Your first donut race is easier to finish than you think. Winning one takes a plan.

Donut races are real races with real strategy. Riders eat donuts at stops along the course and get time deducted from their finish for every one. So the fastest rider isn't always the winner. This guide covers both the riding and the eating.

I've ridden and helped organize a club donut race for years. I'm a USA Cycling official, and I've spent an unreasonable amount of time thinking about the best way to eat donuts on a bike. Everything I know is in here.

What's inside (64 pages)

• A 12-week training plan for riders who are comfortable at about 10 to 12 miles, with a mileage calendar for every week
• Donut stop strategy: how the time deductions work, how many donuts to eat, how long to stay at a stop, and how to avoid missing the cut-off
• Gut training: how to practice eating on the bike so your stomach is ready on race day
• Race-day safety: helmets, rules of the road, train tracks, and why a donut race isn't a closed course
• A guide to well-known donut races, plus other food rides worth trying once you're hooked
• Six appendices: a training calendar, a sweet spot calculator, a race day checklist, a donut stop practice log, a route-finding guide, and coaching and community resources

Who it's for

Cyclists who want to try a donut race, riders coming back from a long break, and anyone who thinks racing with snacks sounds fun. You don't need a race bike or a racing background.

Good to know

• Digital download (PDF), formatted to print or read on a phone or tablet
• I'm not a coach. This guide is for fun and education, so check with your doctor before starting any training program.