Rio Track Cycling

The Olympic Cycling Race to Watch This Weekend

After a fantastic series of road cycling events at the Rio Olympics, it is time for track cycling! The 4km Team Pursuit is the track event that captures my attention more than others, mostly because CTS Coaches have worked with two of the four teams in medal contention. A lot of cycling fans are only …

Analysis: Mara Abbott’s Incredible Olympic Road Race

All you can give is everything you have. As I watched Mara Abbott, alone, straining against the pedals and headwind with a 38 second lead and 8 kilometers to go in the Olympic Road Race last Sunday, it was plain to see she was pouring everything she had into the effort. Across the nation and …

Mara

Here’s Who I’m Rooting for in Rio

John Williams’ “Olympic Fanfare and Theme” still gives me goose bumps. The prolific composer of the “Star Wars”, “Jaws”, and “Raiders of the Lost Ark” scores wrote it for the opening ceremony of the 1984 Summer Olympics and it (plus the additional “Bugler’s Dream”) has been used for NBC’s Olympic coverage ever since. When I …

open water

6 Tips for Overcoming the Intimidation Factor of Open Water Swimming

The expanse of open water that greets triathletes at the beginning of a competition is intimidating. That is an almost universally true statement from novice triathletes, at least those who didn’t come into triathlon from a swimming background. For runners, cyclists, and casual exercisers who are interested in triathlon, the intimidation factor of the swim …

cycling in hot weather

Beat the Heat Series: PERFORM at Your Best During Hot Weather Exercise

Introduction: Heat is the enemy of endurance performance and an underlying cause for diminished performance, dehydration, heat stress, gastrointestinal distress, and impaired recovery. In this 3-part series we will provide you with the tools and information you need to PREPARE for training and events, PERFORM at your best, and RECOVER optimally when temperatures soar. Quick …

froome

3 Lessons from the Best Tour de France in Years

Have you been watching this Tour de France!? After years of formulaic racing this is a real old-school race! I haven’t been writing daily updates like I have in years past, but I can’t pass up the opportunity to take a closer look at the Tour de France up to this point. That Downhill Attack …

sportsnutrition

Three Unvarnished Truths About Sports Nutrition

  Recently a journalist asked me what has had the greatest impact on performance in professional cycling in the 30 years since I was a pro. A lot has changed in sports science, training, equipment, and technology since the 80s, but I think the advances that have had the greatest impact on improving athletic performance …

chris climbing newsletter

Patriotism and Nationalism Racing for the USA

  I’ve been thinking a lot about patriotism and nationalism recently, based largely on the confluence of the current political election in this country, Brexit and European Union overseas, the upcoming Olympic Games in Rio, and the fact that today’s first stage of the Tour de France finishes at Utah Beach, one of the D-Day …

Fred Schmid 1

Can You Actually Get Faster After 40?

A lot of the phone calls we get from new athletes start out with, “I’m [insert age between 40-65]. Do you work with athletes my age, and can you help me get faster?” The answer to the first question is absolutely yes. The vast majority of CTS Athletes are between 40-65 and we have a …