These next few weeks are tricky and today we look at how to get the most from them. Society has created an addictive nature in us and what’s coming at you will be no easy task, but there are definitely ways to navigate the holidays and keep your training moving toward a great 2026. Take one and give the rest away! Moderation will be your best weapon both in training and at the snack table. Don’t always assume that heavy breathing and sore legs means you’re getting better. Keep things simple and sweet and be ready to train like you need to train in January. Dramatic swings have become the new normal, be willing to say no and stay the course. If not, don’t beat yourself up by creating 180 degree swings. Happy Holidays! Thanks for listening… we love ya!
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Get some C26 Gear for Christmas: https://c26triathlon.com/shop/
Looking for a great way to empower your training, explore your limits, and exist in the moment? Check out C26 Adventure Camps for 2026! http://watersharpensiron.com
Want to build strength and conquer the water? Look into our swim camps at C26Hub.com
Looking for triathlon coaching? Comb through our roster at https://c26triathlon.com/about/coaches/
Topics:
Mike Tarrolly - mike@c26triathlon.com
Robbie Bruce - robbie@c26triathlon.com
Check us out at www.c26triathlon.com
Looking to find your flow? Check out C26 Adventures! www.watersharpensiron.com
Robbie talks about a lot of stuff and Mike’s not really sure what’s going on. And vice versa, probably.
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Get some C26 Gear for Christmas: https://c26triathlon.com/shop/
Looking for a great way to empower your training, explore your limits, and exist in the moment? Check out C26 Adventure Camps for 2026! http://watersharpensiron.com
Want to build strength and conquer the water? Look into our swim camps at C26Hub.com
Looking for triathlon coaching? Comb through our roster at https://c26triathlon.com/about/coaches/
Topics:
Mike Tarrolly - mike@c26triathlon.com
Robbie Bruce - robbie@c26triathlon.com
Check us out at www.c26triathlon.com
Looking to find your flow? Check out C26 Adventures! www.watersharpensiron.com
Are you making your days count? Is triathlon your fuel for life or is life your fuel for triathlon? It’s easy to put too much pressure on ourselves with a precise target, but the truth is, going inward and staying the course will take care of most of it. We owe it to ourselves to get the most out of triathlon and life but only have so much bandwidth to always be in “chase mode.” Today we look at ways to pull back the external and focus more on making real, internal improvements, which ultimately lead to long term satisfaction and real growth. We also have a little fun with Christmas music at the end of the cast. Thanks for listening!
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Get some C26 Gear for Christmas: https://c26triathlon.com/shop/
Looking for a great way to empower your training, explore your limits, and exist in the moment? Check out C26 Adventure Camps for 2026! http://watersharpensiron.com
Want to build strength and conquer the water? Look into our swim camps at C26Hub.com
Looking for triathlon coaching? Comb through our roster at https://c26triathlon.com/about/coaches/
Topics:
Mike Tarrolly - mike@c26triathlon.com
Robbie Bruce - robbie@c26triathlon.com
Check us out at www.c26triathlon.com
Looking to find your flow? Check out C26 Adventures! www.watersharpensiron.com
Is there is a small mental shift we can make to turn training from a pain into something we look forward to on a deeper level? We think the answer is yes, and today we look at how to make that happen. It starts with believing what you’re doing is a good thing for the body and mind. There’s also a lot of power in patience. Knowing that today’s little step will compound with many other things to get you where you want to go. It’s not about the finish line, it’s about exploring your true potential, no matter what that looks like. Right now is a great way to figure out how you really feel about this journey and rewire your mind in a way that makes you believe in yourself and the long game.
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Get some C26 Gear for Christmas (use C26Xmas for 15% off): https://c26triathlon.com/shop/
Looking for a great way to empower your training, explore your limits, and exist in the moment? Check out C26 Adventure Camps for 2026! http://watersharpensiron.com
Want to build strength and conquer the water? Look into our swim camps at C26Hub.com
Looking for triathlon coaching? Comb through our roster at https://c26triathlon.com/about/coaches/
Topics:
Mike Tarrolly - mike@c26triathlon.com
Robbie Bruce - robbie@c26triathlon.com
Check us out at www.c26triathlon.com
Looking to find your flow? Check out C26 Adventures! www.watersharpensiron.com
Today the listener controls the show! We talk about building bike strength to be a better climber. We get into how to fall in love with the trainer and the treadmill this winter. We also look at strengths and weaknesses. How do you define them and decide where to put the most work. We get into swimming and how much you should be doing it. Some of the best drills and things to think about. Also, finding your swimming economy and body position. We also look at controlling your breath on the run and raising your bike threshold.
