ultrarunning training tips

Jason Koop’s Top 3 Most Effective Ultramarathon Training Tips

This past week I completed my 45th trip around the sun. As usual, I ran my age in miles, which becomes more of an ordeal with each passing year. It also gives me a lot of time to think about what categorically has worked with athletes over 2-plus decades as a professional coach. Below are …

beta-alanine

Beta-Alanine for Endurance and Time-Crunched Cyclists

  By Jim Rutberg, CTS Pro Coach, Co-author, “The Time-Crunched Cyclist” Beta-alanine is a workout supplement that promises to reduce fatigue and increase exercise capacity. It is very popular with athletes who engage in short bouts of intense exercise (e.g., Crossfit, strength training, sprinting) but not as commonly used by endurance cyclists. Would supplementing with …

aerobic endurance

Best Cycling Workouts for Building Aerobic Endurance

  By Chris Carmichael, CTS Founder and Chief Endurance Officer “What’s the best cycling workout I can do?” That’s a question I get all the time, and it’s not easy to answer. If you’ve been training for an appreciable amount of time, you realize there is no single best workout, but rather, it’s best to …

replace running shoes

When to Replace Trail Running Shoes

    By Ryne Anderson, CTS Ultrarunning Coach “All you need is a pair of shoes.” This phrase is often used to highlight the simplicity of running. Of course, once you add a hydration vest, GPS watch, apparel, poles, and race entry fees, the sport seems a lot less simple. At the center of it …

creatine

Creatine for Aging Cyclists: How it works and how to take it

    By Jim Rutberg, CTS Pro Coach, co-author “The Time-Crunched Cyclist” Creatine supplementation is a safe, effective, and wise choice for aging cyclists looking to improve performance and build or retain muscle mass and strength. Although many people associate creatine with strength and power athletes, it can also be beneficial for endurance athletes. Aging …

training readiness

5 Ways to Gauge Your Training Readiness

  By Chris Carmichael CTS Founder and Chief Endurance Officer Recovery tracking is important for endurance athletes – and big business for app and device makers. There’s been an influx of new technologies that provide coaches and athletes with an unprecedented amount of data. Some of the data is useful and some of it is …

oxygen saturation for athletes

Pulse Oximetry for Athletes: Using Oxygen Saturation as a Training Tool

  By Frederic Sabater Pastor, PhD CTS Expert Coach, Associate Researcher and Teacher at University of Perpignan Via Domitia Many athletes we talk to have access to more data and information than they know what to do with, including the oxygen saturation data coming from their Oura Ring, Apple Watch, Whoop strap, or Garmin watch. …

erg mode

ERG Mode for Indoor Cycling: When to use it and when to turn it off

  By Jim Rutberg, CTS Pro Coach, co-author of “Ride Inside” and “The Time-Crunched Cyclist” For cyclists using smart trainers and internet-enabled cycling apps, one of a smart trainer’s core capabilities is to externally control and adjust the resistance a cyclist experiences. Of the multiple ways this can be applied, ERG Mode is one of the …

winter cycling

Winter Cycling: Training Outdoors Effectively, Safely, and Comfortably

  By Jim Rutberg, Coach and co-author of “Ride Inside” and “The Time-Crunched Cyclist” Although I co-authored a training book for indoor cycling, being outdoors is one of the most appealing aspects of cycling for me. Winter cycling takes a bit more planning and thought compared to throwing on a pair of bibs and a jersey …

first ultramarathon

How to Step Up from Marathon to Your First Ultramarathon

  By Cliff Pittman, CTS Ultrarunning Coach Many marathon runners are making the leap to ultramarathon distances. If you are considering your first 50k, 50-miler, 100k, or even 100-mile ultramarathon, you’re not alone. The most important thing to understand is that an ultramarathon is not simply a longer marathon. As distance and duration increase, the …