A mantra we like to remember for racing is, “Don’t believe how you feel at any minute, because it’s bound to change.” The same goes for training. How many times have we been on top of the world one day and talking about quitting the sport the next? Training is all about not getting too high or too low. Today we look at ways of staying positive on the emotional roller coaster of triathlon training. 

Topics: 

• The Truth about swim fitness
• Is the swim long or slow?
• Mind games of a realistic swim
• Amazon Side Business
• Double ride weekend
• Salvaging your rides
• Belief systems that hold you back
• From quitting to back in the game in 48 hours
• Uneven patches in training
• When self perception changes
• From bike accident to podium 
• Giving yourself more time 
• Putting on your run shoes can change you
• Don’t let outliers dictate your mood
• Wimbledon Resiliency 
• How personal life drives success

Registration is NOW OPEN for 2020 C26 Camps. Find out more on our Camps Page. 

Struggling with your Swim? Join our new SWIM SQUAD 12 Month Program and build confidence in the water. You'll get 4 workouts a week, 4 customized video swim analysis, weekly swim tip videos and discounts on our Swim Camps. For more information go to this link. 

Support the Crushing Iron podcast on Patreon, where the community pledge is only $3.26 per month. There are other options, but every little bit helps us keep this podcast on the rails. Thanks in advance.

You can also support us at our new store at CrushingIron.com. We have some NEW classic logo t-shirts and the Official Crushing Iron Spectator shirt for sale. Support the cast and get some new gear for it!

"Watches are like the weatherman.” – Coach Robbie 

FTP Tests, Heart Race, Pace . . . do you look at them honestly, or lean toward the perfect answer? Today we talk about how to be smart (and realistic) when you look at data and maybe why you shouldn’t look at all. We’ve said it before, Long Course racing isn’t about who’s fastest, it’s about who slows down the least. Is this how you race?

Topics: 

• Adapting to the weather
• Knowing who you are
• The “heat of the moment”
• Warning Signs to be aware of in heat
• The impact of dew point 
• PR conditions by perceptions 
• When to "skip it”
• FTP Obsession
• Understanding your power
• The problems with standard FTP tests
• Power vs. Poor Pacing
• Vanity FTP
• Your Power Portfolio
• Gadgets are tools to inform not dictate
• Blindly believing your watch
• How would you drive with 3 gallons of gas?
• Who are you today?

Registration is NOW OPEN for 2020 C26 Camps. Find out more on our Camps Page. 

Struggling with your Swim? Join our new SWIM SQUAD 12 Month Program and build confidence in the water. You'll get 4 workouts a week, 4 customized video swim analysis, weekly swim tip videos and discounts on our Swim Camps. For more information go to this link. 

Support the Crushing Iron podcast on Patreon, where the community pledge is only $3.26 per month. There are other options, but every little bit helps us keep this podcast on the rails. Thanks in advance.

You can also support us at our new store at CrushingIron.com. We have some NEW classic logo t-shirts and the Official Crushing Iron Spectator shirt for sale. Support the cast and get some new gear for it!

Are you drinking too much water? Training for the wrong course? Pushing hard at the wrong times? Today, it’s all about why races fall apart, both because in-race decisions and lack of race specific training. We look smart heat acclimation, sweat tests, replicating your race course, and how to nail nutrition. The difference between a decent race and a great one comes down to the little things. 

Topics:

• Mind tricks of big training blocks
• The Dead of Summer Heat
• Being blind to getting fit
• Optimal training conditions 
• Summer training is hard to compute
• The body as a machine
• Heat and Hydration
• Why You Should be taking notes
• Dialing in Nutrition in the Heat
• How athletes typically screw up races
• Sweat Tests 
• Why straight water is bad for your race
• Is the Run the problem or what you do before it?
• When nutrition mistakes are amplified
• Practicing Race Day 
• Replicating the Ironman bike 
• Detailing Demands of the course you’re racing
• Race specific training
• Heat Acclimation vs. Fitness 

Registration is NOW OPEN for 2020 C26 Camps. Find out more on our Camps Page. 

Struggling with your Swim? Join our new SWIM SQUAD 12 Month Program and build confidence in the water. You'll get 4 workouts a week, 4 customized video swim analysis, weekly swim tip videos and discounts on our Swim Camps. For more information go to this link. 

Support the Crushing Iron podcast on Patreon, where the community pledge is only $3.26 per month. There are other options, but every little bit helps us keep this podcast on the rails. Thanks in advance.

