For many years I – and especially my “Time-Crunched Cyclist” co-author, Jim Rutberg – have railed against the concept of “aerobic base training” for time-crunched athletes (here and here, for instance). So, naturally, today’s headline might come as a surprise to some of you. Is this a reversal? A flip-flop on the issues? Hardly. For…
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4 Hurtful Habits that Are Killing Your Training
At a recent Gran Fondo I had a chance to talk with a lot of athletes. I love working one-on-one with the athletes I personally coach, but I also love getting out of Colorado Springs to ride and interact with athletes of all ability levels at events around the country. I talk to a lot…
Read the full articleWhy Training Fails, And What To Do About It
We’ve arrived at the time of the year when athletes are wrapping up their summer seasons and looking forward to the next steps in their training and competition calendars. For the vast majority of coached athletes, these are great conversations about victories, personal bests, and great personal achievements. But there are also some tough conversations…
Read the full articleMastering the Fundamental Cyclocross Dismount and Remount
As the road and mountain bike seasons trail off, many athletes are left without a guiding purpose to be on the bike. If you’re wondering what to do with your hard-earned summer fitness and looking for a way to rekindle your childhood desire to play in the mud, then jump into Cyclocross! Cyclocross (CX or…
Read the full article4 Things Smart Athletes Do In the Fall
From a coaching perspective the fall is perhaps the most important time of year. Sure, we can help athletes make big improvements in performance during the spring and summer, but there is so much more than can be achieved during this period because you are not actively preparing for upcoming events. Now is the time…
Read the full articleDon’t Make These 7 Late-Summer Training Mistakes
As we reach the end of August the bulk of the summer is in the rearview mirror. And while there are athletes who have big events coming up in the next several weeks, many of you are wrapping up your summer season. You have trained long and hard to get here and I hope you…
Read the full articleBeat the Heat Series: Hydration and Cooling Strategies to RECOVER After Exercise in Heat
Introduction: Heat is the enemy of endurance performance and an underlying cause for diminished performance, dehydration, heat stress, gastrointestinal distress, and impaired recovery. In this 3-part series we will provide you with the tools and information you need to PREPARE for training and events, PERFORM at your best, and RECOVER optimally when temperatures soar. Quick…
Read the full articleThe Olympic Cycling Race to Watch This Weekend
After a fantastic series of road cycling events at the Rio Olympics, it is time for track cycling! The 4km Team Pursuit is the track event that captures my attention more than others, mostly because CTS Coaches have worked with two of the four teams in medal contention. A lot of cycling fans are only…
Read the full articleAnalysis: Mara Abbott’s Incredible Olympic Road Race
All you can give is everything you have. As I watched Mara Abbott, alone, straining against the pedals and headwind with a 38 second lead and 8 kilometers to go in the Olympic Road Race last Sunday, it was plain to see she was pouring everything she had into the effort. Across the nation and…
Read the full articleHere’s Who I’m Rooting for in Rio
John Williams’ “Olympic Fanfare and Theme” still gives me goose bumps. The prolific composer of the “Star Wars”, “Jaws”, and “Raiders of the Lost Ark” scores wrote it for the opening ceremony of the 1984 Summer Olympics and it (plus the additional “Bugler’s Dream”) has been used for NBC’s Olympic coverage ever since. When I…
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