Bucket List

The adventure of your life is yours for the taking!
 
ABOUT THE EPIC ENDURANCE BUCKET LIST
Welcome to the next step in endurance sports. Twenty years ago a marathon or a century ride was a milestone event, but time marches on and the bar continues to rise. For experienced endurance athletes yearning for bigger, gnarlier, and riskier competitions, we're proud to introduce the CTS Epic Endurance Bucket List. We've hand-selected some of the hardest mountain bike, road cycling, triathlon, and running races in the world and designed comprehensive packages to ensure you're prepared and completely supported as you tackle what may very well be the hardest physical challenge of your life.
 
Each year CTS will select a handful of events for our Epic Endurance Bucket List. And each year there will be a Chris Carmichael Challenge, which will be an exclusive, application-only package. Choose your next epic challenge from the list below, and prepare for the experience of a lifetime.
APPLY TO BE "BUCKET LIST QUALIFIED"
Due to the demanding nature of the events on the Epic Endurance Bucket List, we utilize a rigorous selection process to make sure athletes are “Bucket List Qualified”. Chris Carmichael and the CTS Coaching Staff examine your training history, current performance markers, skill level, and a variety of other factors, and only athletes whose applications are accepted can register for Bucket List Events. If you believe you have what it takes, click on the button below to start the application process. You will be taken to an online application administered through SurveyMonkey.com.
 
BRINGING METHOD TO THE MADNESS
How has CTS consistently beaten the average finishing rates at the Leadville 100, La Ruta de los Conquistadores, and other major endurance competitions? We use the proven methodology Chris Carmichael learned and utilized as a professional athlete and Olympic Team coach. We start with physiological testing, progress through a combination of coaching and training camps, complete a reconaissance of the course or a camp in similar conditions and terrain, and finally provide pro-level support on race day. It's a method that's led to Olympic and World Championship victories, Tour de France wins, and Ironman World Championships. And in 2010 it was the method that delivered 83% of CTS Athletes to finish the Leadville 100 mountain bike race and 93% of CTS Athletes to finish the 4-stage La Ruta de los Conquistadores mountain bike race in Costa Rica.
LEAVE THE LOGISTICS TO US
There are some incredible endurance events all around the world, but do you really want to figure out the logistics of international travel, customs, lodging, food, and race-day support on your own – and potentially in a language you don't speak? For the international events on the CTS Epic Endurance Bucket List, you can leave the logistics to us and focus completely on your race. We'll arrange accomodations, transport you to and from the race site each day, get and prepare food that's optimal for performance, make sure your gear stays with you, and be there in the aid stations to keep you fueled, hydrated, and in the game. If you've ever wondered how well you would perform if you were treated like a pro, here's your chance to find out.
“I always said, 'Some day, I'll do it.' Well, now it's some day. I'm not getting any younger and this is the perfect opportunity.” - Rick D.
 
The 2013 Trans Andes Challenge
January 2013 : Mountain Bike Stage Race : Comprehensive Race Support : Race Entry

Chris Carmichael, endurance champion Rebecca Rusch, and a team of nearly 20 CTS Athletes and Coaches traveled to Patagonia, Chile in January 2012 to compete in the Trans Andes Challenge. They came back forever changed! You have to experience this amazing part of the world, and there's no better way than with a week-long stage race through some of the most beautiful terrain in the  world. For 2013, we're going back and if you come with us you'll benefit from bi-lingual guides and mechanics, comprehensive race support, and having all your meals and ground transportation taken care of. This package also includes an Endurance Boot Camp in Tucson, AZ in December!
The 2013 Amgen Tour of California Race Experience
May 2012 : Road Cycling : All Inclusive : Ride Entire Course: VIP Access

This year will be our third edition of this ultimate cycling experience! You will ride every stage of the 2013 Amgen Tour of California, just hours ahead of the pro peloton. And this isn't just some cycling tour… if the CTS pack is too slow, you'll be pulled off the course before reaching the finish line. It's you against the pros, and they're going to be coming up behind you very fast! The group will be supported on the road by professional mechanics and follow vehicles, you'll be staying in the same hotels as the pro teams, and we'll take care of all the logistics. You just need to train, then show up prepared to ride hard enough to stay ahead of one of the top pro fields in the world!