You can also support us at our new store at CrushingIron.com. We have some NEW classic logo t-shirts and the Official Crushing Iron Spectator shirt for sale. Support the cast and get some new gear for it!

"Is it getting better, or do you feel the same?" - U2

Triathletes are notorious for experiencing burnout, but we’re here to tell you the training isn’t the reason. More often it’s something in your life that isn’t being addressed that can’t be solved by triathlon. We look at the Ironman (triathlon) high and search for ways to approach the sport so it’s not taking away what it should be giving you. The event doesn’t change you, it’s who you become along the way. 

Topics:

• Ironman Muncie podcast is #65 
• 2020 C26 Training Camps Link
• Getting back your mojo
• Ironman Burnout
• Does Ironman define you?
• The Ironman high . . . and low
• When we let races define us
• Why did you choose Triathlon?
• Searching for Change 
• Searching for Fulfillment
• You’re still left with you
• Treading water in your life
• Is triathlon your life raft?
• Sleep, eat, dream, post triathlon
• 28:00 - out… “i hate that it can’t fix me”
• Where is the sweet spot of contentment?
• Roller Coaster Life

Registration is NOW OPEN for 2020 C26 Camps. Find out more on our Camps Page. 

Struggling with your Swim? Join our new SWIM SQUAD 12 Month Program and build confidence in the water. You'll get 4 workouts a week, 4 customized video swim analysis, weekly swim tip videos and discounts on our Swim Camps. For more information go to this link. 

Support the Crushing Iron podcast on Patreon, where the community pledge is only $3.26 per month. There are other options, but every little bit helps us keep this podcast on the rails. Thanks in advance.

You can also support us at our new store at CrushingIron.com. We have some NEW classic logo t-shirts and the Official Crushing Iron Spectator shirt for sale. Support the cast and get some new gear for it!

Sometimes life and this sport can be tough. Ultimately we're not in control, but what else can we do? Maybe an overload of kindness. 

-----------------------

Struggling with your Swim? Join our new SWIM SQUAD 12 Month Program and build confidence in the water. You'll get 4 workouts a week, 4 customized video swim analysis, weekly swim tip videos and discounts on our Swim Camps. For more information go to this link. 

Support the Crushing Iron podcast on Patreon, where the community pledge is only $3.26 per month. There are other options, but every little bit helps us keep this podcast on the rails. Thanks in advance.

You can also support us at our new store at CrushingIron.com. We have some NEW classic logo t-shirts and the Official Crushing Iron Spectator shirt for sale. Support the cast and get some new gear for it!

Do you get trapped in loops of negative self-talk? This can be a huge burden to carry when training. Today, we look at ways to manage your training so that you keep good energy and build a pattern of confidence. We get rid of "pass or fail" workouts and show how each training session (no matter how small) can be translated into mental preparation for a race. Finish strong, happy, and healthy.

 Topics:

• Cycles of Negativity 
• What makes a successful athlete?
• Running by feel
• Talking yourself into being stagnant 
• Appreciating how far you’ve come
• Coach athlete relationship on big picture
• Do you give up on yourself?
• How do you push yourself?
• Mental wins vs mental losses 
• Effort vs. Itinerary driven workouts
• Getting rid of pass or fail workouts
• Effort towards execution
• Beat yesterday? 
• Who slows down the least
• How to finish strong
• Mental exploration of pace and effort
• Be an expert of knowing your body
• Bonking vs. Terrible Execution
• The Person Who Makes the least amount of mistakes wins

Struggling with your Swim? Join our new SWIM SQUAD 12 Month Program and build confidence in the water. You'll get 4 workouts a week, 4 customized video swim analysis, weekly swim tip videos and discounts on our Swim Camps. For more information go to this link. 

Support the Crushing Iron podcast on Patreon, where the community pledge is only $3.26 per month. There are other options, but every little bit helps us keep this podcast on the rails. Thanks in advance.

You can also support us at our new store at CrushingIron.com. We have some NEW classic logo t-shirts and the Official Crushing Iron Spectator shirt for sale. Support the cast and get some new gear for it!

Triathlon is about getting better at the sport and in life. And along with getting better comes the fun. So who would guess swimming hard in open water then climbing hills in heat on the bike or run could be fun? Satisfaction and confidence ultimately lead to fun because you know you are capable. You SEE it . . . so you BELIEVE it. Today we get into ways triathletes can break cycles and get unstuck.

