Chris Carmichael: where the man and legend meet

The word cycling starts with a C because of Chris Carmichael, the double C'd and the doubly cycling man.

Current cycling and its improvements regarding performance and health have a ramping History in which Chris Carmichael shows up in his own right to prove why he is one of the most relevant builders of such a History.

Chris Carmichael walked first, and talked later. And how.

He was part of the USofA roster in the 1984 Olympics. He was one of the members of the mythical Team 7-Eleven which was the very first team from the USofA riding the Tour de France.?

Chris Carmichaeldecided to enlarge his contribution to cycling by coaching people. In 1992, he became the U.S. cycling team coach for the 1992 Olympics. He spread out his labor to contribute to making life easier for those affected by diabetes when joining his efforts to theAmerican Diabetes Association.

His work as a coach put his results on top of many praiseworthy events, which would lead him to launch Carmichael Training Systems for runners and cyclists. Twenty-five years in the making have allowed Chris Carmichael to provide health, performance, and a motto to countless athletes, and aficionados.

This includes names such as Lance Armstrong and George Hincapie, just to illustrate this.

Listing all the achievements, rewards, honors, highlights, and books of Chris Carmichael is something that would exceed LinkedIn's maximum article extension and my typing capabilities.

Find how Chris Carmichael discloses himself right below.

1.- You were a pro cyclist at the highest level. What did you live/detect/think that pushed you to become a coach?

I got into coaching after I suffered a serious injury that ultimately ended my pro racing career. It was a bad compound fracture of my femur in multiple places and after the surgery, I lost about 1 inch of length in my femur.

This, of course, isn't a good thing for a professional cyclist.?At the end of the racing season in 1989, my contract wasn't renewed, and, based on my lack of solid performances after breaking my leg, no other pro team was interested in signing me, which I expected.

I had been a bike racer since I was nine years old and had?given it all of my focus as an adult,?so without racing I didn't have much to fall back upon.??I was definitely feeling a bit lost.

Then, I got a telephone call from Bill Woodul, a legendary figure in American cycling who gave me my very first job in cycling back in 1974 at Dade Cycle in Coconut Grove, Florida.?My job at 14 years old had been sweeping up, fixing flat tires, and doing whatever Bill asked me to do. I would walk there after school and loved the cool Italian racing bikes, learning how to repair bikes, and all the energy of the wild collection of people who worked at Dade Cycle back then.?

Bill said something like, "Kid, it’s Woodul and the Feds (United States Cycling Federation) are interested in having you help out coaching some young development riders at the OTC in Colorado Springs." ?I wasn't sure that would interest me but I said, "Sure, have the head coach give me a call." Shortly thereafter, Jiri Mainus, the National Coaching Director for the US Cycling Team called me and we had a nice conversation.

Jiri was a cool, unique guy, a former elite bike racer from Czechoslovakia who won the Milk Race and other big international races back in the time of the Soviet Union, Iron Curtain, and Cold War.

I called my father, who didn’t have a background in racing, for advice and he said, "Son, I don't know much about cycling but it seems to me that you have a PhD in bike racing and working for a credible organization like the US Cycling Federation would help introduce to you working in a large organization, so you will learn along the way and you have a deep knowledge base to draw from."

So, I followed my father's advice and dove into coaching at the OTC in Colorado Springs. I loved it right away and felt I had a good aptitude for it. I found I could communicate well with the young cyclists I was working with. It was one of the best decisions I ever made in my life.??I like to believe that I?was a better coach than I was an athlete.

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2.- What a pro cyclist did at the time for training, eating, and resting before the development of physiological knowledge? ?

I participated in my first bike race in 1969 at 9 years old, so I have witnessed plenty of changes in cycling over the last 50+ years. Yes, how pro cyclists train has evolved over the years.

Back when I was a pro cyclist we would mainly focus on training volume with high intensity sprinkled during a long endurance ride.? The normal training volume was 15-25 hours per week.? At training camps, we would push out the training volume more with motor pacing for greater intensity.

