Today on the Crushing Iron Podcast we explore the reasoning behind feeling obligated to do 20 Mile Training Runs and Century Rides. Are they in themselves keys to racing an Ironman or is it just a "peace of mind" strategy. In general, how do you stay consistent and want to wake up each day ready to get better.   

Most Builds for Ironman are . . . too long
Do You Really Need Bricks?
The One Thing That Makes You Run Better Off The Bike
How Far Do You REALLY Need To Run in Ironman Training?
Racing Without A Watch
Announcement of Next Guest on Podcast
Music City Triathlon
Mike's Podium Prediction
There’s Only So Much Volume A Body Can Handle
Stress Scores As They Relate To Training
Mental and Emotional Burnout
Peaking at the Right Time
Practicing at staying the Same Speed
What is it with benchmarks?
Power of Accumulated Fatigue Podcast #78
Check out the Aim Low Blog Post

Looking for a fun weekend of training and meeting awesome people? Check out our 2019 Camp Schedule here. 

Travel, hotel, check-in, Taper, Diet, phantom pains . . . They all dominate our brains before a race. So, how do we reduce that stress and turn anxiety into excited? Turning your thought pattern from fear to confidence is a great place to start. Today, we walk through all the stuff that comes the week or two before races and look at ways to shift your mindset. 

Park and Walk
When and How To Pack for a Race
Sending Positive Signals to Your Body and Brain
Race Logistics
Less is more
Taper Diet
Unrealistic Expectations
Ghost Pains
Antsy vs. Anxious
Compounding Confidence vs. Anxiety
When to Talk and Not Listen
Treating a Race Not a Race

Looking for a fun weekend of training and meeting awesome people? Check out our 2019 Camp Schedule here. 

Triathlon doesn't always have to be hard. In fact, it shouldn't be. And sometimes stopping, relaxing, and taking your time can actually be faster. Today we talk about how to train with full body experience instead of focusing on the pavement for hours on end. Tend to the part of the garden you can reach. 

We Announce the THREE Team Races for 2019
Mike Updates His 10/17 Running
Great Story from our Facebook Group - Say Hi To a Neighbor
What’s Really Important, and What’s not
C26 Meditation Music??
Triathlon isn’t our LIFE
How Willing Are You To Stop and Take a Moment In Training
Why Relaxing Makes You Faster
Return on Investment Training
How Triathlon Can Enhance Everything Else You Do
Quit Staring Down At Your Bike Computer
Finding HEALTHY Pain
The Relaxation Tape Series

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C26 Camp Dates for 2019 Are Announced here: www.crushingiron.com/camps

Do you approach your workouts as a class or the test? If it's the latter, it probably stands to reason that training can seem more like pressure than enjoyment. This is an easy way to beat yourself up instead of finding praise. Today, we talk about a lot including how you can re-define the idea of PR'ing your workouts.

Hydrating More As You Age
Working Out The Hamstrings
Double Run Days
Double Bike Days
Navigating Work and Long Workouts
Do What You Want To Do
Heather Wurtel Story - What’s your definition of success?
Taking Things Too Personally
Setting Goals Is One Thing But . . . How Do You Appreciate Them?
How Today Can Be Your Best Workout of the Year
Redefining PR’ing Every Workout
Two Types of Athletes
Are Your Workouts a Class or a Test?
Do You Beat Yourself Up or Praise?

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The Crushing Iron Triathlon Camp always reminds us how important attitude can be in life. When 20 virtual strangers with common goals meet for the first time it can really turn into magic. Today, how positive people, good energy, and the BELIEF in yourself can help you dive into the fear. 

Surrounding Yourself With Positive People
Solving Open Water Swim Panic
Leaving Your Comfort Zone On Your Own
Rising to a Different Level
Re-Defining Your “hard” or “best effort”
The Power of Change
The Body vs. The Mind
How to Not Walk On The Run
Sometimes it’s Best Not To Think
Running Into Your Fears
Why Overworking Could Be Lack of Confidence
Sleep, Nutrition, and Mobility
Stacking Lasting Gains on Top of Each Other
Wave Start at Muncie - Did we practice a rolling start?

