The Time-Crunched Cyclist Podcast by CTS cover art

The Time-Crunched Cyclist Podcast by CTS

The Time-Crunched Cyclist Podcast by CTS

By: CTS
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About this listen

Coach Adam Pulford delivers actionable training advice and answers your questions in short weekly episodes for time-crunched cyclists looking to improve their cycling performance. The Time-Crunched Cyclist Podcast (formerly The TrainRight Podcast) is brought to you by the team at CTS - the leading endurance coaching company since 2000. Coach Adam pulls from over a decade of coaching experience and the collective knowledge of over 50+ CTS Coaches to help you cut throught the noise of training information and implement proven training strategies that’ll take your performance to the next level.

© 2025 The Time-Crunched Cyclist Podcast by CTS
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Episodes
  • How Quickly Can VO2 max Increase in Cyclists? with Tim Cusick (#285)
    Dec 17 2025

    OVERVIEW
    VO2 max or maximum aerobic capacity is your performance ceiling, but it is trainable and you can not only increase your VO2 max, but also the power you can produce at VO2 max, how long you can sustain that power, and the amount of work you can accomplish between lactate threshold and VO2 max. In Episode #285 of "The Time-Crunched Cyclist Podcast", coaches Adam Pulford and Basecamp's Tim Cusick discuss how VO2 max training works, the workout specifics necessary to increase VO2 max, and how to turn training into speed for real-world performance.

    Topics Covered In This Episode:

    • How VO2 max responds to training
    • The relationship between lactate threshold, FTP, and VO2 max
    • What to expect after 1-2 weeks of VO2 max training
    • What to expect after 2-4 weeks and 4-8 weeks of VO2 max training
    • How to know when you've done enough VO2 max training
    • VO2 max workout structure: interval duration, total time-in-zone, frequency

    Resources

    • Tim at Basecamp: https://www.joinbasecamp.com/tim-cusick
    • Tim on IG https://www.instagram.com/tim.cusick_coach/
    • Stress vs Strain: Difference Between Stress and Strain - GeeksforGeeks https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/physics/difference-between-stress-and-strain/

    Guest Bio:

    Tim Cusick is a world-class cycling coach, a leader in data analytics for endurance sports, an educator, and an innovative business leader. Tim works with Olympians, world champions, and more, including Amber Neben and Rebecca Rusch. As a data analytics leader, Tim is an acknowledged expert in the field for endurance athletes. He is the TrainingPeaks WKO product leader,
    codeveloper of WKO5, and Instructor: Advanced Training with Data. As an educator, Tim has presented at USA Cycling summits, TrainingPeaks Endurance Summits, TrainingPeaks University, and more. Tim is also the founder of BaseCamp, which is driven by Tim’s philosophy of bringing together the science of data and the art of coaching. His values-based approach focusing on shared vision and team building allows for the construction of dynamic and purposeful organization development.

    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.

    Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform

    GET FREE TRAINING CONTENT

    Join our weekly newsletter

    CONNECT WITH CTS

    Website: trainright.com
    Instagram: @cts_trainright
    Twitter: @trainright
    Facebook: @CTSAthlete

    Show More Show Less
    43 mins
  • How Quickly Can Cyclists Increase Functional Threshold Power (FTP), with Tim Cusick (#284)
    Dec 10 2025

    OVERVIEW
    Following their episode on aerobic training, CTS Coach Adam Pulford and Tim Cusick (Head Coach at Basecamp and TrainingPeaks WKO Product Leader) dig into Functional Threshold Power (FTP) training in Episode #284 of "The Time-Crunched Cyclist Podcast". This is one of the clearest, accessible, and practical explanations of FTP training you'll ever hear. They talk about what's happening in your body, how long each phase of FTP training should take, what interval durations/frequencies/intensities to use, and what adaptations to expect if you're a relative beginner cyclist or a very experienced athlete.

