After 24 years of coaching athletes, Adam Pulford has seen enough training plans, races, breakthroughs, failures, and comebacks to recognize which lessons continue to matter.

In this episode, Adam steps away from the charts and physiology to share 20 observations from his coaching career: why fitness isn't performance, why recovery matters as much as workload, why perfect training doesn't exist, what winning and losing can teach us, and why long-term development requires more patience than most athletes expect.

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.

CTS Cycling Camps: https://trainright.com/camps/

​​Free Cycling Training Assessment: https://trainright.com/cycling-training-assessment-welcome/

Interested in working with a coach? Schedule a free consult: https://trainright.com/coaching/cycling/

Self-coached athlete? Check out our TrainRight Membership: https://trainright.com/membership/

Find more free resources here: https://trainright.com/blog/

Resources:

• Meditations by Marcus Aurelius 
• Beyond Thoughts by Joseph Nguyen 
• Don’t Believe Everything You Think by Joseph Nguyen
• Awareness by Athlete de Mellow
• Find Your Why by Simon Sinek 
• On The Nature of Things by Lucretius
• Atomic Habits by James Clear
• Flow by Mihaly Czeskmihaly 
• Deep Work by Cal Newport 
• Waking Up App by Sam Harris 

A successful 100-mile ride is rarely the result of one thing going exceptionally well. It's what happens when your fitness, fueling, pacing, and execution all come together on the same day.

Coach Adam Pulford breaks down how much to eat and drink, why the opening miles should feel easier than you think, what to prioritize with one week versus six weeks to prepare, and how to use your training data to guide your effort.

And Adam's fourth piece of advice might be the simplest: bring your friends. Because 100 miles is usually faster, and definitely funner, with good wheels around you.

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.

​​Free Cycling Training Assessment: https://trainright.com/cycling-training-assessment-welcome/

Interested in working with a coach? Schedule a free consult: https://trainright.com/coaching/cycling/

Self-coached athlete? Check out our TrainRight Membership: https://trainright.com/membership/

Find more free resources here: https://trainright.com/blog/

Resources:

• https://youtu.be/_SQA-9uzVcc?si=g9UPnFf8tHGZ_0LM
• https://youtu.be/kPjy5rejBSg?si=mRa7_JewytDDOBlt
• https://www.trainingpeaks.com/my-training-plans/threshold_6_week_100milePrep 
• https://www.trainingpeaks.com/my-training-plans/VO2_6_week_100milePrep 
• https://trainright.com/camps/

Torque training has become almost synonymous with low-cadence riding. But simply dropping to 60 RPM doesn't guarantee you're producing more force or creating the adaptation you're after.

Coach Adam Pulford breaks down the relationship between torque, cadence, power, and force production; explains why the gym may be the best place to raise your strength ceiling; and shows where low-cadence work actually belongs in a cyclist's training year.

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.

​​Free Cycling Training Assessment: https://trainright.com/cycling-training-assessment-welcome/

Interested in working with a coach? Schedule a free consult: https://trainright.com/coaching/cycling/

Self-coached athlete? Check out our TrainRight Membership: https://trainright.com/membership/

Find more free resources here: https://trainright.com/blog/

Resources:

• Strength Exercise F-v and P-v Profiles as Predictors of Elite Sprint-Cycling Performance - PubMed
• Power-time, force-time, and velocity-time curve analysis during the jump squat: impact of load - PubMed 
• 58. HIGH INTENSITY TORQUE TRAINING CAN INCREASE CYCLING PERFORMANCE
• Effects of Cycling Training at Imposed Low Cadences: A Systematic Review - PubMed
• Effect of Cycling Cadence on Neuromuscular Function: A Systematic Review of Acute and Chronic Alterations - PMC 
• Pro Workouts: Torque Efforts with Noemi Rueegg | EF Pro Cycling 
• https://trainright.com/camps/

Does FTP actually matter for criterium racing?

Coach Adam Pulford breaks down why your aerobic engine plays such a big role in an explosive race, how a higher FTP can reduce the cost of repeated attacks, and why sprinty "crit dawgs" and breakaway riders should approach their training differently.

Plus, why none of those watts matter if you haven't developed the race craft to use them!

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.

​​Free Cycling Training Assessment: https://trainright.com/cycling-training-assessment-welcome/

Interested in working with a coach? Schedule a free consult: https://trainright.com/coaching/cycling/

Self-coached athlete? Check out our TrainRight Membership: https://trainright.com/membership/

Find more free resources here: https://trainright.com/blog/

Resources:

• https://australianfootballstrengthcoach.com.au/3-energy-systems-quick-introduction/
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK546695/ 
• https://strengthmatters.com/anaerobic-lactic-energy-system/
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=On4W1OVrFig

Recovery isn't the break between training. Recovery IS training.

In this episode, CTS Head Cycling Coach Adam Pulford explains how he structures recovery blocks with everyone from beginners to elite athletes. Learn why recovery doesn't always need to last a full week, how to know when you've earned one, and why the athletes who recover best often perform best.

If recovery weeks make you anxious, this episode is for you!

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.

​​Free Cycling Training Assessment: https://trainright.com/cycling-training-assessment-welcome/

Interested in working with a coach? Schedule a free consult: https://trainright.com/coaching/cycling/

Self-coached athlete? Check out our TrainRight Membership: https://trainright.com/membership/

Find more free resources here: https://trainright.com/blog/

Resources:

• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3905295/
• https://trainright.com/coaching-consultation/
• Recovery Podcast with Christie Aschwandan: 
  • https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/trainright-podcast/id1494799053?i=1000722793917 
• Regulation of Muscle Glycogen Repletion, Muscle Protein Synthesis and Repair Following Exercise - PMC

Days before the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, Coach Adam Pulford caught up with professional cyclist Alison Jackson to talk about the final phase of preparation.