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Get some C26 Gear for Christmas: https://c26triathlon.com/shop/
Looking for a great way to empower your training, explore your limits, and exist in the moment? Check out C26 Adventure Camps for 2026! http://watersharpensiron.com
Want to build strength and conquer the water? Look into our swim camps at C26Hub.com
Looking for triathlon coaching? Comb through our roster at https://c26triathlon.com/about/coaches/
Topics:
Mike Tarrolly - mike@c26triathlon.com
Robbie Bruce - robbie@c26triathlon.com
Check us out at www.c26triathlon.com
Looking to find your flow? Check out C26 Adventures! www.watersharpensiron.com
Happy Thanksgiving from C26 and all of our coaching staff!
***Check out the C26 Store and use Code: C26Xmas for 15% off your shopping!
We can’t ask for change and expect everything to be the same. The comfort of the old world with the excitement of the new one. Wanting both creates pain and suffering. Today, we look at listening to how you feel and finding what the true you inside really wants. We get into burnout and how to avoid it. We talk about greatness, loving yourself, and finding calm in the chaos.
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Looking for a great way to empower your training, explore your limits, and exist in the moment? Check out C26 Adventure Camps for 2026! http://watersharpensiron.com
Want to build strength and conquer the water? Look into our swim camps at C26Hub.com
Looking for triathlon coaching? Comb through our roster at https://c26triathlon.com/about/coaches/
Topics:
Mike Tarrolly - mike@c26triathlon.com
Robbie Bruce - robbie@c26triathlon.com
Check us out at www.c26triathlon.com
Looking to find your flow? Check out C26 Adventures! www.watersharpensiron.com
Is your REAL goal to be fast, healthy, or just have a good time with training and racing? Today, we talk about why it’s important to define your true aspirations in the sport so you can come to an internal agreement with yourself as the year rolls on. It’s not uncommon for athletes to go through an identity crisis many times a year. We get into some of our personal struggles as we look at finding our sweet spot with training, racing, and life. We also look at clashing value systems and how that can make things tougher.
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Looking for a great way to empower your training, explore your limits, and exist in the moment? Check out C26 Adventure Camps for 2026! http://watersharpensiron.com
Want to build strength and conquer the water? Look into our swim camps at C26Hub.com
Looking for triathlon coaching? Comb through our roster at https://c26triathlon.com/about/coaches/
Topics:
Mike Tarrolly - mike@c26triathlon.com
Robbie Bruce - robbie@c26triathlon.com
Check us out at www.c26triathlon.com
Looking to find your flow? Check out C26 Adventures! www.watersharpensiron.com
Going HARD is easy to understand, but taking rest for recovery of your mind and body can sometimes create guilt. Why do we think like that?
Today, we dive into the psychology of taking a day, or two, off when our body needs it. We also talk about getting trapped in upper Zone 2 and how that can often turn into Zone 3 which is wearing you down far more than you think. We look at junk miles and asked if they really are junk, or if they’re something more than we think. We talk flexibility, pliability, and how range of motion can create more economy in your stroke, peddling, and stride. Explore the definition of “quality” and look at things from a different perspective. Be objective and understand the big picture.
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Looking for a great way to empower your training, explore your limits, and exist in the moment? Check out C26 Adventure Camps for 2026! http://watersharpensiron.com
Want to build strength and conquer the water? Look into our swim camps at C26Hub.com
Looking for triathlon coaching? Comb through our roster at https://c26triathlon.com/about/coaches/
Topics:
Mike Tarrolly - mike@c26triathlon.com
Robbie Bruce - robbie@c26triathlon.com
Check us out at www.c26triathlon.com
Looking to find your flow? Check out C26 Adventures! www.watersharpensiron.com
Today we look at the Ironman 70.3 World Championship weekend. We break down each event, including the unbelievable comebacks for Lucy and Taylor, along with the wild 3 second separation finish in the men’s. We talk coming back from a bad race and turning it back on again. Having a short memory and the ability to let it rip. Great discussion about what the pros are doing and how it applies to you!
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Looking for a great way to empower your training, explore your limits, and exist in the moment? Check out C26 Adventure Camps for 2026!
Want to build strength and conquer the water? Look into our swim camps at C26Hub.com
Looking for triathlon coaching? Comb through our roster at https://c26triathlon.com/about/coaches/
Topics:
Mike Tarrolly - mike@c26triathlon.com
Robbie Bruce - robbie@c26triathlon.com
Check us out at www.c26triathlon.com
Looking to find your flow? Check out C26 Adventures! www.watersharpensiron.com
We can’t go hard all the time. Movement is medicine and those movements should have different speeds. Today we get into Zone Zero or active recovery or supplemental movement. It doesn’t matter what you call it, it’s a key piece of the big picture puzzle. And often it doesn’t even include motion directly related to triathlon. We’ll go over simple ways to ensure longevity and even race better by giving your recovery the attention it deserves.
