Are you throwing in the towel right before a big breakthrough? Today, we cast based on a quote, "The magic you're looking gor is in the work you're avoiding." We look at the concept behind patient training, and what breakthroughs look like. We talk about race expectations and how they should rarely, if ever, be the main goal. This is about enjoying the process and being in the moment with training and your life. What do you do when no one is looking?
Stay tuned after the main podcast for an interview with one of our awesome coaches, Nikki Leo. Her bio is here, or below.
Topics:
Mike Tarrolly - mike@c26triathlon.com
Robbie Bruce - robbie@c26triathlon.com
Nikki Leo, Bio:
Coach Nicki has been a part of C26 since November 2019. Like many, she found this amazing team through the Crushing Iron Podcast, and her life in sport has never been the same. Though she coaches and has an educational background in endurance sports, she still utilizes a coach for herself. Utilizing a coach offers an athlete the opportunity to share their journey and goals, and it gives them someone to celebrate victories as well as understand the defeats.
She was born and raised in Missouri, though she has spent most of her adult life traveling for school and finally settling in Colorado for the last 25 years. She lives just outside the mecca of triathlon, Boulder, and enjoys the accessibility of sport on a daily basis: great trails, abundance of race venues, and daily pro athlete sightings.
Coach Nicki started triathlon in the year 2000, competing in sprint and Olympic distance events, eventually moving up to her first full in 2002. However, she was hit by a car while cycling and didn’t compete again until 2011. Since then, she has completed 17 full Ironmans (including qualifying and participating in World Championships in Kona), over 50 70.3 Ironmans, and various single sport activities. Since finding C26, her mantra has been to try anything that scares her…physically, emotionally, or a combo of both…because she can…because she wants to be braver with her life.
By day, she runs an employee wellness program and onsite medical clinic for city employees and their family members. Working in the benefits world has given her a wealth of knowledge about a variety of health topics. Her education includes a degree in Cardiac Nursing, a Master’s in Exercise Physiology and Business Administration, and a Doctorate in Exercise Physiology with emphasis on Health Education. She is an endurance sport nerd—following in any way she can—to better understand and just have a ton of useless information at hand for conversation at C26 camps.
Family is very important to her: She has been married to her husband, Will, for 20 years and they have a 16 year-old (adopted son from Guatemala) named Dominic. She is also a huge advocate for the following causes: mental health and addiction, cancer (she is a 3-time cancer survivor), and animals.
As your coach, she can offer you this: Her passion for sport and her devoted attention in making you the best HUMAN you can be…and when sport fits in there, that is even better! She believes in a holistic approach when developing an athlete, looking at all factors in your life that can help you succeed and reach your goals. So, let’s do this…together.
Today we look at how workouts weave together with soothing, straining, and stressful sessions. The C26 Triple S!
This one is great for all athletes and at the center of how to be consistent, improve, and not go through life shelled. Stress on the body is definitely the way to get better, but if you're not recovering, or understanding the concept/difference between strain and stress, you will eventually end up in trouble.
Patience is a great asset on the race course and it is a learned practice in training. When you should go hard and when you should pull back are key factors in getting better, and frankly, feeling good in your life.
***Be sure to stick around at the end of this podcast for an interview with CJ Castle, one of our new coaches. Bio Below.
Topics:
Mike Tarrolly - mike@c26triathlon.com
Robbie Bruce - robbie@c26triathlon.com
CJ Castle - C26 Coach Bio
Coach C.J. has been racing and coaching triathlon and endurance sports for over 25 years. He spent close to a decade racing professionally, and has been coaching both at the university level and individually throughout his adult life. Following retirement from elite-level racing, he returned to graduate school earning a M.S. in exercise physiology, and continued to evolve both his knowledge of athletes and coaching, thus further developing his ability to help others reach their goals.
As he balances being a husband, father of four, career professional, and his love of competition, triathlon and endurance sports remain a cornerstone in his life.
C.J. is passionate about fitness as a lifestyle, and believes that every athlete’s personal journey toward their goals should enrich their lives. His experience has given him a unique understanding of how to balance the stresses of everyday life, family, career, and extracurricular commitments, with progress, health, happiness, and achievement of one’s goals. While he believes that the general path toward an endurance lifestyle is similar for everyone, he also believes each individual’s journey is highly specific. Through open communication, trust, and a cooperative relationship, he relies on a strategy of prescribing the most effective training at the right time for each athlete to reach their goals, while not having to sacrifice the other loves in their life.
