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.GuestHeather Fischer has been a professional cyclist ...

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 recommendationsWhat to look for in a bike caseHard shell ...

OVERVIEWOverview: 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 COVEREDWhen is it appropriate to do m...

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 bodyWhat's the problem with sodium bicarbonate?What ...

OVERVIEWOverview: 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 COVEREDDemands of training for long efforts vs. short effortsTraining blocks to use across a 16-week programWorkout details and weekly training structurePeak phase training with an effective taperASK A QUEST...

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...

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 trainingFueling for longer ridesFueling morning workouts without pre-workout mealFueling for people who don't lik...

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.TOPICSWhy and How to increase plasma volumeNative Heat protocolSauna protocolHot bath/hot tub pr...

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 using core temperature pills for gathering data, learn how innovations help athletes excel on the wor...

OVERVIEWOverview: 'Cross is coming! Coach Adam Pulford talks with Chris Merriam, Team Manager of CXD Trek Bikes, about all things cyclocross, from mistakes 'crossers make to equipment recommendations, key workouts, and race day strategies.TOPICS COVEREDCommon pre-season training mistakes Skill and technique mistakes in trainingWhat to look for in a cyclocross training groupWork/life balance with cyclocross racingMistakes in equipment selectionRace day strategiesCyclocross-specific interv...

OVERVIEWOverview: The sports science debate between training methodologies seems to pit Polarized training (e.g., hard days hard, easy days easy) against Tempo/Sweetspot training (e.g., high aerobic training, often derided as "the middle ground"). For real athletes, all intensities matter and how you use them depends on your available time and your goals. Here's how to figure it out.TOPICS COVEREDPolarized vs. SweetSpot definitionsSweetSpot pros and consPolarized training pros and consPractic...

OVERVIEWOverview: Big goal events take a lot of you, both physically and mentally. A couple days off won't cut it. Here's how to structure an effective post-goal event recovery.TOPICS COVEREDHow to start post-event recoveryWeek 2 of post-event recoveryWeek 3 of post-event recoveryHow you know you're ready againQuestion 2: Key Metrics to Track for Training?3 broad areas to focus onSpecific metrics to trackASK A QUESTION FOR A FUTURE PODCASTHOSTAdam Pulford has been a CTS Coach for nearly two d...

OVERVIEWOverview: After a long period of developing base aerobic fitness, how and when should Time-Crunched Cyclists add intensity for greater speed and power? TOPICS COVERED IntroIntensifying training to add speed and powerKey workouts for aerobic glycolysisProgression of workouts for improving aerobic glycolysisASK A QUESTION FOR A FUTURE PODCASTHOSTAdam Pulford has been a CTS Coach for nearly two decades and holds a B.S. in Exercise Physiology. He's participated in and coached hundred...

OVERVIEWTime-Crunched Cyclist programs are typically 6-8 hours of training per week, but a listener asks. "What if I have only 4 hours per week?" TOPICS COVEREDQuick Answers to Listener QuestionsBenefits of short sessions of Zone 2 trainingBlock training for Super Time-Crunched CyclistsThreshold workout exampleTraining plans with 2-3 workouts per weekAnnual periodization plan for Super Time-Crunched CyclistsASK A QUESTION FOR A FUTURE PODCASTHOSTAdam Pulford has been a CTS Coach for nearly tw...

IN THIS EPISODECarbohydrates and durabilityWhat are Critical Power and W PrimeResearch review: Critical Power at rested vs. fatigued state with CHOFueling for increased durabilityFueling by percentage of hourly expenditureNutrition timing and periodizationLINKShttps://knowledgeiswatt.substack.com/https://www.instagram.com/knowledgeiswatt/https://x.com/knowledgeiswattASK A QUESTION FOR A FUTURE PODCASTGUESTGabriele Gallo earned his PhD in sports science and also recognized that scientific lite...

IN THIS EPISODEDurability and Fatigue Resistance Testing ProtocolsDoes everyone benefit from durability training?Independence of VO2 and durabilityTraining development for shorter distance athleteDurability for long gravel, road, and MTB racersEmerging research on training strategies LINKShttps://knowledgeiswatt.substack.com/https://www.instagram.com/knowledgeiswatt/https://x.com/knowledgeiswattASK A QUESTION FOR A FUTURE PODCASTGUESTGabriele Gallo earned his PhD in sports science and al...

IN THIS EPISODEPeak Fat Oxidation and FatMaxFax oxidation effect on fatigue resistanceEffects of sex and fitness on peak fat oxidationTraining with low and high carbohydrate availabilityOptimizing fat oxidation for Time-Crunched CyclistsZone 2 training benefits beyond fat oxidationLINKShttps://knowledgeiswatt.substack.com/https://www.instagram.com/knowledgeiswatt/https://x.com/knowledgeiswattASK A QUESTION FOR A FUTURE PODCASTGUESTGabriele Gallo earned his PhD in sports science and also recog...

In Part 2 of our conversation with legendary coach Joe Friel, Adam and Joe discuss four key topics around training for older athletes: Consistency, Intensity, Motivation, and Habits. IN THIS EPISODE 4 Takeaways for Older AthletesThe Value of ConsistencyThe only 3 things an athlete can focus onIntensity - balancing hard days and easy days"Recovery on Demand" Motivation changes for older athletesMaintaining good habits with ageLINKSSuggestions for the Aging Athlete - Joe FrielMotivati...

Unlock the secrets to maintaining peak performance at any age with our special guest, Joe Friel, the mastermind behind "The Cyclist's Training Bible" and "Fast After 50." Joe delves into the crucial role of anabolic hormones and their impact on athletic performance. Discover how a long-term dedication to training can help maintain higher hormone levels and slow the decline in VO2 max as we age. We also discuss the invaluable wisdom and strategies that experienced athletes employ to compensate...

IN THIS EPISODERole of electrolytes in the bodyDo we need sodium in sports drinks for performance?Why is sodium in sports drinks?Do we need sodium in sports drinks for 1-3 hour events, or only longer events?The role of electrolytes in crampingSodium testingPre-exercise sodium intakeSodium loading for fluid retention before specific eventsSodium bicarbonateLINKS-Podcast: Fueling Endurance: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fueling-endurance-nutrition-for-runners-cyclists-triathletes/id1542...

Join Coach Adam Pulford and Dr. Alan McCubbin, a sports dietitian from Monash University, to unpack the complexities of hydration, particularly for those balancing tight schedules. We discuss the essential strategies for pre-exercise hydration, managing fluid loss during workouts, and effective rehydration post-exercise. We also tackle the debate on whether to drink based on thirst or follow a pre-set plan and learn how to create a comprehensive sweat rate profile for varying conditions. IN T...

IN THIS EPISODEDefining Fatigue Resistance and DurabilityWhat Durability looks like in your training dataPhysical tests for durability and fatigue resistanceFatigue resistance training workoutsWhen to schedule durability and fatigue resistance training LINKS- Knowledge is Watt: Fatigue Resistance and Durability - Durability not related to VO2 or FTP - The New Science of “Fatigue Resistance” by Alex Hutchinson - Fatigue Resistance or Durability in Cycling: Tests & Training Tips...

IN THIS EPISODELearn how to use kilojoules to quantify work rates and total work achieved, set fueling goals, and achieve weight loss goals. What is a kilojoule?How kJs are used in training and racingFatigue resistance and durabilityBasing energy intake during rides as a percentage of hourly kJTracking kJ for weight management/loss goals LINKS- Energy Expenditure: Calories, Kilojoules and Power in Cycling - How Accurate is That Calorie Reading? ASK A QUESTION FOR A FUTURE PODCA...