Chris Carmichael

The Pikes Peak APEX presented by RockShox covers just over 125 miles over 4 stages, features more than 14,000 feet of climbing, and showcases four iconic Colorado Springs-area trail systems. Mountain bike stage races and multi-day adventures present unique nutrition and hydration challenges, so whether you are coming to Colorado for the Pikes Peak APEX or embarking on your own mountain bike trip, Chris Carmichael, CEO and Head Coach of CTS, has written a plan to help you fuel for success.

With athletes coming to Colorado Springs, Colorado from far and wide to compete in the 4-day Pikes Peak APEX mountain bike stage race, everyone wants to know how to prepare for and race well at altitudes between 6,000 and 10,000 feet above sea level. Here is what you need to know about altitude, its effect on performance, and the steps you can take to perform at your best.

We spent some time last month catching up with renowned endurance coach, Chris Carmichael, who finished 3rd in the Master’s 60+ category at last year’s APEX. Founder of Carmichael Training Systems (CTS), Carmichael was an Olympian and professional cyclist before embarking on a coaching career and founding CTS in 2000.

The APEX will present unique nutrition and hydration challenges. We have partnered with the pros at CTS to offer you guidance on how to optimize your performance in September.