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Remember when you were a kid and played all day long without a second thought to how how tired you were? There's nothing worse than staring at a training week and dreading the tough workouts ahead. There's a lot of power in finding fun in training and racing and today we talk about how to find more enjoyment.  

Traffic Report Rant 
The Crushing Iron Closed Group hits 1000 members
Camp Preview
Treating Training Like A Kid
Can Everyone Do An Ironman?
Is Ironman Really That Hard or is it the Commitment?
Motivation and Commitment
Would You Still Train if You Didn’t Have a Watch?
Get In Touch With Your Body, Not The Numbers
Is More Always Better?
What Parents Can Learn From Training
How Coaching Should Work

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If triathlon is supposed to be fun, why does it hurt so often? Today, we discuss how to manage training like you would manage a race and why preparation is the solution to more enjoyable training and racing. There's a lot to think about in this sport but information is there . . . it comes down to remembering and building habits that don't turn you into a sacrificial lamb of training. 

How To Keep Things From Seeming Out of Control
Keeping Balance Within Each Workout
The Psyche of The Run
The Mentality of Walking on The Run
The Gigantic Difference between Hydrating and Fueling
You’re Not Supposed To Be Trashed After Every Workout and Race
Running Slow To Get Fast
The Different Mindset of Triathlon vs. Running an Open Race
How Do You Slow Down The Least?
The HUGE difference between Staying Cool vs. Getting Cool
Managing the Temps and Conditions of the Day
Should You Walk The First Mile of an Ironman?
Building A Foundation vs. Digging Yourself a Hole
The Triathlon Therapist

Think about what it takes to put together a PR . . . solid training, great mindset, optimal weather, perfect nutrition, incredible effort, and impeccable execution. Is that realistic for every race? Today, we get into a great discussion of how "just enough" in all those areas can come together, and while it may not mean a PR, it COULD mean a great performance. And a great performance should always be the goal.  

The Complications of Chasing PRs
Detaching from Devices
Do you put too much weight on your numbers?
How do you FEEL?
How to build real and lasting appreciation
Are you Being Programmed to a pace or heart rate?
Virtual Triathlons
Link to article - Metric Fixation
What Does Race Day REALLY Represent??
What is your best PERFORMANCE?
Execution vs. Fitness
Are You Really Dialing In Nutrition?
Fueling On The Bike To Satisfy Your Run

Imagine coaching 40 athletes that are racing triathlon on the same weekend. Today, Coach Robbie takes us through a play by play of how he tracks athletes and retains his sanity with all the notifications. The highs, the lows, the stresses, the rewards. He also shares his "secrets" as a coach, which usually boil down to building relationships and trust. 

• Coaching the Week of race preparation
• Race outlines
• An Athlete’s Happiness is #1
• Handling different skill levels and ages
• Most stressful part of a race weekend
• Dealing with sickness and stress
• The journey and the obstacles
• Endless Variables to Consider
• Big race, fun race, set up
• Just finish, podium, or win?
• Expectations or Future Resentments? 
• Or, Expectations as Restraints?
• Why Athletes Never Let a Coach Down

The reason WHY we do Triathlon is always a good question to explore. Some people have changed their lives dramatically, while others simply find it fun. We posed the question to our closed Facebook Group and got a ton of good response on how to find and keep your WHY. Plus, Mike and Coach Robbie unveil moments in training that changed everything. 

- David Goggins and Doing Something that Sucks Every Day
- Mike's Turning Point
- Dozens of good reasons to get in and stay in this sport
- Eagleman Course Strategy Breakdown at end of Cast
- Andrew Starykowicz's Camp

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David Goggins on Instagram 

Information on Andrew Starykowicz Camp

What if, instead of thinking of races as A, B, C, etc., you thought of them all with equal importance as it relates to the big picture? Sort of like a final exam with quizzes and midterms. Today we discuss why "little" races matter and how to get your mind right to take advantage of what they offer. 

