering through positive race results, positive social interactions, tons of parasocial engagement from a growing YT fanbase, and financial support from brands? Plus the feeling of needing to grow and become stronger while working as a coach (nobody wants to become the personification of the axiom, "those who cannot, teach". Suffering becomes intolerable when you believe there is no meaning behind it, you just have to give yourself a reason to stick through it. But it's also worth constantly re-evaluating whether the that reason is actually worth it - if you're not getting paid to be a professional athlete or a brand representative, and you're just trying to suffer your way to good results for social clout or to prove something to yourself, you're probably gonna burn out pretty quickly. Always have a reason, and know that the reason is worth it.

[@nato996]

i was waiting for this video every day since unbound!!!!!!!!!! i love you dylan!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@markokitzing4291]

Congratulation for 17th place! And again, a great story, great analysis, great advice! Keep'em coming!

[@lazlo2511]

That’s a massive save… cracking into the top20! Well Done. Yeah I reckon the mud ruined the event! Part of any sport is dealing with a course that suitable, organised chaos over roads no one can really access and equipment gets damaged, well that’s were organisers need to step up and NOT just take your money. Trashing your bike for one event is pure BS! I hope in the future a new event can replace Unbound as the ultimate gravel, and that event in my eyes is… WTF! Yeah , lookout for it in 24’. Now that’s way better then crappy peanut butter mud in a field in Kansas.

[@charlesking3287]

Nice video, Dylan. I enjoy your channel and have learned a lot from you. Congrats on a great race! Thank you to the people of Emporia, Kansas, who volunteered their time for us. They are wonderful, welcoming people. All of them. Life Time, the race organizers, don't pay those folks. Most of the 4,000 Unbound riders are not pros like Dylan. They are recreational riders who invest lots of time and money to participate in this event. I myself am an old, slow rider who loves to ride bikes. I knew that I'd need every minute to finish the 200 mile race in 20 hours. I knew it would be a challenge, but I trained hard and was prepared to give it my best shot. There were 2 checkpoints, the 1st at mile 79, and the 2d at mile 167, each with time cutoffs. If you arrived past the cutoff time, you would be pulled from the course and not allowed to continue. I was totally unprepared for the mud at miles 11-14, and lost more than 3 hours, time that I could not afford to lose. My race was over before it started. A huge disappointment, to say the least. By the time I made it to the first water oasis at mile 42, I was 6.5 hours into the race, and it was game over for me. By the way, Life Time had run out of water at that "oasis"! That's totally inexcusable. There were at least 50 riders waiting for water when I got there, with more arriving every minute after me. Do I think that the Life Time organizers let us down? Yes. Should they have rerouted? Yes. They knew what the conditions were. Should they have supplied sufficient amounts of water? Of course! Will I try again next year anyway? Yes. Will I be better prepared for mud? Yes. Will I carry more water? I'll have to think about that one, because I was carrying a lot of water.

[@paullarsen9559]

Dylan, I have raced Unbound 5 times and finished twice. In 2015 there was the same mud in the same place as this year. The mud section blew up my plans and I had to DNF. I do not agree with the re-route. The same question came up in 2015, but the race execs. did not think the mud would put the riders at risk. I strongly agree with the decision to keep the route the same as planned. The mud is apart of Unbound. Unbound is a test of your strength, fitness, mental tenacity and also your coping skills. That is what makes this race so great.

[@kevinderung8524]

if 0% of riders can "ride" through a long section of mud, it should be removed from the course...if its a puddle or stream that you have to contend with, fine leave it in...but the un-ridable section should(s) be more of a cyclocross obstacle vs a long jogging section

[@TheSteinbitt]

Cyclocross:)

[@againthebegin]

@@TheSteinbitt The section was about as long as an entire cyclocross race.

[@christopheralix8554]

There is no mud in a road race. Maybe that’s something you should try.

[@againthebegin]

@@christopheralix8554 road is over. The mud was excessive by any reasonable standard and didn’t have to be. was an easy fix and they blew it.

[@James-mf9to]

Waaaaaaaaaaaaa

[@iecrime]

The mud makes the race more interesting. Good job in coming back.