While the 70.3 and Ironman distance hold a special place in his heart, he also races and has unique experience in events including Xterra, mountain bike endurance racing, mountain bike stage racing, running events of all distances, and many others. He has been fortunate to have the opportunity to help guide athletes of all levels (first timers, professionals, collegiate athletes, collegiate champions, and world championship qualifiers) to achieve their goals.
He believes that fitness helps us to be happier, healthier, and enriches our lives. C.J. looks forward to the opportunity to chat with you about your personal journey.
Whether we’re a front pack, middle pack, or back of the pack athlete, we can all learn from each other. Today we look at the different ways to think about racing based on your experience. We dig back into finding satisfaction in your training, re-cultivating your “why” and what it takes to break free from your current pack, or even get over the hump for your goals. Do we take things for granted? Recalibrate our desires? Can we find satisfaction in creating a little pain? Racing usually comes back to the simple things. We’ll go through the steps to own your journey and your next race.
Topics:
Mike Tarrolly - mike@c26triathlon.com
Robbie Bruce - robbie@c26triathlon.com
Today we dovetail off Chattanooga 70.3 and Moro Bay. We start by talking about swimming and how it should not be taken lightly. We ask if shortening the swim cut off would make people train harder to be stronger swimmers? We also talk about bike congestion and if it’s really that bad or many people just aren’t prepared with their bike handling. This is really about putting yourself in race situations before you get to the race. Are you training enough in open water? Working on your bike handling? Taking the harder way home with hills, etc? How do you get your body ready for Race Speed.
Topics:
Mike Tarrolly - mike@c26triathlon.com
Robbie Bruce - robbie@c26triathlon.com
Today, we look at energy breakdowns for your swim, bike, and run. We also get into how to handle A, B, and C races. Are they really different? Are you setting goals for today or down the road? We also look at A, B, and C goals for each individual race. Do you want to see how much you can push the bike and still run? Swim hard or reel it in? How do you keep going on the bike. Self-talk, toughness, and nutrition. Can you put yourself in objective space? Are you ready to dig deep, or find in-race recovery points? What’s your your ceiling for discomfort on race day?
Topics:
Mike Tarrolly - mike@c26triathlon.com
Robbie Bruce - robbie@c26triathlon.com
Today we give you all the secrets to more enjoyable training, which will obviously transfer into better racing . . . and maybe even a happier life.
Are you going about your training in the right places with the right approach?
Topics:
Mike Tarrolly - mike@c26triathlon.com
Robbie Bruce - robbie@c26triathlon.com
Lots of talk about open water including, how comfort, how to approach workouts, and length of stroke. More discussion about the feel for water today, and a sidebar into the feel for the bike and run. How often should you use the pull buoy? What about paddles? How to breathe right and fix dead spots in your stroke.
Topics:
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Mike Tarrolly - mike@c26triathlon.com
Robbie Bruce - robbie@c26triathlon.com
Are you struggling to get faster despite thinking your form is correct? Are you an adult onset swimmer that just can’t seem to solve the riddle? This podcast is for you. We go deep into being a stronger, faster, and more relaxed swimmer. We talk about the things you should actually be doing vs. spending your time on drills you don’t understand. Swimming is about connecting your mind to the action of the stroke. Today we look at ways you can truly get better by focusing on what works and not spending time overthinking.
Topics:
Coaching Inquiries:
Mike Tarrolly - mike@c26triathlon.com
Robbie Bruce - robbie@c26triathlon.com
Check Out Our Coaching Roster: https://c26triathlon.com/about/coaches/
Today we dive into Iroman Texas 2024. We get into the race venue, the conditions, etc, but largely talk about Coach Robbie's decision not to start.
Topics:
Ironman Texas Venue
Mike's Trip
Robbie Talks about his experience
Taper/Pre-Race
What's been hard/frustrating
Race frequency
Race pressure vs. nerves
When we're focused on performance
Perfectionism
Comfort in our own skin
Contact:
Mike Tarrolly - CrushingIron@gmail.com
Robbie Bruce - C26Coach@gmail.com
c26triathlon.com
This is a re-post of another of our favorite episodes/concepts.
