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: 

• Were you ever into endurance sports before?
• What it's like hanging out with Packer's QB Aaron Rodgers 
• What it was like to work with Michael Jordan’s strength coach
• When he decided he wanted to do an Ironman 
• How he deals with Winter training in Wisconsin
• What's it like going from a high exposure team sport to an isolated training world?
• A coach’s message “Play hard, play smart, play together, and have fun.”

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

If you enjoy the Crushing Iron podcast, you can support us with a direct pledge here. Thanks for listening!

Please subscribe to Crushing Iron on YouTube and iTunes.
For information on the C26 Coach’s Eye custom swim analysis, coaching, or training camps email: C26Coach@gmail.com

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Instagram: C26_Triathlon

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Buckle up for another hour of triathlon training talk with the one and only Steve Delmonte of Delmo Sports. 

He puts on multiple races a season around New Jersey and receives high praise from athletes for a great experience. He doesn't hold back and gives a great perspective that can help many of us find our true "WHY."

Please subscribe to Crushing Iron on iTunes if you haven't already and we'd love it is you like this one enough to share with training friends.

Some of today's topics:  

• Why He Thinks Pool Triathlons Can Grow The Sport
• Triathlon For Women Only
• Special Announcement from C26 Triathlon and Delmo Sports about Ironman 70.3 Atlantic City
• What Motivates Triathletes
• Technology in the Triathlon
• Pro Triathletes and Why It Doesn’t Move The Needle
• What it’s Like Picking Up New Events 
• How Lance Armstrong Would Have Changed Triathlon
• The Pitfalls of Attaching Triathlon to Your Identity
• Why Crushing Iron is His Favorite Triathlon Podcast
• Penalty Talk - What’s on the official’s mind— when officials should look the other way
• Logistics of Launching a New Race… road closures… certain dates
• Shutting down Intersections 
• What do athletes miss before, during and after races that Race Director’s wish they would pay attention too?
• Why are all the great open water swimming events on the East Coast on the same weekend??? Escape the Cape, Eagleman and the Great Chesapeake Bay 4.4 miler.
• As he adds events, does he worry about becoming stretched too thin and losing some of what makes his races/brand special
• Ironman AC 140.6 June 2019?
• Do you ever analyze areas of bigger opportunity outside of NJ?
• Why he doesn't offer discount codes for races 

Part one with Steve Delmonte
Part two with Steve Delmonte

If you enjoy the Crushing Iron podcast, you can support us with a direct pledge here. Thanks for listening!

Please subscribe to Crushing Iron on YouTube and iTunes.
For information on the C26 Coach’s Eye custom swim analysis, coaching, or training camps email: C26Coach@gmail.com

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Twitter: CrushingIron
Instagram: C26_Triathlon

www.crushingiron.com

WTF is up with Ironman Age Group Dopers? I mean, we sorta get it on an addictive and narcissistic level, but are they really living that hard in their Glory Days? Well, we have news for you, you'll never be Sebastian Kienle. Today we explore how and why this happens, plus look at ego driven attitudes in triathlon and why they need to go. 

• PEDs in Ironman - 
• TUE - Therapeutic Use Exemption 
• The Competitive Advantage
• Vitamin Supplements… do they work?
• Do we really need a pill?
• Drafting Discussion 
• Triathlon Bullies
• Purposeful Cheating
• Some people need to get off their high horse 
• Can We Really Change?
• Win At All Cost Mentality
• Addiction to Narcissism
• The Willingness to Help Others Get Better
• We Play Triathlon 
• We We Aren’t Always Right
• The Power in Sharing Your Secrets
• You Don’t Build Community By Being A Dick

If you enjoy the Crushing Iron podcast, you can support us with a direct pledge here. Thanks for listening!

Please subscribe to Crushing Iron on YouTube and iTunes.
For information on the C26 Coach’s Eye custom swim analysis, coaching, or training camps email: C26Coach@gmail.com

Facebook: CrushingIron
Twitter: CrushingIron
Instagram: C26_Triathlon

www.crushingiron.com

What can we learn about the differences between training and race speed of triathlon? How can the seemingly simplest workouts make a difference at the end of your race? Today is all about training your way to race speed so that day doesn't fall apart. Nobody knows more than you, but are you paying attention to the right things?

