Is A.I. Coaching Ready for Prime Time? Hear What TrainingPeaks Says!

OVERVIEWCody Stephenson, the Education Program Manager at TrainingPeaks, is back on the podcast to talk about the current state of artificial intelligence in cycling coaching and how TrainingPeaks' developers are using models to improve the accuracy and usability of athletes' training data.TOPICS COVEREDA.I.'s current and future role in cycling coachingHow auto-updates of FTP work and when to pay attention to themAbout TrainingPeaks' Fueling Insights ToolTrainingPeaks Virtual: Ultimate Indoor Cycling App What's coming next from TrainingPeaksASK A QUESTION FOR A FUTURE PODCASTGuest Bio – Cody StephensonCody grew up racing mountain bikes in Durango, Colorado where he developed a passion for endurance sports, science, math and technology. He switched to the road and track while racing for Fort Lewis College, where he also managed to get a couple of science degrees. Now he gets to write and talk about his favorite topics every day as Education Program Manager at TrainingPeaks. When he’s not helping coaches learn to leverage technology to reach their goals he’s trying to become as good of a mountain bike racer as he was when he was 13 years old.Resources:- Cody Stephenson LinkedIn- Articles: https://www.trainingpeaks.com/coach-blog/how-to-coach-athletes-who-arent-racing/- CP W’ vs FTP alone- Analyzing FTP by Joe Friel- Power Training with WKO:- Why Train Submaximally? WKO Case Study - Targeting Specific PDC Improvements - Learning More about LLM’s and AIHOSTAdam 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

OVERVIEWCody Stephenson is the Education Program Manager at TrainingPeaks, meaning he teaches coaches how to properly utilize training data to improve performance. He's the perfect sports scientist to discuss the similarities and differences between Functional Threshold Power (FTP) and Critical Power (CP), Functional Reserve Capacity (FRC) and W Prime, and how all these training metrics and methodologies relate to each other. Best of all, he and Coach Adam Pulford are pragmatists, so they explain the strengths and weaknesses of each, without bias or hidden agendas.TOPICS COVEREDIs FTP dead?What is Functional Reserve Capacity (FRC)?Explaining P MaxAre Critical Power and W Prime better than FTP and FRC?How to choose between FTP/FRC vs. CP/W PrimeWhy is "clean data" so important?ASK A QUESTION FOR A FUTURE PODCASTGuest Bio – Cody StephensonCody grew up racing mountain bikes in Durango, Colorado where he developed a passion for endurance sports, science, math and technology. He switched to the road and track while racing for Fort Lewis College, where he also managed to get a couple of science degrees. Now he gets to write and talk about his favorite topics every day as Education Program Manager at TrainingPeaks. When he’s not helping coaches learn to leverage technology to reach their goals he’s trying to become as good of a mountain bike racer as he was when he was 13 years old.Resources:- Cody Stephenson LinkedIn - Articles: https://www.trainingpeaks.com/coach-blog/how-to-coach-athletes-who-arent-racing/- CP W’ vs FTP alone- Analyzing FTP by Joe Friel- Power Training with WKO: - Why Train Submaximally? WKO Case Study - Targeting Specific PDC Improvements  - Learning More about LLM’s and AIHOSTAdam 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

OVERVIEWChristie Aschwanden is an award-winning science journalist and author of Good to Go: What the Athlete in All of Us Can Learn from the Strange Science of Recovery. In Part 2 of her appearance on the "The Time-Crunched Cyclist Podcast" we take a look at the evidence behind recovery scores from wearable fitness trackers. Christie also weighs in on the whether science supports the idea that older athletes need more recovery time. TOPICS COVEREDIs data from wearable sensors really accurate? Are "recovery scores" from fitness trackers accurate/meaningful?The effect of aging on recoveryThe benefit of stillness and relaxation for recoveryASK A QUESTION FOR A FUTURE PODCASTGuest Bio – Christie Aschwanden:Christie Aschwanden is an award-winning science journalist. She was the lead science writer at FiveThirtyEight for many years and is a former health columnist for the Washington Post. A finalist for the National Magazine Award, her writing has appeared in Outside, Discover, Smithsonian, and Oprah Magazine. She’s also co-host of Emerging Form, a podcast about the creative process. She was a high school state champion in the 1,600-meter run, a national collegiate cycling champion, and an elite cross-country skier with Team Rossignol. She lives and occasionally still races in western Colorado.Read More About Christie Aschwanden:https://christieaschwanden.com/https://twitter.com/cragcrestBook Link – Good to Go: What the Athlete in All of Us Can Learn from the Strange Science of RecoveryHOSTAdam 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

