The Time-Crunched Cyclist Podcast by CTS

Want to increase your FTP? Many cyclists assume the answer is simple: do more FTP intervals. While that can help, it's only one piece of the puzzle. In this video, CTS Head Cycling Coach Adam Pulford introduces a simple coaching framework, Push vs. Pull, to explain how FTP is really built. You'll learn why aerobic training lays the foundation, how VO₂ max work raises your ceiling, and ho...

If you've ever wondered what Normalized Power is actually telling you, this episode is for you! Normalized Power has become one of the most common metrics in cycling, but it's also one of the most misunderstood. In this episode, CTS Head Cycling Coach Adam Pulford explains what Normalized Power was designed to measure, how it differs from average power, and why context matters when using...

Do masters athletes really need more recovery, or are they simply balancing more life stress and responsibilities? In this episode, CTS Head Cycling Coach Adam Pulford breaks down the realities of training and racing as a masters athlete. We discuss recovery, consistency, intensity, strength training, race preparation, and how training priorities should evolve with age. The conversation explores b...

AI is rapidly changing nearly every industry, and endurance coaching is no exception. In this episode, CTS Head Cycling Coach Adam Pulford explores where AI can genuinely help athletes improve, where it falls short, and why the future of coaching may be more collaborative than competitive. We discuss training data, prompting, bias, TrainingPeaks, Claude, ChatGPT, Vekta, Kristin Faulkner's use...

Heat adaptation can improve performance, comfort, and recovery in hot conditions. But many athletes make the mistake of treating heat training as free fitness. In this episode, CTS Coach Adam Pulford breaks down the differences between active and passive heat training, how each method works, and why heat should be viewed as a training stressor in its own right. We discuss plasma volume expansion,...

Climbing faster isn’t always about increasing FTP or producing bigger power numbers. In this episode, CTS Coach Adam Pulford breaks down the pacing strategies, tactics, fueling, and key workouts that help cyclists climb faster with the fitness they already have. HOST Adam Pulford has been a CTS Coach for nearly two decades and holds a B.S. in Exercise Physiology. He's participated in and coac...

Endurance athletes have access to more data than ever before, but data alone doesn’t guarantee better decisions. In this episode, CTS Coach Adam Pulford breaks down the role of Rate of Perceived Effort (RPE) in training and racing, and why internal awareness remains one of the most important skills an athlete can develop. We cover pacing, training zones, effort calibration, common mistakes athlete...

Recovery isn’t just about what happens right after training, it’s about all the little things between sessions that add up. In this episode, CTS Coach Adam Pulford breaks down the habits that quietly interfere with adaptation and leave athletes carrying more fatigue than they realize. We cover sleep, fueling, easy day intensity, stress management, post-workout recovery, and why the basics matter f...

Quality training is often reduced to intensity, but that’s only part of the picture. In this episode, CTS Coach Adam Pulford breaks down what high-quality training actually looks like and why it’s often misunderstood. We cover the three pillars of high-quality training: the process, the result, and yes, the FUN! You’ll learn why pushing harder isn’t the answer, how to close the intention–execution...

Most athletes focus on how strong they are when fresh. But performance is defined by what holds up as fatigue accumulates. In this episode, we break down durability: what it is, how to measure it through fatigue resistance, and why it’s one of the most overlooked performance variables in endurance sport. We also cover how to train it effectively so you can maintain power, make better decisions lat...

Training alone might feel productive, but it’s not always the most effective way to improve. In this episode, CTS Coach Adam Pulford explores the concept of social facilitation and how training with others can enhance performance, motivation, and skill development. We also cover when group rides can backfire, how to find the right balance between solo and group training, and how to structure your...

Zone 2 training has become increasingly complicated, with subzones like 2a, 2b, and even 2c being thrown around. But does any of that actually improve your training? In this episode, we break down what Zone 2 really is, why most of this added complexity is unnecessary, and how to organize your endurance training more effectively. The goal is simple: build aerobic fitness without overthinking it. W...

