By John Fitzgerald, CTS Ultrarunning Coach The Tor des Géants is an annual 330-kilometer (205 mile) footrace held in September in Italy’s Aosta Valley. This steep and technical race features more than 24,000 meters (78,000 feet) of elevation gain. In terms of distance, duration, and elevation it’s equivalent to doing two Hardrock 100s or …
By Chris Carmichael, CTS Founder and Chief Endurance Officer Performance is never just about fitness, or even determination. Your performance in specific events often comes down to how you use your energy. Many cyclists are used to riding 2-4 hours, but rarely get the opportunity to go really long and stretch themselves to 6+ …
by Jim Rutberg, CTS Pro Coach, co-author of “Ride Inside“ and “The Time-Crunched Cyclist” Normalized Power® (NP) is a valuable training metric used to account for the variability of power output during different types of rides and races. It is also used in calculations for other common training metrics, including Training Stress Score, Intensity …
By Adam Pulford, CTS Premier Coach, Host of “The Time-Crunched Cyclist Podcast” Adam Pulford is a CTS Premier Coach, worked with the TeamShoAir UCI Professional Factory MTB Team, Twenty16/Twenty20 UCI Professional Women’s Race Team, and Orangeseal Off-Road Team, and currently coaches 2023 Paris-Roubaix Femmes winner Alison Jackson (pictured above). The Spring Classics season kicks …
By Jim Rutberg, CTS Pro Coach, co-author of “Ride Inside“, “The Time-Crunched Cyclist” Changes to your bike fit can happen gradually and inadvertently, until one day you just don’t feel right on the bike anymore. For me, it was a combination of travel and a slowly wearing saddle. As I repeatedly disassembled and reassembled …
By Chris Carmichael, CTS Founder and Chief Endurance Officer All riders have individual strengths and weaknesses, and sometimes they become apparent on specific types of terrain. Maybe you’re great on long and steady climbs, but you struggle on short and punchy ones. Or perhaps you thrive on the on-off nature of riding hills but …
Many marathon runners are making the leap to ultramarathon distances. If you are considering your first 50k, 50-miler, 100k, or even 100-mile ultramarathon, you’re not alone. The most important thing to understand is that an ultramarathon is not simply a longer marathon. As distance and duration increase, the challenges and demands shift so significantly that …
By Chris Carmichael, CTS Founder and Chief Endurance Officer One year after a total knee replacement surgery on my right leg, and 21 months after surgery to replace my left hip, I am finally feeling strong and durable as a cyclist again. As I near my 63rd birthday, I know I am one of …
By Jason Koop, Head Coach of CTS Ultrarunning “Where did all my fitness go?” When athletes invariably ask that question in January, our coaches and I typically point people back to the drop off in training hours they completed between September and December. It’s really a shame to see athletes let so much of …
BUCKET LIST EVENTSHAUTE-GARONNE CYCLING EXPERIENCE 2024LOCATION SAINT-MARTORY, FRANCE DATES JUN 26- JUL 3, 2024 DAYS 8 AVG DAILY DISTANCE 30-80 MILES AVG DAILY ELEVATION 2000-7000 FT Enjoy the sights, sounds, and cuisine of southern France while riding some of the epic Tour de France climbs and relaxing at the Chateau de Saint-Martory. ABOUT THIS BUCKET LIST EVENT …