Off a great, but tough weekend at Run Camp, we reflect on how and when to push and why it’s important to have fun in your life and training. We talk about your big race is “Just One Day” and how it’s better to be undertrained than burned out. Also, the little signs in your training will let you know you’re ready before you race. We look at burning physical and emotional matches, finding your pain threshold in each sport and when are the right times to dig deep. You’re the main character and author, it’s up to you to find more fun.
Topics:
Facebook: CrushingIron
YouTube: Crushing Iron
Twitter: CrushingIron
Instagram: C26_Triathlon
Mike Tarrolly - crushingiron@gmail.com
Robbie Bruce - c26coach@gmail.com
This is a re-post of one of our favorite C26 Ironman stories.
This is an Ironman story for Everyone.
If you've ever stayed until the end of an Ironman you know the level of emotions. But have you ever been out in the dark on the last few miles with someone who isn't sure they will make the cutoff? Today, we share the story of how one of our C26 athletes persevered to finish with just over a minute left at Ironman Texas. An emotional look at how the tone of an Ironman changes after the sun goes down.
Topics:
Facebook: CrushingIron
YouTube: Crushing Iron
Twitter: CrushingIron
Instagram: C26_Triathlon
Mike Tarrolly - crushingiron@gmail.com
Robbie Bruce - c26coach@gmail.com
Are you ready for your hot race? Today we look at physical and mental approaches to staying cool on the race course.
From whether or not to wear a wetsuit to freezing your bottles to pulling back a little on the bike. Once you get too hot, you can’t cool down, unless you stop or walk. We’ll look at ways to keep your core temp down as long as possible. We talk about heat acclimation, huge mistakes, and the best way to use your watts. We also look at the week leading up to the race and some best practices to prep yourself for the weekend.
Topics:
Coaching Inquiries
Mike Tarrolly - CrushingIron@gmail.com
Robbie Bruce - C26Coach@gmail.com
How do you “get through” tough situations in training? Today, we look at the emotional roller coaster that is triathlon and some of the traps we all fall into, especially when chasing those elusive highs. Do you push harder when you’re struggling, or step back and let the body re-calibrate? What’s the deal with feeling awesome one day, then being ready to quit the sport the next? We look at mood adjustments, burning matches, and seeking highs. We also talk about how to train for situations in races that are usually mental and how to get through them. Are you addicted to feeling the high?
Topics:
Coaching Inquiries
Mike Tarrolly - CrushingIron@gmail.com
Robbie Bruce - C26Coach@gmail.com
Check out our NEW coaches
We answer a ton of questions today, including a rapid fire ending you won’t want to miss. We get into the challenges of riding with wind. How do you handle tail, head, and cross winds? Is aero always better? What about your grip on the bike . . . why it matters. Do you need more or less rest on your swim sets? Today, we look at WHY you’re taking rest and how much you actually need. Is it better to do long interval sets in the water or short and hard? Can you recover WHILE you’re swimming? Race wheels and wind. What’s the key to racing with different wheels? Looking at how to ride hills and keep your power/effort under control. A lot goes into that. Shifting on hills. How to keep cool in hot races. What about choosing not to wear a wetsuit? Air temp vs. water temp. Plus a whole slew of other questions answered in the rapid fire section.
Topics:
Coaching Inquiries
Mike Tarrolly - CrushingIron@gmail.com
Robbie Bruce - C26Coach@gmail.com
The first question set off a great mini-topic for the day. What the new tactics/trends that are pros doing these days that age group athletes can emulate to get faster. The discussion is an important one and centers on arguably the best triathlon coach right now, Dan Lorrange. We also look at the importance of becoming a better bike handler and how it can save your legs. Plus, swimming better when you don't have as much time to swim as you'd like. A little bit on GI issues. And favorite cereal talk.
Topics:
Coaching Inquiries
Mike Tarrolly - CrushingIron@gmail.com
Robbie Bruce - C26Coach@gmail.com
This 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 how to build all the pieces in the puzzle. To be mentally strong to pair with your physical fitness.
Racing IS discomfort and the more you expose yourself to it, the more confident you’ll be no matter the conditions.
