Most of my cycling routes feature two optional endings: a steep climb followed by a descent, or a mile-long false flat uphill. Reaching the descent is the more difficult option and typically adds a mile to the distance, but I choose that route almost every time. Why? Cruising downhill at high speed is a much …
Whether you are new to cycling or have been riding for decades, there are multiple ways to get started with a structured training plan. Personal coaching is rarely an athlete’s first experience with structured training, even though we wish it was. Rather, it’s more common to start with a pre-made training plan from a book, …
By Jim Rutberg, CTS Pro Coach, co-author of “Ride Inside“ and “The Time-Crunched Cyclist” Just about every cyclist would like to climb faster, or at least make climbs less taxing at the same speed. Many cyclists focus on improving aerobic conditioning with Zone 2 endurance rides, and layer in lactate threshold and functional threshold …
Behold, the Streakers. In virtually any athlete community, you can find someone who has ridden, run, climbed, swam, hiked, or something every day for the past 30 days, 6 months, or even multiple years. In an era when the value of recovery is more understood and accepted than ever, training streaks make little to no …
By Renee Eastman, CTS Premier Coach, MS, CSCS, USAC level 1, Retul, NASM As athletes work toward fitness and performance goals, many focus on losing weight as well. Over 20-plus years of coaching, I’ve found some common things that trip people up. Below, I’ll share common mistakes I see athletes make when pursuing weight loss goals. …
Topics Covered In This Episode: The ‘4 Whats” Questions coaches ask during season reviews How to use the ‘4 Whats’ to plan the season ahead Host Adam Pulford has been a CTS Coach for more than 13 years and holds a B.S. in Exercise Physiology. He’s participated in and coached hundreds of athletes for endurance …
By Jason Koop Head Coach of CTS Ultrarunning Author “Training Essentials for Ultrarunning” I hate to see athletes waste their time and energy, but it happens every day due to some fundamental misunderstandings of how interval training works. The structure of your workout matters. The amount of time you spend at a specific intensity, …
By Maddison Russell, CTS Senior Coach With the New Year rapidly approaching, many cyclists are wrapping up the Transition Period or “off-season” and getting ready to ramp up training in January. If you haven’t done so already, it is important to start the year with defined goals and an annual training plan to achieve …
Topics Covered In This Episode: Why Chris Carmichael stepped down as CEO of CTS Introduction to Jeff Pierce, the new CEO of CTS A brief history of the Endurance Coaching Industry in the US The future of personal coaching as AI and machine learning increase availability of dynamic training plans Host Adam Pulford has been …
By Chris Carmichael, CTS Founder and Chief Endurance Officer The more I talk with athletes in my age group (60+), the more apparent it is that we don’t talk enough about recovery from orthopedic issues for aging athletes. Hip and knee replacements are becoming more common. Nevertheless, aging athletes struggle to find recovery and return-to-training …