Topics:

• Power of getting out of you own reality 
• How to get unstuck
• Pushing to be better at life
• How do you change up a stale routine?
• The Journey of Self-Exploration
• Mental breakthroughs
• Mindless Cycling 
• Real World Fitness
• Perfect Pat vs. Weathered Willie 
• Predetermined decisions vs. reactions
• When your mind suffocates you
• Racing blind takes you out of your mind
• Re-write the story you’re telling yourself
• Do you believe what your coach sees?
• Challenging beliefs about yourself
• When bad workouts become affirmations

Struggling with your Swim? Join our new SWIM SQUAD 12 Month Program and build confidence in the water. You'll get 4 workouts a week, 4 customized video swim analysis, weekly swim tip videos and discounts on our Swim Camps. For more information go to this link. 

Support the Crushing Iron podcast on Patreon, where the community pledge is only $3.26 per month. There are other options, but every little bit helps us keep this podcast on the rails. Thanks in advance.

You can also support us at our new store at CrushingIron.com. We have some NEW classic logo t-shirts and the Official Crushing Iron Spectator shirt for sale. Support the cast and get some new gear for it!

Are you in triathlon for your next race or to keep getting better? We're on this "age is a number" kick and we believe your best potential is ahead of you. Will you be even better as you age? In 5 years? It's all about committing to the process and of course being patient. Is your two favorite parts of racing, signing up and finishing? Might be time to rethink your approach to the process. 

Topics:

• Where Do You Want to be in 5 years?
• Getting Rid of the Pressure
• Conversations with Friends
• Do you treat races as an expiration date?
• What do you value most?
• Mike on Father’s Day
• Where do you want your life to go?
• Where do you want to be as an athlete?
• Isolation tendencies
• Overtraining tendencies
• Well, you know . . . 
• Shortcuts don't cut it
• The optics vs. substance

Struggling with your Swim? Join our new SWIM SQUAD 12 Month Program and build confidence in the water. You'll get 4 workouts a week, 4 customized video swim analysis, weekly swim tip videos and discounts on our Swim Camps. For more information go to this link. 

Support the Crushing Iron podcast on Patreon, where the community pledge is only $3.26 per month. There are other options, but every little bit helps us keep this podcast on the rails. Thanks in advance.

You can also support us at our new store at CrushingIron.com. We have some NEW classic logo t-shirts and the Official Crushing Iron Spectator shirt for sale. Support the cast and get some new gear for it!

Fatigue is one of the most misunderstood concepts in triathlon. We usually want to carry fatigue, but we don't want to be tired. But how do you know the difference? Today, we look at training fatigue and how to embrace it without getting sick or tired. We also take a deep look into the concept of negative split and how it should play a role in training. 

Topics:

• Age is a Number
• Heat and dew points
• Gauging Muscular fatigue vs. Tired
• Training to stay tired
• A Great Sign of Fitness
• Signs of being over tired
• The Swim is a great barometer of tired
• You shouldn’t be totally exhausted! 
• Mile one should be your slowest
• Motivation takes ENERGY
• What "grumpy" says
• Food as an indicator of mindset 
• Short term feel goods
• Healthy, Sick, or Getting Better
• The Negative Split Mentality 
• Fatigue is the product of consistency
• Waking up with a stranger
• Taking time off INSIDE a workout
• The fewest mistakes usually wins
• The lonely sailboat analogy

Struggling with your Swim? Join our new SWIM SQUAD 12 Month Program and build confidence in the water. You'll get 4 workouts a week, 4 customized video swim analysis, weekly swim tip videos and discounts on our Swim Camps. For more information go to this link. 

We currently have ONE slot open for August camp. For more information on camps, click this link 

Support the Crushing Iron podcast on Patreon, where the community pledge is only $3.26 per month. There are other options, but every little bit helps us keep this podcast on the rails. Thanks in advance.

You can also support us at our new store at CrushingIron.com. We have some NEW classic logo t-shirts and the Official Crushing Iron Spectator shirt for sale. Support the cast and get some new gear for it!

Tulsa wins next Ironman location. Boulder is canceled. Kona goes to Age Group Wave Start. We talk about it all, plus potential new 70.3 locations, the negative impact of Ironman Facebook groups, and the timing of Ironman announcements. We also get into how to pick the race that’s best for your emotions and how to show yourself grace in training. 

