How Elite Western States Ultrarunners Train Without Gimmicks

How Elite Western States Ultrarunners Train Without Gimmicks

When people look at elite Western States athletes, they often assume they're doing something fundamentally different. The reality is much simpler. In this episode, CTS Coaching Director Cliff Pittman breaks down the universal training principles that guide every successful Western States build and explains why elite athletes aren't following different rules, they're simply applying the same rules at a different scale. We discuss specificity, progressive overload, periodization, individuality, durability, heat adaptation, fueling, terrain preparation, and night running. Whether you're racing for the podium or chasing a silver buckle, the framework is the same. HOST Cliff Pittman is the Coaching Development Director at CTS, leading the Ultrarunning and Cycling Coaching staff with a specialty in guiding athletes from first-time ultrarunners to elite competitors at races like Western States 100, Leadville 100, and the Triple Crown of 200s. A competitive trail and ultra athlete himself, Cliff brings firsthand experience and a rare ability to turn complex training science into simple, actionable coaching. Free Ultrarunning Training Assessment: https://trainright.com/ultrarunning-training-assessment-welcome/ [https://trainright.com/ultrarunning-training-assessment-welcome/] Interested in working with a coach? Schedule a free consult: https://trainright.com/coaching/ultrarunning/ [https://trainright.com/coaching/ultrarunning/] Self-coached athlete? Check out our TrainRight Membership: https://trainright.com/membership/ [https://trainright.com/membership/] Find more free resources here: https://trainright.com/blog/ [https://trainright.com/blog/]

Most Ultrarunners Aren't Eating Enough

The biggest nutritional challenge facing ultrarunners is not carbohydrates, supplements, hydration, or meal timing. It's eating enough. In this episode, CTS Coaching Director Cliff Pittman breaks down the International Society of Sports Nutrition's position on ultrarunning nutrition, one of the largest reviews of ultrarunning nutrition ever published. We discuss caloric intake, carbohydrate recommendations, ketogenic diets, train-low strategies, gut training, hydration, and the practical takeaways athletes can apply immediately to improve performance and recovery. The message from nearly 200 studies is surprisingly simple: get the fundamentals right before chasing advanced nutrition strategies. HOST Cliff Pittman is the Coaching Development Director at CTS, leading the Ultrarunning and Cycling Coaching staff with a specialty in guiding athletes from first-time ultrarunners to elite competitors at races like Western States 100, Leadville 100, and the Triple Crown of 200s. A competitive trail and ultra athlete himself, Cliff brings firsthand experience and a rare ability to turn complex training science into simple, actionable coaching. Free Ultrarunning Training Assessment: https://trainright.com/ultrarunning-training-assessment-welcome/ [https://trainright.com/ultrarunning-training-assessment-welcome/] Interested in working with a coach? Schedule a free consult: https://trainright.com/coaching/ultrarunning/ [https://trainright.com/coaching/ultrarunning/] Self-coached athlete? Check out our TrainRight Membership: https://trainright.com/membership/ [https://trainright.com/membership/] Find more free resources here: https://trainright.com/blog/ [https://trainright.com/blog/]

