CTS Ultrarunning

Think you’re losing fitness during your taper? 📉

One of the biggest mistakes athletes make before race day is mistaking reduced training for reduced fitness. In reality, by the time your taper begins, the window for building new fitness has largely closed. What you’re managing now is fatigue.

The research is remarkably consistent: a well-executed taper can improve performance by 2–3%, making it one of the most effective performance tools available.

In Part 1 of this two-part series, Coach Cliff Pittman breaks down the science behind tapering, why so many athletes get it wrong, and what the research actually recommends before race day.

Watch the full video on our YouTube channel. Link in bio.

Is there a winning system within elite coaching?

Well maybe… just not the one people may think 🤔

It’s not a secret workout, a proprietary protocol, or one coach with all the answers. It’s a coaching philosophy that can be applied consistently across different coaches, different athletes, and different goals.

At CTS, that philosophy is built on three pillars: genuine coach-athlete relationships, evidence-based training, and using data to inform decisions.

Whether you’re training for your first 50K or racing for a Western States podium, those principles don’t change. The workouts, volume, and race strategy will look different for every athlete, but the framework behind them stays the same.

In our newest YouTube video, Cliff Pittman explains the philosophy behind this year’s Western States results and why it’s the same approach our coaches use with every athlete we work with.

Watch the full conversation on our YouTube channel. Link in bio 🔗

There are a lot of things that get you through the final 38 miles of 100…

Months of training.
A great crew.
Belief in the process.
...and sometimes, the right song at the right time. 🎶

This is what was playing from Foresthill to the finish line during Hannah’s Top 10 run at Western States.

Western States may be over, but for many runners, Leadville Trail 100, Javelina Jundred, and fall races are just getting started.

If you’ve ever thought, “I’d love to run 100 miles... I just don’t have the time,” this is for you.

Training for a 100 miler isn’t about squeezing in the biggest mileage weeks possible. It’s about consistently hitting the minimum training load that prepares your body for race day and making every hour count. Here’s the framework👇🏻

🏃 50K-50 Mile: 6 hours/week for 3 key weeks
🏃‍♂️ 100K-100 Mile: 9 hours/week for 6 key weeks

And one more thing: stop obsessing over weekly mileage! On trails, time on your feet is often a much better measure of training than miles on your watch.

Watch the full video on our YouTube channel, linked in bio 🔗

The vibes are high as .ryan comes through mile 94.3 in 3rd place 🔥

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