Topics:

• Ironman Tulsa Is Next
• More 70.3’s On The Way?
• Ironman Boulder Cancelled
• Should they announced Boulder differently?
• Kona Swim Start to Waves
• Is Kona’s Change about the bike?
• The Perfect Way To Start a Triathlon
• Ironman 70.3 Muncie
• Ironman 70.3 Ohio
• Ironman Wisconsin
• Are Race Facebook Groups Bad for the sport?
• When should they announce the Swim cancelations?
• How to pick your best race venue
• Picking a race
• Suck it up and make it work
• Showing yourself Grace

Struggling with your Swim? Join our new SWIM SQUAD 12 Month Program and build confidence in the water. You'll get 4 workouts a week, 4 customized video swim analysis, weekly swim tip videos and discounts on our Swim Camps. For more information go to this link. 

We currently have ONE slot open for August camp. For more information on camps, click this link 

Support the Crushing Iron podcast on Patreon, where the community pledge is only $3.26 per month. There are other options, but every little bit helps us keep this podcast on the rails. Thanks in advance.

You can also support us at our new store at CrushingIron.com. We have some NEW classic logo t-shirts and the Official Crushing Iron Spectator shirt for sale. Support the cast and get some new gear for it!

It's Always Safety First for Us! And we are very passionate about Swim Preparation. On a weekend with another IM Swim cancelation and another death in the swim, we talk about ways to make the sport safer. We focus preparation, warm ups, not taking the swim for granted, and competitive waves. Also, looking at Ironman Louisville's new Run Course. 

Topics:

• Help us spread the word with an iTunes Review! 
• Tri-Louisville Recap
• Mike’s Ironman Louisville Swim Re-enactment
• New Ironman Louisville Run Course
• IM 70.3 Eagleman Canceled Swim 
• Preparing for the Swim 
• Ironman Volunteers 
• IM 70.3 Wisconsin Swim
• Water Rescue Crews
• Your Responsibility in the Swim 
• The Race is ON when Swim Starts
• 41:00   - mike/robbie swim combo 
• Competitive Waves
• Ironman Duathlon Series

Struggling with your Swim? Join our new SWIM SQUAD 12 Month Program and build confidence in the water. You'll get 4 workouts a week, 4 customized video swim analysis, weekly swim tip videos and discounts on our Swim Camps. For more information go to this link. 

We currently have ONE slot open for August camp. For more information on camps, click this link 

Support the Crushing Iron podcast on Patreon, where the community pledge is only $3.26 per month. There are other options, but every little bit helps us keep this podcast on the rails. Thanks in advance.

You can also support us at our new store at CrushingIron.com. We have some NEW classic logo t-shirts and the Official Crushing Iron Spectator shirt for sale. Support the cast and get some new gear for it!

Do you suffer from "Epic Challenge Syndrome?" What's the cut off line when pushing your body to get faster and stronger? And how do you gauge it? If there's one golden rule in triathlon (especially as we get older) it's "Respect Your Body." Taking things slowly almost always wins. Today we look at ways to produce longer and healthier careers in triathlon and the bedroom (well, kidding on the last part, but maybe not?). 

• Epic Challenge syndrome 
• Building speed and longevity
• Healthy conversations with your body
• Depression, Anxiety
• Volume and Moods
• Finding the Right Volume
• Load Volume in Taper 
• Are you Bought In?
• Training on the Defensive
• Confidence In Your Coach
• Eat when you’re ready instead of rushing
• Races aren’t ever the same
• How to measure fitness
• Outshooting your Fitness
• THIS is the hardest race you’ve done
• Can you sleep with your results?
• Effort and Pain 
• What you give should be enough

Struggling with your Swim? Join our new SWIM SQUAD 12 Month Program and build confidence in the water. You'll get 4 workouts a week, 4 customized video swim analysis, weekly swim tip videos and discounts on our Swim Camps. For more information go to this link. 

We currently have ONE slot open for August camp. For more information on camps, click this link 

Support the Crushing Iron podcast on Patreon, where the community pledge is only $3.26 per month. There are other options, but every little bit helps us keep this podcast on the rails. Thanks in advance.

You can also support us at our new store at CrushingIron.com. We have some NEW classic logo t-shirts and the Official Crushing Iron Spectator shirt for sale. Support the cast and get some new gear for it!

This is triathlon as a reflection of your life. Are you self aware when it comes to your training? Understand the big picture and/or when to take a day off? Today, we talk about training plans and how they should unfold, understanding boundaries and how recognize when you're getting better.