The Smarter Way to Heat Train for Western States

Heat acclimation can be a powerful tool for ultrarunners, but more isn't always better. In this episode, CTS Coach Cliff Pittman breaks down what the research actually says about heat adaptation and why many athletes are accumulating unnecessary fatigue in pursuit of marginal gains. We cover plasma volume expansion, passive heat exposure, sauna protocols, hot water immersion, taper timing, and the minimum effective dose needed to arrive at race day prepared without compromising fitness. Fitness remains the primary adaptation. Heat training should support it, not replace it. HOST Cliff Pittman is the Coaching Development Director at CTS, leading the Ultrarunning and Cycling Coaching staff with a specialty in guiding athletes from first-time ultrarunners to elite competitors at races like Western States 100, Leadville 100, and the Triple Crown of 200s. A competitive trail and ultra athlete himself, Cliff brings firsthand experience and a rare ability to turn complex training science into simple, actionable coaching. Free Ultrarunning Training Assessment: https://trainright.com/ultrarunning-training-assessment-welcome/ [https://trainright.com/ultrarunning-training-assessment-welcome/] Running Pace and Heart Rate Training Zones Calculator: https://trainright.com/running-pace-and-heart-rate-zone-calculator/ [https://trainright.com/running-pace-and-heart-rate-zone-calculator/] Interested in working with a coach? Schedule a free consult: https://trainright.com/coaching/ultrarunning/ [https://trainright.com/coaching/ultrarunning/] Self-coached athlete? Check out our TrainRight Membership: https://trainright.com/membership/ [https://trainright.com/membership/] Find more free resources here: https://trainright.com/blog/ [https://trainright.com/blog/] Sources: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/sms.12638 [https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/sms.12638] https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2019.01080/full [https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2019.01080/full] https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/ajpregu.00315.2021 [https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/ajpregu.00315.2021] https://www.jsams.org/article/S1440-2440(06)00139-3/abstract [https://www.jsams.org/article/S1440-2440(06)00139-3/abstract]

What Marathoners Get Wrong About Ultramarathons

The transition from marathon to ultramarathon is more nuanced than simply running longer. In this episode, CTS Coach Cliff Pittman breaks down the biggest differences between marathon and ultra training, and what athletes actually need to change when making the jump. We cover terrain, pacing, fueling, durability, gear, mental resilience, and the “Minimum Effective Change” model used while helping Olympic medalist Molly Seidel transition into trail ultrarunning. HOST Cliff Pittman is the Coaching Development Director at CTS, leading the Ultrarunning and Cycling Coaching staff with a specialty in guiding athletes from first-time ultrarunners to elite competitors at races like Western States 100, Leadville 100, and the Triple Crown of 200s. A competitive trail and ultra athlete himself, Cliff brings firsthand experience and a rare ability to turn complex training science into simple, actionable coaching. Free Ultrarunning Training Assessment: https://trainright.com/ultrarunning-training-assessment-welcome/ [https://trainright.com/ultrarunning-training-assessment-welcome/] Running Pace and Heart Rate Training Zones Calculator: https://trainright.com/running-pace-and-heart-rate-zone-calculator/ [https://trainright.com/running-pace-and-heart-rate-zone-calculator/] Interested in working with a coach? Schedule a free consult: https://trainright.com/coaching/ultrarunning/ [https://trainright.com/coaching/ultrarunning/] Self-coached athlete? Check out our TrainRight Membership: https://trainright.com/membership/ [https://trainright.com/membership/] Find more free resources here: https://trainright.com/blog/ [https://trainright.com/blog/]

How to Know If Your Endurance Is Actually Improving

Fitness progress is often hard to recognize and frustrating to “track”. In this episode, CTS Coach Cliff Pittman breaks down the most reliable ways to measure endurance improvement and how those benchmarks change depending on your level of structure and available tools. We cover easy run heart rate trends, Strava segments, interval repeatability, threshold testing, and why patterns over time matter far more than isolated data points. HOST Cliff Pittman is the Coaching Development Director at CTS, leading the Ultrarunning and Cycling Coaching staff with a specialty in guiding athletes from first-time ultrarunners to elite competitors at races like Western States 100, Leadville 100, and the Triple Crown of 200s. A competitive trail and ultra athlete himself, Cliff brings firsthand experience and a rare ability to turn complex training science into simple, actionable coaching. Free Ultrarunning Training Assessment: https://trainright.com/ultrarunning-training-assessment-welcome/ [https://trainright.com/ultrarunning-training-assessment-welcome/] Running Pace and Heart Rate Training Zones Calculator: https://trainright.com/running-pace-and-heart-rate-zone-calculator/ [https://trainright.com/running-pace-and-heart-rate-zone-calculator/] Interested in working with a coach? Schedule a free consult: https://trainright.com/coaching/ultrarunning/ [https://trainright.com/coaching/ultrarunning/] Self-coached athlete? Check out our TrainRight Membership: https://trainright.com/membership/ [https://trainright.com/membership/] Find more free resources here: https://trainright.com/blog/ [https://trainright.com/blog/]