Do masters athletes really need more recovery, or are they simply balancing more life stress and responsibilities?

In this episode, CTS Head Cycling Coach Adam Pulford breaks down the realities of training and racing as a masters athlete. We discuss recovery, consistency, intensity, strength training, race preparation, and how training priorities should evolve with age.

The conversation explores both the physiological realities of aging and the habits that allow many athletes to continue improving well into their 40s, 50s, and beyond.

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/PMC4482301/
• https://joefrieltraining.com/
• Joe Friel: Science-Based Training Advice for Older Athletes - Part 1
• Joe Friel: Part 2 of Science-Based Training for Older Athletes
• https://trainright.com/masters-and-grand-masters-cycling-training-mistakes/

AI is rapidly changing nearly every industry, and endurance coaching is no exception.

In this episode, CTS Head Cycling Coach Adam Pulford explores where AI can genuinely help athletes improve, where it falls short, and why the future of coaching may be more collaborative than competitive.

We discuss training data, prompting, bias, TrainingPeaks, Claude, ChatGPT, Vekta, Kristin Faulkner's use of AI, and the areas where experienced coaches still provide value that algorithms struggle to replicate.

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:

• Best-ever 20-minute power and 3 Pan-Am golds: Inside the AI tech Olympic Champion Kristen Faulkner built, and is testing on, herself | Cycling Weekly
• Strava Launches MCP Connector, Allowing Athletes to Sync Training History to Claude
• Vekta

Heat adaptation can improve performance, comfort, and recovery in hot conditions. But many athletes make the mistake of treating heat training as free fitness.

In this episode, CTS Coach Adam Pulford breaks down the differences between active and passive heat training, how each method works, and why heat should be viewed as a training stressor in its own right.

We discuss plasma volume expansion, sauna protocols, heated trainer rides, hydration, recovery considerations, and how to integrate heat adaptation without compromising the quality of 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:

• Beat the Heat – a hot bath after exercise boosts performance in the heat
• Exercise under heat stress: thermoregulation, hydration, performance implications, and mitigation strategies - PubMed
• Active vs. passive heat training: which is best?

Climbing faster isn’t always about increasing FTP or producing bigger power numbers. In this episode, CTS Coach Adam Pulford breaks down the pacing strategies, tactics, fueling, and key workouts that help cyclists climb faster with the fitness they already have.

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.

The Problem with Chasing Data - RPE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wsywx731ki0

​​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/

Endurance athletes have access to more data than ever before, but data alone doesn’t guarantee better decisions. In this episode, CTS Coach Adam Pulford breaks down the role of Rate of Perceived Effort (RPE) in training and racing, and why internal awareness remains one of the most important skills an athlete can develop.

We cover pacing, training zones, effort calibration, common mistakes athletes make with RPE, and how to integrate subjective feedback with power and heart rate for better long-term performance. Wattage tells you what you did, RPE tells you what it cost.

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/rpe-rating-of-perceived-exertion-in-training-and-racing/
• https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/abstract/2001/02000/a_new_approach_to_monitoring_exercise_training.19.aspx?utm_source=chatgpt.com
• https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnins.2017.00612/full?utm_source=researchgate.net&utm_medium=article
• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10422765/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
• https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnins.2024.1341972/full?utm_source=chatgpt.com
• https://support.trainerroad.com/hc/en-us/articles/360021324932-RPE-Key-Explained

Recovery isn’t just about what happens right after training, it’s about all the little things between sessions that add up. In this episode, CTS Coach Adam Pulford breaks down the habits that quietly interfere with adaptation and leave athletes carrying more fatigue than they realize.

We cover sleep, fueling, easy day intensity, stress management, post-workout recovery, and why the basics matter far more than expensive recovery gadgets or trends.

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:

• Recovery Podcast with Christie Aschwandan: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/trainright-podcast/id1494799053?i=1000722793917 
• The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg: https://charlesduhigg.com/the-power-of-habit/
• Loving What Is by Byron Katie: https://thework.com/loving-what-is-revised-edition/
• Atomic Habits by James Clear: https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits
• Sport Psychologist: Dr Justin Ross: https://trainright.com/mental-health-skills-sports-performance-justin-ross/
• https://www.drjustinross.com/
• Recovery Window & Nutrient Timing: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3577439/
• https://www.mysportscience.com/post/2015/06/30/nutrition-and-acute-recovery
• Infrared Sauna; Marginal Gains: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10286597/

Quality training is often reduced to intensity, but that’s only part of the picture. In this episode, CTS Coach Adam Pulford breaks down what high-quality training actually looks like and why it’s often misunderstood.

We cover the three pillars of high-quality training: the process, the result, and yes, the FUN! You’ll learn why pushing harder isn’t the answer, how to close the intention–execution gap, and how to structure rides that actually move your fitness forward.

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://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/ijspp/18/5/article-p557.xml
• Alex Hutchinson Interview: https://trainright.com/elastic-limits-human-performance-alex-hutchinson/

Most athletes focus on how strong they are when fresh. But performance is defined by what holds up as fatigue accumulates.

In this episode, we break down durability: what it is, how to measure it through fatigue resistance, and why it’s one of the most overlooked performance variables in endurance sport.

We also cover how to train it effectively so you can maintain power, make better decisions late in races, and perform when it matters most.

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:

• Trainright.com
• Durability as an independent parameter of endurance performance in cycling - PMC
• Durability as an index of endurance exercise performance: Methodological considerations - PMC
• 82. HOW TO TRAIN DURABILITY? - Knowledgeiswatt English
• Fatigue Resistance or Durability in Cycling: Tests & Training Tips — High North Performance
• Race Stronger, Longer: How to Build Fatigue Resistance
• Why Every Masters Cyclist Should Test Durability (Not Just FTP) 

Training alone might feel productive, but it’s not always the most effective way to improve. In this episode, CTS Coach Adam Pulford explores the concept of social facilitation and how training with others can enhance performance, motivation, and skill development.

We also cover when group rides can backfire, how to find the right balance between solo and group training, and how to structure your week to get the most out of both.

CTS Camp Schedule:  https://trainright.com/camps/

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

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.

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:

• Social Facilitation Theory In Psychology
• Mihály Csíkszentmihályi:
  • Book: Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience: Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly: 8580001046242: Amazon.com: Books
  • Online PDF: Mihaly-Csikszentmihalyi-Flow.pdf
  • Concept: Mihály Csíkszentmihályi: The Father of Flow
  • Online Audio Book: Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi · Audiobook preview
• Brad Huff & Project Dudeman:
  • https://www.tulsatough.com/project-dudeman
  • https://www.bikereg.com/project-dudeman
  • https://tulsaflyer.org/2026/04/02/culture/post/project-dudeman-cycling-tulsa/
• Bike Clubs | Bike Rides Near Me | USA Cycling:
  • https://usacycling.sport80.com/public/widget/1

Zone 2 training has become increasingly complicated, with subzones like 2a, 2b, and even 2c being thrown around. But does any of that actually improve your training?

In this episode, we break down what Zone 2 really is, why most of this added complexity is unnecessary, and how to organize your endurance training more effectively. The goal is simple: build aerobic fitness without overthinking it. When it comes to endurance, simplicity done consistently beats complexity every time.

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

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.

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:

• Trainright.com
• Cycling Power Zones Explained
• Cycling Training Zones: A Detailed Guide — High North Performance
• Trainright Guide to Heart Rate Training for Cycling - CTS   
• Cycling Power Zones: Training Zones Explained - TrainerRoad Blog
• https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/trainright-podcast/id1494799053?i=1000700902926