Crushing Iron Triathlon Podcast
779 episodes - English - Latest episode: 21 days ago - ★★★★★ - 630 ratingsCrushing Iron is an age grouper and his coach talking and learning about triathlon. Together they explore the mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual side of training and racing everything from a Sprint to an Ironman. Great for beginners and intermediates triathletes. Released every Monday and Thursday.
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Episodes
#760 – Seek Discomfort
April 04, 2024 18:23 - 1 hour - 59.6 MBThis title is an homage to one of our favorite YouTube channels, you can find it here: Seek Discomfort The Seek Discomfort crew is always looking for things that intimidate them. Experiences that lead to growth. And we should do the same within our comfort zone, especially when it comes to conditions. The more you get out into “imperfect” weather, the more you will be at ease when your race day isn’t 70 and partly cloudy. Today, we go through some of our experiences and perspectives on...
#759 – Race With Nothing To Lose
April 02, 2024 18:33 - 1 hour - 64 MBThe most successful athletes play free and without fear. Today, we look at how you can train and race better when you realize you have nothing to lose. This isn't about taking it for granted, but channeling pressure and anxiety in the right way. It's all energy and the more we can us it in our favor, the better we'll be. We look at the 24 hour rule as it applies to racing and training, having a "walk the plank" mentality, and using your old self as a nemisis. We look at finding solutions ove...
#758 – Balancing Structure With Fun
March 28, 2024 20:47 - 1 hour - 61.8 MBTriathlon training should be structured, but we're all about keeping the fun alive. Today, we talk about weaving them together to make the process more enjoyable and effective. We put a lot of pressure on ourselves to show up green in Training Peaks, but aren’t a bunch of oranges and yellows better than a week of red? Do we move to change our mood or change our mood to move? There’s a lot of power in having a solid outline and moving a little off script. How to recognize what’s the best deci...
#757 - Why You Should Fall In Love With Zone 2
March 26, 2024 17:55 - 1 hour - 58.6 MBEfficiency might be the biggest key to you having a successful race and that all starts in Zone 2. Yes, we know it’s “boring” but today we give you other ways to think about it, specifically as in, why do you not enjoy doing something that is good for you and your health? We talk about teaching the body to burn fat so you’re not so dependent on calories. We look at swimming and why practicing swimming slow is a great exercise. We really boil down Zone 2 in a way that helps understand why it’...
Prisoners Of The Future
March 22, 2024 01:48 - 57 minutes - 65.9 MB(We have C26 Swim School this week, so this is a reposted podcast). Ever feel the pressure of too much going on? That anxious feeling is getting out of the moment. Today, we look at how that affects training and how we THINK about training. It's easy to get caught up on race day when it's 5 months away, but today is all that matters. Do something. Let it go. And get in touch with your body and the moment. *** Time is running out to sign up for THE C26 CLUB PROGRAM FOR 2024! Check it out...
From Final Four To Ironman (Repost)
March 21, 2024 12:54 - 56 minutes - 64.5 MB(With March Madness upon us and C26 Swim School in progress, we thought it was a good time to revisit an old podcast with Zak Showalter and how he started training for Ironman after playing in the Final Four). Sorry about the intro music. haha. Imagine playing basketball in front of 70,000 people and millions on TV. Today's guest, Zak Showalter, did just that for the University of Wisconsin. His career took him to 2 different Final Fours and four Sweet 16's and now he's tackling Ironman. ...
Chattanooga 70.3 Preview (Repost)
March 20, 2024 23:42 - 57 minutes - 66 MB(We have C26 Swim School this week, so this is a reposted Podcast and we will not have a booth at Chatt). We begin with the Swim Start, including when to get there and how to fuel as you position yourself in the massive field of athletes. Then to the “fast but fair” bike course. We break it out by section and look at where to push and when to hold off for your best bike split. Onto the run where it can either be fast or eat your lunch. There’s not much truly flat here, so racing smart, und...
Ironman Texas Preview (Repost)
March 20, 2024 01:37 - 50 minutes - 57.5 MB(We have the C26 Swim School this week, so this is a reposted podcast). Today we focus on Ironman Texas strategy, but this podcast is great for anyone racing an Ironman, especially when it’s hot. We always talk about not obsessing about the weather, but when you know it might be hot, it’s smart to prepare. We look at all kinds of hot racing strategies, talk about why Texas is a sneaky challenging course, and why you will want to prepare to suffer. This is a C26 Team race, so be sure to say...
