By Chris Carmichael, CTS Founder and Chief Endurance Officer The week between Christmas and New Year’s is often an opportunity for cyclists to pile on miles and hours. The Rapha Festive 500 (riding 500 kilometers between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve) is one of the original and still popular versions for ending the …
By Chris Carmichael, CTS Founder and Chief Endurance Officer Obviously, there are a lot of things you do need to do in order to be successful in long distance cycling events. You have to train effectively, put in the miles and hours, incorporate structure and progression, fuel your training, and allow for adequate recovery. …
By Jim Rutberg, CTS Pro Coach, co-author of “The Time-Crunched Cyclist”, “Training Essentials for Ultrarunning” Whether you’re riding for one hour on the road or 12 hours in the woods, it is important to know what to take on endurance rides and epic cycling adventures. There are a small number of essentials you should carry …
Our friend Bill Walton passed away last weekend and many of the CTS Coaches and CTS Athletes who rode with him and got to know him have been sharing their memories on social media. Back in 2013, CTS Founder Chris Carmichael wrote a Road Bike Action Magazine column about riding with Bill. The gentlest and …
By Jim Rutberg, CTS Pro Coach, co-author of “Ride Inside“ and “The Time-Crunched Cyclist” Power-to-weight ratio (PWR) is a performance metric that is simple to calculate, but also easy to misuse. Individually, tracking PWR over time reflects the combined effect of changes in fitness level (power output) and bodyweight. Between two riders, PWR may predict …
By Chris Carmichael, CTS Founder and Chief Endurance Officer Performance is never just about fitness, or even determination. Your performance in specific events often comes down to how you use your energy. Many cyclists are used to riding 2-4 hours, but rarely get the opportunity to go really long and stretch themselves to 6+ …
By Chris Carmichael and Jim Rutberg (updated March 2024) Reviewed by Stephanie Howe, PhD (March 2024) Myths abound in all areas of training and nutrition. There are many misconceptions about the role of protein in recovery, the amount of protein endurance athletes need, and when to use specific recovery drinks. Here are a …
By Chris Carmichael, CTS Founder and Chief Endurance Officer I frequently hear senior cyclists repeating training myths that hold them back. In some cases, they are not doing something wrong in training. Rather, their beliefs about aging have narrowed their vision of what a cyclist over 50 can do. Now that I’m in my …
By Chris Carmichael CTS Founder and Chief Endurance Officer Depending on your work and family schedule, you might have a few days off during Thanksgiving Week, or you might be fortunate enough to take the whole week off. Maybe you’ll be one of the millions braving the airports and highways, or perhaps the party …
By Chris Carmichael, CTS Founder and Chief Endurance Officer One year after a total knee replacement surgery on my right leg, and 21 months after surgery to replace my left hip, I am finally feeling strong and durable as a cyclist again. As I near my 63rd birthday, I know I am one of …