I’m planning to stop at all water stops and aid stations. Carrying extra water weight is a minimal penalty on the Unbound course, and I’d prefer to have an extra bottle - eg to spray my bike/chain down if needed, or spray on myself to cool off.
Main thing is you have enough carrying capacity - and you can make the call in real time on if it makes sense to stop at the first water stop.
Plenty of people go through more bottles than me but even on a super hot day I’d have trouble getting through 4L in 40 miles
But everybody’s got to do what’s right for them.
I’ll have 3 bottles on my bike. I can put 1.5 l in my hip pack. And I’ll bring along 2 soft 17 oz flasks which are collapsible so I can use those and store them in my frame bag if need be.
I’m planning for 2L USWE and two 1 liter bottles on bike at the start and then replace with the same at each aid station. With cooler morning temps I’ll likely not stop at Oasis 1 unless hotter or drinking more than expected. I will undoubtedly need to get some fluid at Oasis 2. The course tips upwards after Oasis 2 and likely the temps will be pretty high at that point (unless of course its raining…), so I expect this will be a tough stretch and hydration critical. Still lots of pedalling after that section but at least it’s net downhill after that point.
I’m just trying to finish so I’m stopping at each water oasis along with checkpoints. So with distance to each stop on the 40ish mile range I’ll carry at least 5 bottles. But if the weather turns hotter I can always add more with my collapsible bottles
Today’s weather warning for Lyon county:
Edit - the hail is growing!
Might need to go buy some body armor 
if you don’t have crazy heat or hail or rain/mud or massive headwind, it’s not really Unbound! I could do without a tornado though
So, with the pro/elite group starting 10 minutes before the main pack, does that change race dynamic/strategy for us mortals? Wondering how hard/long to work to stay with lead group and whether pace might be more manageable with less horsepower pushing it early. More likely to have larger packs for longer into the race? I kind of like the dynamic that a pro/strong field brings, usually results in carnage early and smaller/safer groups.
It is going to be absolute mayhem/carnage/blasting it even without the pros. There will be so many strong riders in the amateurs trying to be up front. It probably won’t make much of a difference for the rest of us if they’re not there.
Was thinking about that earlier…my guess is that it will still be very dynamic at the beginning, but the overall pace will be more manageable (if that makes sense).
We all know the nature of gravel racing has changed and the long leisurely rollouts are a thing of the past…just because the pros are 10 min up the road, don’t expect that dynamic to change…but without the HP of the big guns, that initial pace may be more manageable.
I think the most interesting dynamic will be when the amateurs catch the pro women and how they integrate. My fitness usually puts me in a spot to watch the women’s race play out. Hopefully Saturday is no different.
Can you screenshot what you’re seeing there? If you can include your sweat rating for the ride activity you created for Unbound here in this discussion, that’s important too. That sweat slider is the biggest determinant of the water volume prescribed.
If it feels like too much, you can tap the Edit button and reduce your sweat slider by one or two notches and it’ll adjust everything as needed (not just fluid, but sodium and any change needed to carbs, too).
Thinking same thing. I’m really curious how the pro/elite ladies will manage the start. They will be 8 minutes ahead of the amateur field and only 2 minutes behind the pro men. Do you race from the gun and try to get up the road and/or catch a ride with weaker pros? Maybe some games will be played with male allies waiting on them, that would certainly create some controversy. Or do they roll steady and latch on to the fastest amateur men? If you take all the pros out of the men’s field last year, there were only a few guys that finished faster than the top 3 women, so they will be working with a lot less horsepower if that’s the route they choose. I think the best strategy for them would be to ride hard at the start. With the right mix and motivation in the group, I think it’s possible they stay away from the amateur field, particularly if they catch some help up the road.
Just threw together my preliminary plan to finish 13.5-15 h as a goal range. 80 g carbs, 24 oz electrolyte mix / hr to be on the safe side. I’ll down a maurten solid bar at the aids too. I think I can roll the first water stop, maybe the second too but we’ll see.
The speed/power stuff is from BBS, but the power numbers don’t quite make sense to me. So I may have to pace more by speed or play with cda/crr a bit on BBS to get the numbers to match up.
Just don’t know how this will shake out (and that gives me anxiety).
BBS doesn’t handle Unbound very well. Especially with some sections being much faster than others.
I used this pacing guide last year and it was very well done. They were set up at the theatre in Emporia last year and had a great stem sheet with all the times and distances on it. Was pretty accurate for me. Worth checking out and using it as a guideline as well.
Tire decision day: I’m sticking with the 47mm pathfinders. It is a lot dryer this year that last. So not as much accumulated moisture in the ground, and less chance of big mud pits. Although still anything can happen - just takes a big t-storm in the right - or wrong 
- spot.
Inches of rain in Emporia:
That looks like a really solid ride and fueling recommendation. Yeah, you might end up a little short on your ability to get that fluid in, but 2.5L short over 14 hours MIGHT not be THAT catastrophic. Over that time duration your body will do amazing things to conserve a bit of water.
You’ll need to listen to your thirst. If you’re getting thirsty, then yeah, it’s going to be worth refilling those 2x700mL bottles at each station or finding a way to carry another 500-600mL bottle somewhere.
Based on my training I should be able to skip Oasis 1 and make Cp1 on the pack and bottles. Lower Temps contributing to that assumption. Oasis 2 might not be skippable, but again conditions and time in course will be the guide.
that’s my plan as well, but I’m leaning toward filling 2 bottles at Water Stop #2. Last year I skipped both Water Oasis’s and regretted skipping the second.
