Old Florida Gravel

Old Florida Gravel runs over November 7 and 8, 2026 in Lake City, Florida. Saturday belongs to the gravel bikes, with 100-mile, 70-mile and 35-mile races going off between 7:20 and 7:40 a.m. Sunday is the day for runners: a 5K gravel run starts at 8 a.m., alongside short kids' rides for ages three to twelve. The routes follow dirt roads lined with live oaks draped in Spanish moss, past roadside fruit stands and clear springs.

Running 3.1 miles on gravel is a different job than running it on pavement. The surface is loose in places, so shorten your stride slightly, look a few yards ahead rather than at your feet, and expect your finish time to be a touch slower than a road 5K at the same effort. Trail shoes are not essential on hard-packed dirt, but a shoe with some grip helps. It also works well as a second day if you rode on Saturday.