Every time I come to Europe I am struck by how differently cyclists are treated here compared to the US. This week I am in France riding some of the iconic mountain passes of the Tour de France and watching a bit of the race. To escape the crush of race traffic most of …
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 on a low carbohydrate (CHO) regiment …
“All right stop, collaborate and Listen, Ice is back with…” No, no, no. Not that “Ice Ice Baby”. Exercise generates a ton of heat; about 75% of the energy you expend to propel a bicycle is lost as heat and only about 25% of it actually produces work. A hot summer environment only exacerbates the …
Heat is an endurance athlete’s biggest enemy. A human on a bicycle only achieves 20-25% mechanical efficiency, meaning the majority of the energy you produce is lost as heat. And when the air temperature rises that heat leads to a well-documented drop in lactate threshold power output. But the question is: how does this …
In some ways, our glorification of entrepreneurial culture has sold you a bill of goods. “Be the first to arrive and the last to leave.” “Live for the grind.” “You can sleep when you’re dead.” “While you were sleeping, this guy was winning.” You know what successful people do? They sleep. They sleep soundly, …
Endurance sports are beautiful and cruel. Even in the middle of the biggest races in the world, at some level every athlete is alone. You’re the one doing the work and making the decisions about how hard to go, what risks to take, and how much you can take. It’s that experience of surrounded isolation that …
By Jason Koop CTS Coaching Director Author of “Training Essentials for Ultrarunning” I had the pleasure of sharing the stage at the Western States Endurance Run with Dr. John Diana and Dr. Tracy Hoeg, and I wanted to share the video with all of you. Talking about training right before the start of an ultramarathon is …
By now you’re likely well into your summer training and competition season, so how the hell are you gaining weight?! Midseason weight gain is surprisingly common, especially for endurance athletes. Sometimes it’s perfectly normal and may actually improve your performance, but often it’s caused by simple misconceptions about training, fueling, and recovery. Whether you’re …
Sampling at event expos and swag bags is one of the primary ways sports nutrition companies get people to try their products, and while it’s a great way to get a sense for a product’s taste and texture, that’s about all it’s good for. The real test of a product is to use it consistently …
“If I run happy, I run well.” – Kaci Lickteig, Western States Endurance Run Champion Kaci Lickteig is one of those people. You know, those people who can still smile when everyone else is grimacing, who has the presence of mind to thank course volunteers while climbing steep grades, and whose happy countenance and …