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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.
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Now displaying: January, 2024
Jan 30, 2024

What 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 hard and race easy? We look at the importance of good torque and moving that ceiling. Neuromuscular connectivity along with great workouts to improve it. Big gear training and the power of grinding in a slow cadence. Avoiding knee pain. Learning how to feel out what your body is capable of today. Aerobic efficiency is the name of the game. Thanks for listening! 

Topics:

  • Negotiating moods in cloudy weather
  • The 2024 Club Plan is Now Available!! 
  • Introducing New Coaches! 
  • The keys to inside cycling
  • Different methodology when it comes to cycling
  • Quality over quantity?
  • Cycing has become "gameified" 
  • Are you hammering yourself to death?
  • The biggest cycling trap people fall into
  • How to stay engaged in hte workout
  • Make sure YOUR intensitity is dialed in
  • Over-inflated FTP
  • What to be doing this time of year
  • Understanding Aerobic Threshold
  • Too much V02 max work?
  • Dialing in zones and efforts
  • Are you riding enough?
  • Lowest hanging frut for most triathletes
  • Train hard - race easy 
  • Aerobic efficiency is the name of the game
  • Efficiency of Torque 
  • Neuromuscular connectivity
  • When slower makes you faster
  • Big gear Z2, Z3, Z4
  • Hills are king
  • Deep cycling muscular strength
  • How to balance leg power
  • Are you compensating on one side? Check your saddle
  • When the knees splay out
  • Knee pain?
  • The Next Level of Feel
  • A coach can't perfectly predict how you will feel
  • Learn mistakes on your own
  • The work matters
  • Let the hills work for you

Coaching Inquiries

Mike Tarrolly - CrushingIron@gmail.com

Robbie Bruce - C26Coach@gmail.com

www.c26triathlon.com

Jan 25, 2024

Are 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 spot in all of this? Sometimes we have to get out of our own way and understand that the process is truly the success. Investing ourselves into the journey, knowing we’ve done our best, and accepting the outcome. We can only be someone we’re not for so long. Is it a good result if it’s not healthy? 

Topics:

  • What we do can be kind of weird
  • Living for yourself
  • What’s the point of what we’re doing?
  • When are/were we at our best?
  • Back in the drinking days
  • Is it a good result if it’s not healthy?
  • How do we find the right key to unlock potential?
  • Welcome distractions from life 
  • Using triathlon as an escape
  • Goggins, Jordan, Phelps
  • What does it really take?
  • Are you trying TOO hard?
  • Fake enemies
  • Brain buckets
  • Get out of your own way
  • Train hard, race easy
  • Too much focus on the result
  • Are the sacrifices you make worth it?

 

Coaching Inquiries

Mike Tarrolly - CrushingIron@gmail.com

Robbie Bruce - C26Coach@gmail.com

www.c26triathlon.com

Jan 23, 2024

Great 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. Caloric deficits. And why doesn’t Mike just dial in his potential and get on the podium?

Topics:

  • We were left off the list . . . 
  • “Taster” tris and building to first 70.3
  • Never had a runner’s high?
  • Do you have to love all three sports?
  • Running too fast too often
  • The mindset for loving something you dislike 
  • Be creative
  • It’s in the attitude
  • Listen to your body and resistance
  • Spin Bikes and Pelotons? 
  • Steal mind on the trainer
  • Going from 7 hours to 6 in Ironman bike
  • Most people look for faster ways to progress, but . . . 
  • My appetite is out of control! 
  • Are you underfeed?
  • Too much sugar?
  • Eating immediately after workouts
  • Water before gorging 
  • When eating more is what’s missing
  • Caloric deficits
  • Why doesn’t Mike just put his head down and go for it?! 

 

Coaching Inquiries

Mike Tarrolly - CrushingIron@gmail.com

Robbie Bruce - C26Coach@gmail.com

www.c26triathlon.com

Jan 18, 2024

Today 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?
  • Lifting heavy
  • Are you trying to be a better triathlete?
  • If you like it and it feels good, do it
  • How to pick your first Ironman
  • Turning your belief system on
  • Over-fat, under-fat

Coaching Inquiries

Mike Tarrolly - CrushingIron@gmail.com

Robbie Bruce - C26Coach@gmail.com

www.c26triathlon.com

Jan 16, 2024

How 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 patient in your training, or always trying to prove something? Today, we look at the best ways to train if you want to be a better runner with a focus on low risk and high reward.

Topics:

  • The Season is coming quickly
  • Early season races
  • Terrain is a major variable
  • Preparing for tough weather
  • Running takes the most out of us
  • Impact vs. no impact
  • No matter how much you run . . . 
  • Taper for a 10k or 1/2?
  • The marathon is the hardest race??
  • Marathon recovery
  • The puzzle that is triathlon
  • The best ability is availability
  • Trail marathon vs. road
  • Should you run faster than tempo?
  • What is relative to you???
  • You don’t have that kind of run economy and stride
  • Recovery keeps you in the black
  • Allocating less stress to be a better runner??
  • Are you really working on the right things?
  • Work on run patience
  • We want to be like pros until we don’t
  • Low risk, high reward, long term

 

Coaching Inquiries

Mike Tarrolly - CrushingIron@gmail.com

Robbie Bruce - C26Coach@gmail.com

www.c26triathlon.com

Jan 11, 2024

Don’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 everything in our lives and there always seems to be a point of diminishing marginal returns if we go too far when we should probably be putting our attention someplace else. Do you need to go the distance just to prove you can before the race? Triathlon is about problem solving and keeping the links of the chain connected. But, there’s also beauty in going too hard or too far if you learn from it. Be critical, but don’t take the pestering voice in your head personally. 

