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 start corral - to compete or train at your best.

TOPICS COVERED

• Warm up rules of thumb
• The Short warmup (7-10 minutes)
• Medium warmup (20 minutes)
• Long warmups (30-45 minutes)
• Example: Long warmup before hard training (25-30 minutes)
• Example: Race warmup (45 minutes)
• Example: Alternative short race warmup (20 minutes)
• Dynamic Warmup and Activation Exercises
• Do Masters athletes need a longer warmup?
• Creating a good dynamic warmup
• Time-Crunched Warmups and Race Start Corrals

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RESOURCES

1. EXAMPLE Warm up before hard Training: ~25-30min
   1. 10-15min of easy endurance spinning
   2. 3x1min FastPedals (high cadence, moderate power) with 1min RBI, spin easy for 2-3min then move on to
   3. 2x20s openers with 2-3min RBI
   4. Build into your main set, and have at it! 
      1. Good for a 90min session with hard, zone 4+ intervals
2. EXAMPLERace Warm Up: 45min
   1. 10-15min of easy endurance spinning
   2. 3x1min FastPedals (high cadence, moderate power) with 1min RBI
   3. 2x4min Threshold efforts with 3min RBI
   4. 2x20s openers with 2-3min RBI
   5. 5-10min easy spinning
3. EXAMPLE Simple Race Warm Up: 20min
   1. 7-10min easy endurance spinning 
   2. 3min build from Tempo to Threshold
   3. 2min easy 
   4. 1x20s Opener
   5. 3-5min easy spinning 

LINKS

• NSCA General and Specific Warm Up
• Golden Rule of Running: Never Skip the Warm-up
  
  

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 coached hundreds of athletes for endurance events all around the world.

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Twitter: @trainright
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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 scenarios that can temporarily jack up your exercise heart rate.

TOPICS COVERED

• What influences heart rate
• Scenario 1 - first indoor trainer session
• Heat training for indoor cycling
• Scenario 2 - time away from training
• How to mitigate elevated HR issues when returning to training
• Heat exposure to mitigate elevated HR
• Scenario 3 - long steady rides vs. hilly rides
• HR response to cold vs. heat
• MTB Tip - using hrTSS to evaluate technical terrain

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LINKS/RESOURCES

• Evidence and possible mechanisms of altered maximum heart rate with endurance training and tapering - PubMed
• Do You Have An Elevated Heart Rate After Exercise? Here's Why
• Effects of Exercise on the Resting Heart Rate: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Interventional Studies
• Unlocking Peak Performance: Heat Training Science with Lindsay Golich (EP #214)
• Autonomic Nervous System: What It Is, Function & Disorders 
• Recovery from sauna bathing favorably modulates cardiac autonomic nervous system - ScienceDirect

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 coached hundreds of athletes for endurance events all around the world.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform

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Website: trainright.com
Instagram: @cts_trainright
Twitter: @trainright
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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 explains how to categorize yourself and how to find the appropriate minimum ride length to make Zone 2 sessions effective.

TOPICS COVERED

• Classifications of athletes for Zone 2 work
• Minimum doses of Zone 2 for Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced riders
• Why different athletes have different minimum doses of Zone 2

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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 coached hundreds of athletes for endurance events all around the world.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform

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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 this inspiring and motivating conversation, and then go sign up for your next big adventure!

Key topics in this episode:

• How Breck Epic works
• The value of creating a great racing experience for riders
• Balancing MTB skills and fitness training
• The effect of Breckenridge's altitude (9400 ft) on performance, nutrition, and recovery
• Preparing for racing at altitude when you live at sea level
• Managing race week efforts to maximize fun and success

Guest
Mike McCormack founded the Breck Epic MTB Stage Race in 2009, treating its field to a high-alpine tour of Colorado’s secret stashes, hidden gems and historical ghost towns. Committed to big routes with good friends, Epic’s 220-plus miles and 40k of vertical establish its 6 stages as the gold standard of endurance backcountry riding. With a unique cloverleaf format allowing riders from 25 countries and 40+ states to start and finish each day within a mile of the the historical Victorian mining town of Breckenridge, Colorado, Epic is the mountain bike experience of a lifetime.

