Crushing Iron Triathlon Podcast

Do you have a tendency to look at training as an obligation or something that excites you? Today, we get into this often destructive habit and talk about how to really find what motivates you and excites you about training. We look at what makes a net positive workout and why it's so hard to stop when we're ahead. Transitions in your daily life may be the secret to feeling good and maintaining ene...

We tend to forget how tough early season races are, and after a big layoff the conditions can really get in our heads. We judge our results too hard and forget who we really are. Today we talk about how to approach your race from the morning through the end of the run. We get into heat, core temp, and a concept called "racing on the defensive." We also talk about metrics and data obsession and how...

Strategy for attacking a 70.3 has changed a bit over the years with more and more people "racing" it from the opening gun. Today we look at the "strategy within the strategy" to give you the best chance at nailing your next 70.3. We look at race week, pre-race warm up, and everything in race. When to lay back and when to get on the offensive. How to handle your custom taper. Smooth and uneventful...

A huge turnout for Ironman Texas 70.3 gives us a lot to be excited about. Today, we look at the tough swim, the windy bike, and a run that heated up under the sun. We also talk about Ironman and how they approached this race from a protocols perspective. We were surprised that, for the most part the race was pretty normal. We get into the pros a little, including how cool it is to have them on the...

Today we look at all that is the Texas 70.3 race course. The open water swim and how to handle the currents. Why your transitions will likely be slower than normal. The usually windy bike Course and how to adjust effort and power with and against the wind. How fueling could change on the bike. The run Course is super spectator friendly, but has a ton of turns. We'll look at how to approach the 3 l...

Ironman Texas 70.3 almost here and Coach Robbie talks about his mental approach to Race Week. We get into what not to do during your race week, how to look at nerves and anxiety, and what it means to race after such a long time off. We look at race strategy, setting A, B, and C goals. How to tackle the swim, adjust your in-race decisions, and the most important question you can ask yourself throug...

Let's face it, we all need some Race Energy. Texas and Florida 70.3 wait in the wings and we couldn't be more excited. How will the dynamics change? How will people race when training for 12-18 months? That competitive "first time" feeling. Will C_vid drive growth in triathlon? How many will be in the fields? Remembering why we go into the sport. Robbie's secret training. And when our "why" change...

Today we start with a discussion of riding in the wind vs. hills; how they compare and how to deal with each. We dig into Training Peaks and explain TSS Score and IF. We look at the difference between pool training and open water, along with anxiety, and mentality. We look at running time vs. mileage, run/walks, and stroke rate vs. long, strong, and fluid.  Topics: Coffee Reviews - "Smooth Operato...

"Nearly all runners do their slow runs too fast, and their fast runs too slow." – Born To Run   We start with a very detailed discussion about Zone 2 workouts, including what it means, why it works, and how to do it. We also get into allergies, HIIT workouts, and cross-training as it applies to triathlon. We also take a close look at power meters for running. Do they work? How do they work? Are th...

Last week we said, "this isn't rocket science," and today we take it further with talk about how you should train to be resilient, smart, and strong. We talk about athletes who "out-think" the competition. We get into the psychology of "letting someone go" on the race course. How your body should lead the way in training. Fatigue masks your actual fitness. A simple overall race strategy that will...

This is NOT the "top ten things to be fast." This cast is about simplicity and why it works in training and our lives. Everyone's life and training is different, but there are proven formulas for success. If you're not healthy, energized, and happy with your life, there's a good chance your training is not on the right path. We explore the idea of "why so many of us want to feel smashed" and why t...

How should we approach our first race back? We suggest looking at it like a controlled scrimmage or dress rehearsal. In other words, a spring board to a great season. If you watched Challenge Miami you probably saw that even the Pro triathletes were a bit rusty. As races come into view it may be time to step back and recalibrate your approach. That doesn't mean you have to be slower, but your earl...