Most of the riding would be considered zone 2 but we would fall into a hard pacing line for 5-10kms coming into a town or some specific motor-pacing sessions in our training rides.?So the whole 80-20% training concept was generally what we did and long before it was popularized.

We would race 60-90 races per year, perhaps it was too much racing with too little recovery between but that was what it was like back then.??We also rode and trained outside, indoor cycling wasn't much of an option then, so we trained in all weather conditions and this honed our bike handling skills in real-life conditions.

The basis of sports science has not changed, though. The biggest difference is that now we have new technology and better monitoring devices, software, and measuring devices. We can accurately measure key aspects of performance, like training load, nutritional intake/usage, and a long list of biomarkers.

This has informed new training strategies which hopefully lead to better physiological development. For example, it has been long known that carbohydrates are critical for endurance performance. The basis of this science has been long established but in practice elite athletes and coaches have pushed the envelope to a greater extent than in the 1980-1990s.

Twenty years ago the standard guidelines used for elite cyclists was 60-80 grams of carbohydrate per hour during competition. Now, with some reformulation of the glucose-fructose ratio within sports nutrition products, the norm is 100-120 grams of carbohydrate per hour during pro racing. We learned that by slowly increasing carbohydrate ingestion during normal training, athletes can "train their gut" to increase the absorption and usage of carbohydrates without problems with absorption, usage, and GI upset.

These strategies are influencing nutrition strategies for amateur athletes as well. Not everyone needs extreme carbohydrate intakes based on the intensity of their events, but the concept of carbohydrate-first feeding during training and competition is helping athletes across the whole spectrum of fitness and activity levels.

?We are also seeing real-time devices that measure core temperature, blood lactate levels, and the effects of altitude training, along with other devices for measuring aerodynamic drag and mechanical resistance that are continuing to improve athlete performance. So, I believe real-time technology devices and/or various means for providing deeper analysis of performance are making World Tour cyclists faster. I would expect this to only continue long into the future.

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?3.- Were cyclists and teams reluctant to the changes that new times brought?

Pro cycling, like many pro sports, has many former elite athletes involved in team management and race organizations. Most of these people have?a?healthy?amount?of skepticism about new practices and training strategies, as they are generally different from how they raced and trained.

Those earlier practices and training methods were not necessarily wrong, based on the knowledge of the time, but we now have new technology to better guide our strategies and recommendations vs. "well, this is how I did it" back in the 1980s in the Tour de France.

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4.- What triggered the consideration of coaching for teams and users?

It is pretty simple: athletes and teams want to win races and better coaching, technology, and sports science improve performance. If you look back over the years, technology and coaching have always been at the forefront of changes in our sport.

When I was the National Coaching Director at USA Cycling, we had a program going into the 1996 Olympic Games, called Project '96. The mission of Project '96 was to get the best-prepared athlete from a physiological, technical, and psychological standpoint on the fastest equipment possible.

I was an athlete on the 1984 Olympic Team and I witnessed the development of streamlined “funny bikes”, as they were called, along with teardrop-shaped helmets, disk wheels, and other aerodynamically efficient equipment. Those advancements came out of a research-and-development effort in 1983 and 1984 that was headed by Dr. Ed Burke, then the Director of Sports Science and Technology for the U.S. Cycling Team; and Chester R. Kyle, an adjunct professor of mechanical engineering at the California State University at Long Beach. So, for Project ‘96 we continued this technology push and developed, among other things, the GT Bicycles SuperBike for the 1996 Olympic Games.

The project was started with financing from the U.S. Olympic Committee and the U.S. Cycling Federation. The project’s principal sponsor, EDS, Electronic Data Systems was the information technology subsidiary of General Motors , and they provided access to a wind tunnel.

Later, such sponsors as GT Bicycles, Mavic , a French bicycle-wheel company, Troxel Helmets, a helmet maker; and PEARL iZUMi , a sports clothing company, came aboard. These sponsors not only provided technical and financial assistance but also designed and built much of the equipment.