#756 – High IQ Early Season Racing
March 15, 2024 16:56 - 1 hour - 57.1 MBAre you running on gas or fumes at the end of your races? Today, we take a deep look into how to start the season smart and snowball that into better races as the year goes on. We talk about creating momentum and how to use your first race in a way that will actually teach you something about getting better. We look at heat, wind, dew point, along with why pacing is always your best friend. We talk about how to race from before the swim all the way to the end of the run and why most of us ma...
#755 – Cultivating "Ah Ha" Moments
March 12, 2024 17:08 - 1 hour - 60.1 MBToday, we go over important “ah ha” moments in our racing and coaching career. Things that changed the game for us as athletes and coaches. We look at why working on your strength is so important and can set the tone for your training. Also, why we tend to skimp on one of the sports. We talk about understanding effort and pacing and why being obsessed with pace, power, and time can be the worst strategy. Getting a grasp of your all day pace. Knowing when to hold back and when to let it rip. ...
#754 – Confidence And Vulnerability - You are the ultimate decision maker
March 08, 2024 22:45 - 1 hour - 58.5 MBToday we give you the power to make your own decisions in training. As coaches we think it’s important for athletes to learn through trial and error. As in really learning . . . along with, believing in your gut. We look at an example of someone who was coming off being sick and due for an FTP test. Did they rest, or know deep down that they were ready. Also, we talk about owning how you feel… giving your body a real chance to decide. We talk about how to look for signs of life in workouts. ...
#753 – Attitude Adjustments
March 04, 2024 19:37 - 1 hour - 58.3 MBWe both felt like we needed attitude adjustments today, so we dove a little deeper. We look at some of the stresses we feel when thinking about our training, races, and life. In other words, figuring things out on our own. Robbie talks about the challenges he’s facing with Ironman Texas and how he’s stepped back and found positive solutions. Mike has another hard talk with himself and gets to the bottom of a few things. We also look at sickness and why we should change our perspective. Also,...
#752 – Listener Q&A - Keep the Tank Full
February 27, 2024 20:22 - 1 hour - 62.6 MBWe had a blast with this one. We start with transition tips, and end with giving you a whole new perspective on how to think about T1 and T2. We also get into the theory behind how to handle missed workouts. Should you make it up, create a hybrid, or just move on? Then we deal with the ever-present topic of how to train in cold weather for early season races that will be much hotter. We look at the argument of fat for fuel vs. carbohydrates and the concept of being metabolically flexible. Wh...
#751 – Listener Q&A
February 22, 2024 17:52 - 1 hour - 57.7 MBGreat questions today, and a call for you to find your racing super power. Is it a good idea to burn your biscuits before you take a relaxing vacation? How is Robbie approaching Ironman Texas and does he get nervous? What’s the best way to improve your run speed? Racing Ironman with your spouse. What do we think of caffeine gels and when’s the best time to use them? Improving swim pace. How much extra should you swim if it’s a weakness? Should you cycle more often? Are your racing others or ...
#750 – Stacking Volume and Appropriate Fatigue
February 21, 2024 02:16 - 58 minutes - 53.4 MBToday is about understanding feel, your body, and learning how to “play” within training. The cast was a bit inspired by a new trend in MMA and boxing where they spar but don’t hit each other. They are more in the ring to work on form, footwork, and ensure better recovery. We think triathletes can learn a lesson from that. We talk about the power of stacking volume, understanding how fatigue masks fitness, and why finding a love for training easy is so powerful. We look at how hacks influenc...
#749 – Adventure Days - within your training
February 16, 2024 17:58 - 58 minutes - 53.6 MBDoing anything intensely 24/7/365 is difficult. I mean, why do you think Dennis Rodman needed to go to Vegas for a few days right in the middle of a 3-Peat run for the Chicago Bulls? In all seriousness, today is about injecting more fun into your routine. Adventure doesn’t have to be climbing the Alps (although that would certainly qualify), it can be as simple as adding a different route our going as long as you can on the bike this weekend. There’s also lots of opportunity for micro advent...
