Have you ever been puzzled by the intricacies of zone two training? Wondered how it could elevate your cycling performance? Coach Adam Pulford is back and ready to answer listener questions on Zone 2 training.

Questions Covered In This Episode:

• Question 1: Can you just train in Zone 1 and Zone 2 and then go race? 
• Question 2: If I've done most of my training the past two years in Zones 1 and 2, what am I missing? 
• Question 3: Should I ride at the bottom or top of Zone 2 power output?
• Question 4: Should I ride long Zone 2 rides fasted or with low carbohydrate availability?
• Question 5: What happens if I go into Zone 3 or 4 during my Zone 2 rides? Does it negate the benefits?

Show Links:

• "Train Low” Concept: 
• Podcasts on Zone 2 and setting intensities for base training:
  Episode 170: https://youtu.be/J7FrFJjOknA
  Episode 169: https://youtu.be/uFfYZRkbwaQ
  Episode 168: https://youtu.be/RMMPInMN3FI
• CTS Camps
• What is Lactate Threshold
  
  

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Topics Covered In This Episode:

• To build base properly, you must ride aerobically (zone 2 & below)
• You can only build so much base, then you have to move on in tuning your engine (move beyond zone 2, or from foundation to main floor)
• Your best engine, or house that you build, will be a combination of the intelligent work you do on the bike combined with how much time you actually have to put into it. Volume works.
• Your Ford Focus is fine! This means if you have the budget (available time) to afford a Ford Focus (limited training time) rather than a Porsche (unlimited training time), optimize to get everything you can out of the Ford.

Guest:

Renee Eastman is a CTS Premier Level Coach and has been coaching with the company for more than 20 years. She has a master's degree in exercise science, has worked for USA Cycling, and is a 6-time Masters National Champion.

Show Links:

• Renee Eastman bio: https://trainright.com/coaches/renee-eastman/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renee.eastman/?hl=en
• What is Lactate Threshold: 
  • https://trainright.com/lactate-threshold-and-how-do-cyclists-train-it/

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Want to discover how lab testing can elevate your endurance and performance? Coach Adam Pulford and CTS Premier Coach Renee Eastman are back to demystify the value of lactate, draw comparisons between lab testing and field testing, and examine the performance and health implications of being a sugar burner versus a fat burner. Learn about the potential health and longevity effects of being a sugar burner, including insulin resistance and difficulty losing weight. And learn how training can enhance fat oxidation and mitochondrial function, thereby boosting endurance performance and metabolic health. 

Topics Covered In This Episode:

• What and how do we test physiology in a lab (LT1, LT2, VO2 max, etc.)
• Pros and cons of lab testing vs. field testing
• How lab testing reveals 'sugar burners' vs. 'fat burners' at low to moderate intensities
• Why burning more fat at lower exercise intensities is metabolically efficient
• Why Time-Crunched Cyclists tend to present as Sugar Burners in the lab, and what that means for performance and health.

Guest:

Renee Eastman is a CTS Premier Level Coach and has been coaching with the company for more than 20 years. She has a master's degree in exercise science, has worked for USA Cycling, and is a 6-time Masters National Champion.

Show Links:

• Renee Eastman bio: https://trainright.com/coaches/renee-eastman/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renee.eastman/?hl=en
• What is Lactate Threshold: 
  • https://trainright.com/lactate-threshold-and-how-do-cyclists-train-it/

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Get ready to unravel the intricacies of Zone 2, LT1, LT2, lactate threshold, lab testing, and carb/fat oxidation with our head physiologist and CTS Premier Coach, Renee Eastman. This episode promises to change your understanding of how your body functions during rigorous training. You'll learn why lactate isn’t the villain it’s often made out to be, and how it functions as a fuel source.

We’ll also uncover the world of Zone 2 training, highlighting the vital differences between lactate threshold (LT2) and functional threshold power (FTP). Unearth how to maximize fat oxidation during training and learn why it’s crucial to get your training intensity right for an effective aerobic response.

Topics Covered In This Episode:

• What do we mean by lactate threshold, LT1, LT2, aerobic threshold and anaerobic threshold, FTP.
• How have measurements and considerations of "threshold" changed?
• How are thresholds tested in the lab and in the field?
• How can I use threshold data to inform real world training?
• How testing increases precision of Zone 2, not just FTP!
• How Zone 2 training in the fall/winter contributes to increased FTP and VO2 max

Guest:

Renee Eastman is a CTS Premier Level Coach and has been coaching with the company for more than 20 years. She has a master's degree in exercise science, has worked for USA Cycling, and is a 6-time Masters National Champion.

Show Links:

• Renee Eastman bio: https://trainright.com/coaches/renee-eastman/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renee.eastman/?hl=en
• What is Lactate Threshold: 
  • https://trainright.com/lactate-threshold-and-how-do-cyclists-train-it/

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Ever wondered why athletes strategically take a break from rigorous training? With Coach Cliff Pittman, we examine the necessity of allowing your body and mind ample recovery time from a full season of training. Cliff and Coach Adam Pulford discuss  how you can set up an effective three-to four-week detraining period that aligns with your lifestyle and training history. The conversation also covers aspects like monitoring cycling metrics, adjusting nutrition, and integrating active recovery and alternative activities into this period.