As part of this effort, sports scientists developed training regimens, such as “live high, train low,” during which the cyclists live at high altitudes but exercise intensely while breathing oxygen at concentrations found at sea level. The altitude exposure allowed them to increase the oxygen-carrying capacity of their blood, while the supplemental oxygen (simulating sea level oxygen concentrations) maintained their power for hard training efforts.

The scientists also developed cooler fabrics and ways of acclimating athletes to the heat and humidity of Atlanta. Many of these training strategies are still used today at the highest level of many sports. One of the coaches we trained at Carmichael Training Systems Lindsay Golich, now runs the High Altitude Training Center at the US Olympic Training Center, where she applies more advanced versions of the protocols we created during Project ’96 to athletes in cycling, triathlon, wrestling, volleyball, and other sports.

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5.- Who is more open to innovation and evolution, cyclists or runners?

I think it is pretty equal.? If elite athletic performance can be increased by new training practices or technology, then nearly all elite athletes want to take advantage of increased performance.

?6.- Is coaching advisable for high-end performers only or should all the sports practitioners take care of their health using it?

I founded Carmichael Training Systems 25 years ago based upon a simple premise of "bringing elite coaching to everyday athletes". Everyone wants to do what the best athletes in the world are doing for training, nutrition, and sports performance. Back in 2000, only elite athletes had access to the best coaches, information, and training tools. Over the last 20+ years, there has been an explosion of endurance coaching options. This helped drive the cycling industry and made the art, science, and craftsmanship of coaching a true profession.

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7.- To me, Lance Armstrong is one of the best athletes in History. A different and compatible topic with the shadows over his career. But I believe that he was one of the first ones open to evolving techniques, material, nutrition, training, and habits so his contribution to the cycling and bike stuff of today started there. How wrong am I?

I believe you are correct, but Lance Armstrong was not unique in that sense. Others before him, such as Greg LeMond, Bernard Hinault, and Eddy Merckx were also pioneers in their use of the latest technology and training practices for their time to help increase performance. Similarly, there have been innovators in recent years, including Tadej Poga?ar and the coaches and technologists he’s working with. It is normal that innovations start at the top and trickle down over time to the everyday and time-crunched cyclist.

8.- At some point, understanding the need for professional guidance was restricted to some teams/guys due to resources availability and approach towards innovation?

I assume this is correct, but my experience indicates most elite athletes are open to innovations so long as they can expect increased performance. You have to remember that a typical pro cyclist’s career is relatively short (less than ten years), and he or she is probably at their absolute best for only 3-5 seasons. They must “make hay while the sun shines”, so to speak, so they are balancing the eagerness to take advantage of innovations with caution to avoid wasting a valuable season chasing an unproven technology or training method.

However, as technological advancements happen so rapidly now and there are so many ways to monitor performance, the risks of making a truly bad choice seem relatively low or easily detected, so I think athletes and teams are more accepting of new tech and methods compared to 20-30 years ago.

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9.- Is coaching, generally and inclusively speaking, part of the daily basis for teams today and that is why we see so many brilliant cyclists performing at a high and leveled level closing performance gaps and making races thrilling?

I think the more competitive the field of professional cycling becomes the more we can expect higher levels of performance. For example, today’s mid-pack athletes are climbing at Tour de France winner speeds from 20-30 years ago.

The investment in professional cycling is much greater today and it is a much more global sport vs. 20-30 years ago. Many World Tour Teams have developed programs where they are scouting top talent from junior and U23 ranks. So, the pool of talent is deeper and coaches are getting to work with these athletes at a younger age so they advance more quickly and with more sound foundations.

Basically, professional cycling is finally catching up with other professional sports: greater investment drives development.I think it is also critical to realize the importance that mental fortitude plays in athlete development. Athletes who have a mental toughness will always excel and many times an athlete’s mindset trumps technological and sports science innovations.

Athletes who blame failure on the perception they didn't have the best equipment, workouts, or the latest technology will always finish behind athletes with greater mental fortitude and mental skills.

