Training, Strategy, and Demands of Timed-Segment Racing vs. Traditional Racing
OVERVIEWTimed-segment racing might be your new favorite competition format! Coach Adam Pulford and CTS Athlete Camilo Lopez discuss their experiences at Gran Fondo Maryland, which featured five timed-segments rather than a start-to-finish competition format. They reveal the key differences in effort level, physical demands, strategies, cycling skills, and even nutrition and pacing between timed-segment racing and start-to-finish racing. NOTE: The 2026 Gran Fondo National Series Calendar is live and registration is open for all six of their annual events, including the 2026 Gran Fondo National Championships.Topics Covered In This Episode:Demands of timed-segment racingDemands of traditional start-to-finish racingRace-winning strategies for timed-segment competitionsWhy timed-segment races are more inclusive for many ridersTraining for success in timed-segment racingTraining for success in traditional start-to-finish racingResourcesGran Fondo National Series: granfondonationalseries.comGran Fondue: BDF Grand Fondue | Dirty Kitten GravelTCC Durability PodcastGuest Bio:Camilo Lopez is an accomplished cyclist and triathlete and winner of the 2025 Gran Fondo Maryland Gran Route competition. He is a CTS Athlete coached by Adam Pulford.HOSTAdam 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 platformGET FREE TRAINING CONTENTJoin our weekly newsletterCONNECT WITH CTSWebsite: trainright.comInstagram: @cts_trainrightTwitter: @trainrightFacebook: @CTSAthlete
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How To Leverage Late-Season Fitness For Big Gains
OVERVIEWThe end of the summer cycling season is the best time to leverage a season's worth of fitness and training without the pressure of upcoming goals. It's the time when you can go have epic adventures, work on performance limiters, go hunting for Strava PRs and KOM/QOMs, complete end-of-season performance tests, and much more. Coach Adam Pulford helps you decide whether to take a break (some people need it, others don't), and how to make the most of the days when the weather is still warm and there's still abundant daylight.TOPICS COVEREDWhat to do if you still have energy and motivationHow to tell if you need time off instead of pushing throughExamples of late-season training challenges and adventuresASK A QUESTION FOR A FUTURE PODCASTRESOURCESPodcast: Different Types of Field TestingTraining LimitersHOSTAdam 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 platformGET FREE TRAINING CONTENTJoin our weekly newsletterCONNECT WITH CTSWebsite: trainright.comInstagram: @cts_trainrightTwitter: @trainrightFacebook: @CTSAthlete
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Scribble Outside the Lines: How Imperfect Training Makes Faster Cyclists (#274)
OVERVIEWFollowing a training plan is better than training haphazardly, but how closely do you need to follow the letter of the plan? In Episode 274 of "The Time-Crunched Cyclist Podcast", Coach Adam Pulford discusses the benefits and necessity of not following the plan to a T, when that’s ok, when it’s not, and how to adjust daily training sessions based on how you're feeling while still sticking to the vision and progression of a bigger plan.TOPICS COVEREDWhat flexibility means in endurance trainingExamples: hard day planned and don't feel greatExample: easy day planned and feel greatExample: had day planned and feel greatShould you push through a hard workout if you don't feel good?How to modify your workouts on any given dayAutonomy of trainingASK A QUESTION FOR A FUTURE PODCASTRESOURCESRigid vs Flexible Training:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23881116/Planned vs Self Select: https://arxiv.org/abs/1902.02061?utm_source=chatgpt.comTime in Zone vs Just HIIT:https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00421-018-3910-3Specific vs General Training Programs:https://sportsci.org/jour/05/amt-m.pdfHOSTAdam 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 platformGET FREE TRAINING CONTENTJoin our weekly newsletterCONNECT WITH CTSWebsite: trainright.comInstagram: @cts_trainrightTwitter: @trainrightFacebook: @CTSAthlete
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Smart Strength Training for Cyclists, with Sarah Scozzaro MS, NSCA-CPT, NASM-PES