Topics covered in this episode:

• Having a period of less training, or detraining, is very important for long term performance gains and overall health.
• This time period should be longer than a recovery week (1wk) and probably less than 5wks, according to the literature.
• Transition to Base Period simply
• Use Frequency, Volume, and Intensity appropriately, by increasing each of them a little bit and going slowly to build back fitness and go beyond for the next season. 

ASK A QUESTION FOR A FUTURE PODCAST

Guest
Cliff Pittman is the Coaching Development Director for CTS and an experienced CTS Ultrarunning Coach. In addition to the CTS Coaching Education Program, Cliff has an UESCA Ultrarunning Coach Certification, UESCA Sports Nutrition Certification, PNOE Metabolic Analysis Certification, and a Revo2lution Running Trainer Certification. After a decade of military service, he coached athletes for running, military special operations, and even life coaching before shifting his primary focus to ultra-endurance performance.

Links
Cliff's Instagram: https://instagram.com/coachcliffpittman

References from the episode:

- Detraining Research:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/236590070_Detraining
https://www.fasttalklabs.com/fast-talk/what-happens-when-we-stop-training-with-dr-inigo-mujika/

- Articles:
  - Maintaining Physical Performance
  - Off-Season training and detraining

Host
Adam Pulford has been a CTS Coach for more than 13 years 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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Topics covered in this episode:

• Question 1: How to use Zone 3 training intensity to boost aerobic fitness?
• Question 2: How to combine strength training with cycling training?
  • Why to lift weights and do hard intervals on the bike on the same day.
  • How to schedule strength, interval, endurance, and recovery days.
  • Recommended weight and rep ranges for Time-Crunched Cyclists
  • What '2-rep reserve' means

ASK A QUESTION FOR A FUTURE PODCAST

Host
Adam Pulford has been a CTS Coach for more than 13 years 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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Key topics in this episode:

• Quick review of sports drink ingredients 
• Use cases for high carb drink mixes
• Temperature-related considerations for high carb drink mixes
• Kristin's home-made drink mix recipe
• Recommended brand examples of sport drinks
• Why there are increased electrolytes in moderate carbohydrate drinks
• How to transition sports drinks during long training sessions and events
• When to use zero-calorie electrolyte-only sports drinks

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), received her master’s in human nutrition (MS) from the Ohio State University 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: Arnoldrdn.com
Kristin's Instagram

References from the episode

• GI Issues: https://www.mysportscience.com/blog/categories/gi-problems
• Fueling Recommendations During Various Exercise Durations: https://www.mysportscience.com/post/2015/05/27/recommendations-for-carb-intake-during-exercise 
• Carbohydrate Composition of Sport Drinks: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24715561/

Host
Adam Pulford has been a CTS Coach for more than 13 years 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
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Twitter: @trainright
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Topics covered in this episode:

• What are the characteristics of "intensive" vs. "extensive" intervals?
• What do these two types of intervals do differently for athletes?
• When should athletes use intensive vs. extensive intervals?

ASK A QUESTION FOR A FUTURE PODCAST

Host
Adam Pulford has been a CTS Coach for more than 13 years 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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Key topics in this episode:

• Scheduling workouts between cyclocross races.
• Skills practice routines and tips for pre-season and during season.
• Race-and-recovery planning for a multi-week cyclocross series
• Tapering for major cyclocross goal events
• Key workouts for cyclocross racers

Guest
Jim Lehman was one of the original CTS Coaches and been designing training camps for more than 20 years. One of the most respected endurance cycling coaches in the United States, Jim has served as a National Team coach for the US Para-cycling team, including working as a coach at the 2004, 2008, 2016, and 2020 Paralympic Games. Following the 2020 Paralympic Games he received the Order of Ikkos medal six times for his role helping athletes win medals.

Host
Adam Pulford has been a CTS Coach for more than 13 years 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
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Key topics in this episode:

• How is cyclocross periodization different from road/MTB/gravel?
• When should cyclocross racers do base, build, and preparation periods before cyclocross season?
• Do amateur and masters racers need 500 training hours per year?
• What other types of bike races are the best training for cyclocross?
• Why gravel racing might not be a great training tool for cyclocross racers

Guest
Jim Lehman was one of the original CTS Coaches and been designing training camps for more than 20 years. One of the most respected endurance cycling coaches in the United States, Jim has served as a National Team coach for the US Para-cycling team, including working as a coach at the 2004, 2008, 2016, and 2020 Paralympic Games. Following the 2020 Paralympic Games he received the Order of Ikkos medal six times for his role helping athletes win medals.

Host
Adam Pulford has been a CTS Coach for more than 13 years 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