Topics:

  • 750 equals tenure 
  • Strap on . . . shoes
  • Hanes knee high socks
  • Snow running
  • Minimal Effective does
  • Being mindful during workouts
  • I NEED a 20 mile run
  • The right amount of work
  • The right approach to work
  • Mindless training
  • It’s HARD to work on form
  • Going to the right length and then stopping
  • Nothing is more painful than going too far
  • The right hard is good
  • Self control is a choice
  • When Zone 2 is Zone 4 in swimming, Zone 1 in cycling and Zone 3 in running
  • Missed my sleep window
  • Is tomorrow even tomorrow?
  • Lack of self control
  • HR vs Power and what’s best?
  • Links in a chain
  • Figuring out a way
  • Triathlon is problem solving
  • Find the good in failure . . . learn
  • Too many cookies?
  • Don’t take your own criticism personally

 

Coaching Inquiries

Mike Tarrolly - CrushingIron@gmail.com

Robbie Bruce - C26Coach@gmail.com

www.c26triathlon.com

Jan 9, 2024

What 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 and working through that fatigue is how we get stronger. Doing hard things make us happier. Next time you don’t feel like you don’t want to do something, flip your switch and realize the reason you don’t want to do it is EXACTLY the reason you should. Be disciplined, focused and versatile. 

Topic: 

  • Using your pain
  • Working in the snow
  • Why we should do things we don’t want
  • Hard things make us happy
  • A strenuous life is a good life
  • How do we change?
  • Harmony in the brain to fix the body
  • “It just got real”
  • Laughing at The Ironman run 
  • You’re in the driver’s seat
  • How will you get through today’s workout?
  • Walking away from it
  • Inconsistent to consistent
  • Underlying fatigue
  • Unlocking another gear
  • Don’t want to? Do it anyway?
  • Handling adversity
  • Oh, forgot my watch
  • Disciplined, focused, and versatile
  • Too much credit? Or not enough?
  • Best college football uniforms

 

Coaching Inquiries

Mike Tarrolly - CrushingIron@gmail.com

Robbie Bruce - C26Coach@gmail.com

www.c26triathlon.com

Jan 5, 2024

Are 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 day. That’s 60 hours a year and a ton of good momentum. 

We’re all weak in some ways, but we’re all strong enough to be mindful of our weaknesses and let them drift away. It’s easy to fall back to the familiar, but if you really want to become someone different, mix things up in your life and find the strength to know the pain of change is just . . . you growing. 

Slow down, be mindful, relax. Be the best you and let triathlon be a powerful supplement. 

Topic: 

  • Do the hard thing first
  • New you, new me 
  • Snow
  • Trick your brain
  • Intent every day
  • Better decisions?
  • Wasting time
  • What do we really control?
  • Take advantage of little bits of time
  • The problem is, Garmin doesn’t record it
  • Triathlon as a supplement to your personal power
  • 10 minutes a day is 60 hours a year
  • It’s never going to be perfect
  • If it’s good, read it twice
  • When are we ever going to be in control?
  • Change emotions by changing your state
  • What if it rains?
  • Loosen up a little bit, relax
  • The paralysis in your mind
  • I’m outta here
  • Take ownership of your time
  • Planning too far out and being a prisoner of the moment
  • Instead of quitting take 6 credits over 18
  • Mindless vices
  • The one time Mike doesn’t eat cookies
  • Be mindful
  • We’re all weak
  • But we’re all strong

 

Coaching Inquiries

Mike Tarrolly - CrushingIron@gmail.com

Robbie Bruce - C26Coach@gmail.com

www.c26triathlon.com

Jan 3, 2024

We 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 driven goals and really drilling into the enjoyment of the process itself. When you see someone glide by you in a race, it’s not usually their determination, it is long hours of doing the work and drilling deep. Get out of the “suck it up” cycle and build tactics that engage you in the little things that most people don’t do. 

Topics:

  • Expect it to be cloudy
  • Upcoming Camps
  • ‘Why wait to build momentum?
  • Have you honestly made the time?
  • Discipline is Destiny
  • Being disappointed in yourself
  • Why Wait?
  • Wasting time on the screens
  • Morning plunge
  • Triathlon is fleeting
  • Your word of the year for grounding
  • Learn
  • Say no to stopping a streak
  • Keys to feeling your best on race day
  • Say yes to your own destiny
  • What are you saying yes to? No to?
  • Process oriented goals
  • Living unconsciously
  • Changing habits when willpower is fleeting
  • Create infinite goals
  • Time goals . . . determination only goes so far
  • Do deep dives slowly
  • Hard work with purpose

 

Coaching Inquiries

Mike Tarrolly - CrushingIron@gmail.com

Robbie Bruce - C26Coach@gmail.com

www.c26triathlon.com

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