Whether you're lining up for your first trail 50K or chasing a buckle at the Western States 100, the CTS Ultrarunning Podcast delivers the science-backed, evidence-based training guidance you need to run farther, recover smarter, and race better. Hosted by Cliff Pittman, Coaching Development Director at CTS, this podcast brings over 25 years of elite coaching expertise directly to your earbuds. Cliff is a UESCA-certified Ultrarunning Coach and Sports Nutritionist, NASM-certified personal trainer, and an accomplished trail and ultra athlete himself, actively competing in his home state of Arkansas. He has guided athletes through some of the most demanding events in the sport, including the Western States 100, Leadville 100, Cocodona 250, UTMB, the Triple Crown of 200s, and the Sky Running World Championships, and has worked with notable athletes including Olympic marathoner Molly Seidel and elite ultrarunners Zoe Rom and Hannah Allgood. Cliff's coaching philosophy is simple: training can be complex, but it doesn't have to be overwhelming. Each episode translates cutting-edge sports science and decades of real-world coaching experience into clear, actionable strategies that athletes at every level can understand and apply. From endurance nutrition and fueling to strength training, periodization, and race-day execution, Cliff distills the collective knowledge of the CTS coaching group to help you improve your performance. CTS was founded by legendary coach Chris Carmichael and has spent more than 25 years developing champions across endurance sports. The CTS coaching methodology is rooted in individualized, science-driven training: the same approach that has taken athletes to podiums around the world now comes to the trail and ultrarunning community through this podcast. Tune in for no-hype conversations grounded in research and experience.
The decision to transition from running to hiking in ultrarunning relies on a complex interplay of physiology and mechanics rather than a universal grade percentage. While common advice suggests a fixed cutoff—often around 10%—research confirms that no such number applies to every athlete or course. Instead, the optima...
Downhill running represents a mechanical durability challenge rather than an aerobic one, as it relies on eccentric muscle contractions that differ fundamentally from the concentric work used in flat or uphill running. Gravity-driven acceleration forces quadriceps to act as brakes, causing cellular microtrauma that oft...
Elite endurance performance relies on individualized fueling strategies that evolve through data-driven testing and real-time adjustments. Sports scientist Emily Arrell emphasizes that athletes should prioritize measuring sweat sodium concentration and sweat rates to create precise hydration plans rather than blindly m...
Recovery methods in endurance sports are often driven by marketing rather than scientific evidence, leading athletes to prioritize expensive, ineffective interventions over fundamental performance drivers. Sleep, nutrition, hydration, and training load management constitute the "S-tier" of recovery, serving as non-nego...
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