OVERVIEW
We all know recovery takes time, but how much time and what is going on internally while "recovery" is happening? How do factors like the duration and intensity of a workout affect the recovery process? What about nutrition and hydration during and after training, and finally, what about those fancy recovery tools and gadgets? Coach Adam Pulford breaks down the science of recovery, what's going on in your body that constitutes "recovery", and how long it's going to take based on your fitness level, the specifics of your workout, and more.

TOPICS COVERED

• Acute vs. Long-Term Recovery
• Timeline for post-workout recovery (Zero to 72 hours)
• Effects of intensity, duration, and frequency on recovery timeline
• Role of nutrition in recovery
• Hydration requirements during recovery
• Protein for acute recovery
• Keys to long-term recovery (weeks and months)

RESOURCES

• Science of Recovery & Timelines:
  • Nutrition and acute recovery
• Role of Carbohydrates in Recovery Timelines:
  • Carbohydrates for training and competition - PubMed
• Two-a-Day Training:
  • Benefits and Risks of Two-a-Day Training for Cyclists - CTS
• DOMs:
  • Delayed onset muscle soreness : treatment strategies and performance factors - PubMed

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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.

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OVERVIEW
Nathan Cusack is an emerging talent in road racing, having won his first European race in 2025, racing for Team USA at Tour de l'Avenir, and ending the season by signing on with EF Education-Aevolo. Nathan has been a CTS Athlete coached by Adam Pulford for four years, and as he makes his transition to the U23 Elite ranks and a top international development team, it's time to take a look at what it takes to go from Junior to Pro in cycling.

In Episode 281, Coach Adam Pulford and Nathan reveal the power numbers required to reach the podium in international U23 races, the progression of annual training hours required to go pro, and how the young rider learned the race craft necessary to win against the best in the world.

Topics Covered In This Episode:

• Nathan's start in road racing
• Progression of annual training hours from Junior to Pro
• Power outputs indicative of an emerging talent in road cycling
• What wins races: race craft vs. power output?
• How to learn race craft in the United States
• Joining EF Education-Aevolo

Resources

• Nathan Cusack on IG: https://www.instagram.com/nathancusack_/
• EF Education/Aevolo Announcement: https://www.efeducationaevolo.com/racing/new-rider-alert-nathan-cusack-steps-up-with-ef-education-aevolo/

Guest Bio:

Raised in the Washington D.C. area and progressing from cyclocross to road cycling as a teenager, Nathan Cusack rode for DC Velo as a junior and Kelly Benefits Cycling Team as a U23. The 20-year-old had a breakthrough season in 2025, securing his first European road racing victory in Spain, making his debut in the prestigious U23 race, Tour de l'Avenir, and ending the year with a well-deserved 2026 contract with EF Education-Aevolo.

Currently in his third year of studying at the University of Vermont, where he is pursuing a four-year degree in data science, he joins the EF Education-Aevolo team as a rider of genuine potential and a swift finisher.

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

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OVERVIEW
Cyclists rely on their sense of hearing more than you might imagine, to hear traffic coming, to communicate with fellow riders during group rides and races, to listen for gear shifts and labored breathing from competitors, and even to discern wind direction. Dmitry Rossoshansky doesn't hear any of that, nor does he hear your pleas for mercy when he's crushing it at the front!

In Episode #280 of "The Time-Crunched Cyclist Podcast", Dima and CTS Coach Adam Pulford, with the assistance of sign language interpreters Maureen Plonk and Courtney Szymanski, discuss navigating group rides and races as a deaf athlete and a teammate to hearing athletes, along with how he is training for the 2025 Deaflympics in Japan as a Time-Crunched Cyclist with a full-time job, a spouse, and a young daughter.

Note: The female voice you hear is Courtney interpreting as Dmitry communicates via sign language.

Topics Covered In This Episode:

• About the Deaflympics
• Navigating races and group rides without sound
• Training tools for hearing impaired athletes

Resources

• Donations to Deaflympic Cycling Team:
• Deaf Cycling Team IG:
• Deaflympics:
  • Cycling Schedule
• Dima's Instagram
• Paralympic Podcast with Jim Lehman

Guest Bio:

Dmitry Rossoshansky's journey as a cyclist began in 2018, inspired by a close friend and fueled by his passion for endurance sports. Cycling challenges his physical and mental limits, pushing him toward growth. Every race, every training session is a testament to the dedication he's poured into the sport. He is based in Hyattsville, MD. and currently races for the DC Velo Limited team, based in DC/MD/VA.

Notable Achievements:

• Participated in the Deaflympics 2022 in Caxias Do Sul, Brazil
• Participated in the World Championships 2024 in Swietokrzyskie, Poland
• 1st Place - MABRA Road Race Championship, Poolesville 2024

Dima aims to inspire others in the deaf community and show that no barrier is too great to overcome.

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

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Website: trainright.com
Instagram: @cts_trainright
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OVERVIEW
Creatine is one of the most researched supplements available, it's safe to consume, and it has been receiving renewed interest in endurance cycling. Although it's not incredibly useful for improving low-intensity aerobic performance, it can be beneficial for high-intensity efforts in training and competition, may have cognitive benefits and some recovery benefits. In "Time-Crunched Cyclist Podcast" style, Coach Adam Pulford provides the need-to-know information about creatine for endurance cyclists in this 18-minute episode.

