I frequently hear senior cyclists repeating training myths that hold them back. In some cases, they are not doing something wrong in training. Rather, their beliefs about aging have narrowed their vision of what a cyclist over 50 can do. Now that I’m in my 60’s with a hip replacement and a knee replacement, I …
By CTS Ultrarunning Pro Coach Darcie Murphy with exercises by Sarah Scozzaro, CTS Pro Coach, NSCA-PT, NASM PES Many ultrarunning events and races are held on courses that feature lots of elevation change. However, plenty of runners live where there is little or no access to hilly terrain. Although developing superior aerobic fitness is the …
By Chris Carmichael CTS Founder and Chief Endurance Officer Life is complicated, but training should not be. After coaching for decades, I spend less time worrying about the specifics of any particular interval set and more time working with athletes to optimize the execution of training. When athletes stagnate in their training, it’s often …
By Andy Jones-Wilkins, CTS Ultrarunning Pro Coach, host of “Crack a Brew with AJW Podcast” I recently had the opportunity to provide race support for four athletes I coach at the Rocky Raccoon 100 in Huntsville, TX. Rocky is an early season ultra with a reputation of being one of the “easier” 100-mile …
By Jim Rutberg, CTS Pro Coach, co-author of “Ride Inside“ and “The Time-Crunched Cyclist” With the abundance of indoor cycling apps already available, the biggest question I get about “CTS Live” is: Why now? Why would the CTS Coaches and I launch live, coach-led virtual cycling classes in this crowded and competitive space? Having …
By Darcie Murphy, CTS Ultrarunning Senior Coach As you begin race day planning for ultrarunning events, you must consider aid station strategies. Where are the aid stations located? How can you best utilize them to manage the course and the race most effectively? CTS Coaches support athletes – from champions like Katie Schide to …
Pedaling is the most important skill for a cyclist to master. Yet, because most people learn to pedal as toddlers, there’s an assumption we’ve mastered it by adulthood through sheer repetition. For athletes looking to optimize performance on the bike – any type of bike – training your pedal stroke and cycling cadence are as …
A popular song in the early 2000’s told us that the “Hips Don’t Lie”. For runners with tight or sore hips, this takes on an entirely new – and relatable – meaning. Hip mobility stretches are an essential component to a runner or ultrarunner’s routine. Several muscles make up the hip complex. You have your …
By Jim Rutberg, CTS Pro Coach, co-author of “Ride Inside“, “The Time-Crunched Cyclist” Changes to your bike fit can happen gradually and inadvertently, until one day you just don’t feel right on the bike anymore. For me, it was a combination of travel and a slowly wearing saddle. As I repeatedly disassembled and reassembled …
By Andy Jones-Wilkins, CTS Ultrarunning Pro Coach When I was coming of age in ultrarunning in the 1990s, I was fortunate to have very good mentors. Four, in particular – John Medinger, Tim Twietmeyer, Ann Trason, and Tommy Nielsen — all took me under their collective wings and fed me with knowledge and wisdom. …