Topics:

• When to take days off
• Self awareness 
• Emotional Investment required for Ironman
• Poor time management 
• Are you willing to give up things?
• Being proactive in beating burnout
• Triathlon as a Reflection of our Life
• Why your get in a stress cycle
• Are you afraid of losing fitness in a week?
• Triathlon as a metaphor for life
• Life and training constancy reflect each other
• Why “In the moment” really works
• How do you know when you really learned?
• Data: The most overrated part of triathlon
• Learning vs. Deep Understanding 
• Development takes time 
• Do it correctly or just complete it?
• Perfectionism is a Grandiose word for Procrastination 
• Confusion equals Uncomfortable
• Investing in your foundation
• Farming out your work 
• It only works if you work it 
• Building the icing but not the cake
• When your specific workouts mean nothing

Struggling with your Swim? Join our new SWIM SQUAD 12 Month Program and build confidence in the water. You'll get 4 workouts a week, 4 customized video swim analysis, weekly swim tip videos and discounts on our Swim Camps. For more information go to this link. 

We currently have ONE slot open for August camp. For more information on camps, click this link 

Support the Crushing Iron podcast on Patreon, where the community pledge is only $3.26 per month. There are other options, but every little bit helps us keep this podcast on the rails. Thanks in advance.

You can also support us at our new store at CrushingIron.com. We have some NEW classic logo t-shirts and the Official Crushing Iron Spectator shirt for sale. Support the cast and get some new gear for it!

Summer just hit like a sledgehammer and it's time to train smart. Today we look at how heat impacts how you train, your pace, and your attitude. We discuss smart ways to keep building speed without getting laid up with injuries or experiencing deep fatigue. Should you spend time in the sauna or ice? What kind of adjustments do you make when doing a hot race? 

Topics:

• Transitioning to the Heat 
• How to keep no expectations 
• You’re gonna be slower now 
• Zone 2 feels like zone 3?
• Chasing Pace 
• Why Dew Point Can Crush Your Soul
• How heat affects pace
• heat acclimation better than altitude?
• Saunas? How often?
• The best time for saunas
• Cold water and ice?
• Yard work as training?
• The point of diminishing returns
• Muncie 70.3
• Kona vs. Wales . . . Pro Standings?
• Chasing Watts and MPH
• Race day is a reflection of execution on that day
• Making Slight Adjustments is the difference
• Racing is the ultimate training trap 
• Plan your training backwards
• It’s who you are, not who you want to be
• 20+ mile runs in training
• The worst coaching sales pitch 
• Rearranging your schedule 
• The Training Bed of Nails

Struggling with your Swim? Join our new SWIM SQUAD 12 Month Program and build confidence in the water. You'll get 4 workouts a week, 4 customized video swim analysis, weekly swim tip videos and discounts on our Swim Camps. For more information go to this link. 

We currently have ONE slot open for August camp. For more information on camps, click this link 

Support the Crushing Iron podcast on Patreon, where the community pledge is only $3.26 per month. There are other options, but every little bit helps us keep this podcast on the rails. Thanks in advance.

You can also support us at our new store at CrushingIron.com. We have some NEW classic logo t-shirts and the Official Crushing Iron Spectator shirt for sale. Support the cast and get some new gear for it!

Habits are also how you think. Everyone says they want to get better, but not everyone is willing to continue to move forward to the point where they don't have more to give. A lot of people talk the talk, but are you really doing the work it takes to get better, but more importantly break the chains of bad habits. 

Topics:

• What feels better than open water?
• A lonely and isolated sport? 
• The Chains of Habit 
• You Can’t Fake Swimming
• Are you doing the work to crush tomorrow?
• Swimming while conserving energy
• Translating Swim Workouts to Open Water
• Swimming is the polar opposite of data
• Keys to a faster bike
• Light bikes vs. Heavy bikes
• Habits: Doing things more than you don't
• Fast Tracking New Behaviors
• The Pull Buoy Myth
• You’re Thinking Yourself into Anxiety
• Why The Swim is Important
• Confidence and Relaxation in Swimming
• It’s NOT just like “riding a bike”
• How to flow with open water contact
• 54:50 - “change my entire day” 
• Swimming your own race
• Two Swim Pro Tips ;) 
• Sun Screen Tip :)  

We currently have ONE slot open for August camp. For more information on camps, click this link 

Support the Crushing Iron podcast on Patreon, where the community pledge is only $3.26 per month. There are other options, but every little bit helps us keep this podcast on the rails. Thanks in advance.

You can also support us at our new store at CrushingIron.com. We have some NEW classic logo t-shirts and the Official Crushing Iron Spectator shirt for sale. Support the cast and get some new gear for it!

