The Time-Crunched Cyclist Podcast by CTS

OVERVIEW Different cycling field tests have their pros and cons. Some are better for beginners vs. athletes with greater pacing skills. Others are more convenient and easy to fit into a training plan. And still others are more detailed and take multiple days to complete, but provide more nuanced information. Coach Adam Pulford breaks down the most relevant, high-quality field tests so you can use...

Overview: Canadian Olympian and Paris-Roubaix winner Alison Jackson is one of the most dynamic and entertaining riders in the pro peloton. But inspiration to train and compete at her best doesn't always come easily. Learn what inspires Alison, what she does to find or create inspiration when it doesn't come naturally, and how you can draw on the same skills and techniques she uses to ins...

OVERVIEW Virtual racing on TrainingPeaks Virtual, Zwift, Rouvy or other indoor cycling platforms can be a fun and intense addition to an athlete's overall program. They can even become the central focus of your season! But too much virtual racing can work against you by removing too much of the specificity and contrast your training plan needs in order for you to experience gains in fitness a...

Overview: Joe Friel, legendary coach and author of "The Cyclists Training Bible", "Fast After 50", and "Ride Inside" (among other titles), is back on the podcast to discuss some fundamental truths and takeaways on coaching and training. Whether you're new to training or you've been working out for decades, this is an opportunity to confirm what you've e...

OVERVIEW There's a misconception that mixing higher-intensity intervals and Zone 2 aerobic endurance riding in the same session is bad. The contention is that exposure to higher intensities hinders the stimulus that leads to improved fat oxidation. Coach Adam Pulford dispels this myth and explains how training zones work together and can be used in additive and complementary ways. TOPICS COVE...

OVERVIEW What you rest for is what you're investing in. Group rides, interval days, training races, goal races... you can't be completely fresh and rested for all of them, but when should you train through an event versus tapering for it? Should you rest for a few days before big weekend group rides or treat them like any other training day? Scheduling rest and recovery is as important a...

Overview: You are an athlete. Yes, you. Even if you don't always feel like one. Even if you're not as fit as you'd like. Being an athlete is part of your identity and who you are. It influences your priorities, eating behaviors, sleeping choices, and even your relationships and career decisions. Athlete, coach, parent, and journalist Pam Moore joins Coach Adam Pulford to delve into...

Overview: Intuitive eating coach and journalist Pam Moore joins Coach Adam Pulford to discuss the ins and outs of "Intuitive Eating", what it really means (hint: it's not just eat whatever you want whenever you want), why it might be important for your lifestyle and eating habits, and how to incorporate it into your nutrition program. Topics Covered In This Episode: What is Inutitiv...

OVERVIEW Should you perform your interval efforts at the beginning or end of your workout? In most cases, doing hard efforts early, when you are freshest, increases power output and time-at-intensity for those intervals. In this episode, Coach Adam Pulford provides the rationale behind this structure and shares the three specific scenarios when he has athletes ride in Zone 2 for most of the ride a...

Overview: In this insightful conversation, Coaches Jason Koop and Adam Pulford pull back the curtain and reveal the ways they navigate the creation, planning, and execution of athlete goals - and their own goals as coaches and professionals. It's a new perspective on traditional narratives about goal setting, one that is sure to be thought-provoking for athletes and coaches alike. Topics cove...

Overview: Coach Renee Eastman joins Adam Pulford to provide wisdom, guidance, and actionable tips for thriving through the week between Christmas and New Year's. For some, it's an opportunity for a big training block (e.g., Rapha's Festive 500). Others struggle to train at all because of family trips. And still others get anxious about indulging in holiday meals. Renee and Adam have...

OVERVIEW Warmup routines change based on the physical and mental demands of a competition or training session. There are general rules of thumb like, "The shorter the race the long the warmup", but Coach Adam Pulford dives deeper and describes exactly how long to warm up on the bike and with what range of intensities, along with dynamic activities cyclists can do off the bike - or in the...

OVERVIEW Sometimes your exercise heart rate seems higher than normal for a given power output and perceived exertion. Beyond the standard variables that affect heart rate, like caffeine, dehydration, anxiety, and fatigue, there are other training and nervous system related factors that may elevate exercise heart rates for a few days or up to two weeks. Coach Adam Pulford examines three common scen...

