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 …
You’re a smart person and endurance training isn’t rocket science. To be perfectly frank, you could probably figure out most subjects if you had the time and motivation to do so. So we understand if you’re looking at a bunch of training manuals, websites, and magazines and figuring you can handle this training thing …
I spoke at two book signings this week and during both Q&A sessions I was asked about the impact of age on declining endurance performance. It’s one of the most common questions I get, and I’ve written about it previously. I’ve also been reading about mental toughness and the connection between hard training and …
By Jason Koop, author of “Training Essentials for Ultrarunning” Ultramarathon runners have to be prepared to compete in a wide range of weather conditions, from mid-day heat to late night cold, rain and even snow. It is important to recognize the difference, however, between preparing for the experiential challenges associated with weather and maximizing the …
“You’re invisible out here,” said the older gentleman who turned left out of a driveway on the opposite side of the road and drove across four traffic lanes before nearly pinning me to the curb. Invisible, and therefore responsible for our near collision despite riding in a bike lane, in broad daylight, wearing bright …
“Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” —Mike Tyson If you do one single thing at a high enough intensity for long enough, every once in a while everything goes wrong. As much as you have trained and prepared, you will eventually get punched in the mouth, so to speak. …
Earlier this week Toms Skujins of the Cannondale-Drapac Pro Cycling Team had a high-speed crash on a descent at the Amgen Tour of California. Because I had already finished riding the stage with CTS Athletes, I was watching the race on television. Like so many who watched it live and have since watched it …
Every year a team of CTS Coaches and nearly 20 athletes rode every stage of the Amgen Tour of California. Our group had a head start on the pro peloton, VIP access to parts of the course that were closed to the public, pro-level support on the road and between stages, and the opportunity …