We had a training blog ready to go for today, and then we got an email that changed everything: Koop, I’ve been dreaming of finishing Leadville for over thirty years and I’ve failed seven times. That’s right… seven times. But then I came across your book, hired CTS and was connected with John Fitzgerald. I entered the …
By Andy Jones-Wilkins, CTS Coach No matter an athlete’s experience level or talent there are invariably times when motivation wanes, focus is lost, and discipline sidelined. Many times this is a perfectly normal reaction to training load and can be easily remedied with a bit of time off to regroup and recharge. But what about …
By Jason Koop, CTS Coaching Director and author of “Training Essentials for Ultrarunning” Raising your legs above your heart used to be post-workout dogma, and even standard practice during downtime at any running practice or workout session. I have no idea how many hours I spent during high school and college lying on my back …
By Jason Koop, CTS Coaching Director and author of “Training Essentials for Ultrarunning” One of the things I enjoy the most about being a coach is seeing athletes compete. For one thing, throughout the year I don’t spend a lot of time with the athletes I coach. In some ways I think that distance …
Coaching is a push-and-pull between tradition and innovation, between “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” and “Newer is better!”. During my coaching career I’ve been on both sides of that divide, always seeking innovation but wary that innovations that sound good don’t always lead to improved performance. Training when on a low carbohydrate (CHO) regiment …
By Jason Koop CTS Coaching Director Author of “Training Essentials for Ultrarunning” I had the pleasure of sharing the stage at the Western States Endurance Run with Dr. John Diana and Dr. Tracy Hoeg, and I wanted to share the video with all of you. Talking about training right before the start of an ultramarathon is …
By Jason Koop, author of “Training Essentials for Ultrarunning” Ultramarathon runners have to be prepared to compete in a wide range of weather conditions, from mid-day heat to late night cold, rain and even snow. It is important to recognize the difference, however, between preparing for the experiential challenges associated with weather and maximizing the …
Prescribing and tracking workload and work rate are essential components of effective training, for any endurance sport. Cyclists have it easiest because power meters directly measure mechanical work. Runners who stick to generally flat and smooth terrain have well-researched calculations for workload and work rate based on pace and weight. The problem is, those …
One of the greatest aspects of ultrarunning is its accessibility. You don’t need much expensive and specialized equipment, and you don’t have to be incredibly fit or talented to participate. That is not to say ultrarunning is easy, because it most definitely is not. However, by structuring training to address eight fundamental areas, I am …
By Jason Koop, CTS Coaching Director and author of “Training Essentials for Ultrarunning” Chances are, if you are asking the question, you should power-hike (walk). At slower speeds, walking is a more economical form of locomotion than running. It is only when you speed up to near the 12-min/mile range on level ground that walking …