OVERVIEW In a recent episode (#220), Coach Adam Pulford covered how much Zone 2 training is too much or no longer productive. At the other end of the spectrum, there were questions about the minimum dose of Zone 2 training necessary to achieve positive adaptations. The minimums depend on whether athletes are beginners, intermediates, or advanced riders, along with other factors. Coach Adam explain...

OVERVIEW: The Breck Epic is the premier mountain bike stage race in the United States, and Race Founder and Director Mike McCormack is a legendary for the ethos and environment he's cultivated around the race. He and Adam Pulford go beyond Breck Epic to talk about what riders get out of doing truly epic endurance events, how to prepare for them, how to have fun during them. Don't miss th...

OVERVIEW Unravel the mystery of "junk miles" with as we redefine the controversial concept and dismantle myths surrounding Zone 2, Zone 3, Tempo and Sweet Spot. This episode will help you transform aimless fatigue-inducing rides into purposeful, performance-enhancing sessions. Understanding the art of periodization and the value of each training zone, you’ll learn to strategically align...

OVERVIEW: Longtime pro cyclist Heather Fischer joins Adam Pulford to discuss short-term and long-term motivation, both what it takes to get out the door today and what it takes to fuel your passion for training year after year. Perfect for the end of the season and the impending winter, this conversation provides insights into how you can make the most of the coming months and put yourself on trac...

OVERVIEW: Kerry Werner has been packing, unpacking, and traveling with bicycles for nearly two decades, and now he advises people on traveling with bicycles for BikeFlights. He talks with Coach Adam Pulford about how to pack a bike, whether to ship or fly with your bike, recommended bike cases and boxes (and cases he doesn't recommend), and much more. Key topics in this episode: How do people...

OVERVIEW Overview: Zone 2 training is all the rage, but there's a point at which more Zone 2 or exclusively training at low intensity is no longer productive. Time-Crunched Cyclists reach this point sooner than time-rich athletes because you don't have the training volume to continue creating a training stimulus. Coach Adam Pulford shares his solutions for developing aerobic fitness usin...

OVERVIEW: Sports Dietitian Kristen Arnold MS, RDN, CSSD is back to discuss exactly how sodium bicarbonate can improve cycling performance, how much to consume, when to take it, and what workouts or races it works best for. Coach Adam Pulford and Kristen also discuss new research showing that using sodium bicarbonate during an 8-week training program improves training adaptations. Key topics in thi...

OVERVIEW Overview: Let's say you have cycling event coming up that requires both steady, sustained power and short, punchy accelerations or climbs? How do you train to optimize both? Coach Adam Pulford describes the structure of a 16-week training plan he would use for this scenario. TOPICS COVERED Demands of training for long efforts vs. short efforts Training blocks to use across a 16-week...

Cycling champion Caroline Manning joins us for an inspiring conversation about her journey from teenage cyclocross star to an incredible professional career marked by five French National Championships and a silver medal at World Championships. Caroline opens up about the personal battles she faced during her peak years, including the trials of an abusive marriage, and how she managed to leverage...

OVERVIEW: Sports Dietitian Kristen Arnold MS, RDN, CSSD works with busy amateur and elite athletes who sometimes struggle to optimally fuel for performance and recovery. In this episode, Kristen and Coach Adam Pulford break down practical, easy, quick, and effective tips and tricks you can use to fuel and perform at your best. Key topics in this episode: Fueling for early morning training Fueling...

OVERVIEW: In the second of two podcast episodes, Coach Adam Pulford talks with Lindsay Golich, a senior sport physiologist at the US Olympic and Paralympic Training Center, about specific heat acclimatization protocols athletes can use without complicated equipment. They also discuss whether heat acclimatization protocols can or should be used year round to improve training and racing performances...

Can heat training be the secret weapon in unlocking peak athletic performance? Coach Adam Pulford talks with Lindsay Golich, a senior sport physiologist at the US Olympic and Paralympic Training Center. Lindsay reveals the preparations undertaken by Team USA for the Paris Olympics, detailing how they managed heat stress in extreme conditions. From sustainable designs in the Olympic Village to usin...