The past few weeks have been particularly difficult for outdoor training in Colorado – and much of the US. In Colorado Springs there was a stretch of about 7-10 days when the high temperatures never even reached 20 degrees, and the nights hovered around zero. While there were some folks who ventured out in such …
With Thanksgiving coming up, it’s time for a Thanksgiving Challenge! I started this a years ago as kind of an off-the-cuff challenge to keep myself motivated, and it was very exciting to see how many people joined me. When Neil Bremner from Bike Barn reached out to see if I wanted to contribute to the …
One of my struggles at this time of year is finding blog topics that address the challenges and questions that athletes have right now. In the summer athletes are pursuing goals and improving their fitness and performance. In a few weeks we’ll all be thinking about indoor training and the Holiday Season. And in January …
A power meter is an incredible tool for a coach and athlete to monitor the training and racing over time. It’s consistent, it’s accurate, and it’s reliable. But is life that way? Is any race that way? Not at all. In life and in races you have deal with situations as they come up. An …
Don’t miss out on an amazing opportunity to see, Chris Carmichael, author of The Time-Crunched Cyclist, in this informative seminar about how athletes can stay engaged with their training and improve their performance, while still having the time to keep up with the hustle and bustle of life’s everyday responsibilities. This is a “Can’t Miss” …
“Pura Vida!” That’s the phrase you hear over and over from kids and grownups as you either zip by or creep past them during La Ruta de los Conquistadores. It’s a Costa Rican saying that literally means “pure life” but is used more as an expression of enjoying life and being happy. It’s a perfect …
For Immediate Release Athletes Coached by CTS Dominate 2013 La Ruta de los Conquistadores Mountain Bike Stage Race (October 27, 2013 – Colorado Springs, CO) Athletes coached by Carmichael Training Systems dominated the 2013 La Ruta de los Conquistadores mountain bike stage race in Costa Rica (October 24-26), winning the Men’s and Women’s Pro races, …
This is the time of year when a lot of athletes start asking their CTS Coaches about strength training. Should they? Shouldn’t they? Should they lift heavy or light? Free weights or machines? And what about Crossfit? The answers to the questions vary from athlete to athlete, but let me give you some guidelines I …
This week I was talking with one of the CTS Athletes who will be joining me for the La Ruta de los Conquistadores race in Costa Rica later this month. We were talking about his preparation and I mentioned that his performances in training and competitions have been remarkably consistent over the past 18 months. …
Everybody seems to understand the rationale for lab testing or field testing at the beginning of a training program, but I also think that testing at the end of a season can be extremely valuable. At the beginning of the season, the purpose of field testing was to get a snapshot of your fitness and …