Do it now, because on race day, you don’t have a choice.
Topics:
Coaching Inquiries
Mike Tarrolly - CrushingIron@gmail.com
Robbie Bruce - C26Coach@gmail.com
The 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 over problems, uncovering what missed workouts really tell us, and the ability to be moodless during your race. Find the balance between grit and grace.
Topics:
Coaching Inquiries
Mike Tarrolly - CrushingIron@gmail.com
Robbie Bruce - C26Coach@gmail.com
Triathlon 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 decision for today. Is your workout appropriately challenging for your mental and physical state? Who wins, the human or athlete? Plus, Mike’s soup can analogy.
Topics:
Coaching Inquiries
Mike Tarrolly - CrushingIron@gmail.com
Robbie Bruce - C26Coach@gmail.com
Efficiency 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’s the key to great racing. We look into cravings and calories and what they might really be indicating. Zone 2 is about getting and understanding the “feel” for racing, which ultimately isn’t about how fast you go, but how little you slow down. Dive into the big picture and learn to love your Zone 2 work.
Topics:
Coaching Inquiries
Mike Tarrolly - CrushingIron@gmail.com
Robbie Bruce - C26Coach@gmail.com
(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!
Topics:
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Facebook: CrushingIron
YouTube: Crushing Iron
Twitter: CrushingIron
Instagram: C26_Triathlon
www.c26triathlon.com
Mike Tarrolly - crushingiron@gmail.com
Robbie Bruce - c26coach@gmail.com
(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.
He's graduated, stepped away from basketball, and turned his sights on Ironman Wisconsin. Our goal for this podcast was to see how many lessons learned from Zak's days at Wisconsin under Hall of Fame coach Bo Ryan translate into triathlon. As it turned out, a lot of them do.
We start with some of Zak’s endurance background and early training challenges. Then go into how what he learned on the basketball floor can be translated into Ironman training:
Race like you train - Zak tells us how what he learned from the daily grind of college basketball practice and how he thinks it can be applied to triathlon training and best set him up for the race.
Ups and Downs - How to stay level headed and on the same path when faced with setbacks of a big loss or the the high of a big win.
Patience - Wisconsin basketball is built on patience, both in execution and sytem. Zak gives us a perspective on how they looked at a long season or career and how the philosophies can apply to Ironman training.
Emotions- He takes us in the locker room before Wisconsin faced off with a 38-0 Kentucky team at the Final Four. How is it possible to stay calm when you’re running out in front of 70,000 people to play a game watched by millions? He gives us a very simple solution.
Diet: How did you guys eat? Was there a big focus on nutrition or were you just kids? Has that changed as you train for Ironman?
Here are a couple videos of Zak in his playing days:
- His salute to Aaron Rodgers after hitting a buzzer beater against Florida
- High School State Championship Opening Tip Dunk
Zak on Instagram: zshowalter3
Zak on Twitter: @ZShowbball333
Facebook: CrushingIron
Twitter: CrushingIron
Instagram: C26_Triathlon
(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, understanding the terrain, and staying cool with a lower HR could make the difference.
Topics:
Buy C26 Gear Here: https://c26triathlon.com/c26-store/
Check out our coaches: https://c26triathlon.com/meet-the-coaches/
Mike Tarrolly: CrushingIron@gmail.com
Robbie Bruce: C26Coach@gmail.com
(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 hi out on the course.
Topics:
Buy C26 Gear Here: https://c26triathlon.com/c26-store/
Check out our coaches: https://c26triathlon.com/meet-the-coaches/
Mike Tarrolly: CrushingIron@gmail.com
Robbie Bruce: C26Coach@gmail.com
Are 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 make huge mistakes before we even realize it. We look at why so much of passing on the run is final . . . along with how bad little decisions earl can make for a miserable race. There’s nothing better than finishing a race on your terms. Today, we look at the best strategies to do just that.
Topics:
Coaching Inquiries
Mike Tarrolly - CrushingIron@gmail.com
Robbie Bruce - C26Coach@gmail.com
Today, 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. How we learned to grasp the concept of patience and how it pays off. Getting your ego out of the way and listening to your gut.
Topics:
Coaching Inquiries
Mike Tarrolly - CrushingIron@gmail.com
Robbie Bruce - C26Coach@gmail.com