Please call 866-355-0645 for details.
The 2013 Race Across America
June 2013 : Road Cycling : Comprehensive Race Support : Race Entry

The name says it all: Race Across America. The training, logistics, and strategies for a successful RAAM can be extraordinarily complex. We'll take on the challenge of supporting you and your team from the start of the planning process all the way to the finish line! This is a challenge a lot of athletes want to tackle, but the planning and logistics just become too cumbersome. Not anymore: You handle the pedaling, we'll handle the rest. 

This will be a custom-only package. Please call 719-635-0645 x1 if you're interested in racing RAAM with Carmichael Training Systems.
The 2013 Dirty Kanza 200
June 2013 : Gravel Road Race : Comprehensive Race Support : Race Entry

The Dirty Kanza 200 is unlike any other race you’ve done. It’s 200 miles over gravel roads through the Kansas countryside. At first blush that might seem about as fun or interesting as sticking needles in your eyes, but this race is a hidden gem! CTS Athlete Services guru Cameron Chambers is a former winner and course record holder. CTS Coach Jim Lehman – who’s a veteran of LT100, Trans Andes, La Ruta, USAPCC Race Exp., and ATOC Race Exp. – raced it in 2012. It’s awesome. It’s beautiful. It’s ridiculously hard. Use this as your excuse to upgrade your cyclocross bike, then come out to Emporia, Kansas with CTS for this incredible race!
The 2013 Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah Race Experience
August 2012 : Road Cycling : All Inclusive : Ride Entire Course : VIP Access

When the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah wanted to provide a world-class experience to fans of their challenging pro stage race, they came to Carmichael Training Systems. Why? We have a proven track record of professionalism, safety, and quality; our Race Experience products are officially licensed by the Amgen Tour of California and the USA Pro Cycling Challenge.

Now you can join a team of seasoned CTS Coaches for six of the most challenging days you’ll ever spend on your bike! The Tour of Utah features high-altitude climbs, high temperatures, and unbelievably beautiful scenery. It's no wonder this is the stage race top pros come to after the Tour de France and before the USAPCC! Exclusively available through our partnership with the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah, you’ll have the opportunity to eat, sleep, ride, and live like a pro cyclist.

As with the other Race Experience packages, the CTS Team will start each stage with a headstart on the pro peloton and work as a cohesive unit to reach the finish line before being forced off the road by the chasing peloton!
The 2013 USA Pro Cycling Challenge Race Experience
August 2013 : Road Cycling : All Inclusive : Ride Every Stage : VIP Access
Can you handle 6 back-to-back days trying to stay ahead of the pro peloton? Can you stay with the team over 12,000 foot mountain passes? There's only one way to find out! If you're selected for this package, you will ride every stage of the 2013 USA Pro Cycling Challenge in Colorado, just hours ahead of the pro peloton. And you'll need to be prepared… if the CTS pack is too slow, you'll be pulled off the course before reaching the finish line. It's you against the pros, on some of the toughest climbs on the continent!

The CTS Team will experience the full pro treatment. You'll be supported on the road and between stages by professional mechanics and soigneurs. You'll receive a post-stage massage daily, eat meals with the pro teams, stay in the same hotels as the pro teams, and have VIP Access to all stage finishes! This is as close as you'll ever get to living the pro cyclist lifestyle, and you'll come away with a whole new perspective on stage racing and your favorite pros!
The 2013 La Ruta de los Conquistadores
November 2013 : Mountain Biking : Recon Camp : Race Support : Entry

Billed as the "most grueling mountain bike race in the world", this mountain bike stage race through the jungles of Costa Rica lived up to its moniker when CTS sent 15 athletes and coaches to the 2010 race. CTS Coach Jim Lehman, who won the Male 40-49 Classification said it was "the hardest thing I've ever done on a bicycle." But despite the extreme challenge, 14 of 15 CTS Athletes and Coaches completed the race in 2010. Utilizing our proven model for success, we achieved similar results in 2011 and 2012 with more teams, including 3x World Champion Rebecca Rusch in 2011.

For 2013 we have a great package for you that includes a Colorado Boot Camp, Comprehensive Race Support in Costa Rica, and your Race Entry.

As a member of the CTS team, you'll receive an entry into the race and full support during the camps and the race. Food, accomodations, and ground trasnportation in Costa Rica are included for your race trip. A Recon Camp is available as an optional add-on, as as coaching. Transportation to and from Costa Rica is not included.