Info

Crushing Iron Triathlon Podcast

Find out why thousands of beginner, intermediate, and advanced athletes are improving their training and racing with accessible, functional and genuine conversation about triathlon. Two coaches, who aren't afraid to laugh at themselves, look for smart and enjoyable solutions in a sport that's often dumb and painful. Mike Tarrolly and Robbie Bruce explore the mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual side of training and racing everything from Ironman to a Sprint. on Monday and Thursday.
RSS Feed Subscribe in Apple Podcasts
2024
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2023
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2022
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2021
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2020
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2019
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2018
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2017
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2016
December
November


Categories

All Episodes
Archives
Categories
Now displaying: May, 2023
May 30, 2023

Some awesome questions from the group today! We start with training on the bike and how to get better. Riding alone vs. a group. How to push yourself when you’re alone. We look at the best way to troll Ironman Facebook groups. We talk about how to train when you have an injury and a race coming up. Mike and Robbie share their biggest racing fears, along with what scares them as they track athletes. We shell ideas on where to start with your first racing bike. Also, you swim great in the pool, but can’t put it together in open water… we get things straightened out. How to train if you’re injured. Racing back to back days. Smart spends for your cycling. And tackling hills at Ironman Wisconsin. This one would be great for a drinking game.

TOPICS:

  • What’s up across the globe?
  • ITU Rolling
  • Ironman - How to get better on the bike
  • Long rides solo or with groups?
  • Pushing yourself when you’re alone
  • Mental toughness
  • The best way to troll Facebook Groups
  • Dealing with an injury when your race is looming
  • Mike and Robbie’s biggest race fears
  • Our coaching fears while tracking
  • I don’t have a bike, where should I start?
  • Turning solid pool swimming into fast open water swimming
  • Recalibrating after an injury
  • Racing back to back days
  • Best place to spend your money as a cyclist
  • Tackling hills at Ironman Wisconsin

Coaching Inquiries

Mike Tarrolly - CrushingIron@gmail.com

Robbie Bruce - C26Coach@gmail.com

www.c26triathlon.com

May 25, 2023

Today we talk about the importance of igniting our own competitive fires. This is more than competing to win. It’s about competing against yourself to be your best and putting yourself in those situations. It’s about finding ways to get fired up to chase something you want. It’s about trusting that you can keep going. We get into how difficult it can be to fuel your own fire all the time. We look at that fine line between being too calculated and letting it rip. The best athletes in the world don’t look at their watch when they’re chasing a win. They just compete. They Just get it done. Today, we look at how that mindset can help you in training, racing and life. The best ability is availability. And often, that’s availability to figure out how to just get it done. It’s easier to throw more wood on an inferno than to ignite a soggy log.

Topics:

  • Igniting competitive spirit inside you
  • Milos
  • Gwen Jorgenson
  • Rip off a 5k or 10k
  • We try to make everything calculated
  • Brownlee, Neuman, Blumenfelt
  • Kids need more free time
  • Childhood games
  • Robbie’s Sprint Race
  • The best don’t look at their watch when chasing
  • Racing without a watch
  • Just being a competitor
  • Where does your brain go when you look at your watch?
  • Worry about fighting vs. failing
  • Life is a game of in the moment
  • What does it take to ignite your fire?
  • Constant battle going on against yourself
  • It’s difficult to fuel your own fire all the time
  • The best ability is availability
  • Just get it done

Coaching Inquiries

Mike Tarrolly - CrushingIron@gmail.com

Robbie Bruce - C26Coach@gmail.com

www.c26triathlon.com

May 23, 2023

How do you think about race preparation? Today, we look at ways to get the most out of your fitness on race day. We look at the difference between preparing with accessories and preparing with knowledge that will make you faster. Do you really KNOW the race course? Do you train on similar terrain or simulated terrain? We look at ways for you to dial in your nutrition, but also talk about how the perfect game plan with nutrition can be ruined by bad pacing. We also look at how bad nutrition can be overcome by perfect pacing. Being unprepared equals fear. Are you training with purpose in regard to the race course or just winging it in hopes it works out? There is a ton of free speed out there if you know where to look for it, and we’re not talking about aero helmets and carbon shoes.

