Will an indoor cycling class at my local gym or cycling studio help me in the winter? Every fitness club has some form of indoor cycling class, and during the winter it’s very tempting for outdoor cyclists to jump in rather than slave away on an indoor trainer all by themselves. And there’s nothing inherently …
Last week we all heard the news about the cancellation of the 2020 Amgen Tour of California. The event is an important component of the international racing calendar, and we are sad it will not happen in 2020. We also thank Kristin Klein, Ryan Ung, and everyone at AEG for their hard work, and hope …
By Chris Carmichael, Founder and Head Coach of CTS Sometimes life conspires to steal your training time, but it’s important to take some of it back and get in a short and effective cycling workout indoors. When I’m out of time and can’t ride outdoors, I hop on the indoor trainer for my Quick Fix …
By Chris Carmichael Founder and Head Coach of CTS Races and group rides on Zwift continue to grow in popularity, and while many riders visit Watopia year-round, this is the time of year when even more cyclists jump on the platform as it gets colder outside. I absolutely recommend participating in group rides and races …
By Mara Abbott, Olympian, CTS Contributing Editor Lighthearted joy is not my strong suit. In fact, I am the one who, several years after retiring from professional racing, replied to my loving dad’s comment, “I just want you to be able to have fun,” with “I don’t WANT to have fun, Daddy, I want to …
By Mara Abbott, Olympian, CTS Contributing Editor During the final week of September in Yorkshire, a fresh crop of road world champions pulled on new rainbow jerseys, including three young Americans (Congrats Chloe, Quinn, and Megan!). As someone who started winning significant races at a young age, I can say from experience that big …
By Chris Carmichael Founder & Head Coach of CTS We need to talk about bad days. At various times during the season I hear athlete and coaches chalk up a poorly executed training session or unexpected poor result to nothing more than a bad day. Then they drop it and move on, and that’s the …
By Chris Carmichael Founder & Head Coach of CTS Cycling’s Road World Championships have always held a special significance for me, perhaps because racing the Junior World Championships in 1978 was a big moment in my development as a young rider. This week, Road Worlds have created some great storylines, and perhaps even bigger …
By Mara Abbott, Olympian, CTS Contributing Editor It’s tough for athletes and other high achievers to self-evaluate performance. To prevent burnout, maintain motivation, and guard your mental health for the long run, it’s important to learn to celebrate yourself on occasion. We should pause to celebrate our own hard work and accomplishments. At the same …
By Mara Abbott, Olympian, CTS Contributing Editor Last week, I took my first coaching job. I won’t be charting watts or checking TrainingPeaks. The workouts will be measured in yards, not hours or miles – I am now officially the new assistant coach of Buffalo’s girls high school swim team. Swimming was my first love …