TOPICS COVERED

• What creatine is and what it does in the body
• How much creatine athletes need and when to supplement
• What types of activity are enhanced by high levels of creatine in the muscles
• Creatine's influence on the brain: cognition and concussion recovery
• Drawbacks to creatine supplementation
• Creatine for vegan and vegetarian athletes

RESOURCES

• Examine: Creatine Summary https://examine.com/supplements/creatine/
• Asker Jeukendrup: Does creatine help or hinder endurance performance?
• Creatine does not improve aerobic performance: Effects of Creatine Monohydrate on Endurance Performance in a Trained Population: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis - PubMed
• Creatine may improve anaerobic capacity & dosing suggestions: Creatine for Exercise and Sports Performance, with Recovery Considerations for Healthy Populations - PMC
• Creatine benefiting vegans and vegetarians: Creatine Supplementation Beyond Athletics: Benefits of Different Types of Creatine for Women, Vegans, and Clinical Populations-A Narrative Review - PubMed

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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

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In 2025, Christopher Blevins won 9 UCI World Cup races and was the first American Male to earn the UCI Men’s World Cup Overall Championship in 34 years. He raced for Team USA at the 2020 (held in 2021) and 2024 Olympic Games and won the inaugural UCI Short Track MTB World Championship in 2021. Before any of those accomplishments, in the summer of 2021, Blevins was an early guest on this podcast. We're revisiting that conversation in Episode 278 of "The Time-Crunched Cyclist Podcast" to showcase the wisdom, work ethic, and authenticity he exhibited as a young athlete on the precipice of becoming one of the best athletes in the world.

Episode Highlights:

• How BMX training translated to racing MTB and on the road
• The influence of Durango Devo and mentors at Hagens Berman Axeon
• Making the transition from Junior to U23 to Pro
• Starting to work with Coach Jim Miller in 2019
• Seeking balance off the bike with poetry and music

Guest Bio – Christopher Blevins:

With a background in BMX, Cyclocross, and Road Racing, Christopher Blevins developed into a MTB World Champion, World Cup Champion, and 2-time Olympian. In 2021, he made history by winning the inaugural XCC World Championship. Riding for Specialized Factory Racing, Blevins is known for his technical brilliance, tactical intelligence, and clutch sprint finishes. In 2025, he won 9 UCI World Cup races and was the first American Male to earn the UCI Men’s World Cup Overall Championship in 34 years. Off the bike, he’s a poet, advocate, and inspiration to many, using his platform to grow the sport and empower the next generation of cyclists.

Read More About Christopher Blevins:

Website: https://usacycling.org/athlete/christopher-blevins

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christopherblevs

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/19o8lsgMX0NLiGHPfbgOud

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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

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Website: trainright.com
Instagram: @cts_trainright
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OVERVIEW
Can AI optimize your training by determining if you should do more or fewer intervals than prescribed today? Artificial Intelligence can do a lot of things, but it's not great (yet) at advising changes to your workouts in real time. Coach Adam Pulford details the factors he considers when deciding to scale up, maintain, or scale down an athlete's daily training. More important, he teaches you how to evaluate your workout in real time.

TOPICS COVERED

• What makes up a good training plan and process?
• Factors to consider when deciding to change workouts in real time
• How to make changes when you feel great
• How to make changes when you feel bad

RESOURCES

• Tim Cusick: Periodization, Training Modalities, And Getting Your Training Rhythm Right - CTS
• How to Use Data to Make Better Training Decisions, with Tim Cusick - Fast Talk Laboratories
• Intensive vs Extensive Training Concepts:
  • How to Get Faster with "Intensive" and "Extensive" Cycling Workouts
• Interval Training: Knowing When Enough is Enough - CTS
• WKO5 and the Annual Training Process, Part 1: Early Base Extensive Aerobic Development

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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

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

OVERVIEW
Timed-segment racing might be your new favorite competition format! Coach Adam Pulford and CTS Athlete Camilo Lopez discuss their experiences at Gran Fondo Maryland, which featured five timed-segments rather than a start-to-finish competition format. They reveal the key differences in effort level, physical demands, strategies, cycling skills, and even nutrition and pacing between timed-segment racing and start-to-finish racing.

NOTE: The 2026 Gran Fondo National Series Calendar is live and registration is open for all six of their annual events, including the 2026 Gran Fondo National Championships.

Topics Covered In This Episode:

• Demands of timed-segment racing
• Demands of traditional start-to-finish racing
• Race-winning strategies for timed-segment competitions
• Why timed-segment races are more inclusive for many riders
• Training for success in timed-segment racing
• Training for success in traditional start-to-finish racing

Resources

• Gran Fondo National Series: granfondonationalseries.com
• Gran Fondue: BDF Grand Fondue | Dirty Kitten Gravel
• TCC Durability Podcast

Guest Bio:

Camilo Lopez is an accomplished cyclist and triathlete and winner of the 2025 Gran Fondo Maryland Gran Route competition. He is a CTS Athlete coached by Adam Pulford.

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

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Join our weekly newsletter

CONNECT WITH CTS

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

OVERVIEW
The end of the summer cycling season is the best time to leverage a season's worth of fitness and training without the pressure of upcoming goals. It's the time when you can go have epic adventures, work on performance limiters, go hunting for Strava PRs and KOM/QOMs, complete end-of-season performance tests, and much more. Coach Adam Pulford helps you decide whether to take a break (some people need it, others don't), and how to make the most of the days when the weather is still warm and there's still abundant daylight.

TOPICS COVERED

• What to do if you still have energy and motivation
• How to tell if you need time off instead of pushing through
• Examples of late-season training challenges and adventures

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RESOURCES

• Podcast: Different Types of Field Testing
• Training Limiters

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