#748 – Finding The Best Formula For YOU
February 14, 2024 17:58 - 1 hour - 57.6 MBWe can chase dreams of others, but what works best for you? A lot of musicians say the most powerful note is the one not played, ghost notes. Today, we talk about how to get more out of your training by not leaking energy. We start with some Run Camp highlights and observations then turn into this idea of how we can practice “digging deep” or “finding the extra gear.” It’s all about balancing your energy in life and training. Sometimes we don’t nail it, but it’s important to be aware of thos...
Everything You Need To Know About Triathlon RUNNING (Re-Post)
February 12, 2024 02:22 - 54 minutes - 62.4 MBThis is a RE-POST of episode 421 - We'll be back to regular Tuesday/Thursday when we return from Run Camp. Thanks! Be a part of the C26 Club for 2024. ------- This is a great guide for RACE RUNNING and how to train for it. We focus on Ironman, but the same holds true for 70.3, Olympics, and Sprints. For one, we want to strengthen our chassis so we don’t have to walk. And, if we don’t handle the swim and bike right, none of this really matters. It’s a pretty deep dive into accumulated fa...
#747 – Future Tripping
February 01, 2024 18:17 - 54 minutes - 50.1 MBWe all like to have goals, but is that goal taking up too much space in your brain? Today, we look at Future Tripping and ways to release anxiety from our daily journey. One of the major goals of training should simply be, not being distracted by things that don’t matter right now. How do we get there on a daily basis? How do we get from not wanting to workout to putting on the shoes? There’s so much power in falling in love with the day to day and minute to minute. Wanting to be perfect or ...
#746 – How To Not Suck At Cycling - Part 7
January 30, 2024 17:33 - 59 minutes - 54.7 MBWhat are the keys to becoming a better and more efficient cyclist? Today, we look at the diffrent methods of training. We explore quality over quantity and also look at the "gameification" of cycling. We get into the biggest trap people fall into along with a detailed look at what it means to really improve your aerobic threshold. We talk about dialing in your zones and efforts, along with the lowest hanging fruit for most triathletes. Are you doing too much V02 max work? How do you train ha...
#745 – What Are You Leaving On The Table?
January 25, 2024 18:07 - 51 minutes - 46.9 MBAre you performing to your potential or even understand what that means? Today we look into our mental and physical capacities and explore the idea that we ALL likely have “more” potential, but where do we want to put that energy? Today, we challenge ourselves to recall when we were “at our best” and look for reasons why. Success has different definitions to everyone. What sacrifices are you willing to make to be your best at triathlon? Are you trying TOO hard? Not enough? Where’s the sweet...
#744 – Listener Q&A - 1-23-24
January 23, 2024 17:55 - 1 hour - 58 MBGreat questions today as we start with how to move up from Sprints to your first 70.3. What is a runner’s high and the best way to get it? Deeper look at how to enjoy running more and finding the right mindset to love any of the three sports. Are you paying enough attention to what your body is saying? What about spin bikes for training? How do you go from a 7 hour to a 6 hour bike at Ironman? Is your appetite out of control after workouts? Looking at sugar, coffee, and other stimulants. Ca...
#743 – Listener Questions - 1-18-24
January 18, 2024 17:41 - 1 hour - 62.8 MBToday we look at a wide range of topics, including the women vs. men, heavy lifting, strength training, disc wheels, being overweight, picking your first Ironman, turning your belief system on, and much more. Topics: Truth and facts? Does a rear disc help? What’s the cut off speed? Women and training - Do we pay attention to issues? Tracking cycles Heat adaptation - men and women Stacy Sims Men are from mars . . . Every opinion is biased Strength in the off season? Li...
#742 – Mixing Run Races With Triathlon
January 16, 2024 18:27 - 1 hour - 61.5 MBHow fast, and how much should you be running? Today, we look at those questions and much more as we prepare for another triathlon season that is coming up on us quickly. Is the key to being a faster runner going really hard, or should you keep your run ceiling no faster than tempo? What are other variables that come into play? Should you taper for your 1/2 or 10k? How does biking and swimming work into your running puzzle for triathlon? Are you running too much? Focusing on recovery? Are you...
