‘This race will take all of the grit, guts and determination you have’. I can remember these words being belting out over the loudspeakers by Leadville Trail 100 race director Ken Chlouber in front of a packed gymnasium of nervous athletes. While Ken was most likely referring to one’s character, the ‘guts’ part of his speech …
One of the best things about having a staff of full-time coaches is the impromptu coaching round-table discussions we tend to have. This week we had an interesting discussion about the Giro d’Italia – Tour de France Double, or more broadly the attempt to win two back-to-back Grand Tours in a single season (Giro-Tour …
Many of you have been watching the Tour de France for years and perhaps you’ve read my commentary and articles about the training and strategies riders use to be successful at the Tour. On the other hand, some of you may be pretty new to watching the Tour de France or any professional cycling event. So, let’s …
Earlier this week Jim Ochowicz, my old team director from 7-Eleven, upset some cycling fans by suggesting that the Tour de France should reduce the number of teams in future races in order to reduce the number of crashes. And while other people have made that suggestion in the past, Jim further ruffled feathers …
Try to imagine this: You’re flying along in a peloton that’s traveling well over 30mph and you hear a distinct hiss coming from your back wheel, followed by that squishy feeling of a tire quickly going flat. Within seconds the peloton is gone, cars and motorbikes are whizzing by, and you’re feet are on …
By CTS Pro Coach Jim Rutberg Athletes who have traveled between sea level and moderate altitude (5,000-10,000 feet above sea level) know the impact less oxygen per breath can have on performance. Power at lactate threshold decreases, you breathe faster, your heart rate increases, and you get out of breath faster. All these things make …
By Chris Carmichael, CTS Founder and Chief Endurance Officer Several years ago I became more interested in lactate, particularly because both research and experience were suggesting that coaches and sports scientists had been wrong about the stuff. Recent years have seen a renaissance for lactate, but out on the road and in the blogosphere …
With a full schedule of indoor cycling classes and one-on-one coaching sessions, CTS Mexico City is growing steadily and providing cyclists and triathletes in the Santa Fe region of Mexico City with the best in professional coaching services. Led by Ricardo Probert and Carlos Ruesga, the newest CTS Training Center also has a thriving …
By Chris Carmichael Coaching is a push-and-pull between tradition and innovation, between “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” and “Newer is better!”. During my coaching career I’ve been on both sides of that divide, always seeking innovation but wary that innovations that sound good don’t always lead to improved performance. Training when you’re …
If progress is important to you then measuring and monitoring your performance is critical. We know, for instance, that in the first six months an athlete works with a CTS Coach, the athlete’s Functional Threshold Power (FTP) typically increases by 10%. Increased power isn’t the only way we measure success, but it is certainly an …