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.
Measuring fitness progress in endurance training requires identifying long-term patterns rather than reacting to single data points. A three-tiered framework categorizes benchmarks based on available tools and training structure. Tier one utilizes heart rate trends and Strava segments to track cardiac efficiency and re...
Easy running below the first lactate threshold (LT1) serves as the essential foundation for all endurance performance, driving critical physiological adaptations like mitochondrial biogenesis, improved fat oxidation, and increased capillary density. Many athletes mistakenly drift into moderate "steady state" efforts du...
Durability serves as the critical fourth variable in endurance training, bridging the gap between laboratory-measured metrics like VO2 max, lactate threshold, and running economy and the reality of long-distance racing. While traditional metrics reflect physiological capacity in a fresh state, durability represents the...
The longest training run for an ultramarathon is frequently misunderstood as a physiological requirement when it is actually a strategic decision. One "heroic" long run typically represents less than 5% of total training volume, and the resulting fatigue often compromises subsequent training weeks, making consistency a...
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