• Preparation lessons from Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, and the Patriots
• Let’s Talk About That Final Play in the Vikings/Saints game
• Training Speed vs. Race Speed
• Being Ready To Be Ready
• Respecting each workout
• When You Should Eat Sugar
• Overlooking comes back to haunt you
• Never Trust How You Feel In Racing 
• Identifying with Pain
• The Difference Between Being Hurt and Injury
• Who Knows Better Than You?
• What Does Nailing A Workout Even Mean?
• More Silent Confessions
• New Segment- Quoting from Ironman Singles
• New Segment - Athlete Confessions

If you enjoy the Crushing Iron podcast, you can support us with a direct pledge here. Thanks for listening!

Please subscribe to Crushing Iron on YouTube and iTunes.
For information on the C26 Coach’s Eye custom swim analysis, coaching, or training camps email: C26Coach@gmail.com

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Instagram: C26_Triathlon

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This Crushing Iron Podcast is based on a post from our closed Facebook Group: 

“I have a question about being "race ready" for a 70.3. We sign up the previous when we are at "peak performance". The holiday season passes, and you find yourself in January with 4 months to go for your first 70.3, and you can't even imagine being close to "ready". You don't know if you're training too much, or not enough. Any thoughts or help much appreciated!”

It opened the floodgates and we dove into all things self-doubt regarding triathlon. Topics include:

• Keeping An Eye On The Big Picture 
• Reflecting on Where You’ve Come From
• Not Living In A Problem That Doesn’t Exist
• Recharging 
• Why Peak Fitness Year Round is Impossible
• Between Fresh and Fatigued
• Self-coaching benefits and challenges
• Beating Negative-Talk Loops
• Meditation Detox 
• Mike’s Silent Confessions
• Peaking too early
• Why You Should Write About Training
• The True Benefits of Coaching
• When You’re In Love, Go There
• How Do You know You’re going the Right Direction?
• How Experts Make Our Lives Easier
• Hard Is Never Easy And Why This Comment Doesn’t Fit The Podcast

If you like the Crushing Iron podcast, you can support us with a direct pledge here. Thanks for listening!

Please subscribe to Crushing Iron on YouTube and iTunes.
For information on the C26 Coach’s Eye custom swim analysis, coaching, or training camps email: C26Coach@gmail.com

Facebook: CrushingIron
Twitter: CrushingIron
Instagram: C26_Triathlon

www.crushingiron.com

Are you training for long term success in triathlon? 

• Complaining Gets You Nowhere
• Testosterone and Estrogen Balance
• National Title Predictions
• Lifetime Fitness Bans News On TVs
• What is Stealing Your Joy 
• Temperament fluctuation through the year
• Structuring Your Lives In January for Success
• Commitment or Shattered Dreams?
• Premature Optimization 
• Triathlon as a Year Round Affair
• Why Scheduling Days Off Backfires
• Setting Up A Positive and Supportive Environment
• Chronic Training Injuries
• Training Should Give You Energy, Not Take it Away
• Ego vs. Lack of Confidence
• Accepting What The Day Gives You
• Why Ordinary is the Key To Extraordinary
• Long-term Committed and Patient Investment

If you like the Crushing Iron podcast, you can support us with a direct pledge here. Thanks for listening!

Please subscribe to Crushing Iron on YouTube and iTunes.
For information on the C26 Coach’s Eye custom swim analysis, coaching, or training camps email: C26Coach@gmail.com

Facebook: CrushingIron
Twitter: CrushingIron
Instagram: C26_Triathlon

www.crushingiron.com

Triathlete's can't get enough swim talk and the Crushing Iron Podcast is listening. Here is Part 4 of our popular "How To Not Suck At Swimming" series. Swimming has so many moving parts and aside from the topics below the guys get into a general "How To Learn" and get in the right mindset mode when it comes to swimming.

• Are Swimming Tools like a Drag chute right for you?
• How many days in pool to see faster times?
• How to avoid bending at knees while kicking?
• Need to bilateral breathe?
• How to stop crossover arms? Drills?
• Importance of stroke cadence… what to measure and wis it important? why? confused about speeding up stroke
• The Truth about Total Immersion swimming?
• Strength work outside of the pool?
• What muscles should we target?
• When and why to use stretch cords?
• How to practice sighting in a pool
• Master’s Swimming Rant?

