Chris Case

Chris Case

Cofounder and Content Director of Fast Talk Labs, Founder of Alter Exploration
Chris is a lifelong endurance athlete, journalist, editor, explorer, and photographer. He cofounded Fast Talk Laboratories and founded Alter Exploration.

Chris is a lifelong endurance athlete with a diverse academic and professional background. He has degrees and experience in neuroscience, clinical psychology, art, documentary photography, and journalism, and has decades of professional experience in the cycling and travel industries. Most recently, he founded Alter Exploration, which crafts challenging, transformative cycling journeys in some of the world’s most stunning destinations.

Chris was born and raised in southeastern Connecticut. He took up running in elementary school, and it quickly became his sole competitive outlet. Ultimately, he won multiple state championships in cross-country and track.

Chris attended Colgate University and graduated with degrees in neuroscience and art. He spent the next three years at the National Institute of Mental Health conducting research on patients with schizophrenia. After another year researching a stem cell treatment for Parkinson’s disease, he decided to pursue his second passion. This led him to the graduate journalism program at the University of Texas at Austin, where he concentrated in documentary photography. This is where Chris rediscovered his love of cycling, joining the collegiate team before expanding into categorized racing.

In 2012, Chris became the managing editor of VeloNews magazine, a position he held for nearly eight years. It was during that time that he became co-host of Fast Talk.

His cycling pursuits took him around the world to race on the road, mountain, and in cyclocross, to places like Taiwan, Costa Rica, Israel, and throughout Europe. He has stood on the podium at several cyclocross national championships, and is a silver medalist at master’s cyclocross worlds.

Chris is the author of The Haywire Heart, a groundbreaking and critically important guide to heart care for athletes, and the first book to delve into the relationship between long-term endurance athletics and heart health.

He is a cofounder of Fast Talk Labs, with Trevor Connor, and was the COO of Fast Talk Labs and The Paleo Diet until January 2022.

Latest: Page 4

Blurred cyclists

Is Perceived Exertion the Most Important Metric?

Knowing how a race or workout feels—aka RPE—is an extremely important sense for endurance athletes. With the help of top cycling coaches, athletes, and researchers, we explore why RPE may be more important than power, heart rate, and other metrics.

Fast Talk Podcast Episode 190
A cyclist rides a bicycle near Boulder Reservoir in Niwot with trees and Haystack Mountain

Cycling Base Training Pathway

The concept of base training has been a part of endurance training for decades. Laying a foundation of fitness early in the season sets the stage for success later on. With the help of Joe Friel, Dr. Stephen Seiler, and Dr. Andy Pruitt, we explore the how and why of this fundamental aspect of endurance training.

Chris Case, Dr. Andy Pruitt, EdD, et. al.
Cyclist on indoor trainer

Indoor Cycling Basics

Chris Case explains why indoor cycling differs from outdoor riding, then offers tips to help you get the most out of your indoor sessions.

Chris Case
IZOF (Individual Zone of Optimal Functioning)

What Is Your Individual Zone of Optimal Functioning?

Every athlete has a personal IZOF. Coach Grant Holicky shares the concept and explores how to determine your IZOF. Then he shares why knowing your IZOF is helpful and how you can recreate your IZOF on demand.

Chris Case and Grant Holicky
Self-Talk

Effective Self-Talk

Coach Grant Holicky explores the concept of self-talk, how to use it effectively and consistently, and how it can help performance and health.

Chris Case and Grant Holicky
Mindful Athlete

The Mindful Athlete

Coach Grant Holicky details the concept of mindfulness, how to attain it, and how it can help performance.

Chris Case and Grant Holicky