#741 – You Are Not Your Thoughts
January 11, 2024 18:34 - 58 minutes - 53.1 MBDon’t believe everything you think, and certainly don’t let it affect your mood. Today, we look at minimal effective does, aka, doing as much as you need, but not more. You don’t always need to do more, more, more. Sometimes it’s better to put more energy into your form, or making sure your body is prepared to do more when it’s really needed. It’s difficult to stop when you’re ahead, and we’ll look at why this can be one of the most important skills you can learn. It applies to almost everyt...
#740 – We Chose This Path . . . Enjoy It
January 09, 2024 18:36 - 58 minutes - 53.5 MBWhat happens when you don’t want to do something? Two choices. Bag it, or do it anyway. And when we DO do it, it builds strength, consistency, and the “talent” to break through when it gets rough in your tough training sessions or . . . your race. There’s a lot of power in using your pain and resistance in your favor. It’s the path to creating real change in your life. You’re always in the driver’s seat to do or not to do. It’s important to keep in mind that we are typically under fatigue an...
#739 – The Man Who Waits For Tomorrow . . .
January 05, 2024 19:50 - 56 minutes - 51.3 MBAre we ever really in control? Do we really think things will be better tomorrow?Finding a good swim, bike, run groove starts with small steps right now. Today, we look at being a more productive person and embracing discipline for our journey.We really can change who we are, but we have to change our thinking and our habits to get there. Just because your Garmin doesn’t record something doesn’t mean it’s not valuable. Take building good habits seriously. Even if it’s only 10 minutes a ...
#738 – Micro Dosing Extreme Goals
January 03, 2024 17:39 - 54 minutes - 49.6 MBWe can’t have it all at once. Today, we look at building momentum by doing little things and building an exciting process that leads you to completing that extreme goal. It could be breaking an addiction or finishing Ironman, but whatever it is, we are better off doing it in a way that doesn’t depend solely on willpower. Do you make enough time for yourself? Are you saying yes or no to the right things? Are you setting the right kinds of goals? There is a ton of power in creating process dri...
It's Primer Week – Build Some Momentum (Re-Post)
December 28, 2023 22:03 - 1 hour - 73.1 MB(This is a re-post of Episode #645 from this time last year) This is the perfect de-motivational storm and it’s up to us to create “something” that starts some momentum. Do you have 20 minutes today? Tomorrow? This is a great way to stay in the game and prime yourself for next week. We get in bad habits of thinking we need more time to do a workout that “is meaningful” but little movements create big results. Now is the time to stay on the train. Don’t put it off until next week or the nex...
#737 – It's Easy To Bail . . .
December 21, 2023 20:04 - 40 minutes - 37.1 MBThese next few weeks are tricky to navigate, so a good approach might be to focus on simply feeling good. It’s easy to overplay our goals way too early when we should be setting ourselves up to train, so we can train, like we need to train. Exercise is supposed to give you energy and now is a good time to keep that in mind. Motivation is thin, so don’t waste it. There is a lot of pressure on being perfect, so look to the liberation in imperfection. Set yourself up for repeated successes...
#736 – Making Macro Decisions Based On Micro Feelings
December 19, 2023 18:01 - 50 minutes - 46.1 MBThe range of emotions we face after a single workout can be staggering. Sometimes it can seem like the end of the world or the best day ever, but today we look at why these feelings shouldn’t dictate the big picture. We talk about deception tough training weather, even when you think you feel great. We talk about mental toughness and micro recoveries throughout the day. We look at reacting slowly when you want to find the truth. We all have stress building in the undercurrents of our lives a...
#735 – The Myths Of Periodization
December 14, 2023 18:00 - 58 minutes - 54 MBAre you working on the right things for long enough? Today, we look at base, build and peak phases from the perspective of different athletes with different backgrounds and personalities. We talk about building training in a way that keeps you engaged, but also moves you in the right direction over the course of a year. We look at why one of our goals as athletes is to figure out how to become a fan of “boring” in the sense that not much replaces a strong aerobic base in long course. Can we ...
#734 – Creating Powerful Change
December 12, 2023 18:17 - 55 minutes - 51.2 MBChange, both good and bad, can be hard to recognize because real change happens over time. Today, we look at how to appreciate the actions you take, even though they don’t seem like much right now. How do we know that we’re improving, getting stronger, or moving the right direction? Sometimes it’s about shifting your “satisfaction perspective” and knowing what’s best for you. We get into diet changes, building strength, getting faster, and recognizing things that truly make us happy. We lo...
