Cts

I've been with CTS since early August and now swear by it. I've been an avid cyclist for about 4 years now and was putting in about 100-150 miles per week, however, my workouts were predominately on the weekends and did not have any real purpose except to go as hard as I could for as long as I could. My problem was the same as most other people. I work full time during the week and have a family (wife/3kids). I gave this information to my coach and he put me on a program. Now I'm working out 6 days a week. My workouts on Tuesday-Thursday are only about 45-75 minutes long. Friday-Sunday, I'm going on longer rides, but nowhere as long as I was (on the weekends) prior to CTS. What's great is that there's no brainwork on my part. My weekly workouts are spelled out for me and every one of my workouts now has an objective that I must meet (Muscle Tension intervals, Fast Pedal intervals, Power Starts, etc.). As I stated, my workouts don't seem to be as intense as before, but when I put everything together, I seem to a much better cyclist. When I ride with my local group (which, at this point in my training, is not terribly often), I find myself at the front and challenging in the sprints where as before. I've actually outsprinted friends who used to regularly beat me by simply by increasing my cadence. I'm very motivated and plan to start racing this March. Here's the deal, though...I don't know if the difference is the content of the training program, or the fact that I'm now paying someone to tell me exactly how to work out, which makes me feel that I have to stay on the bike (otherwise I'm wasting my money). Either way, I'm happy with the results. One more note, mid September, I rode an organized 50 mile fun ride. I had riddden the ride twice prior and this time I took nearly 15 minutes off my previous best time. That really doesn't mean anything because that could be a result of avoiding traffic, however, my riding partner and I hit the mountains at exactly the same time and I ended up beating him to the finish by over 10 minutes. In fact, he later told me that he attempted to match my pace up the mountains, but gave up because I kept getting smaller and smaller in the distance. This is a guy who has been riding for over 20 years, used to race and who I previously could not drop. I hope this information is useful to you.

Why not have a look at the coaching options the forum sponsor offers. At RST we offer a variety of coaching packages with four different levels of coaching service, and 3 coaches. please visit us at www.cyclecoach.com or give me an email at [email hidden]

cheers
ric

thomaswilcox said:

Has anyone used Carmichael Training System? I am considering trying it out and was wondering if anyone has any feedback.

Can't say I had the same good experience with CTS. I think it greatly depends on the package you purchase. I too work long hours, and the training program given to me was just a "stock" program that could not work for me (e.g. 2.5 hour ride in the middle of the week). My assigned coach changed 3 times over the course of the 4 month package. None of my coaches had a cycling background, and most were right out of college, so I don't think they could really relate to someone who works fifty hours a week.

Like I said, I'm sure the expensive packages are totally different. I went with a cheap one. With the pricier packages, you get better qualified coaches and a program that is more tailored.

thomaswilcox said:

Has anyone used Carmichael Training System? I am considering trying it out and was wondering if anyone has any feedback.

I have used CTS for a few seasons, in fact Chris Charmichael was my coach in 2000. I really like the way the system works. It builds systematically, and really has you ready when race season arrives. I don't know how the cheap programs work, but the Signature and Select programs work well ($99 and $149 per month US$). Most people are not objective enough to be their own coach, even people who have years of experience. Any kind of coach will be helpful!

Good Luck!

I've used CTS for about a year and a quarter, and my experience has been positive. I've got the Signature package ($99/mo "list", but with a USCF license there is a 25% discount) and have had the same coach the entire time. The main advantages (which I believe will be the same with any competent coach) are: having someone with more knowledge tell you what workouts to do, instead of making up your own; better fitness in less riding time (I'm probably faster now riding 9000 miles annually than I was when I made up my own training and rode 10-11,000 miles annually); reporting back to a coach makes you do the workouts you need to do, rather than the ones you might enjoy more. My coach has always adjusted the schedule whenever I told him that a trip, family event, medical tests, etc. changed my availability for a week, and along with a lot of e-mailing, we talk on the phone every couple of weeks. With the Signature package the coach reviews and updates your schedule twice a month, with the Select package he/she reviews and adjusts weekly.