OVERVIEWChristie Aschwanden is an award-winning science journalist and author of Good to Go: What the Athlete in All of Us Can Learn from the Strange Science of Recovery. With all the hype and marketing dollars being thrown at recovery modalities like tart cherry juice, ketone supplements, ice plunges, and the timing of post-recovery meals, we brought Christie back to "The Time-Crunched Cyclist Podcast" to take a look at the evidence behind the claims. Which recovery products work? How do they work and are they worth the expense? RECOVERY METHODS/PRODUCTS COVEREDTart Cherry JuiceIce plunges/Cold water ImmersionIs inflammation bad for athletes?KetonesPost-workout recovery windowASK A QUESTION FOR A FUTURE PODCASTGuest Bio – Christie Aschwanden:Christie Aschwanden is an award-winning science journalist. She was the lead science writer at FiveThirtyEight for many years and is a former health columnist for the Washington Post. A finalist for the National Magazine Award, her writing has appeared in Outside, Discover, Smithsonian, and Oprah Magazine. She’s also co-host of Emerging Form, a podcast about the creative process. She was a high school state champion in the 1,600-meter run, a national collegiate cycling champion, and an elite cross-country skier with Team Rossignol. She lives and occasionally still races in western Colorado.Read More About Christie Aschwanden:https://christieaschwanden.com/https://twitter.com/cragcrestBook Link – Good to Go: What the Athlete in All of Us Can Learn from the Strange Science of RecoveryHOSTAdam 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

OVERVIEWWe receive a lot of listener questions, so we're batching a few of them together into one episode. In Episode 258 of "The Time-Crunched Cyclist Podcast", Coach Adam Pulford and co-author of "The Time-Crunched Cyclist" book, Coach Jim Rutberg, rip through questions about the fear of descending, how to increase carbohydrate intake, preparing for big mountain days, and making the best of events when you're under-prepared.TOPICS COVEREDQuestion 1: How do I get over my fear of going downhill on a bicycle?Question 2: I understand I should increase carbohydrate intake on the bike, but how do I do it and how much should I consume?Carbohydrate scaling for different types of rides and racesQuestion 3: How do I prepare for a big ride (RAMROD: Ride Around Mount Rainier in One Day) of 160 miles with 10,000 feet of climbing, more than half of it in the first 50 miles?Training by VAM (average ascent velocity) in elevation gain per hour.Long range vs. short range training Pacing and nutrition adviceQuestion 4: How should I make the best of an event if I'm going in under-prepared?ASK A QUESTION FOR A FUTURE PODCASTGuest HostJim Rutberg has been an athlete, coach, and content creator in the outdoor sports, endurance coaching, and event industries for more than 20 years. He is the Media Director and a coach for CTS and co-author of several training and sports nutrition books, including Training Essentials for Ultrarunning with Jason Koop, Ride Inside with Joe Friel, and The Time-Crunched Cyclist with Chris Carmichael. He writes for trainright.com and his work has appeared in Bicycling, Outside, Men’s Health, Men’s Journal, Velonews, Inside Triathlon, and on numerous websites. A graduate of Wake Forest University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Physiology, Jim resides in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with his two sons, Oliver and Elliot. He can be reached at [email protected] or @rutty_rides on Instagram.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

Welcome to the Tour de France Femmes Podcast, from the producers of "The Time-Crunched Cyclist Podcast"CTS publishes daily Tour de France Femmes podcasts with Coaches Adam Pulford and Renee Eastman. They recap the stages, but the unique aspect of these podcasts will be coaching insights about how athletes prepare for the demands showcased in that day's stage. STAGE 9 PODCAST OVERVIEWStage 9 of the 2025 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift was the finale of the entire race, and Coaches Renee Eastman and Adam Pulford recap the action from the stage as well as highlights from the week. They also showcase several athletes who had breakout performances or MVP rides, and discuss Alison Jackson's race day data from yesterday's Queen Stage.ASK A QUESTION FOR A FUTURE PODCASTCo-Host: Renee EastmanRenee Eastman is a CTS Premier Level Coach and has been coaching with the company for more than 20 years. She has been a professional bike fitter for 15 years and was one of the first fitters to use the Retül bike fit system. She has a master's degree in exercise science, has worked for USA Cycling, and is a 6-time Masters National Champion.Renee Eastman bio: https://trainright.com/coaches/renee-eastman/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renee.eastman/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

Welcome to the Tour de France Femmes Podcast, from the producers of "The Time-Crunched Cyclist Podcast"CTS publishes daily Tour de France Femmes podcasts with Coaches Adam Pulford and Renee Eastman. They recap the stages, but the unique aspect of these podcasts will be coaching insights about how athletes prepare for the demands showcased in that day's stage. STAGE 8 PODCAST OVERVIEWStage 8 of the 2025 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift was the Queen Stage, meaning the hardest of them all. There was a big shakeup on the leaderboard, which Coaches Renee Eastman and Adam Pulford discuss. They also talk about coaching athletes on descending skills and the impact of a woman's menstrual cycle on performance and perception of effort.ASK A QUESTION FOR A FUTURE PODCASTCo-Host: Renee EastmanRenee Eastman is a CTS Premier Level Coach and has been coaching with the company for more than 20 years. She has been a professional bike fitter for 15 years and was one of the first fitters to use the Retül bike fit system. She has a master's degree in exercise science, has worked for USA Cycling, and is a 6-time Masters National Champion.Renee Eastman bio: https://trainright.com/coaches/renee-eastman/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renee.eastman/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