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Looking for a great way to empower your training, explore your limits, and exist in the moment? Check out C26 Adventure Camps for 2026!
Want to build strength and conquer the water? Look into our swim camps at C26Hub.com
Looking for triathlon coaching? Comb through our roster at https://c26triathlon.com/about/coaches/
Topics:
Mike Tarrolly - mike@c26triathlon.com
Robbie Bruce - robbie@c26triathlon.com
Check us out at www.c26triathlon.com
Looking to find your flow? Check out C26 Adventures! www.watersharpensiron.com
Are you giving enough love to the process? Today, we look at what the process is and why it’s really the way ti get better and get more out of life and triathlon. We point out that when you are “looking forward” to simple aerobic runs and rides you’re probably in a good place. We can’t rush our way through process to get to performance. It’s all tied together and the process can become your healthy addiction and keep you away from burnout.
Let’s all make the goal to end 2025 like you want to begin 2026.
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Empower your training, explore your limits, and exist in the moment. Check out C26 Adventure Camps for 2026!
Want to build strength and conquer the water? Look into our swim camps at C26Hub.com
Looking for triathlon coaching? Comb through our roster of Coaches.
C26 Gear available here.
Topics:
Mike Tarrolly - mike@c26triathlon.com
Robbie Bruce - robbie@c26triathlon.com
Check us out at www.c26triathlon.com
Looking to find your flow? Check out C26 Adventures!
Check out our swim camps at www.C26Hub.com
Don’t turn triathlon into a job you hate. Now is the time to embrace flexibility and work on being healthy, happy, and a more resilient athlete. Today we look at the toughest times of the year and how to use them to your advantage. We also get into how gratitude makes us faster. We talk about keeping an eye on how far you’ve come. We talk maintaining vs. losing and how your body will thank you on race day. We talk about why overly specific interval training is overrated. We look at burn out and how to make sure you can have a long and healthy life with triathlon as your guide.
Topics:
Mike Tarrolly - mike@c26triathlon.com
Robbie Bruce - robbie@c26triathlon.com
Check us out at www.c26triathlon.com
Looking to find your flow? Check out C26 Adventures!
Today we look at the three dominant metrics in triathlon: Heart Rate, Power, and RPE. Which one is right for you, and does that answer change with different variables? We look at things like time of the day, time of the year, and adjusting based on how you feel. We tackle questions like intensity vs. volume and look at different scenarios depending on if you’re racing an Ironman or something shorter. We talk Vo2 max and look at whether or not you should even be thinking about it. And we also get into how a lot of triathletes screw up their races with nutrition.
Topics:
Mike Tarrolly - mike@c26triathlon.com
Robbie Bruce - robbie@c26triathlon.com
Motivation is fleeting. How do we train and live in such a way that we’re looking forward to what’s next? Not down the road in 10 months, but what’s next today and tomorrow? Today, we look at finding a good combination of freedom within the discipline. Do you buy in to your direction or are you struggling with understanding the real goals? Do you have conviction for what you’re chasing?
Topics:
Mike Tarrolly - mike@c26triathlon.com
Robbie Bruce - robbie@c26triathlon.com
What a race! Today we go through our observations of the Kona Women’s World Championship. We start with some intriguing swim strategies, get into decision making on the bike, and look at what might have gone wrong from the leaders in the run. It was a fascinating day and we get into the concept of going wire to wire. Mental pressure. Working together. How smart can you be. And why it clearly ain’t over till it’s over.
Topics:
Mike Tarrolly - mike@c26triathlon.com
Robbie Bruce - robbie@c26triathlon.com
Today we come partly from the great north of Wisconsin. We get into Kona predictions, jeans and ribeyes, then dive into the question of: how do the best separate themselves from the rest. We bring it to an age group level and explore how we can be at our best then stay at our best. How do we outwork doubt?
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This is a great time to build the cake, or maybe even just put your shopping list together. Today, we look at the unlimited potential of aerobic capacity and why it’s at the core of making you a better long course athlete. We talk about Mark Allen’s quest to beat Dave Scott and how patience allowed him to set the IM run course record. We get into using this time to reduce your stress and level your cortisol to be a healthier person. We look at how your body adapts to training and how we actually get faster and stronger. Get faster in a more meaningful (and functional) way. The goal right now is to train in a way so that you feel good tomorrow . . . and the next day. Be patient and the speed will come.
