By Sarah Scozzaro, CTS Pro Coach, NSCA-PT, NASM PES If you have decided you want to include some strength training into your training plan, but either don’t want to join a gym or would like to transition to home training, you might be wondering what home equipment you should focus on. You can set up …
By Darcie Murphy, CTS Ultrarunning Pro Coach We get two versions of this question. Middle-distance and marathon runners looking to tackle their first ultra ask, “How long will it take to be well prepared for my first ultramarathon?” Then there are the athletes who have attempted one or more ultras and struggled. Soon after …
By Darcie Murphy, CTS Ultrarunning Pro Coach I must admit, I was unfamiliar with Ecuadorian ultrarunner Joaquin Lopez when Jason Koop (Head Coach of CTS Ultrarunning) reached out to me in December 2023 about the opportunity to work with him. From our first conversation I was impressed with Joaquin’s obvious dedication to performance and …
By Jason Koop, Head Coach of CTS Ultrarunning Author, “Training Essentials for Ultrarunning” Some of the most rewarding parts of my role as Head Coach of CTS Ultrarunning are training and mentoring new ultramarathon coaches when they join the team. One of the exercises I use is called “THE ONE” and the premise is …
By Neal Palles, CTS Ultrarunning Expert Coach, MA in Applied Sports Psychology Colorado Psychotherapy and Sport Performance What happens when you focus on mastery instead of focusing on a specific goal? Michael Gervais, a leading Sport Psychologist, presented this concept in one of his podcasts: “The masters aren’t focused on goals. They are focused …
By Jason Koop, Head Coach of CTS Ultrarunning, Author of “Training Essentials for Ultrarunning” What a wild ride! The 2024 Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc was probably the most exciting of all my visits to UTMB, culminating in Katie Schide’s incredible win and record-setting victory. As has been the case in previous years, I was joined …
By Darcie Murphy, CTS Ultrarunning Senior Coach Running cadence – or step frequency – is one of the fundamental components of running form. Many runners choose to focus on altering their running cadence to optimize form and mechanical efficiency. In some cases, training your run cadence may increase running speed, decrease injury risk, and …
By Jason Koop, Head Coach of CTS Ultrarunning Author of “Training Essentials for Ultrarunning” More than 40 CTS Athletes are gathering in the Chamonix for the 2024 Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) races, including the entire elite women’s podium from Western States: Katie Schide, Fuzhao Xiang, and Eszter Csillag. I have attended UTMB multiple times …
By Sarah Scozzaro, CTS Ultrarunning Coach, RRCA, NSCA-PT, NASM-PES Many runners experience tightness or soreness in their feet and hips at some point. Although self-care for runners can seem complicated, I want to give you a simple foot and hip mobility routine you can do at home – with minimal equipment – to help …
By Jason Koop, Head Coach of CTS Ultrarunning with CTS Pro Coach Jim Rutberg During almost any run or hike these days you’re bound to encounter someone doing the same activity wearing a weighted vest. Popularized by Crossfit boxes, mixed martial arts gyms, and boot camp-style exercise programs, “rucking” is a new name …