Racing is back, so how will the sport look in 2021? We preview Challenge Miami and explore the question of whether Challenge can cut into Ironman 70.3's customer base. We talk about making courses more enjoyable to race, upping the tracker game, and finding unique race location. We also get into tough experience racing, why that means so us to us and how to find more satisfaction in the challenges...

Triathlon can seem like a recipe for aches and pains, but is it the sport or something else you're doing? Today, we look at active healing and moving therapy. We also look at why your metrics may be holding you back and look at the powerful logic of racing without your watch. There's nothing better than "controlling" your race and being one with the energy. Fatigue, volume, pain, living on the edg...

Holding patterns are starting to break and Race Energy is in the air. Most of us will be "rusty" so it may mean shifting your approach on race day. We give you different ways to think about your race if you haven't raced in a while. We talk about what makes the perfect execution, and how you should train to create struggle you might face on race day. How much can the body handle? We get into addic...

Isn't all this about feeling good and having more energy? Today, we look at self-judgement, what makes for successful training, and how you should judge effort. We look at good stress, finding consistent energy and removing guilt. Don't tell me, show me. The cramming mentality. Spreading ourselves too thin. Judging yourself and making everything a competition. Most often it's just best to ask, "Wh...

The last year has put us in "cancelled" mode, but now we're seeing races sneak up on us and a lot of athletes feel "behind." How do you build confidence when the clock is ticking? Today, we look at how to get the most out of what may seem like limited time. We also talk about smart training strategy for all races. What you should focus on as strengths, weaknesses, and how use the energy of race da...

What happens if we don't train for a week, or two, or three? Are you more worried about losing fitness . . . or confidence? February has sucked for a lot of us, and many are training for a race they chose two years ago, but it's okay to not be "feeling it" right now. Today we talk expectations, goals, and why we should lead with intention instead of ultimatums. Sometimes treading water is enough i...

GREAT QUESTIONS today from our closed Facebook Group. We talk favorite coaches and coaching philosophy. We also go extensively on RPE (Rate of perceived exertion) and why it may be the key to being your best. We look at when it's best to train solo or with a group. Should you work on getting better at FTP testing? Also, what about the mental side of dealing with injuries or when you should empty t...

How can this sport be used as a extra tool to feel better and put yourself back together, and not be worn out or tired? Today, we talk about personal experiences and how we've leaned into pain, backed off when needed, and used fear as our compass. It's easy to get lost in our heads, especially when forced inside and staring at a screen all day. We turn more into robots than someone in touch with n...

Did you leave it all on the course? Did you push that interval enough? Did you have more in you? Today, we get into the concept of training tp push through fear and pain. How building experience with digging deeper pays off over time. Sometimes we're afraid of finding our limits, but what if we're only living at 80%? Building confidence in knowing you CAN do more. Sometimes we have to let go and j...

Run Camp once again taught and reminded us of the importance of committing to getting better by "racing yourself." Today we look at how to motivate ourselves with or without racing. We look at why strong is better than fast even if you want to go fast. Also, positive peer pressure, making hills our best friends and out-executing the competition. We talk about turning nervous energy into a positive...

This is our second version of "Fraud or For Real" and we answer questions from our closed Facebook group. We look at drafting on the run, carb loading, training through bad diets. Also, goggle fog, are shoes faster than others, optimum weight for racing, road bikes vs. tri bikes. And what about disc wheels? Do they make that much difference? Is there a comfortable saddle? Do shorter cranks help tr...

Triathlon can beat up the body, but some train without chronic aches, pains, and stress. Today, we look at some of the reasons and how you can have a healthier training lifestyle. We talk about the concepts of: carrying mental weight, obsessing over niggles, and why gadgets could be part of your problem. Rarely is the problem THEE problem. Don't continually search for answers when they are right u...

We go on a run or ride and just don't have it. What next? Do we push it or pull back further than normal? How do we understand when it's time to lay back vs. push? Today, we look at the variables involved, how you should make your decision, and how to know if it's time to push or lay back. We also talk creating resiliency and race environments. De-hydration, coffee, and why you should always keep...