- Getting Your Mind in The Game
- Training Our Brain To Go Fast or Slow
- Why Tapering Doesn’t Mean Shutting It Down
- Making Sure You Peak at the Right Time
- The Best Way to Use Countdown Clocks
- The Final Exam Analogy
- When and How To Work on Speed
- Missing Links In Training
- Who Slows Down The Least?
- Strength and Flexibility
- Adjusting Your Attitude Race Morning
- Moderate Lifestyle Meets Intensity

The Power of Spontaneity if Racing

Celebrating A Race vs. Stressing 

The “Device Funk”

How Obsessing With Data Kills Races

I Feel Like I Didn’t Really “Race"

How To Navigate “I Had To Play It Safe" 

What’s Wrong With Feeling Good After A Race?

Dealing with that “unfinished business” feel

Give me another crack at it

Deep Fitness

Making Mid-Season Changes

When is it Time To Go Harder?

When is is Time To Stay The Course?

Training and Racing Without a Watch

Please be patient with our opening discussion about LeBron James vs. Michael Jordan. It's always something. After that we get into some great stuff from our C26 Athletes and what they learned at Ironman 70.3 Chattanooga. We also talk about the intensity of a Half Ironman vs. an Olympic and how that gap is closing. Lots of good advice and learning points. 

One of the best times for big gains is following the effort of a race. Today, our C26 athletes give us some great feedback from racing in the heat at Chattanooga. How they prepared, raced, and what paid off the most. Also, what they plan to do better next time. Some awesome lessons from a lot of people who PR'd and hit the podium at Ironman 70.3 Chattanooga.

Some of the topics:

- Her pre-race week and why it was the key to her PR
- The best advice for racing and life
- Sponges, Ice, Walking the Aid Stations
- Listen to your body for nutritional advice
- The one thing I'd pay more attention to before my next race
- Stop Telling Yourself You Can't and Start Telling Yourself You Can
- The songs he sang in his head gave him 15 seconds per mile on the run
- How to deal with the feeling that "you didn't race" to your capabilities
- Why scissors are key for pre-race prep
- NFL Draft Comes To Nashville 

A tough but fair race is in the books, and today Mike and Coach Robbie recap their experience. With 27 coached athletes on site it was a huge weekend for C26. Many first timers, nearly 20 PRs, and 2 podiums, we have a lot to talk about. We also talk about the course, the heat, and . . . how why we think a course marshal may have been targeting C26 athletes. 

• PRs
• Podiums
• Swim Course
• Bike Course
• C26 Athletes
• Run Course struggles
• The Heat
• Awards Ceremony
• On course marshals
• Volunteer Shout Out
• Transition
• Wetsuit strippers
• Downtown Chattanooga
• IM 70.3 Chattanooga Race Director Review

It's four days out and your tapering. Your "ghost pain" and doubt are flaring. Today we talk about how to relax and let go of pre-race stress. We also hit on some of the most important things you can do to stay cool while you race in hot weather. Lots of good triathlon/coach pre-race ramble. 

Topics include:

• What To Focus on a Few Days Before a Race
• How To Stay Cool During A Hot Race, Sleep and Limit Stress
• Build Confidence In Race Week
• Getting off the Grid
• Running the Second Loop
• Cooking the Bike 
• Knowing Where You’re At and Where You’re Going
• New Gear Pick Up Info
• Will this podcast go to iTunes?

• Mike Fights A Cold
• Listening To Your Body
• The baseline for backing down workouts
• How Does THIS Race Fit Into Your Season
• Are You Holding Yourself Back?
• What RACING Really Means
• Using Your Race To Learn and Improve
• How We Tend to Overthink
• Understanding Power if You Don’t Use Power
• Racing with power but not TO power
• Racing Without A Watch
• It’s about more than the numbers
• Being Ready To Rock Mentally and Emotionally
• The Course Matters
• What’s The Real Difference of 10 Watts

• Race Day Is To Figure Out Where You Are
• Calm Down 
• Know The Facts
• Don’t Worry About The Weather 
• What’s The Worst Thing That Can Happen?
• Accepting What Is
• The Class Reunion Effect
• Have Fun and Execute 
• There’s Power In The Group
• 90% of Life is Showing Up 
• You don’t have to show up and be someone you’re not 