Welcome to the Tour de France Femmes Podcast, from the producers of "The Time-Crunched Cyclist Podcast"CTS publishes daily Tour de France Femmes podcasts with Coaches Adam Pulford and Renee Eastman. They recap the stages, but the unique aspect of these podcasts will be coaching insights about how athletes prepare for the demands showcased in that day's stage. STAGE 7 PODCAST OVERVIEWStage 7 of the 2025 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift was another significant climbing day, meaning there was a hard-working breakaway, fireworks in the GC group, and a bunch of riders in the grupetto looking to save their legs for another day. Coaches Renee Eastman and Adam Pulford recap the stage and talk about the Training Stress Score (TSS) differences between the front and the back, plus the hows and whys of pro women racing multiple disciplines (i.e., road, cross, mtb), and look forward to the Queen Stage of the TDFF tomorrow.ASK A QUESTION FOR A FUTURE PODCASTCo-Host: Renee EastmanRenee Eastman is a CTS Premier Level Coach and has been coaching with the company for more than 20 years. She has been a professional bike fitter for 15 years and was one of the first fitters to use the Retül bike fit system. She has a master's degree in exercise science, has worked for USA Cycling, and is a 6-time Masters National Champion.Renee Eastman bio: https://trainright.com/coaches/renee-eastman/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renee.eastman/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

Welcome to the Tour de France Femmes Podcast, from the producers of "The Time-Crunched Cyclist Podcast"CTS publishes daily Tour de France Femmes podcasts with Coaches Adam Pulford and Renee Eastman. They recap the stages, but the unique aspect of these podcasts will be coaching insights about how athletes prepare for the demands showcased in that day's stage. STAGE 6 PODCAST OVERVIEWStage 6 of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift featured a fantastic solo win by an emerging talent. Coaches Renee Eastman and Adam Pulford recap the stage and preview Friday's stage, and also answer listener questions about bike fit for female cyclists, including why women sometimes look like they're "wrestling the bike" more than male cyclists. For even more insights, they tapped CTS Coach Jane Marshall, a 4-time MTB National Champion and mother of 2, about the changes in bike fit after pregnancy and about whether "Mom Watts" are real or a myth.ASK A QUESTION FOR A FUTURE PODCASTGuest Contributor: Jane MarshallA two-time Collegiate and two-time US Masters National Champion in cross-country mountain biking and a mom to two children, Jane Marshall has been a coach with CTS since 2006. She has competed in and prepared athletes for some of the world's most challenging events. Bio: https://trainright.com/coaches/jane-rynbrandt-marshall/ Co-Host: Renee EastmanRenee Eastman is a CTS Premier Level Coach and has been coaching with the company for more than 20 years. She has been a professional bike fitter for 15 years and was one of the first fitters to use the Retül bike fit system. She has a master's degree in exercise science, has worked for USA Cycling, and is a 6-time Masters National Champion.Renee Eastman bio: https://trainright.com/coaches/renee-eastman/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renee.eastman/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

Welcome to the Tour de France Femmes Podcast, from the producers of "The Time-Crunched Cyclist Podcast"CTS publishes daily Tour de France Femmes podcasts with Coaches Adam Pulford and Renee Eastman. They recap the stages, but the unique aspect of these podcasts will be coaching insights about how athletes prepare for the demands showcased in that day's stage. STAGE 5 PODCAST OVERVIEWStage 5 of the 2025 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift saw a major shakeup in the General Classification, thanks to a significant climb and descent right before the finish. Coaches Renee Eastman and Adam Pulford recap the stage and they're joined by guest contributor Alison Tetrick, a retired World Tour rider, commentator for The Move podcast online and on Peacock, and a long-time CTS Athlete. Ali provides personal insights on the evolution of the Women's World Tour in terms of the salaries, support, and competitive level. For more on Alison, visit:https://www.alisontetrick.com/https://www.instagram.com/amtetrick/ASK A QUESTION FOR A FUTURE PODCASTCo-Host: Renee EastmanRenee Eastman is a CTS Premier Level Coach and has been coaching with the company for more than 20 years. She has been a professional bike fitter for 15 years and was one of the first fitters to use the Retül bike fit system. She has a master's degree in exercise science, has worked for USA Cycling, and is a 6-time Masters National Champion.Renee Eastman bio: https://trainright.com/coaches/renee-eastman/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renee.eastman/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