Crushing Iron Triathlon Podcast

How do you REALLY get faster at running in triathlon. Today, we go through all the smart, small, and important steps. As we know, Ironman is usually more about who slows down the least than who is fastest. How do you get there? Where do you start? It's really pretty simple, but that doesn't make it easy. Find out the rule of thumb for your long runs and why it's so important to run in a way that l...

Being strong, fast and relaxed on the bike takes work, but today we give you some great off-season fuel to build your bike confidence and be faster in your next race. We look at calibrating your feel, working big gears and cadence and why it's good to make yourself a little uncomfortable in training. We help you build your base so you can handle the training and look into ways to be a better at ha...

While this one is mainly about swimming and getting faster in the water, there are a lot of things that transfer into training for bike and run. We talk about understanding how to improve in the swim, how to descend intervals by effort and engaging the full stroke. We also get into where your power zone is and how it translates to the bike and how you can create more time to breathe. Find your gea...

This is the pursuit of figuring yourself out. What makes you tick, how does triathlon complement and support your life. Where do you want to go from here and what does personal success look like. We talk about the little things and why they should matter. The off-season is a process that can go one of two ways. Why it's so important to stay in the game if you want to get faster. We get into post-r...

We really enjoyed this one. We start with what you should be doing after your big race, then dig deep into what keeps us motivated outside of the race. How do we really uncover joy in our daily workouts and not burn out in this sport. We talk about micro goals and how to give them meaning and power in your life. We look at why now is the time to start laying the foundation for how you can train, s...

With over 50 athletes on the course, including co-host, Mike, C26 Triathlon created a slew of memories at Ironman Chattanooga. The weather was perfect, but we were once again reminded how HARD it is to do these races. We get into the swim, bike, run from both an on and off the course perspective. Mike tells the story of his battle with Phil and Chet in what many called "The Crushing Iron War II."...

Finally, we welcome Ironman Chattanooga to our home town. Today we take you from the anxious moments pre-swim, through tactics for getting through the very hilly run. We look at the bike course and how you should manage your day with the rollers and sneaky pinch hills. We also talk about wetsuits, swimming in a river, and how to beat anxiety. Sneaky sections of the run and how they can blow you up...

The weather looks like it might be perfect for Ironman Chattanooga, but don't let that fool you. Ironman is always hard. Today we look at race strategies, including the blurring of your Zones and how that can impact your performance. We also talk about racing free and how that can be difficult for a lot of us who haven't raced in a long time. We go over how people dig a nutrition hole they can't g...

We start with a little talk about Ironman World Championships possibly moving from Kona. Also, St. George, including pro predictions. Then we move onto what to do after your Ironman or other big race. How to recover, recharge, and focus on how to get better. Never take your health for granted and do what you can today to stay in the game. Ironman Maryland. And the mystery of predicting your Ironma...

It was a long time coming, but Ironman Wisconsin was back in full force. We were once again reminded that IRONMAN IS HARD and it's easy to take that for granted. We look at the 2 loop swim, the difficult bike course and the second loop of the run. We talk about great memories, dealing with DNFs and how to get your mental game right for these races. Topics: Rusty Spectator Skills Long time coming F...

We have a ton of experience with, and love, Ironman Wisconsin. Today we go through the most important factors for you to have a solid race. We look at keys to race morning and being relaxed for the swim. How to handle the unique transition. We also break down the body-blow bike course from a strategy perspective. This is not a PR type of course and it's best to be smart, be ready for rough roads,...

No matter how well or poor training seems to be going, Race Day is an opportunity to arrange for your mental toughness to shine because, at some point, it's gonna hurt. Today, we go through ways to approach your race mentally and break things into portions you can manage. We also look at how to be fit and fresh from the chin up during taper and why that plays such a huge role on race day. Mental a...

This is all about being ready for, and handling, those tough moments in your race. Also, what to, and what not to buy before a race. There's a difference between bad workouts and digging a hole, but how do you deal with a tough day in training? Why does it happen? How can you use it to your advantage? Don't let your mindset tell you today sucks way too early. We get into making your race "more com...