• The Walt Disney Hangover
• Flying Poop Story
• MIGA - Make Ironman Great Again? 
• Great One Day. Awful The Next. 
• Letting Go Of Terrible Workouts
• Flirting With Spring, Marrying Summer
• How Temperature Affects Your Running
• The Perfect Run Conditions
• Benefits of Interval Work on The Treadmill
• Hydrating Properly for a Hot Run
• Digging Unintentional Holes 
• 48 Hours Before the Race
• The Definition of Race Week: The Less Stress as Possible
• Acclimating to Temps or Altitude Before a Race
• Hour to Hour decision Making for Today’s Workout

Ironman Texas created a shit-storm over on-course drafting so we thought we'd banter some ideas around to see what came up. We think we have found a real solution that has nothing to do with extra marshals, more timing mats, or extra cameras on the course. Essentially it all comes down to how they start the race. We start warming up and getting closer to the answer about halfway through the podcast. 

Looking for a coach? Check out our Crushing Iron Coaching Philosophy Video

Today's podcast is a discussion based on this rant titled, "The Watering Down of Ironman" by Bruce Butler. 

Here's an excerpt from the post: 

"This change was part of Ironman’s “SwimSmart initiative,” with the goal of “improving athlete satisfaction and reducing anxiety during the swim portion of the race.” As part of this initiative, floats are also available so swimmers can stop and take a breather if needed.

Seriously?"

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We address his post, but look at many other ways we can all enjoy the sport more and offer a solid potential solution for the Mass Swim Start dilemma.

- Does the SwimSmart Initiative Really Make Things Safer?
- What Does Ironman REALLY Do For People?
- Why not have some Mass Starts?
- Don't people like the idea of picking races because they're different?
- Are You Trained Up Enough To Enjoy Your Races?
- Obsessing On Accomplishment vs. The Process
- The AWA - All World Athlete? 
- How We Feel About People Who Say Ironman is Easy
- The Underdog Story

Looking for a coach? Check out our Crushing Iron Coaching Philosophy Video

Crushing Iron Podcasts Hosts: Mike Tarrolly and Coach Robbie Bruce

Racing Ironman 70.3 Chattanooga or another half this year? Today we break it all down so you can be ready for your best 70.3 race. We focus on Chattanooga's course, but there are a lot of other little nuggets you can use for your next race.

Many of us grew up in the "Just Do It" era, but when does "Just Do It" throw you into a triathlon training funk? Today we explore the concept of staying within your limits when that next set or interval is tantalizing you to prove you can. We also talk about your race of the perspective of 30 Days Out. 

• Finding Your Comfort Zone In the Water
• Short or Long in The Pool?
• Smart Approaches To Durability
• You Don’t Want To Do Less, Do Enough
• How To Know When To Stop A Workout
• The Point of Cool Downs
• Why You Don’t Want To Slow Down In a Race
• Don’t Overthink The Weather 
• The Best Way To Ruin Tomorrow’s Workout 
• Setting Yourself Up To Run Off The Bike
• How To Reign It In When You’re Feeling Great
• What’s Enough? What’s Too Much?
• When Less Is More
• Error on the Side of Caution With The Run
• How You Can Overdue The Bike But Not Realize It
• The Secret Workout?

Looking for a coach? Check out our Crushing Iron Coaching Philosophy Video

Crushing Iron Podcasts Hosts: Mike Tarrolly and Coach Robbie Bruce

The Crushing Iron April Triathlon Camp is in the books. Today we look at lessons we learned from other athletes. Great people and attitudes made for a lot of fun and solid work. Topics include: 

• Running Hills- Climbs and Descents
• Opening Up The Legs
• Nurturing Your Introvert AND Extrovert
• Dialing In Training Recovery
• Choosing The Harder More Difficult Path
• Adjusting to Very Cold Water
• Contact in the Water
• Open Water Sighting on Windy Days
• Recognizing Limitations We Put on Ourselves
• The Difference Between Rollers and Climbs
• Race Pace off The Bike
• Getting Comfortable In Aero
• Going Beyond Your Beliefs
• Negative Splitting Your Run off a Hard Bike
• Pushing Yourself More When Someone Is Watching
• The Power of Group Training
• Camp As Race Simulation
• Race Day Nutrition 
• Week of Race Nutrition

Looking for a coach? Check out our Crushing Iron Coaching Philosophy Video

Crushing Iron Podcasts Hosts: Mike Tarrolly and Coach Robbie Bruce