Many of our athletes felt like an opportunity was taken away when they shortened the swim at Ironman 70.3 Chattanooga. We completely understand the safety reasons surrounding the swim, and know these aren't easy decisions, so today we have an open discussion to see if there are other options; including introducing a Competitive Wave for racers that want the challenge. Is all of this creating bad habits?

Topics: 

• Chattanooga 70.3 Swim Shortened . . . again
• Robbed of an Opportunity
• Are you Hack-centric 
• Swim Safety 
• Shortening Swims 
• Safety nets 
• "Failure is a disease”
• Challenging Yourself 
• Feeding the unprepared monster
• Judging the swim on the pros
• Need for a Competitive Wave
• Ranking toughness of Ironman Races
• Changing Ironman Race Weekend
• Wisconsin Swim Worked out

Check out our NEW coaching tiers/options at www.crushingiron.com

Support the Crushing Iron podcast on Patreon, where the community pledge is only $3.26 per month. There are other options, but every little bit helps us keep this podcast on the rails. Thanks in advance.

You can also support us at our new store at CrushingIron.com. We have some NEW classic logo t-shirts and the Official Crushing Iron Spectator shirt for sale. Support the cast and get some new gear for it!

Breaking down Ironman 70.3 Chattanooga. The swim, bike, run and what it's like for Coach Robbie to track 44 of his athletes racing on the same day. Plus, we get into how you can control the race instead of the race controlling you.

Topics:

• Mike talks about his best 70.3 to date
• Does run training help your bike?
• Pre Race Nerves
• The Calm before the storm
• Tracking 44 athletes as a coach
• Robbie’s biggest concern on Race Day
• The City of Chattanooga 
• 3800 people registered 
• How do they run out of shirts?
• Congested?
• Drafting on the Bike Course?
• Did Mike really go Sub-5?
• Run Course Aid Stations
• Executing a race plan
• The Coach/Athlete Trust 
• Do you NEED to pass or WANT to pass on the bike?
• Don’t be Serious Seth
• Don’t talk yourself into slow 
• The Power of Community 
• Huge Shout out to the Team

Check out our NEW coaching tiers/options at www.crushingiron.com

Support the Crushing Iron podcast on Patreon, where the community pledge is only $3.26 per month. There are other options, but every little bit helps us keep this podcast on the rails. Thanks in advance.

You can also support us at our new store at CrushingIron.com. We have some NEW classic logo t-shirts and the Official Crushing Iron Spectator shirt for sale. Support the cast and get some new gear for it!

Do you prepare to let go in a race if it feels right? Fears, expectations, and anxiety can hold us back, but having confidence to look at a race as an opportunity can be the biggest secret to performance. Today we look at staying in the moment and making solid decisions on the course. Do you truly trust the training?

Topics:

• Taper Tantrums
• Pre-race jitters
• Worst-Case-Scenario-ville
• Triathlete’s ritual/routine
• How to deal with free time
• What to do with all the energy
• What effort level should you race at for 70.3?
• Golf and Tennis analogies
• Unforced Errors on the course
• Making a million decisions
• Staying Engaged and Present in a Race
• Competing against yourself, others, and the day
• The ONE thing you should do in a HOT race
• Staying AHEAD of the day
• • Nutrition
  • Heat
• How to use the bike to prepare for the run
• Don’t be reactionary and defensive
• Coaching instills calmness
• Answering questions you don’t have yet
• How Robbie feels about coaching 40+ racers
• Do you think of this race as Digital Tombstone?
• Come See Us in Chattanooga

Check out our NEW coaching tiers/options at www.crushingiron.com

Support the Crushing Iron podcast on Patreon, where the community pledge is only $3.26 per month. There are other options, but every little bit helps us keep this podcast on the rails. Thanks in advance.

You can also support us at our new store at CrushingIron.com. We have some NEW classic logo t-shirts and the Official Crushing Iron Spectator shirt for sale. Support the cast and get some new gear for it!

Months and months of training for one day. That's a lot of pressure to put on yourself. Today we look at how training plans unfold and how you can adjust to stay mentally and physically fit on a daily basis so race day doesn't create undo stress in your life. 