[@RainloveLampariello]

Dylan, I just started watching your videos about a month ago. They're fantastic. The mud section was terrible! I did this ride this year and was happy to just finish. My first goal was to beat the sun and second, but most important was to finish. The fact that you were able to pour it on after the mud section is impressive. I say keep unbound as is. Sure it would have been nice to not walk four miles. But it sure feels good now to know I finished that ride. Great ride man.

[@robkemble3625]

Thanks for chatting with me at SB on Monday morning after the race, this is my perspective. I am 52 and fat and I finished. The mud just made it more epic and us slow people had another mud section at mile 172 The only downside was the pubs were closing when I finished. For the people that blamed the mud for not finishing get over yourselves and read rule 5 then rule 9 repeat as many times as necessary until you "get it"

[@kcabsquadron4873]

Only 5 minutes in and Backwards Hat Dylan is nailing it!

[@Bendersnatchling]

I would have made it to about mile 11 and then quit 😁 That being said, I like my roads paved perfectly :))

[@MaxRothFitness]

Same.

[@secretagent86]

smooth roads are the best. i would not even walk that mud section in hip waders

[@kurtleitch5240]

Great result mate, and cheers for the round up!

[@ksduathlete]

Dude ! I’ve been waiting for this recap. You did awesome and I love that you are human . You had a crappy time but kept after it when it seems all hope is lost. Great comeback .. and I don’t know if you mentioned No aerobars

[@davidcarroll4150]

Hey ….. well done for sticking with it. So nice to see Charles K! ❤️

[@MaxwellPowers666]

Bonk Bros Unbound was a great episode and this is a great companion or vice versa

[@skibmbp]

Huge effort - congrats that is awesome! I tried for the 350 and DNF'd at 270...the mud got in my head. We had 3 heavy sections and 1 not so bad section before joining the 200 course. I could not mentally handle the thought of the remaining hike a bike sections to get to the finish. Looking at videos the mud for the last 80 miles did not look too bad compared to what we fought though in the dark but the monster was in my head sitting at the aid station and I called it quits. Very few people finished the 350 and to all of those people incredible job! I had the chance to ride with at least half the finishers at one point or another and I am so happy for them all!

[@davidschiffer4448]

Excellent and fun recap of the race. I volunteered this year (Which was rather fun, actually) but this year reminded me of 2015 with destroyed derailleurs and that dang 3 mile hike a bike. I would like to see the more frequent aid stations again. the water stations just aren't enough with all the mechanical challenges that go on year over year. Next we go north! See you out there! Love your videos and advice!!!

[@skibmbp]

The year I did the 205 (2017) there where 3 aid stations but not the extra 2 water stops. That made for one of the sections being extremely long between stops in the heat even with 2 bottles and a pack.

[@cjohnson3836]

I'm wondering now how many in the pros used the water oasis to wash their bikes, leading to the amateurs not having water at that point. If this is the case, that shit needs to be addressed.

[@stephencolton299]

Well done. Excellent effort.

[@peterknight7880]

Congratulations on a great result. RE the mud section: I think it's one of those decisions where you have to conclude that the organisers were right (even if they were actually wrong!)

[@scherzo0o]

I love when gravel riders have to borrow a page or two out of cyclocross racing :) Like width of tires and dealing with mud. Otherwise, kudos to the nerdiest cyclist youtuber out there! Nice racing!

[@savanna7222]

Thanks! I've been waiting for this video ;)

[@ZenEndurance]

Woohoo! Been waiting for this one the most! GO DYLAN!

[@peterm.7497]

Amazing that you had the mental strength to not check out early after the mud. You write great race narratives, so it's funny to imagine you composing the story during the race -- even funnier if you were doing it out loud with your competitors. Because of your hard work, I bought a Mazda and added you to my lifetime Grand Prix fantasy team.

[@dw-adventures]

Perseverance and grit pushed you through. Great video as always.

[@agnesrosalinde]

Congrats, Dylan.

[@Speedy.V]

Ive been waiting for this one for a while. Glad you were able to finish. Great job.

[@lenolenoleno]

Love your recap vids - more than any other KZbinr. Huge Kudos for battling back to where you did given your circumstances. You're a machine.

