Your Questions Answered: “I do some of my cycling training with a local club, and during group rides I sometimes know I am about to be dropped but I don’t know what to do about it.” We’ve all been there, the wheel in front of you feels like it is slipping farther and farther …
By Chris Carmichael Although many ski areas around the country are lamenting the lack of snow this winter, it’s still plenty cold enough out there to make cycling and running outside a significant challenge. This year is a little different than prior years for me, in that I have a 6-day mountain bike stage race …
By Chris Carmichael, One of the biggest questions I get at this time of year is, “What should I be doing in the dead of winter so I’m ready for a Spring Training Camp in February or March?” For many athletes, a CTS Spring Training Camp is the start of the season and they come …
Indoor training season is upon us and although I’d rather we’d all rather be riding outside, the truth of the matter is you can make huge gains with relatively short workouts on the trainer. Below I’ve included a few tips for maximizing your time on the trainer. I’m excited for the winter because two days …
Chris Carmichael and a crew of CTS Coaches and Athletes traveled to Costa Rica to race the 2011 La Ruta de los Conquistadores. The race is billed as the world’s hardest mountain bike stage race, and with 39k feet of climbing, 30+% grades, mud chutes, hornets, crocodiles, and a host of other challenges, it lives …
By Adam Pulford, CTS Senior Coach The last stage of La Ruta has the least amount of climbing as we head to the flat coast of the Caribbean, but don’t think that makes it any easier. What we encountered today was nothing short of epic. The day started with a fast “neutral” start out …
By Adam Pulford, CTS Senior Coac During our La Ruta Recon Camp, the race director Roman Kilun brought us on the new proposed route of day 2 and promised there would be more climbing than last year. He didn’t disappoint. In talking with other racers that have never raced La Ruta before, they were shocked …
Stage 1: Make or Break Day By Adam Pulford, CTS Senior Coach Whether you make it or not, I think there’s still some breaking for everyone. Breaking of chains, rims, cables, egos, and break downs: I saw it all today. It’s La Ruta’s toughest stage, and I’m glad we’ve gotten it out of the …
La Ruta Race Reflections La Ruta: The Hardest Mountain Bike Race in the World Let’s face it: if you’re looking for a challenge, that title catches your eye. Not only does it boast of 39,000ft of climbing, but you cross a jungle, hike through flowing rivers, ride over multiple volcanoes, and battle the heat and …
By Adam Pulford, CTS Senior Coach Day 1: Come Prepared An experienced mountain biker will show up to a race with all of his gear, equipment, and nutrition dialed. Part of my job is to help athletes develop into experienced mountain bikers. Although you can read detailed packing lists of what to bring, you need …