By Chris Carmichael, Founder and Head Coach of CTS As I was climbing the long road up Pikes Peak for the third time in a month, I thought a lot about quitting. Not me, mind you, but rather quitting in general. Why do some people quit and others persevere? What makes some people unstoppable, and …
By Chris Carmichael, Founder and Head Coach of CTS While cycling plays a central role in our lives, for the general public interest in bicycles comes and goes in waves. Ridership and new bike sales are soaring in 2020 as more people turn to cycling for transportation, recreation, exercise, and commerce in response to the …
by Chris Carmichael CEO/Head Coach of CTS Initially, this article was going to be about all the reasons endurance athletes don’t need protein shakes, but that wouldn’t really be fair or accurate. There are some very good reasons for cyclists, runners, and triathletes to consume protein shakes, but they are also often overused, used for …
By Chris Carmichael, Founder and Head Coach of CTS When you think about it, athletes spend far more time not training than they do working out. There are 168 hours in a week, and it is rare for any athlete to train more than 25 hours in a week (15% total). At 12 hours per …
By Chris Carmichael, Founder and Head Coach of CTS Good athletes make bad decisions when they’re tired. Fatigue and exhaustion are major components of endurance sports. In training athletes are always balancing stress and recovery in order to achieve positive adaptations. During adventures and events, we manage our efforts to prolong optimal performance before fatigue …
By Chris Carmichael and Coach Adam Pulford, As the wave of cancellations and postponements swept spring and summer cycling events off the calendar, athletes were understandably disappointed, but months later we’re seeing record-setting performances by amateur riders, masters racers, and even pros. To show you how they did it, I sat down with CTS Pro …
By Chris Carmichael CTS Founder and Chief Endurance Officer As more riders venture out for long adventure rides, gravel events, and endurance mountain bike races, they face distinct challenges when it comes to staying hydrated and fueled. Aid stations or water sources are often few and far between, and based on weather and terrain you …
By Chris Carmichael, CEO/Head Coach of CTS Maintaining body temperature within a narrow range (97-99 degrees Fahrenheit) is not an easy feat for humans, particularly when you consider all the things that can push body temperature up or down, including air temperature, humidity, clothing layers, medications, dehydration, body size, and exertion. We also have …
When it comes to weight loss and endurance performance, dietary ketosis is a strategy everyone asks about. On the surface, ketosis or a ketogenic diet offers everything an endurance athlete could dream of: endless energy, freedom from bonking, and an efficient pathway to weight loss. The diet has been all over mainstream magazines, it’s the …
By Chris Carmichael, Founder and Head Coach of CTS As a child of the 1960s, I have always been enthralled by the exploration of space. I was 8 years old when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the moon, and like many in my generation the space program provided inspiration that hard work, …