Most cyclists think they need more volume or more power to improve. Coach Adam Pulford explains why that’s not always the case and how training density (doing the same work with less recovery) is one of the most effective ways to build durability, increase repeatability, and break through performance plateaus. Free Cycling Training Assessment: https://trainright.com/cycling-training-assessment-wel...

If you're fueling with high carbs during training and worrying about diabetes, weight gain, or gut issues, this episode will change how you think about sugar. Coach Adam Pulford breaks down why your body handles carbohydrates completely differently during exercise than at rest, clears up one of the biggest nutrition myths in endurance sports, and gives you a simple, practical fueling framewor...

Most cyclists think a massive amount of Zone 2 training is the secret to a bigger aerobic engine, but it's only part of the story. Coach Adam Pulford breaks down two workouts he uses with his athletes, from ProTour riders to time-crunched amateurs, to push aerobic fitness to the next level. Free Cycling Training Assessment: https://trainright.com/cycling-training-assessment-welcome/ RESOURCES...

Zone 2 intervals are trending across pro pelotons and training apps, but are they actually superior to steady endurance riding, or just a complicated solution to a simple problem? Coach Adam Pulford breaks down the science, shares real athlete data, and gives you an honest answer on whether structured Zone 2 intervals are worth your time. Free Cycling Training Assessment: https://trainright.com/cy...

Struggling to fit training into your busy life? Coach Adam Pulford breaks down a simple weekly framework that helps time-crunched cyclists build real fitness — without burning out or blowing up their schedule. Free Cycling Training Assessment: https://trainright.com/cycling-training-assessment-welcome/ RESOURCES Time-Crunched? Here’s the Training Week Framework That Works How to Build a Strong Wee...

OVERVIEW Cyclists almost always report a discrepancy between the power output and/or perceived exertion between indoor and outdoor cycling. Typically, this means struggling to achieve the same power output indoors than can be achieved outdoors for common workouts like FTP intervals or VO2 max efforts. Even easier Zone 2 rides can have higher RPE values (i.e., feel harder) indoors compared to outdo...

OVERVIEW Should cyclists incorporate VO2 max work year round or focus VO2 max work on only select periods of the year? Coach Adam Pulford tackles this listener question in Episode 293 of "The Time-Crunched Cyclist Podcast". Key ideas include the fact that VO2 max is influenced by training at several different intensities, so you can work on VO2 max without always doing high-intensity int...

OVERVIEW ERG Mode, or ergometer mode, is a feature on smart indoor cycling trainers that allows the trainer or connected app to set the resistance you experience as a rider. For interval workouts, for instance, ERG Mode will adjust the resistance so you stay at a constant target power output (e.g., 250 watts for 10 minutes). The downside to ERG Mode is that it can hinder your ability to conjure th...

OVERVIEW In Episode 291 of "The Time-Crunched Cyclist Podcast", Coach Adam Pulford answers a listener question about the relationship between FTP and VO2 max training, particularly how and why targeting training to improve either will typically raise both. TOPICS COVERED Think of training intensities as a continuum, not as neat little boxes Descriptions of primary energy systems How FTP...

OVERVIEW Although this is "The Time-Crunched Cyclist Podcast", we recognize that not everyone is time-crunched. In particular, we hear from lots of older cyclists who have more time to train now that they've retired or cut back their work hours, or their children have flown the nest. So, how do we apply some of the TCC methodologies for athletes who have some more time available? Co...

OVERVIEW Endurance athletes are accustomed to building Annual Training Plans for the phases of their sport-specific training, but are less familiar with building annual training plans for strength training.  If this is you, Episode 289 of "The Time-Crunched Cyclist Podcast" features Coach Adam Pulford taking you through the steps of creating and managing your annual strength training pla...

OVERVIEW Annual Training Plans are big-picture, long term plans that map out training phases to bring the athlete into key races, events, or time periods with peak form and freshness, which helps optimize performance. For some, these can be fun to map out, especially if you like spreadsheets and planning. Others find it boring, confusing, time-consuming. Either way, in Episode 288 of "The Tim...