Topics:
Mike Tarrolly - mike@c26triathlon.com
Robbie Bruce - robbie@c26triathlon.com
Post race highs. Post race lows. And everything in between. Today, we look at this journey as something that honestly builds health. Are your expectations bringing too much pressure and anxiety into your life? Are you falling into the traps over and over? Are you really training for health or to chase false hope? We like to think of this sport as a long range compass that should build strength, health, and sustainability. Exercise is supposed to give you energy, not take it away. Stay away from too high or too low. Find something that moves you each day and makes you look forward to tomorrow.
Topics:
Mike Tarrolly - mike@c26triathlon.com
Robbie Bruce - robbie@c26triathlon.com
Today we go through how to race Ironman Chattanooga, plus, give a few suggestions on how they could spice up the course.
We used to live in Chattanooga and raced there a bunch of times. Today, we dive into race strategy and give thoughts on how to run one of the more difficult courses on the Ironman circuit. We talk about how to approach the swim both strategically and mentally. We look at the 3 loop bike course which could be the hilliest flat course out there. Then we get into the run and talk about why it’s such a great course. The ups, the downs and the opportunity to change up your pace/effort. Finally we look at ways to make this race just a little more appealing by incorporating some of the best parts of an awesome city.
Support the podcast by getting your hands on some awesome C26 Triathlon gear at our store!
Topics:
Mike Tarrolly - mike@c26triathlon.com
Robbie Bruce - robbie@c26triathlon.com
Today we dive into your awesome questions with what might be one of our longest podcasts to date. We tackle back pain and bad bike position. We get into the best lifting exercises for performance. We look at the power behind tackling non-traditional triathlons and other events. We look at how to be faster and stronger as you age. Vo2 max as seniors. How do you know when you need a break. Capitalizing on race fitness or flirting with burnout? And We put the spotlight on ourselves to find out what we preach but don't always follow.
Topics:
Mike Tarrolly - mike@c26triathlon.com
Robbie Bruce - robbie@c26triathlon.com
Today we start with an Ironman World Championship breakdown and bridge into how we can learn from how the pros race. We get into understanding what you have on certain days and adjusting on the fly. We talk about how trying to save 10 minutes on the bike can cost you an hour on the bike and why. We look at “expectations” and how they should/can be adjusted as the day goes on. Finding your Best Race with what you have that day. Learning your body’s signals. What if you “kinda have it and you kinda don’t?” Everyone has a plan until . . .
Support the podcast by getting your hands on some awesome C26 Triathlon gear at our store!
Topics:
Mike Tarrolly - mike@c26triathlon.com
Robbie Bruce - robbie@c26triathlon.com
We start by talking about a C26 athlete that raced without a watch at Ironman Wisconsin and dive into the mentality of being in tune with your body. We get into the psychology of logged workouts and really understanding what’s going on from day to day. We talk about why 3 Zones may be all you need to train by. We get into data trends over time and if you’re chasing the wrong goals. One of the hardest parts of this sport is recognizing minimal and imperceptive changes in the short term. We talk athlete over-analysis, and why most often don’t even know what they’re really looking at. We look at why aerobic training works and how making things feel easy might be the most underrated part of training.
Topics:
Mike Tarrolly - mike@c26triathlon.com
Robbie Bruce - robbie@c26triathlon.com
Triathlon is 90% mental, the other half is physical.*
Today we recap Ironman Wisconsin 2025. This was Mike’s 12th Ironman and there was some good, bad and a little ugly. We talk about everything from pre-race anxiety, to adjusting your day based on feel, and maybe most importantly, how to keep going when every bone in your body says no. They talk about riding the course and managing the hills, nutrition, and why we keep coming back for more pain. By all accounts, Ironman Wisconsin seemed like it’s coming back in full force. The weather was great, the support was off the charts, and the volunteers were more than plentiful. Doing an Ironman can really suck in the moment, but that’s exactly why we keep going.
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*Yogi Berra Quote reference.
Mike Tarrolly - mike@c26triathlon.com
Robbie Bruce - robbie@c26triathlon.com
Ready to rumble at Wisconsin? We share our insight from years of racing and coaching athletes at Wisconsin. We go in-depth on the swim, bike, and run courses for each race. We also talk about where to start in the swim, what to wear on the bike with cooler conditions, how to handle the stick, the hills, and get ready to run. We break down run course strategy and give you all we know so you can have a great race.
Topics:
Mike Tarrolly - mike@c26triathlon.com
Robbie Bruce - robbie@c26triathlon.com
Some really great questions today! We talk about mental barriers on the back half of your race run. We get into how to train/taper if you feel like you’re getting sick. We take a deep dive into training for Ironman and losing weight without falling into a deficit. The struggles of endurance diets. Food as addiction. Adjusting from a road bike to TT. And how much to “save” on the bike in order to have a great run. Plus, much much more!!
Topics:
Mike Tarrolly - mike@c26triathlon.com
Robbie Bruce - robbie@c26triathlon.com