[@michaelhotten752]

You never lost your head and that is awesome. Often the best rides are not at the front and this is one.

[@justittude1524]

Finally, I've been waiting for this...

[@alolympic]

Great result! Brutal conditions but good mental and physical strength to bounce back. Unbound rebound!

[@JeuneCyclisteDynamique]

Dude at 7:06 with a fighter jet tricycle actually brought the right bike to this event.

[@franksnyder363]

Really excited to see your BWR Race Recap. Congratulations!

[@SerPurple51]

I ride a lot of gravel and in pretty hot conditions (hot and humid FL) but I have no desire to race like that. Kudos to you and all who finished!

[@ckokomo808]

Amazing attitude. I’ve started training for ultramarathons and most of the race is learning to work through adversity. Thanks for sharing your story and perspective!

[@alandowney5851]

Great ride. The mud is like adding cobbled sections into the TdF - it adds an element of chance. And it's part of cycling. And we are talking about it:)

[@GG-si7fw]

What a great ride and especially the situational awareness towards the finish. I've never raced gravel but to to me, Unbound Gravel is about battling the unpredictable Kansas weather too and that is what makes it the great gravel race it is. I live just down the road from there in Wichita. I'm hoping just to do the 25 mile one next year with 2 of my kids, 8 and 11 next year. Their motivation is when I pointed out that to them and my wife that the rules stated that the riders must have a cellphone and even my 3 year old wanted to ride just for the phone. They would probably would have stopped anyway to play on the mud and enjoyed the situation.

[@unixgarcia]

Amazing just amazing! Thank you for a wonderful recap, now that I understand Power I enjoy your videos more. Also they keep motivating me to keep pushing. Thank you Eunice The Gravel Loca 🤗🤗

[@DarinLenny]

Incredible numbers and result

[@matthewsmith6486]

Great job! As far as the mud? It's part of the race and everybody had to deal with it. Situations like that are what make for epic races and great stories to bench race about!

[@patrickdollah]

Great video. Especially with all the analytics.

[@romanianbushido]

I've really been looking forward to this video. After all the other videos describing the conditions, it's cool to actually see the sections described in terms of power and distance. Great job once again!!

[@JohnGarlandTrialLawyer]

Great job in the race and great recap.

[@robola_]

Incredible mental fortitude to push through that adversity. Inspiring!

[@nightsfalling]

Awesome job! It was a though day and you keep doing your own race. Congratulations! I was waiting for this video.

[@nienkerk1]

Great content as always DJ! 🤩👌 Gravel racing for 200miles really is a mental game. 💪

[@sco0tpa]

Impressive ride. Congrats! Thanks for sharing and narrating.

[@tibbshay]

I love the quote : making excuses is part of gravel racing!

[@lizely5942]

Congratulations to you, Dylan! Awesome work! As a Kansan and former DK100 rider totally get it! I love watching your videos! Ride on!

[@aarondcmedia9585]

3 spots off Jan is dope as. Well done.

[@racerx40plus84]

Great videos Dylan. They’re fantastic. Sounds like you had a biketanic day but then overcame it. True sign of an elite racer.

[@vicnutt6742]

That was an excellent effort, and congrats on the finish! This video was an engaging summary of the race. Thanks!

[@mattsammekull780]

Well done, Dylan, - very impressive ride!

[@davebegbie362]

Good effort!

[@davidwebb2337]

Massive. And inspiring fortitude to keep the hammer down after all of that. Thx!

[@matthewrepucci3564]

Great stuff!

[@marciomvp9458]

Awesome video as usual! Congratulations for the amazing race! Organizers did well by keeping the mud. Gave a different flavor to the race and an additional challenge to overcome. But hey, that was my first Unbound 200 and I would enjoy the experience either way.

[@barrowsworm1226]

Great result Dylan, and a fantastic comeback! Congratulations.

[@paulgibby6932]

Was waiting for your report, but saw you finished 17th. Nice work -- especially the catch-up. What an awesome race/challenge. Keep up the good work!

[@michaelstoecker4178]

Epic! Very impressive…. Thanks for the insight, Dylan.