I believe Conor McGregor summarized this mindset pretty well, "There's no talent here, this is hard work. This is an obsession. Talent does not exist, we are all equals as human beings. You could be anyone if you put in the time. You will reach the top, and that's that. I am not talented, I am obsessed." I agree generally with McGregor's mindset. I don’t believe we are all born equal, McGregor states, but from a mindset standpoint, I think his statement is powerful. The best are not simply more talented, there is so much more involved and mindset is paramount, in my opinion.

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?9.- Mental coaching matters? What is the percentage vs. physical in the winning equation?

I have no idea... I don't think you can separate the physical from the mental. If this is the case, please explain to me where the physical stops and the mental side begins? And if this is the case how do you measure this? They have a saying in Belgium, well they have lots of saying in Belgium, but one I like that summarizes the physical vs. mental side of cycling goes like this: "If you have good legs then you have a good head too."

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10.- So, sports heal the body and mind giving us a better and longer life expectancy?

Later in life, older elite athletes often pay a price for the training and competition they did in their youth. Of course, a lot depends on how many injuries they had when they were younger. In terms of information and guidance on longevity, it is kind of like the Wild West right now.

Influencers are financially motivated and must have people listen to their podcasts or buy things off their websites. But do we need what they’re selling? Most people will live longer and have a better healthspan if they include exercise and a healthy diet in their lives. Is this new?? No, but what has changed is that longevity is trendy. It is all over social media and we now know what social media does.

Social comparison on platforms can lead to feelings of inadequacy, contributing to anxiety and depression, especially when users see curated, seemingly perfect lives of others. People start believing they are missing out and their workouts are not good enough, they aren’t taking the right supplements, they could be doing more treatments, etc.? But the bottom line, proven advice hasn’t really changed that much: Exercise, lift, workout often, mostly easy but go hard sometimes, and eat healthy real food and don't eat too much. Don't drink alcohol, smoke (anything), or engage in risky behaviors.

If you do these things, then you may live longer. But you may not.? We do know what happens when you are sedentary, eating heavily processed foods, and have poor habits like smoking and drinking. Your lifespan and health span generally are reduced.?Jim Morrison of the Doors said it best, "No one gets out of here alive." So, try to maximize your health span and create an enjoyable lifestyle, but don't obsess about longevity and/or your training to the point it diminishes your joy for living a long life.

One aspect not too often discussed by longevity?influencers is the importance of an active social life as you grow older. Not isolating yourself and keeping an active social life is important.? ?Will this help you live longer? Maybe, maybe not. But?it is good for your?soul and it helps you keep your?world from getting small. ? Life balance is paramount.

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11.- How can you distinguish between a reliable coach and someone trying to sell miracle solutions?

If it sounds too good to be true, then it isn't true. Stay away. The best coaches I know are understated, particularly about promising results. They know great progress comes from doing simple, fundamental training activities very consistently over a long period of time.

The process isn’t sexy and both athletes and coaches must love the process and be committed for the long haul. Meaningful performance improvements take months to develop and years to capitalize on. Along the way, there are fun things to do and big wins to capture, but a truly professional coach is focused on the long-term development of the person first, the lifelong athlete second, and the champion last.

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12.- What should a regular cyclist should learn and adapt from pros? And what not?

Work ethic, focus, and resilience = performance. The pros are so much faster because of their huge investment in the fundamentals. Too many amateurs get caught up in the minutia of incremental gains, chasing a 0.5% improvement from a new piece of kit and leaving a potential 20% improvement in threshold power on the table because they find Zone 2 rides boring or choose the coffee shop ride over lactate threshold intervals too many times.

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13.- Three habits to eradicate from your life.

Speaking for myself, specifically:

1.? Eating too much milk chocolate after dinner

2.? Getting old, as it means getting my broken down joints replaced too often (already replaced my hip and knee so far...)

3. Reduce time spent on social media, computers, and the phone.

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14. Three habits to acquire or already have

1. Read more

2. Living a grateful and present life.

?3. Spend more time with my wife in warm tropical areas around the world fishing, surfing, and generally doing cool and extraordinary things.