#733 – Going To Dark Places
December 05, 2023 18:17 - 58 minutes - 53.3 MBRun Camp is always an “awakening” of sorts and today we recall the dark places and ask, how much are we all leaving on the table? Everyone at our camp last weekend went out of their comfort zone. When we take these actions we usually thrive and come out learning something important about ourselves. We talk about embracing hard things, believing in yourself, and dropping the complainer mindset. We look at the power of doing hard things and surrounding yourself with other people who will hel...
#732 - Listener Q&A - 11-27-23
November 27, 2023 17:57 - 1 hour - 57.7 MBSolid questions from our listeners today. We get into how to handle this off season with regard to strength, durability, and what is “triathlon specific” training. We look at cross training, load balance, and how to get better at “going to the well” so you understand it and build confidence. Is it more important to work on your core, or upper, or lower body with supplementary work? Finding the best running shoe for you. And, is swimming and cycling more ultimately the simplest solution to be...
Do The Work and Sieze the Moment (Re-Post)
November 26, 2023 18:10 - 57 minutes - 66.2 MB(This is a re-post of cast 633) “Opportunity is often missed because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work” – Thomas Edison Ever fear the regret of not living up to your potential? Today we dig into what work looks like in your training and your life. “Work” often has a negative connotation, but it is the essence of what makes us who we are, both as people and triathletes. Not only that, it is rewarding and can be fun if you have the right passion and purpose. We also look at sei...
#731 – Gratitude in Training, Racing, and Life
November 21, 2023 19:07 - 1 hour - 70 MBToday is about digging deep inside as an athlete and a human all with the mission of a happy and healthy life. Many times we know the right things to do, but for some reason we don’t follow that path. We look at 6 topics of Stoicism and how they relate to triathlon. We get into positive thought patterns, humility and discretion, moderation, staying out of the future, being grateful, and avoiding complaining. We tend to look for ways to fix specific problems, but most of the time it comes bac...
#730 Strip Away The Excuses
November 16, 2023 18:10 - 1 hour - 57.5 MBTry this . . . strip away the excuses and then figure out why you don’t want to take action. Today, we look at being paralyzed in planning and waiting for the perfect moment. That perfect moment is usually right now. We don’t control the universe and thinking we do is a sure plan for failure or procrastination. We all face challenges and those obstacles never seem to go away. But they are also your guide. Do what works for you. Find a passion for filling your cup. This is an important time o...
#729 – Be Proud Of Your Effort
November 14, 2023 17:59 - 57 minutes - 53 MBToday is about living, training, and racing to your fullest. Robbie’s grandmother passed last week and he shares some of her secrets to life and living. We get into the essence of what matters and how to cut through every day stress. We look at feeling disconnected and the power of friends, family and community. We look at how having a clear purpose is one of the best ways to reduce daily stress. We talk about soaking in the sun and knowing that you’re doing the right things without always h...
#728.5 - Micro Goals - Running Focus (Re-Post)
November 08, 2023 12:36 - 44 minutes - 51.7 MBRE-POST We are attending to family concerns this week, so we are re-posting a popular series, Micro Goals, from a couple years ago. These are timed perfectly for your off-season. Here is the first one on Running. We'll be back with new episodes next week! 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 ...
#728 – How To Not Suck At Swimming - Part 13
November 02, 2023 12:14 - 48 minutes - 44.5 MBToday we focus on three key parts of swimming: Balance, Body Position, and Leverage. If things are out of whack, it’s a good idea to slow down. Force yourself to move through the stroke in a way that you can master it, then bump up turnover. Swimming is so much about pressure and feel in the water and if your spatula is cutting through rather than creating resistance, things will be out of balance. Are you working against your fitness? Keep the process as simple as possible. Work on one or...
#727 – How To Not Suck At Swimming - Part 12
October 31, 2023 17:56 - 41 minutes - 38 MBToday we look at how to be faster and stronger in the water. Good news, there’s a lot of great ideas here to make that happen. Bad news, actions speak louder than words. Many of us like the “idea” of getting faster, but will we put in the work. Lucy Charles swam 50k a week to give her a minute or so edge. How much will you swim? We also get into Knowing your flaws so you can work on them. There are so many moving parts in swimming, but often the best solution is just to figure out your weakn...