Topics:

  • Running yourself to the podium
  • Chatt 70.3 Largest attendance since the lockdown
  • Chatt 70.3 field always stacked
  • Knowing your race course
  • Getting the absolute most out of your fitness
  • Accessories vs. Preparation
  • Carbon plated shoes
  • Prepare like a pro triathlete
  • Drive the course
  • Don’t be surprised, be prepared
  • Train on terrain like the race
  • Nutrition blaming
  • Poor pacing can ruin a race
  • Perfect nutrition can be ruined by bad pacing
  • Terrible nutrition can work with the right pacing
  • Margin for error
  • Guessing at nutrition
  • Pain Massage Caves
  • Do the extra research
  • The more prepared you are in the details
  • Unprepared equals Fear
  • Wondering how your race will go, instead of knowing
  • Doubling up on the stress

Coaching Inquiries

Mike Tarrolly - CrushingIron@gmail.com

Robbie Bruce - C26Coach@gmail.com

www.c26triathlon.com

May 18, 2023

Charles Bukowski said, “What matters most is how well you walk through the fire.” And he’s right. Today we combine that thought process with how Kobe Bryant built mental toughness by negotiating his own thought process. Racing and training presents hundreds of opportunities to “figure it out” and those are the golden nuggets of becoming a better triathlete. Today, we look at self talk and creating tough situations in training so you know how to handle them in racing. We look into the power of being alone in your head and becoming mentally strong. Get through nagging niggles. We talk about trainers vs. gamers and what sets them apart. Can you callus your mind in such a way that it makes you race better? Layer in opportunities to quit, but don’t do it. How do you get through the tough training moments and beat that inner voice that’s telling you to quit, or worse, not start.

Topics:

  • Marketer’s Anonymous
  • The inner voice
  • Listen to Kobe
  • Spend time alone in your head
  • Beating niggles in your mind
  • Mentally prepared for a race
  • Are you mentally weak or ready?
  • Digging deep on the run
  • Figure it out
  • Running without distraction
  • It hurts more to run slow
  • Gamers vs. Trainers
  • What is a race atmosphere worth?
  • Mental warfare
  • What matters most is how well you walk through the fire.
  • Choose to go to battle
  • How are you making things harder?
  • Layer in opportunities to quit
  • What’s your mind gonna say?
  • Smart decisions come in all packages
  • Quit talking about it . . .

Coaching Inquiries

Mike Tarrolly - CrushingIron@gmail.com

Robbie Bruce - C26Coach@gmail.com

www.c26triathlon.com

May 16, 2023

Today we talk about how lucky we are that we chose triathlon at certain points of our lives. It’s easy to take for granted, but we get into being able to appreciate how much better off we are because we chose to move. We look how many people wallow in funks when it doesn’t have to be that way. We talk about the beauty of feeling younger as you age. We talk about why we do things we know we shouldn’t and how to feel good about feeling good. We look at falling into the same traps and how to avoid them. Really, this is a reminder that you have made a choice and it’s the right one. Movement is medicine and you can do whatever you choose to as long as you make that decision. No Ragrats :)

Topics:

  • Don’t Get Left Behind
  • Sam Long
  • We are LUCKY we have chosen triathlon
  • Saved my life
  • Saved my day
  • Text threads instead of lunch
  • Moving to a new office to avoid stairs
  • Feeling lonely and knowing you need something
  • When it feels like you’ve been hit by a bus
  • Falling into the same traps
  • The Search for Excitement
  • Golf for more active people
  • Aging and getting faster
  • Minimum effective dose
  • When you should be more selfish
  • Introvert/Extrovert
  • iPads and video games
  • Live your dream
  • Get sun
  • Hunching over computers keyboards
  • Knees - use them or lose them

Coaching Inquiries

Mike Tarrolly - CrushingIron@gmail.com

Robbie Bruce - C26Coach@gmail.com

www.c26triathlon.com

May 12, 2023

Are you worn out from training or your daily life? Today, we contend that you’re probably not overtrained, but you’re more likely under-recovered. We’ll take a dive into the elements of real recovery and talk about how important it is to find that true energy that you know is inside you. We look at the purpose of days off and how you should utilize them. We talk about recovery workouts and how important it is to treat them with respect. We all make big planning lists for our long weekend workouts, but are we crushing our energy on the daily by not giving shorter ones respect? It’s an interesting topic and one that’s focused on keeping you on a good roll, looking forward to training, and helping you recognize you’re digging a hole before you’re already in one.

Topics:

  • Seasonal Transitions
  • Dew Point, Humidity
  • Lack of Sleep
  • Sore legs, quads
  • When Spring goes straight to Summer
  • Gulf Roast 70.3
  • Chatt 70.3
  • Woefully placed days off
  • Getting the most from a day off
  • Stress is stress
  • Swimming at lunch
  • Different kinds of tired
  • No weekends . . .
  • Calendars are weird
  • Day off = Focused Recovery
  • You’re not overtrained, you’re under recovered
  • Focused and intentional training
  • Hard to fit it all in
  • Dissipate Stress
  • The “2-3 days” before effect
  • A lot of Tuesday World Champions out there
  • Stress Buckets
  • Tired and slow and performing the same
  • Not realizing you’re in a hole until you’re in a hole
  • More, more, more
  • Energy is encouraged
  • If you want to do more, do more recovery

 

Coaching Inquiries

Mike Tarrolly - CrushingIron@gmail.com

Robbie Bruce - C26Coach@gmail.com

www.c26triathlon.com

May 9, 2023

Our favorite series is back! 

