Why Data Alone Won’t Make You Faster

Why Data Alone Won’t Make You Faster

From The Time-Crunched Cyclist Podcast by CTS by CTS

May 25, 2026 · 15 min · Season 6 · Episode 306

About this episode

This episode discusses the importance of internal awareness and Rate of Perceived Effort in endurance training, emphasizing that data alone does not ensure better performance.

Endurance athletes have access to more data than ever before, but data alone doesn’t guarantee better decisions. In this episode, CTS Coach Adam Pulford breaks down the role of Rate of Perceived Effort (RPE) in training and racing, and why internal awareness remains one of the most important skills an athlete can develop. We cover pacing, training zones, effort calibration, common mistakes athletes make with RPE, and how to integrate subjective feedback with power and heart rate for better lo...

People in this episode

Guest: Adam Pulford

Topics covered

  • data in training
  • Rate of Perceived Effort
  • pacing
  • training zones
  • effort calibration

Keywords

  • endurance athletes
  • data
  • RPE
  • training
  • racing
  • subjective feedback
  • power
  • heart rate

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