training strategies for cyclists

The Best Fall Training Strategies for Cyclists

  By Jim Rutberg, CTS Pro Coach, co-author of “Ride Inside“ and “The Time-Crunched Cyclist” As the summer cycling season winds down, cyclists face several options. With your biggest event goals in the rearview mirror, the next few months are full of opportunities! Rather than sitting on the couch and watching football, use this time to …

pedal stroke

Improve Your Cycling Pedal Stroke for High Power at High Cadence

  By Jim Rutberg, CTS Pro Coach, co-author of “Ride Inside“ and “The Time-Crunched Cyclist” Cyclists tend to associate work on pedal stroke with winter training, but it is much better to focus on your pedal mechanics now, in the fall. This is a unique time of year. You have a season’s worth of fitness and …

key traits of 65+ athletes

Key Traits for Success from 7 Masters and Grand Masters Champions

    By Tracey Drews, CTS Coach specializing in Grand Masters Athletes Winning medals never gets old. As an athlete in the 65+ age category and a coach who specializes in working with athletes around my age and older, I can assure you that Grand Masters, Super Agers, Senior Athletes – or whatever name resonates …

Fred Schmid, Tracey Drews, and Camilla Buchanan 2024 Masters National Championships

What We Know About Coaching Athletes After 50

    By Jim Rutberg, CTS Pro Coach, co-author of “Ride Inside“, “The Time-Crunched Cyclist”, and “Training Essentials for Ultrarunning” Athletes over 50 years old know they face different physical challenges compared to younger athletes. As perhaps the largest endurance coaching company that works one-on-one with athletes, CTS has extensive experience coaching athletes between the ages …

SBT - Leadville - mistakes

5 Things Cyclists Shouldn’t Do During Long Races and Events

  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. …

mid-summer cycling

Jumpstart Your Mid-Summer Cycling Performance

  By Maddison Russell, CTS Pro Coach At some point, all athletes lose focus and motivation. By the middle of summer, many athletes have been training consistently for months, and competing in several goal events. Whether it’s oppressive heat, vacations, or a lack of direction for the rest of the season, athletes can lose focus …

maximum aerobic capacity in older athletes

Why VO2 max Declines in Older Athletes (and what you can do about it)

  By Jim Rutberg, CTS Pro Coach, co-author of “Ride Inside“, “The Time-Crunched Cyclist”, and “Training Essentials for Ultrarunning” Maximum aerobic capacity (VO2 max) declines with age, but what causes capacity to drop? Aging athletes want to stay fit, vital, and active for the rest of their lives. So what, if anything, can you do to …

jeff pierce cyclist fitness over 50

Substantial Fitness Gains You Can Make After 50 (and 60!)

  By Jim Rutberg, CTS Pro Coach, co-author of “Ride Inside“, “The Time-Crunched Cyclist”, and “Training Essentials for Ultrarunning” Reviewed by Adam Pulford I have an important message to all Generation X and Baby Boomer athletes out there: It’s never too late to make meaningful and measurable gains in fitness and performance! Yes, there are …

tour de france fueling strategies nutrition

Why Tour de France Fueling Strategies Are Not For You

    By Jim Rutberg, CTS Pro Coach, co-author of “The Time-Crunched Cyclist”, “Training Essentials for Ultrarunning” One of the key storylines from the Tour de France this year (and the past few years) is the extreme carbohydrate intakes in the pro peloton. Elite cyclists and their teams have reported intakes of 100, 120, and even up …

type of cyclist

What Type of Uphill Cyclist Are You: Aggressor, Follower, or Survivor?

  By Jim Rutberg, CTS Pro Coach, co-author of “The Time-Crunched Cyclist”, “Training Essentials for Ultrarunning” On long climbs riders can be divided into three categories: Aggressors, Followers, and Survivors. The category you fit into depends on your goals, fitness level, and how you’re feeling on a particular climb. Any rider can move from one category to …