Links

• IG: https://www.instagram.com/breckepic/
• X: https://x.com/BreckEpic
• https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=breck%20epic
• https://breckepic.com/

Host
Adam Pulford has been a CTS Coach for more nearly two decades and holds a B.S. in Exercise Physiology. He's participated in and coached hundreds of athletes for endurance events all around the world.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform

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Website: trainright.com
Instagram: @cts_trainright
Twitter: @trainright
Facebook: @CTSAthlete

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 your rides with your fitness goals and maximize your cycling potential.

TOPICS COVERED

• What "Junk Miles" really means
• Weekly training pattern to avoid junk miles
• Tips for planning effective workouts
• Making good use of group rides

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LINKS

• Periodization Theory and Methodology of Training
• Macrocycles, Mesocycles, Microcycles: Periodized Training Explained
• What Are Junk Miles and Are They Ruining Your Training? The Science
• Chris Carmichael's 5 Most Important Rules for Cycling Training - CTS
• Block Periodization for TC Athletes: https://substack.com/home/post/p-139717997

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 coached hundreds of athletes for endurance events all around the world.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform

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Website: trainright.com
Instagram: @cts_trainright
Twitter: @trainright
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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 track for a great season next spring and summer.

Guest
Heather Fischer has been a professional cyclist for more than 10 years, earning Collegiate and US Pro National Championships, top-10 finishes in UCI World Tour races, and competing in gravel events like Unbound, FNLD GRVL, Crusher in the Tushar, Rock Cobbler, BWR, and The Rad Dirt Fest. A resident of Boulder, CO, Heather works as a cycling coach and is coached by "Time-Crunched Cyclist Podcast" host Adam Pulford.

Links

• Heather's IG: https://www.instagram.com/heather_smash/

Host
Adam Pulford has been a CTS Coach for more nearly two decades and holds a B.S. in Exercise Physiology. He's participated in and coached hundreds of athletes for endurance events all around the world.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform

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Join our weekly newsletter

CONNECT WITH CTS

Website: trainright.com
Instagram: @cts_trainright
Twitter: @trainright
Facebook: @CTSAthlete

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 travel with their bikes?
• Top bike case product recommendations
• What to look for in a bike case
• Hard shell vs soft sided cases
• Bike cases Kerry does not recommend
• Cardboard bike boxes vs. cases
• How BikeFlights works
• International travel with a bicycle

Guest
Kerry Werner has been at the top of the US cyclocross and mountain bike racing scene for more than 10 years. He has ridden on multiple World Championships teams for XC MTB and Cyclocross. His palmarès includes: 33 UCI wins, U23 XC MTB National Championship, 3 time Division One Collegiate CX National Championships, and a Pan American CX Championship. When he is not racing or producing his very popular vlog content, Kerry is the Event and Marketing Support Specialist for BikeFlights.

Links

•  Kerry's IG: https://www.instagram.com/kerryw24/ 
• Kerry's Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/KerryWernervlog 
• Bike Flights: https://www.bikeflights.com/ 
• Packing videos from BikeFlights: https://www.bikeflights.com/pack/

Host
Adam Pulford has been a CTS Coach for more nearly two decades and holds a B.S. in Exercise Physiology. He's participated in and coached hundreds of athletes for endurance events all around the world.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform

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Join our weekly newsletter

CONNECT WITH CTS

Website: trainright.com
Instagram: @cts_trainright
Twitter: @trainright
Facebook: @CTSAthlete

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 using a mixed-intensity training method for Time-Crunched Cyclists.

