Only three weeks after the brutal murder of gravel racer Moriah 'Mo' Wilson, who was gunned down in Austin, Texas, on May 11, the gravel community is still mourning ahead of this weekend's major event, the Unbound Gravel SBT GRVL organizer and racer Amy Charity, who will be competing in the half-distance Unbound 100, says Wilson's death has had a profound impact on the gravel community.

Charity was one of the racers who was in the Austin area for Gravel Locos, a 150-mile event Wilson was expected to compete in, and said riders are still reeling.

"I think we're all still grieving in different ways," Charity told Cycling News. 'It's certainly had an impact on the gravel community. People we all knew were involved and we lost a rider like Mo who was an absolute gem and a rising star. I think it is an absolute tragedy. And I think we're still in the process of sorting through what happened."

Authorities are still searching for Caitlin Armstrong, who is wanted for first-degree murder. She was the partner of prominent gravel racer Colin Strickland, who was also the last person to see Wilson alive. Strickland, who is not a murder suspect, is in hiding.

"It certainly affects the tone of the case. [Wilson] was the name most often mentioned when talking about Gravel. To take away someone who had such strong potential and such a bright future in our gravel cycling world, it's all been overshadowed by tragedy and violence," Charity said.

At Gravel Loco, a few days after Wilson was shot and killed, riders rolled out together and "raced" just to beat the sweltering afternoon heat. While there will likely be actual racing at the Unbound Gravel in Kansas, the riders are still devastated by the loss.

"If there was ever a safe place to grieve with friends, it was there. And I think that will continue to be the case in Unbound. There are many tributes to Mo and group rides honoring her. I think all of these things help us recognize, process, and think through the tragedy and help us all grieve. It has had a profound impact and I think it will continue to for some time."

Ian Boswell, defending men's champion in the Unbound 200, will lead a sunrise ride Friday morning in Emporia in memory of Wilson. He said, "By doing something like this we are honoring her in the best way anyone can."

The incident has not curbed the growing interest in gravel, with many events receiving more applications than they can accommodate, leading to a lottery to determine who will participate. This trend is intentional on the part of organizers such as Michael Marx of Charity, Belgian Waffle Ride, Rebecca Rusch (Rebecca's Private Idaho), and Lifetime, an unbound organizer.

"We all want the sport of cycling to grow, and Gravel is a step forward in that direction. People are finding a fun and safe environment in Gravel and it shows in the numbers.

Another trend Charity is seeing is a slight shift from ultra-endurance distances to harder but shorter challenges; after three unbound 200s, Charity is competing in its first 100-mile course and is part of this trend.

"Looking at the SBT numbers, more and more people are running the blue course, which is the equivalent of 100 miles. We have not seen actual unbound numbers, but we have heard that more people are running 100 miles. [As of May 31, there were 1,520 registered for 100 miles compared to 1,484 for 200 miles. Or maybe they just don't have the time to train. There could be many reasons for this trend."

Running 100 miles on gravel, especially puncture-inducing unbound flint, is more than enough of a challenge for the charity this year.

"When I say, 'I'm only going to run 100 miles,' I remind myself, '100 miles is a long time in the Flint Hills.'

The 200-mile route, which takes more than 10 hours for the fastest men and 12 hours for the women, puts athletes in a different place mentally.

"I think that's why I run the 200 miles; I don't think you can get there in the 100. I think it's kind of a different type of excitement; 100 miles is definitely a faster run because it's half the distance. She says.

"But again, it's not like you can't eat or drink or forget where you get into an interesting state of mind in the 200. At least in my experience of 100-mile races, I haven't reached the level of the unbound 200."

For riders running half distance, most of Charity's "10 Things to Know Before an Unbound Race" still apply.

"Most of the attention is on the 200-mile races, but that will change, and there are still some really strong women and men running 100 miles. My guess is that the 100-mile will be incredibly fast, especially because it's such a short distance. Especially because it's such a short distance. It's a very long day, but it's shorter than 200," she says.

Even for 100 miles, riders need to be prepared with big tires, plenty of support, and food to fuel them. Aside from the official checkpoints, there is only one water stop on the half distance course, which she looks forward to, calling it "a moment of joy in the midst of suffering."

"The water station completely changes the flow of the race. They have cold towels, cold water, a little bit of shade, and they are well-timed at the points in the race where you really need them."

"The water stations are very important.

Gravel racing is a small oasis in the waning days of the COVID-19 pandemic, and charity says its popularity is fueled by the large number of like-minded people who are passionate about gravel racing.

"We see that people want to be together ...... They are excited to be out there. Part of it has to do with the pandemic and part of it has to do with the fact that they've been isolated and away from people for so long. They want to be with other people, even if they aren't thinking about the outcome or getting first place."

It also extends to friends and fellow racers who grieve to remember Wilson.

"She was such an outstanding woman from the moment she appeared on this gravel scene and from the way she stood - I didn't know her at all, but I know her presence and positive energy.

"I think we have a lot to learn and emulate from her spirit, her charisma, and the kind of leadership and example she set as she worked hard and became a rising star in the gravel world."

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