Topics:

• You can’t control the weather
• The best remedy for a hot race
• Running in the heat
• Training for a hot race
• aero helmet or aero road helmet?
• Sleeves or Sleeveless wetsuits
• When should I put the wetsuit on?
• Which part do you look forward to most?
• Race week pain
• Mike signs up for Garmin Connect
• Mental and Emotional Burnout
• Planning a Wedding Analogy
• How far out is too far out to think about races
• Why most Ironman training plans do it wrong
• Physical and mental limiters
• What are your time constraints?
• The fundamental flaws of training plans
• "We’re doing good, but I think we can do better”
• Starting over on a puzzle every day
• The biggest recipe for over training and injury
• Your body doesn’t care what your mind says
• Are we ever truly satisfied?
• The importance of adjusting your training plan
• How to handle next week if you missed some this week

Support the Crushing Iron podcast on Patreon, where the community pledge is only $3.26 per month. There are other options, but every little bit helps us keep this podcast on the rails. Thanks in advance.

You can also support us at our new store at CrushingIron.com. We have some NEW classic logo t-shirts and the Official Crushing Iron Spectator shirt for sale. Support the cast and get some new gear for it!

Topics:

• Emotional Roller Coaster of the taper
• The categories of an athlete’s mindset
• From race sign up to race taper, then . . .
• Life happens 
• How to find confidence in the work that you’ve done
• The race doesn’t move 
• Being Grateful and Appreciative 
• Make lists of the people you need to thank
• Take everything out of yourself
• Erase the 6 months ago you
• Chatt 70.3 training day
• Don’t look for excuses 
• "Oh, it’s just a training day” rant
• Protecting our egos
• Adjusting your effort during the race
• The way you feel in race CHANGES
• Quit looking for ways to over-analyze 
• You become the story you tell yourself
• Remember how you got through training days
• Last minute Larry 
• Race Days are opportunities
• Don’t judge a swim, bike, or run in first 10 mins

Support the Crushing Iron podcast on Patreon, where the community pledge is only $3.26 per month. There are other options, but every little bit helps us keep this podcast on the rails. Thanks in advance.

You can also support us at our new store at CrushingIron.com. We have some NEW classic logo t-shirts and the Official Crushing Iron Spectator shirt for sale. Support the cast and get some new gear for it!

Are you going through the motions, or testing your comfort zone? Do you train with people who focus on growth or get stuck in a routine? No matter who you are, there is always room for growth. Our potential is vast, but we have to find ways to push ourselves and test the limits. Even if that means we won’t have something pretty to post on Instagram or Strava.

Topics:

• Confidence, Consistency, Community
• Giving athletes opportunities
• Put yourself in a situation to be vulnerable
• How to breakthrough with confidence
• Mike fixes a lawnmower
• New locations and breaking limits 
• Day to day regiments can create comfort zones
• Why we conform to our own constraints
• How to see yourself as a better athlete 
• Making yourself uncomfortable 
• Are you going through the motions?
• Taking challenges head on
• Robbie’s Open Water Swim Soap Box
• When to choose Open Water practice over the pool
• Why mental breakthroughs are more memorable 
• How to break the routines of your ride and run routes
• Group and training partner traps
• Find people who are supportive of growth
• How to see growth outside of your pace
• Recognizing gains that aren’t obvious
• Changing behavior with consistency
• Coaching is setting you up for success
• Mental and emotional shifts
• Don’t forget who you are
• Being paralyzed with “fine"

Support the Crushing Iron podcast on Patreon, where the community pledge is only $3.26 per month. There are other options, but every little bit helps us keep this podcast on the rails. Thanks in advance.

You can also support us at our new store at CrushingIron.com. We have some NEW classic logo t-shirts and the Official Crushing Iron Spectator shirt for sale. Support the cast and get some new gear for it!

Topics:

• Why Ironman is different
• Running races vs. Triathlon
• You can’t explain the Finish Line
• What it’s like to spectate Ironman
• What it’s like to coach at an Ironman
• The Race Course Goes Through Its Own Transition
• When the Sun Sets on the Course
• When Your Friend Is Getting Close To Not Making It
• Understanding an Athlete’s Personality as a Coach
• When Ironman is Symbolic of Life 
• Out Alone in the Dark 
• Sometimes all you need is someone to come by and help
• Understanding the 17 Hour Cut Off
• When You Deserve More Than You May Believe
• When it’s time to talk tough
• When we retreat inside vs. bring people in
• When others remind us who we really are 

Support the Crushing Iron podcast on Patreon, where the community pledge is only $3.26 per month. There are other options, but every little bit helps us keep this podcast on the rails. Thanks in advance.

You can also support us at our new store at CrushingIron.com. We have some NEW classic logo t-shirts and the Official Crushing Iron Spectator shirt for sale. Support the cast and get some new gear for it!