[@siberian67]

Hey Dylan reach out to Roel of Bicycle armor. It’s a ceramic frame treatment to keep the mud from sticking to your bike.

[@elefantrising]

Great race.

[@jozsefizsak]

Thank you for the insight into a tremendously challenging race. I can barely imagine doing something like that!

[@garysladek9110]

I have been waiting for your video, and it did not disappoint. Enjoy your breakdown the most. Cheers

[@Mickyrst43]

Great video,and a fantastic result,you showed great mental strength by not letting the mud beat you and the power figures in the 2nd half are very impressive.

[@aviationmotivation4957]

Congratulations sir! The mud or wet concrete was a bit excessive but perhaps it’s a unique experience.

[@DC-lu5qs]

well done, sir! I'm in awe!

[@gravettian]

Thank you Dylan, you're a true inspiration and positive example! Saw you in the results and was hoping for a video (what's with the focus on all that data though?) Hope you improve with every year

[@guskrassevich6373]

Awesome 😎 Race!!!!

[@luisgonzalez58]

Spectacular job, Dylan. What an impressive comeback.

[@riktye8800]

Amazing achievement Dylan through all the ambiguity of the day - you showed outstanding resilience. No mention of the dude in the fighter jet at the first aid station (7:06 in video) did he fly over the mud 😂.

[@LloydHardyFishing]

Great work!

[@tonynolan4498]

congrats...awesome ride!

[@reforged3588]

Love the race analysis videos!

[@alze4748]

Congrats! Amazing ride. And a great recap as always

[@RLucas82]

Well done mate 👏

[@gavinhamilton5653]

First off congratulations. Nice come back! It was interesting to see what happened to the water at the first aid station. I talked to allot of people who were only given a small ration because the oasis was running dry!

[@jeremysweeten2792]

Thank you @kerry Warner!

[@stephenauckly]

Congrats and well done!

[@pandatactical4530]

Finished the 100 for my first unbound this year. I didn't mind the physical challenge of the mud but it trashed my bike. The paint on the inside of the chain stays and font forks is worn down to the carbon! Planning on being back next year to take on the 200.

[@Hintonbro.]

Ugh that’s brutal. At least your drivetrain survived - others were not so fortunate

[@pandatactical4530]

@@Hintonbro. Yea I totally agree. No mechanicals or flats so I did much better than alot of others. I will just consider the scratches battle scars from 2023 Unbound.

[@cjohnson3836]

@@Hintonbro. Simple rule: don't race a bike you aren't prepared to replace. If it wasn't mud, there's crashes. People get hit by cars in these. If you can't address these risks, then racing isn't for you. A lot of people need to be able to maturely accept this.

[@MichaelIhde69]

Been waiting for this one!! 🎉

[@sebc83]

What an achievement, big congratz!

[@scottcarlson8502]

What an effort! Way to keep your head in the game!

[@OGillo2001]

Nice work Dylan, it ain't over until it is over, great result

[@joemcwilliams4832]

Firstly, congrats on a top finish. But...backward had Dillon should have been the one who told us that you used the neutral water station to wash your bike...FYI the water station ran out of water for many of the 100 milers. Chapeau!

[@emilioc700]

Agree that the mud was The deciding factor in the outcome for most riders but wouldn't want to soften Unbound to make it easier. In SoCal we have a gravel race called the Rock Cobbler. It's about 80 miles, 8k' and can be ludicrously hard with novelty challenges thrown in. I love it. Unbound is, and needs to be a bit untamed. Taming Unbound would diminish it. I learned from last year and shot off into the grass before even hitting the mud, rode most of it on the grass. My tactic was simple, don't even try to ride it. You lose less time walking and plonking along in the grass than you do (trying) to clean the mud out. Keegan rode most of it, combination of crazy watts, small tires, lots of clearance and making fresh tracks (not pre-churned). But that's anomalous and not the basis of a plan for anyone else.

[@robbchastain3036]

Thanks, Dylan, for your play-by-play and about the mud, when it breaks that many bikes and riders' spirits, it is too much, better to skip it and keep it more rideable. Or just call it Mudbound and then no misunderstandings or boo-hoo. 😀

[@DD-xx8wh]

wow, a smart race and an amazing effort, congrats!