TOPICS COVERED

• When is it appropriate to do mostly Zone 2 training?
• Why NOT to do just Zone 2 training
• Progression at Zone 2
• Aerobic decoupling
• How to increase Zone 2 power output
• Indoor vs outdoor for Zone 2 rides

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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 coached hundreds of athletes for endurance events all around the world.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform

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Join our weekly newsletter

CONNECT WITH CTS

Website: trainright.com
Instagram: @cts_trainright
Twitter: @trainright
Facebook: @CTSAthlete

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 this episode:

• What sodium bicarbonate does in the body
• What's the problem with sodium bicarbonate?
• What athlete types benefit from sodium bicarbonate?
• Is sodium bicarbonate safe?
• How much sodium bicarbonate should you take?
• Multi-day loading with sodium bicarbonate
• Sodium bicarbonate in long-term training plan

Guest
Kristen Arnold MS, RDN, CSSD is a registered dietitian (RDN), retired professional cyclist and Women's Development Road Director for USA Cycling. She is a board-certified specialist in sports dietetics (CSSD) and is a Level 1 USA Cycling coach. Her private practice nutrition counseling business focuses on sports nutrition for women athletes.

Links

• Kristin's Website
• Kristin's Instagram

References:

• 2020 Study on Individualization of Sodium Bicarb Ingestion: 
• Meta Analysis:
  • Extracellular Buffering Supplements to Improve Exercise Capacity and Performance: A Comprehensive Systematic Review and Meta-analysis | Sports Medicine
• Asker Jeukedrup Summary: Sodium bicarbonate, cheap and effective?
• Why Top Olympic Athletes Use Baking Soda to Boost Performance 
• The effect of sodium bicarbonate mini-tablets ingested in a carbohydrate hydrogel system on 40 km cycling time trial performance and metabolism in trained male cyclists - PubMed 
• Knowledge is Watt article

Host
Adam Pulford has been a CTS Coach for more nearly two decades and holds a B.S. in Exercise Physiology. He's participated in and coached hundreds of athletes for endurance events all around the world.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform

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Website: trainright.com
Instagram: @cts_trainright
Twitter: @trainright
Facebook: @CTSAthlete

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 program
• Workout details and weekly training structure
• Peak phase training with an effective taper

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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 coached hundreds of athletes for endurance events all around the world.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform

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Website: trainright.com
Instagram: @cts_trainright
Twitter: @trainright
Facebook: @CTSAthlete

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 these challenges into a competitive edge, and the personal and professional prices she paid later.

Host Adam Pulford and Caroline discuss the burnout and pressure of maintaining high performance, compounded by age's inevitable effects on drive and passion. As she shifts focus from racing victories to personal growth and coaching, Caroline shares invaluable insights on longevity in sports. The concept of chronic adaptation allows seasoned athletes to maintain their edge with reduced training loads, emphasizing the power of consistency and self-awareness in training preferences. Caroline highlights the need for moderation, challenging the “all or nothing” mentality that often leads to burnout. Her story is a beacon for those seeking to redefine success and find fulfillment as we mature in sport.

Key topics in this episode:

• Caroline's early progression to elite cycling
• Pros and cons of fueling athletic performance with personal pain
• Redefining the role of training and competition in life
• Redefining what "success" looks like 

Guest
Caroline Mani began competing at age 6, started as a competitive cyclist at 15, and has been racing every since. She won the French Cyclocross National Championships five times and earned a silver medal at the 2016 UCI Cyclocross World Championships. After a period of personal and professional hardship, Caroline rediscovered her joy for competition, cycling, and coaching and she is now a CTS Cycling Coach, manager of the Groove Offroad Racing Team, and founder of the race support company Velomafia. 

Links

• Caroline's Socials
• IG: https://www.instagram.com/carolinemani1987/
• X: https://x.com/carolinemani
• FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100084694856253
  
  
• Resources:
• Groove Auto: https://www.grooveauto.com/
• VeloMafia: https://www.instagram.com/velomafiallc/
• CTS: https://trainright.com/coaches/caroline-mani/

Host
Adam Pulford has been a CTS Coach for more nearly two decades and holds a B.S. in Exercise Physiology. He's participated in and coached hundreds of athletes for endurance events all around the world.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform

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Website: trainright.com
Instagram: @cts_trainright
Twitter: @trainright
Facebook: @CTSAthlete