OVERVIEW95% of the cyclists and runners coached by Sarah Scozzaro and Adam Pulford incorporate strength training. Scozzaro is one of our top strength and conditioning coaches and in Episode 273 she and Coach Adam discuss how cyclists should blend strength and endurance training throughout the year.Topics Covered In This Episode:How different endurance athletes leverage strength trainingHow strength training changes throughout the yearWhen to back off strength training volume during event/race seasonHow to reintegrate more strength training in the post-seasonResources for self-coached and time-crunched athletesResourcesStrength Training for Endurance Athletes: Key ExercisesHow to Program Strength Training: An Endurance Coach’s GuideGuide: Strength Training for Endurance Athletes » UESCAGuest Bio:Sarah Scozzaro is a CTS Pro Coach who specializes in strength training and ultrarunning. A coach within the CTS High Performance Program, she is on the performance teams for Western States Champions Katie Schide and Abby Hall. Sarah has her Masters's degree in Exercise Science with a concentration in performance enhancement and injury prevention. She has a long list of qualifications and certifications after her name, including being a National Strength and Conditioning Association certified personal trainer (NSCA-CPT) and National Academy of Sports Medicine performance enhancement specialist (NASM-PES).Guest Links:Coach Bio: https://trainright.com/coaches/sarah-scozzaro/IG: https://www.instagram.com/drtyrunner/Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platformGET FREE TRAINING CONTENTJoin our weekly newsletterCONNECT WITH CTSWebsite: trainright.comInstagram: @cts_trainrightTwitter: @trainrightFacebook: @CTSAthlete
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Can Rucking With A Weighted Vest Make You A Stronger Cyclist?
OVERVIEWAlmost anywhere you go these days, you're likely to see someone walking, running, or climbing stairs wearing a weighted vest. Popularized by Crossfit boxes, mixed martial arts gyms, and boot camp-style exercise programs, “rucking” is a new name for the old concept of an “overloaded training intervention”. The question we get is whether training with a weighted vest (off the bike) will improve cycling performance. CTS Pro Coach Sarah Scozzaro, one of our top strength and conditioning coaches, breaks down the details of whether weighted training works for cyclists. Topics Covered In This Episode:Weighted Vests: Are they effective for:Increase Core Strength?Improve Strength-Endurance?Increase Bone Density?Improve VO2 Max?Increase Motivation?History of overloaded training interventions in cyclingSeparating strength from endurance trainingHow to use weighted vests safely How much weight to carryResourcesShould Runners Train with Weighted Vests? - CTSGravel Racing Gear Guide for Cyclists - CTSWeighted Vests Are Now A Fitness Trend. Here’s What You Need To KnowHydration Backpack Market Size | Industry Report, 2030Guest Bio:Sarah Scozzaro is a CTS Pro Coach who specializes in strength training and ultrarunning. A coach within the CTS High Performance Program, she is on the performance teams for Western States Champions Katie Schide and Abby Hall. Sarah has her Masters's degree in Exercise Science with a concentration in performance enhancement and injury prevention. She has a long list of qualifications and certifications after her name, including being a National Strength and Conditioning Association certified personal trainer (NSCA-CPT) and National Academy of Sports Medicine performance enhancement specialist (NASM-PES).Guest Links:Coach Bio: https://trainright.com/coaches/sarah-scozzaro/IG: https://www.instagram.com/drtyrunner/Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platformGET FREE TRAINING CONTENTJoin our weekly newsletterCONNECT WITH CTSWebsite: trainright.comInstagram: @cts_trainrightTwitter: @trainrightFacebook: @CTSAthlete
Coach Adam Pulford delivers actionable training advice and answers your questions in short weekly episodes for time-crunched cyclists looking to improve their cycling performance. The Time-Crunched Cyclist Podcast (formerly The TrainRight Podcast) is brought to you by the team at CTS - the leading endurance coaching company since 2000. Coach Adam pulls from over a decade of coaching experience and the collective knowledge of over 50+ CTS Coaches to help you cut throught the noise of training information and implement proven training strategies that’ll take your performance to the next level.
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