Crushing Iron had 9 athletes racing and Coach Robbie was on site for Ironman Texas 2019. Today, he shares his thoughts on the venue and experience along with getting into what you need to know if you want to race Ironman Texas. Last year was known for fast racing and drafting on the bike, but this year was much different. The best parts of Ironman Texas, including spectator tips and racing strategies. 

• Ironman Texas - The Venue 
• Why Coach Robbie was blown away 
• 2018 was an anomaly 
• More Kona slots and very competitive
• The Woodlands is beautiful
• The Swim Start Vibe and Accessibility
• Super Spectator Friendly Swim
• T1 breakout
• Bike Course with “Drafting” Image
• Changes on the bike this year
• Headwind in your face 
• The Walking Dead
• Ironman Tracker was . . . on point
• Run Course 
• Perfect for spectating 
• What you need to prepare for
• Sunny or Shade?
• Do you get breeze?
• Lunch and Dinner on the run course
• Tons of places to hang on the lawn
• The Finish Line 
• Starky and Ryf on the red carpet at midnight
• The two hardest things about this race
• Why this race is great for your Summer

Support the Crushing Iron podcast on Patreon, where the community pledge is only $3.26 per month. There are other options, but every little bit helps us keep this podcast on the rails. Thanks in advance.

You can also support us at our new store at CrushingIron.com. We have some NEW classic logo t-shirts and the Official Crushing Iron Spectator shirt for sale. Support the cast and get some new gear for it!

How do we know the difference between discomfort and pain? Are you willing to allow yourself to fail trying to find out? Today, it's all about managing pain and understanding your threshold. How inflammation affects your threshold. Defining pain as effort and rewiring your self preservation system. What distance are you wired for?

Sometimes you sit down with a friend to have an in-depth, meaningful conversation, and it's HARD. But your connection with that person will be so much deeper than it is with someone else. That's the same kind of conversation you can have with your body." --Coach Robbie 

Topics:

• Managing pain
• What’s your pain threshold?
• Allowing yourself to fail
• When it’s a good idea to try and “blow up”
• “I think I could have pushed it a little more”
• What’s the best distance for you based on your life?
• Are you wired more for long or shorter races?
• Finding the appropriate level of uncomfortable 
• longer intervals and fast finishes 
• Finding a way during long training weeks
• Inflammation and pain . . . how it oddly helps
• Is more pain the better?
• Does maturity affect your pain threshold?
• Sometimes open your discomfort gateway
• Finding a way to reach uncomfortable comfort
• Talking yourself into pain
• We don’t like how it feels, but it might be Okay
• Go INTO the pain 
• Pushing Uphills vs Pushing Downhills
• What is pain?
• Dealing with Ego in Pain
• Defining pain as effort
• Find opportunities to push just a little more
• Rewiring the self preservation system 
• Racing vs. Participating
• Just because you don’t like it, doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t or it’s wrong
• We can accomplish great things if we can get out of our own way

Support the Crushing Iron podcast on Patreon, where the community pledge is only $3.26 per month. There are other options, but every little bit helps us keep this podcast on the rails. Thanks in advance.

You can also support us at our new store at CrushingIron.com. We have some NEW classic logo t-shirts and the Official Crushing Iron Spectator shirt for sale. Support the cast and get some new gear for it!

Are you forcing your body into shape based on a date on the calendar? Today, we talk about why that is usually a losing proposition for long-term health, happiness, and success. We also hit on shortening your recovery time for effective intervals, the Sophomore slump, and why things like massages can be your worst decision on race week. 

Topics: 

• reverse bricks
• mental approach to long build phases
• why it takes you a while to feel right
• shortening your recovery time 
• damage, repair, damage, repair
• athlete pitfalls 
• the Triathlete’s Sophomore Slump
• massages good, bad, ugly
• pain from the bike that hurts the run
• fueling and hydration - all day long
• how to make your intervals effective
• the Amazon cure to loneliness
• anxiety 
• meditation
• yoga
• being AWARE of everything that’s going on
• emotional and mental stress 
• Your body doesn’t care
• Don’t Let Your Race Plan Your Body
• When it’s a good decision to not race
• How to deal with Race Week Anxiety 
• focus on executing to the best of your ability
• start slow 
• lower expectations and enjoy the day

Support the Crushing Iron podcast on Patreon, where the community pledge is only $3.26 per month. There are other options, but every little bit helps us keep this podcast on the rails. Thanks in advance.

You can also support us at our new store at CrushingIron.com. We have some NEW classic logo t-shirts and the Official Crushing Iron Spectator shirt for sale. Support the cast and get some new gear for it!