stay in your lane, strava

What Strava Got Wrong

  By Chris Carmichael, CTS Founder and Chief Endurance Officer Last weekend, I received an email from Strava with the subject line: “You don’t need to hire a coach.” I’ve been a Strava member from the beginning. I think it’s a great app for tracking activities, creating personal and interpersonal challenges, and connecting with other …

sprint

Cycling Sprint Workouts for Non-Sprinters

  By Jim Rutberg, CTS Pro Coach, co-author of “The Time-Crunched Cyclist”, “Training Essentials for Ultrarunning”, and “Ride Inside“ Amateur and masters cyclists will swear up and down that “I’m not a sprinter” because they don’t have a finishing kick like Jasper Philipsen, Wout van Aert, or Mark Cavendish. But sharp, hard accelerations (aka: sprinting!) are a …

mid-season slump

Here’s How to Revive Your Cycling Season After a Slump

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 been competing in several goal events. Whether it’s oppressive heat, vacations, or a lack of direction for the second half of the season, athletes can lose …

Tour de France training

Time-Crunched Cyclist Training Lessons from This Year’s Tour France

  By Jim Rutberg, CTS Pro Coach, co-author of “The Time-Crunched Cyclist”, “Training Essentials for Ultrarunning”, and “Ride Inside“ The 2023 Tour de France was one of the most riveting editions in recent memory. Amateur and Time-Crunched Cyclists rightly marvel at the power, resilience, and speed of top pros, but typically find their training and racing exploits …

masters takeaways

Tour de France Takeaways for Masters and Grand Masters Cyclists

  By Chris Carmichael, Founder and Chief Endurance Officer The 2023 Tour de France has been one of the most thrilling editions in my memory. The performances, rivalry, and respect between Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar were great to watch. Jasper Phillipsen’s power in the sprint stages has been remarkable. And it’s been exciting to …

improve cycling fitness

The 10 Simple Ways to Improve Cycling Fitness

  Cycling is one of the most adaptable and easily accessible forms of exercise on the planet. Pedaling is a low-impact, joint-friendly activity. Expansive gear ranges and electric assist bicycles make steep hills and longer distances accessible for more people. Engaging indoor options make cycling accessible and social for people in busy cities and far-flung …

training mistakes

Tapering and What to Do the Week Before Your Cycling Race

  Training can be a lot like drinking: to have a great time you need to know when to stop. In the taper week leading up to a race or event, athletes can do more to undermine their training than they can to enhance it. Yet, just like that “one more” drink, it’s the prospect …

save your gravel race

How to Save Your Gravel Race When Things Go Wrong

By Reid Beloni, CTS Senior Coach There are a lot of Murphy’s Law moments in gravel racing, so we need to talk about crisis management, or what to do when things go wrong. Anticipating and planning solutions for what could go wrong creates the greatest chance of success. Particularly in long races, athletes who can …