How fast to start 100 miler? Coaches??

I just have one gravel race under my belt (a 55 miler in Kansas) and I'm trying to decide how to pace myself for a 7 hour+ 100 mile race.  Assuming I want to be competitive for a possible grand masters podium, I'm wondering if I should start out fairly hard and try to hang on to one of the lead pacelines. Or at the end of the day, if I'd be better off to follow an even effort following my predetermined normalized power. I know some big speed gains can be had by catching the train but I wonder if that is negated by the early effort in many cases in such a long race.

geoffreydean wrote:I just have one gravel race under my belt (a 55 miler in Kansas) and I'm trying to decide how to pace myself for a 7 hour+ 100 mile race.  Assuming I want to be competitive for a possible grand masters podium, I'm wondering if I should start out fairly hard and try to hang on to one of the lead pacelines. Or at the end of the day, if I'd be better off to follow an even effort following my predetermined normalized power. I know some big speed gains can be had by catching the train but I wonder if that is negated by the early effort in many cases in such a long race.

Well since you have a power meter you should know how hard you are going and how hard you are capable of going. Remember that not all power is created equally. A steady 200w for 6 hours is going to be much easier on you than 200w of 100w-400w variability. If you know some of your competitors at the race then try to stick to their lead group, at least for a while. Once you're in it judge your wattage and decide from there if it is too high (or too low and you should drop them). If you're over your limit early with them shut it down, you'll never make it to end of a 7 hour race if you're anywhere close to your FTP in the first half.