By Mara Abbott, Olympian and CTS Contributing Editor I waited two years for an interval workout. To be fair, those years were full: retiring from one sport, attempting to start a new one, injuring myself, and most of all, working on the perennial challenge of developing a mindset in which it didn’t matter if I …
Three Ways to Get The Most Out of the Fitness You Already Have One of the most common questions I get on social media or on my blog is this: how do I get faster? How do I get more skilled? Or, simply, how do I get better? No one ever asks, “How do I …
A good ultramarathon pacer can be a real asset, but a bad pacer can be a pain in the… So, after asking all of our coaches for their feedback, here are the top-8 things good pacers do (and don’t do). Do: Take care of yourself If you are an ultramarathon pacer at a big event …
By Mara Abbott, Olympian and CTS Contributing Editor Of course it would happen at bedtime. My contacts out, PJs already on, I found myself urgently drawn to the computer. I needed, immediately, right then, to research ways to strengthen my bones. I don’t recommend this nocturnal hobby – after all, it was deep into …
By Jason Koop CTS Ultrarunning Coach Author, “Training Essentials for Ultrarunning” I have a long history with Leadville. I actually rode the Leadville Trail 100 mountain bike race before I ever considered doing the run. I first ran the Leadville Trail 100 in 2008, finishing 13th overall in 22:37:08. I carried an engagement ring for …
By Adam St. Pierre CTS Ultrarunning Coach I don’t run with headphones… ever. No music, no podcasts, no audiobooks. I like to have all of my senses “tuned in”, especially my hearing. Listening to the sound of your own running can help you to remain injury free, and here’s how! When you run, you can …
Working an aid station at the Leadville 100 MTB last weekend, one of the coaches pointed out the women’s field seemed smaller than it used to be. Another coach, who was tracking down race results to confirm CTS Athlete Larissa Connors had won her second consecutive title, confirmed there were a total of 142 …
By Mara Abbott Olympian and CTS Contributing Editor As many of readers here know, as soon as you get a coach you have an ever-present voice eager to explain training principles and the physiological changes you will experience if you follow the plan. I have been a coached athlete for most of my life – …
By Jason Koop CTS Coaching Director Author “Training Essentials for Ultrarunning” The use of poles in ultramarathons has become increasingly popular. Once largely confined to European races, ultrarunning-specific trekking poles can now be seen in nearly every mountainous ultra in the United States. Advancements in materials and construction have helped to make poles lighter and …
I have been competing in endurance sports since I was 9 years old, and as my life progressed so have my goals and motivations. This is perfectly normal, of course, but it’s relevant to your journey in sport because some athletes get stuck in a rut, pursuing the same goals at the same events …