Training doesn't have to (and shouldn't) leave you feeling demolished. Do you see glimpses of success? Then you're on the right track. We want to break down just enough to recover and come back, not sit in the shop. A deeper look at how accumulating volume prepares you for the race and why you don't have to put in massive bricks and training rides just to prove you can "do it." We look at smart cy...

We know it's hot. Are you hydrating enough to take off the sun's edge? Today, it's all about how understanding your body, effort and feel make you train (and race) better. We get into obsession with miles per hour, what it really means to be resilient, and how to no be soft in your training.   We look at time vs. mileage, the ego, and how to learn from bad workouts. Also, micro blocks, hidden bloc...

If you know you can finish a long workout, but it will shell you for the next week, why would you do it? Today, it's about reality checks and truly feeling happy and healthy with triathlon. It's about fitting triathlon into your life, not the other way around. We all have so many pressures and distractions, how do we balance it all, especially with a big race on the horizon. We talk about respecti...

We start with some big changes in Kona and St. George. Then we get into the last weeks before a ton of Fall Races…. What should you be working on, thinking about, and not thinking about? Is there still time to get faster? Should you work on your run or bike or swim more? How does it balance? Are you practicing to be good at "slow?" How long should you run before the Ironman? How long should your t...

This may seem simple or boring but we believe it is the absolute key to successful racing. Be patient, often way longer than you think you need to be. When you pass or get pass matters. We also look at why people lose motivation in triathlon and the reason is often easy to fix. Do you train with a negative split mentality? Do you take what the course gives you? And we'll tell you why training by M...

There's no such thing as a perfect lead up to a race. No matter where you are, there are things you can do to get your mind and body in the best place possible. That's why we race. Keeping your body fresh is where we want to be. Can you flip the switch when it matters? How many times can you go to the well? Topics: Serious Season Madison Course ride weekend when we eat sleep and breathe ironman me...

We head back to our roots with this one as Mike is at the lake in Wisconsin and Robbie is at his mom's in Nashville. We talk about training on vacation, how to focus and what's important. Then we turn to the listener questions. When are you ready for Ironman. Speed walking, outdoor pools, sweat tests and much more!  --------------- Coach Mike is accepting full-time athletes. Please check out the b...

Today we talk about how you should "feel" when you train. How much is too much, how much is not enough. Is 70.3 shape good enough to do a short Ironman build? Also, the "Ironman freak out" and how most athletes translate their panic into over training. Can you be in better Ironman shape than 70.3 shape? And finally we look at IRONMAN Wisconsin's move to June and how that will affect athletes and t...

We made it to 500 and couldn't have done it without you. We reflect a little and possibly discover the origin moment of C26. We also talk about some of our favorite moments together and how this community built itself. As always there are thoughts about how to make training for this sport more enjoyable and on your terms.  --------------- Coach Mike is accepting full-time athletes. Please check ou...

Today Mike and Robbie talk about mistakes they made in Ohio and more importantly, what they learned. Even bad races can be success stories if you learn and use that to become better at racing. We talk about pre-race nerves, pacing, how the swim impacts your bike, what endurance means when it comes to discomfort. Also, how deep can you dig and are you willing to make changes to get better. You shou...

Another "Road Cast" as we go over everything we learned and experienced at Ohio 70.3. C26 had 30 athletes race, including Coach Robbie, and Mike (Run Relay slot). It turned out to be a much tougher day than we thought with high humidity and dew point. We talk about things we did right and things we would have done differently. The delayed start, the stories within the race and our general impressi...

Today, we talk about Ironman 70.3 Ohio from the Road as we drive to Columbus. The double transition, swim tactics and warm up, bike course and why you should be patient, in-depth thoughts on the run course, including hills, shade, and when to be careful. Mike's Trek store troubles, missing coffee, and how to plan your next road trip. --------------- Check out our new Hub Experience/Condo Combo pac...