CTS Ultrarunning Podcast

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/]

Why Easy Running Is the Foundation of Endurance Performance

Easy running is often misunderstood, underappreciated, or done too hard. In this episode, CTS Coach Cliff Pittman breaks down what easy running actually does physiologically and why it forms the foundation of endurance performance. 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/]

Three Zones vs Five Zones: What Ultrarunners Actually Need to Know

Training zones are often presented as precise and complex, but the underlying physiology is far simpler. In this episode, CTS Coach Cliff Pittman explains the origin of training zones, why three zones reflect the true physiological model, and how five zones are used as a practical tool for structuring training. We also cover how to determine your own zones, why labels differ across platforms, and how to apply this framework to real-world ultrarunning. The takeaway is clear: it’s not about how many zones you use, it’s about how you distribute your effort. Free Ultrarunning Training Assessment: https://trainright.com/ultrarunning-training-assessment-welcome/ [https://trainright.com/ultrarunning-training-assessment-welcome/] 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. 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/]

DIY Training Camps: The Missing Piece in Your Ultra Prep

Training fresh is the easy part. What happens under fatigue is everything. In this episode, CTS Coach Cliff Pittman explains how DIY training camps can bridge that gap by simulating the physical and psychological demands of late-race conditions. We cover how to structure a 2-3 day training block, when to schedule it, and how to balance stimulus with recovery so you gain meaningful adaptation without unnecessary risk. Free Ultrarunning Training Assessment: https://trainright.com/ultrarunning-training-assessment-welcome/ [https://trainright.com/ultrarunning-training-assessment-welcome/] 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. 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/]

Weighted Vests, Circuits, and the Truth About Muscular Endurance

Shortcuts disguised as ways to build muscular endurance, like weighted vest hikes and fatigue circuits, often add stress without meaningful adaptation. In this video, CTS Coach Cliff Pittman breaks down what muscular endurance actually is in ultrarunning and why imitation is not the same as specificity. We cover what the research supports and what does not transfer. The takeaway is simple: focus on the work that actually drives adaptation, because these so-called shortcuts do not just fall short, they add fatigue, increase injury risk, and take time away from what matters most. Free Ultrarunning Training Assessment: https://trainright.com/ultrarunning-training-assessment-welcome/ [https://trainright.com/ultrarunning-training-assessment-welcome/] 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. 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/] Resources: * https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39330706/ [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39330706/] * https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38165636/ [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38165636/] * https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21615190/ [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21615190/]