#726 – Being Resilient and Testing Your Limits
October 26, 2023 16:48 - 51 minutes - 47.6 MBWe know training and racing and life can suck at times, but a large part of that is building the skill of resilience. That doesn’t mean everything should be a constant grind that makes it all miserable, though. Today, we talk about the importance of pushing through and testing the limits, but choosing the right times and learning along the way. This sport is a complex puzzle and learning to build clusters that fit together is the right strategy. We all want to race well, but shifting perspec...
#725 – If It's Broke, Fix It
October 24, 2023 16:54 - 59 minutes - 54.2 MBThe off season is where the greatest dreams go to die, so if you really want to fix something or get better, now is your chance. Today, we talk about how a lot of athletes are trying to fix a problem that doesn’t exist, but don’t work on something that’s actually broke. Both Mike and Robbie talk about their struggles in this area and how they are addressing them, because now is the best time. We get into how and why it’s best to uandercommit and over deliver vs. the opposite track that most ...
#724 – Creating A Winning Culture For . . . Yourself
October 19, 2023 18:11 - 1 hour - 56.1 MBEven when they’re losing, you just get the feeling that certain teams are going to come back and win. It's that winning culture insilled deep in the program. Today, we talk about how to create that winning culture in yourself. It’s not an overnight fix and we’ll look at the power in little things on the way to making yourself a powerhouse. Great teams don’t force things, they don’t sweat the small stuff, and they certainly don’t give up. Lots of good nuggets here about training yourself in a...
#723 – KONA 2023 - What We Learned
October 17, 2023 16:58 - 56 minutes - 51.4 MBLucy Charles-Barclay goes wire to wire at Kona in a performance for the ages. Today, we look at tons of the little details we saw on Saturday, including pacing, strategy, nutrition, and straight up toughness. We also talk about the broadcast and a lot of the good things Ironman is doing for the sport. We get into the chess match on the course, Lucy trusting her instincts on the swim, and her decision to take control on the bike. There were tons of little stories sprinkled into an amazing rac...
#722 – IRONMAN Making Moves, PLUS, KONA 2023 Women's Preview/Predictions
October 12, 2023 17:26 - 59 minutes - 54.4 MBToday, we start with some of the moves Ironman is making from a product perspective and discuss why they seem to be good calls. We look at the pros and whether or not they should be the marketing angle for the sport. Then we get into this year’s Ironman Women’s World Championship. We define the contenders, talk about how the race may play out, and why there could be chaos on the bike. Will the runners be able to stay close enough to top bikers? Will there be too much separation in the swim? ...
#721 – Make Your World Small
October 10, 2023 18:50 - 57 minutes - 52.2 MBWe can have big dreams, but the way to get there is by taking small, consistent steps. Not too high, not too low. Today is back getting rid of things that suck that energy dry. It’s very hard but how to we make our world less noisy and calm an overactive mind that can pre-dispose us to patters of self-sabotage? Today we get into training habit changes, addiction to pain, and playing the blame game. We all do this shit and there’s nothing wrong with getting it in the open. We need energy to b...
#720 – Accountability To Yourself
October 05, 2023 17:18 - 49 minutes - 45.5 MBIn a world with millions of distractions, it’s up to us to figure out what we really want out of life. Training and racing can be a great compass, but we have to shut off the noise and figure out internal motivation. Being accountable to ourselves is an easy concept, but difficult to master. Today we talk about figuring out structure and finding solutions to the real problems that keep us away from training and doing things we really want to do in life. Chasing perfection often turns into pr...
#719 – Are You Gaining Fitness, or Just Getting Tired?
October 04, 2023 17:36 - 56 minutes - 51.8 MBBeing fresh, fit and energized is VERY underrated. Today we look at a common loop triathletes get themselves in when they are not paying heed to the truth of nature. This is the time of year to build habits that work for you next year, and frankly all the time. There’s nothing more powerful than looking forward to training and today we look at ways to get there. Training for 3 sports all year long isn’t the right formula for everyone. Frankly, it can seem overwhelming and today we look at wh...