    Topics Covered In This Episode:

    • You are not your FTP!
    • What's happening in the first 2-4 weeks of FTP Training?
    • What you'll feel after 2-4 weeks of FTP Training
    • What's happening 4-8 weeks into FTP Training?
    • Diminishing returns after 10-12 weeks of FTP Training
    • Training intensity ranges for FTP workouts
    • Recommended durations for FTP intervals
    • Frequency of FTP Workouts per week

    Resources

    • Tim at Basecamp: https://www.joinbasecamp.com/tim-cusick
    • Tim on IG https://www.instagram.com/tim.cusick_coach/
    • Stress vs Strain: Difference Between Stress and Strain - GeeksforGeeks https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/physics/difference-between-stress-and-strain/

    Guest Bio:

    Tim Cusick is a world-class cycling coach, a leader in data analytics for endurance sports, an educator, and an innovative business leader. Tim works with Olympians, world champions, and more, including Amber Neben and Rebecca Rusch. As a data analytics leader, Tim is an acknowledged expert in the field for endurance athletes. He is the TrainingPeaks WKO product leader,
    codeveloper of WKO5, and Instructor: Advanced Training with Data. As an educator, Tim has presented at USA Cycling summits, TrainingPeaks Endurance Summits, TrainingPeaks University, and more. Tim is also the founder of BaseCamp, which is driven by Tim’s philosophy of bringing together the science of data and the art of coaching. His values-based approach focusing on shared vision and team building allows for the construction of dynamic and purposeful organization development.

    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.

    Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform

    GET FREE TRAINING CONTENT

    Join our weekly newsletter

    CONNECT WITH CTS

    Website: trainright.com
    Instagram: @cts_trainright
    Twitter: @trainright
    Facebook: @CTSAthlete

    Show More Show Less
    39 mins
  • How Quickly Can Aerobic Training Make You Fast, with Tim Cusick (#283)
    Dec 3 2025

    OVERVIEW
    "How long is this going to take?!" Everyone wants to know how long it takes for the training you do today to result in performance improvements you can see and feel on the road or trail. To find out, we called upon Tim Cusick, an elite coach and one of the data gurus behind TrainingPeaks WKO product. Together, Coach Adam Pulford and Tim explain how training stress leads to physiological strain, which causes fatigue and then adaptation. In this episode they look specifically at how quickly aerobic training results in measurable improvements in VO2 max, along with improvements in neuromuscular and metabolic processes.

    Topics Covered In This Episode:

    • Stress vs. Strain
    • Two responses to training
    • Neural vs metabolic vs cardiovascular adaptations to training
    • Time to adaptation for aerobic system
    • How VO2 max increases from Zone 2 training
    • Why Time-Crunched Cyclists need some intensity during base training
    • Cadence workouts during base training

    Resources

    • Tim at Basecamp: https://www.joinbasecamp.com/tim-cusick
    • Tim on IG https://www.instagram.com/tim.cusick_coach/
    • Stress vs Strain: Difference Between Stress and Strain - GeeksforGeeks https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/physics/difference-between-stress-and-strain/

    Guest Bio:

    Tim Cusick is a world-class cycling coach, a leader in data analytics for endurance sports, an educator, and an innovative business leader. Tim works with Olympians, world champions, and more, including Amber Neben and Rebecca Rusch. As a data analytics leader, Tim is an acknowledged expert in the field for endurance athletes. He is the TrainingPeaks WKO product leader,
    codeveloper of WKO5, and Instructor: Advanced Training with Data. As an educator, Tim has presented at USA Cycling summits, TrainingPeaks Endurance Summits, TrainingPeaks University, and more. Tim is also the founder of BaseCamp, which is driven by Tim’s philosophy of bringing together the science of data and the art of coaching. His values-based approach focusing on shared vision and team building allows for the construction of dynamic and purposeful organization development.

    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.

    Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform

    GET FREE TRAINING CONTENT

    Join our weekly newsletter

    CONNECT WITH CTS

    Website: trainright.com
    Instagram: @cts_trainright
    Twitter: @trainright
    Facebook: @CTSAthlete

    Show More Show Less
    49 mins
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