By Chris Carmichael CEO/Head Coach of CTS As we announce the opening of registration for the third annual CTS Figueroa Mountain Gran Fondo on November 9 of this year, I’ve been thinking a lot about what makes for great gran fondo experience. I have been to a ton of amateur cycling events around the world, …
By Chris Carmichael CEO/Head Coach of CTS I first rode a Pinarello in 1983 when I raced on the Aspen-Dia Compe-Giordana team with Dale Stetina and Alexi Grewal at the Coors Classic (Dale won the overall that year). It was a great steel frame with a very Italian geometry that was nimble but not twitchy, …
By Chris Carmichael CEO/Head Coach of CTS I am 58 years old and I travel a lot and prefer to train at home when I’m in Colorado Springs, CO. Even though I’ve been an endurance athlete all my life, my age means I am prioritizing strength training more than I used to. The frequent challenge: …
By Chris Carmichael CEO/Head Coach of CTS Entrepreneurs are a different breed. They’re the risk takers and visionaries, the people who create opportunities by finding ways to fulfill needs unmet by current products or services. They’re driven and ambitious, often willing to work hard for little or no instant gratification, yet confident in the long-term …
By Chris Carmichael CEO/Head Coach of CTS Last summer, TrainingPeaks added a 5-icon rating scale athletes can use to track subjective feedback about every workout. It was a big step forward and it offered athletes and coaches a valuable new tool. After several months, at least anecdotally, the feature has been well adopted by …
By Chris Carmichael CEO/Head Coach of CTS Group rides are an essential social hub for local cycling communities and play an important role in developing riders’ skills, savvy, and speed. CTS Coaches often incorporate group rides into athletes’ training plans – even if they have no plans to compete. The skills and situational awareness gained …
I have always been a morning person, up with the sunrise or before and raring to go. My friend and longtime co-author, Jim Rutberg, is a night owl. He does his best work in the afternoon and at night, and we work best together when we honor each other’s chronotypes. Recent research suggests there could …
I’m not a “New Year, New You” kind of guy. I absolutely think the New Year is a great opportunity to evaluate what you’re doing well and what needs to be changed, but progress is perpetual. The New Year is a merely a mile marker on a long journey to the best version of …
As 2018 draws to a close, I encourage everyone to pause and look back over the accomplishments and challenges you’ve experienced in the past 12 months. What are you grateful for? Who – or what – made you happy? What do you want to do differently in 2019? When I reflect on this year, the …
Sometimes the fire inside an athlete starts to dim and needs a bit of fuel to start roaring again. If you’re having trouble getting out of a warm bed to train on a cold morning, keep reading. If the earlier sunsets are stealing your motivation to train after work, I think I can help. …