What do you think about when you swim? Turns out, it should be a lot of things . . . but in small doses. Today we get into the importance of the front end of your stroke. We talk about how to have a strong catch and good feel for the water. Both of those can improve your speed in the water tremendously. We also get into the idea of thinking but not thinking. Micro thoughts and how to work on your swim on the fly. We get into stroke rhythm, head position, cause and effect changes, and sighting obsession. We also tell you why swimming “wrong” on purpose could help you stroke. Loads of top-line, actionable discussion today about how to make you a better swimmer.

Topics:

  • All that fitness . . . gone.
  • Without fun, what is there?
  • Get you some C26 Gear!
  • What do you think about when swimming?
  • Head position in the water
  • Bilateral vs breathing every stroke
  • Good technique is free speed
  • Not making huge changes
  • Obsessing with one thing
  • Everything is connected
  • Spall changes matter
  • Anti-singular drills
  • Cause and effect
  • High elbow
  • Stroke rhythm too fast?
  • Sighting obsession
  • Try to swim wrong
  • Always start in the front
  • The back is a little gravy
  • Finding feel for the water
  • Owning your wrist position
  • Swim stroke comparison with pedal stroke
  • Running intervals compared to swim intervals
  • Teach yourself to be an athlete
  • Accumulate minutes of doing it right!
  • Benefits of good form
  • Going through the motions
  • Swimming is a chronic load
  • Bad form equals bad balance.

Coaching Inquiries

Mike Tarrolly - CrushingIron@gmail.com

Robbie Bruce - C26Coach@gmail.com

www.c26triathlon.com

May 4, 2023

There is a lot at play when thinking about keeping the integrity of your workouts. Are you going too hard, too easy, or not recovering enough? These are all things that can make or break the consistency of your training and we all know that consistency is king. Today we look at how to handle workouts when you “don’t have it” or get in the mindset of “proving you have it when you don’t.” We look at how to handle intervals and rest to get your ass in the ballpark of today’s workout. We look at preparing for race pain. How to get out of the “way up or way down” cycle. How to handle pool sessions. Adaptation. Hitting the ceiling when you want to. And the concept of not always crushing it, but just being good. And of course, when all else fails, laugh it off.

Topics:

  • Midwest salt of the earth
  • Big Pro racing weekend
  • Complicated and confused
  • Podcasting universe
  • Coupon Code for 25% gear: c26gear  (good through May 8, 2023 at midnight)
  • Swim intervals
  • Trapped in the overall average pace
  • Adaptation
  • Being able to hit that ceiling
  • When the goal is high intensity
  • Bike intervals
  • When the integrity is an easy workout
  • Looking ahead at the toughest sessions
  • Hard work vs Hard workout
  • Quality over quantity?
  • Overcooking 24/7
  • Training for the race pain
  • Finding answers when you’re struggling
  • Either Way Up or Way Down
  • Don’t crush next week, just be good
  • Creating better days and attitude
  • Laugh it off
  •  

Coaching Inquiries

Mike Tarrolly - CrushingIron@gmail.com

Robbie Bruce - C26Coach@gmail.com

www.c26triathlon.com

May 2, 2023

How do we REALLY feel about weight lifting? Find out today, and how we think it combines with endurance sports. We also talk seasonal depression and ask if it’s more prevelant these days. We look at ways to beat it. Plus, how long should you be in triathlon before deciding to tackle an Ironman? Couple different perspectives. Why are swim breaks so short? When should the be longer? Also, is it better to swim 2x200 or 1x4,000? We’ll look into swim training intention, different speeds in the water and building control. We also look at what might be some interesting locations for a new Ironman race.

Topics:

  • Seasonal Depression more common?
  • The best thing you can do for your health
  • Casual conversations to start the day
  • Hydration in cold weather
  • Del Boca Vista pool
  • How long should I be in triathlon before tackling Ironman?
  • 18 months from Couch to Ironman?
  • Limiting outside Life Stress
  • Weightlifting vs. Swimming
  • Heather Jackson’s triathlon future?
  • Wattie?
  • Swim and Rest breaks. . . why so short?
  • Purposeful swim training
  • Having intention and different speeds in the pool
  • 2 x 200 vs. 1 x 4,000?
  • Lifting on off days
  • Foundational strength
  • What would be a good location for a new Ironman?

Coaching Inquiries

Mike Tarrolly - CrushingIron@gmail.com

Robbie Bruce - C26Coach@gmail.com

www.c26triathlon.com

1