From altitude camp in Boulder and heat training to tapering, race strategy, joining a new team, and life behind the scenes, this conversation offers a rare look inside the final build-up to one of the biggest events in professional cycling.

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.

​​Free Cycling Training Assessment: https://trainright.com/cycling-training-assessment-welcome/

Interested in working with a coach? Schedule a free consult: https://trainright.com/coaching/cycling/

Self-coached athlete? Check out our TrainRight Membership: https://trainright.com/membership/

Find more free resources here: https://trainright.com/blog/

Resources:

• https://www.peacocktv.com/sports/tour-de-france-femmes-stage-1/bc4c2e95-62c1-3feb-bab2-fd9aeca9d12d
• https://hepoxtech.com/
• https://www.instagram.com/auber93cyclisme/
• https://www.skratchlabs.com/
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLlhAR6yoMc&t=653s
• https://www.precisionhydration.com/performance-advice/performance/how-to-taper-before-a-race/?srsltid=AfmBOooiiHV_JusShIJz67tRyopkUUTnjLmUZRCHBGLE-UhbLaHAv6Rb
• https://www.instagram.com/apsprocycling/reels/
• https://www.cyclingnews.com/pro-cycling/teams-riders/push-them-outside-their-comfort-zone-four-time-uspro-champion-freddie-rodriguez-returns-to-cycling-as-co-owner-and-strategist-for-aps-pro-cycling-by-cadence-cyclery/
• https://apsprocycling.net/

With the Tour de France wrapped up, conversations about Tadej Pogačar's VO2 max are everywhere.

But what actually increases VO2 max?

In this episode, CTS Head Cycling Coach Adam Pulford breaks down the two interval strategies he uses with athletes to develop aerobic power. Learn the difference between long, sustained VO2 intervals and short on/off efforts, when to use each one, and how to sequence both leading into your biggest events. If you've hit a plateau or want to maximize your aerobic engine, this episode provides a practical framework you can immediately apply to your training.

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.

​​Free Cycling Training Assessment: https://trainright.com/cycling-training-assessment-welcome/

Interested in working with a coach? Schedule a free consult: https://trainright.com/coaching/cycling/

Self-coached athlete? Check out our TrainRight Membership: https://trainright.com/membership/

Find more free resources here: https://trainright.com/blog/

Resources:

• https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/ronnestad-30-15-intervals/
• Short Interval Blocks for Endurance Athletes- Part1
• Short Interval Blocks for Endurance Athletes Part 2

Cyclists often treat CTL like the ultimate measure of fitness, but that's only part of the story.

In this episode, CTS Head Cycling Coach Adam Pulford explains what CTL actually measures, why performance and fitness aren't the same thing, and how to use your training data to peak for races instead of chasing a bigger number.

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.

​​Free Cycling Training Assessment: https://trainright.com/cycling-training-assessment-welcome/

Interested in working with a coach? Schedule a free consult: https://trainright.com/coaching/cycling/

Self-coached athlete? Check out our TrainRight Membership: https://trainright.com/membership/

Find more free resources here: https://trainright.com/blog/

Resources:

• https://trainright.com/what-is-chronic-training-load-ctl-and-how-to-use-it-to-improve-performance/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
• https://www.instagram.com/p/CW9JtfcFodT/?img_index=1

Fueling advice has never been more confusing. One expert recommends fasted rides, another says 120 grams of carbs per hour, and every nutrition brand seems to have a different answer.

In this episode, CTS Head Cycling Coach Adam Pulford introduces a practical fueling framework that scales carbohydrate intake to the demands of your ride. Using kilojoule output, ride intensity, and duration, you'll learn how to build a fueling strategy that's individualized, repeatable, and easy to apply for easy endurance rides all the way to race day.

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.

​​Free Cycling Training Assessment: https://trainright.com/cycling-training-assessment-welcome/

Interested in working with a coach? Schedule a free consult: https://trainright.com/coaching/cycling/

Self-coached athlete? Check out our TrainRight Membership: https://trainright.com/membership/

Find more free resources here: https://trainright.com/blog/

Resources:

• Introducing Fueling Insights: A Smarter Way To Fuel
• The Importance of Carbohydrates and Glycogen for Athletes  
• How much sodium do I need?
• Fueling Insights: Iñigo San-Millán on Optimizing Carbohydrate Intake for Cyclists
• https://trainright.com/coaching-consultation/
• Drinking to Thirst vs. Following a Hydration Plan, with Dr. Alan McCubbin 

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 how to combine both throughout the season for your strongest FTP yet.

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.

​​Free Cycling Training Assessment: https://trainright.com/cycling-training-assessment-welcome/

Interested in working with a coach? Schedule a free consult: https://trainright.com/coaching/cycling/

Self-coached athlete? Check out our TrainRight Membership: https://trainright.com/membership/

Find more free resources here: https://trainright.com/blog/

Resources:

• How Quickly Can Cyclists Increase FTP?
• Pushing vs pulling up FTP - Training - TrainerRoad
• Tim Cusick: Periodization, Training Modalities, And Getting Your Training Rhythm Right - CTS
• How To Improve Your Cycling FTP (Functional Threshold Power) - CTS