Note: How To Not Suck at Swimming Part 1 is episode #12. How to Not Suck at Swimming Part 2 is episode #20. Part 3 is #125.

If you like the Crushing Iron podcast, you can support us with a direct pledge here. Thanks for listening!

Please subscribe to Crushing Iron on YouTube and iTunes.
For information on the C26 Coach’s Eye custom swim analysis, coaching, or training camps email: C26Coach@gmail.com

Facebook: CrushingIron
Twitter: CrushingIron
Instagram: C26_Triathlon

www.crushingiron.com

The Crushing Iron Podcast is co-hosted twice a week by Mike Tarrolly and Robbie Bruce

The Crushing Iron Podcast kicks off 2018 with a return to our popular "How To Not Suck at Swimming" podcasts with Volume #3. Today's cast is driven by listeners and Mike and Robbie give you solutions to a lot of swimming issues for triathletes. You'll find answers for these questions and more to get you off to a great start in the water. Please check out www.crushingiron.com for information on our Swim Camps and Swim Analysis Videos. 

• Beating Drag. What to do about Sinking Legs - 
• How do I beat periods of Breathlessness in a race? 
• Fixing incorrect kick timing after years of doing it wrong
• How much kicking is ideal to “save legs” vs. going faster
• Is your kick actually slowing you down?
• How to get into cold water? inch in, use ladder, jump in?
• Benefit to using other strokes? breast, back, butterfly?
• How to beat goggle fogging?
• Flip turns? Beneficial? 
• What’s the ticket to speed?

Note: How To Not Suck at Swimming Volume 1 is episode #12. How to Not Suck at Swimming Volume 2 is episode #20

If you like the Crushing Iron podcast, you can support us here. Thanks for listening!

Please subscribe to Crushing Iron on YouTube and iTunes.
For information on the C26 Coach’s Eye custom swim analysis, coaching, or training camps email: C26Coach@gmail.com

Facebook: CrushingIron
Twitter: CrushingIron
Instagram: C26_Triathlon

www.crushingiron.com

The Crushing Iron Podcast is co-hosted twice a week by Mike Tarrolly and Robbie Bruce

• How do your react to bad weather, race changes, or life complications?
• Tactics for pre-race and in-race calm
• Choppy Waters: Dealing with swim anxiety
• Is it what happens, or how it affects you?
• Being at peace with adverse race conditions
• Mother Nature isn't out to get you
• Built In Excuses
• Breaking The Creature of Habit
• How to be "Country Strong"
• The Perils of Obsessing Over "Best Case Scenario"
• Making Stress Less Stressful
• Mike and Robbie's Netflix Picks

If you like the Crushing Iron podcast, you can support us here. Thanks for listening!

Please subscribe to Crushing Iron on YouTube and iTunes.
For information on the C26 Coach’s Eye custom swim analysis, coaching, or training camps email: C26Coach@gmail.com

Facebook: CrushingIron
Twitter: CrushingIron
Instagram: C26_Triathlon

www.crushingiron.com

The Crushing Iron Podcast is co-hosted twice a week by Mike Tarrolly and Robbie Bruce

The Crushing Iron Podcast puts you in prime position for a great start on January 1, 2018. Good decisions happen from the right state of mind but often we make big decisions from a bad place. We wake up after staying out late, over eating, drinking, etc... and instead of doing "something" we decide to plan our week. Today we explore the process of doing that planning AFTER you actually do something productive. 

Also:

• Exploring the #1 Week of Limbo
• Why You Should Re-define Monday
• Binging On Netflix - Peaky Blinders
• Your State of Mind and Good Decisions
• Making today, today
• How Can You Make it Fun?
• Ordinary as a means of extraordinary
• The fight or flight of triathlon
• Preheating Your Training Oven 

If you like the Crushing Iron podcast, you can support us here. Thanks for listening!

Please subscribe to Crushing Iron on YouTube and iTunes.
For information on the C26 Coach’s Eye custom swim analysis, coaching, or training camps email: C26Coach@gmail.com

Facebook: CrushingIron
Twitter: CrushingIron
Instagram: C26_Triathlon

www.crushingiron.com

The Crushing Iron Podcast is co-hosted twice a week by Mike Tarrolly and Robbie Bruce

Today, the Crushing Iron Podcast tackles training/race etiquette and some of the funny things that happen in triathlon. What do you do when someone won’t offer to share a lane at the pool? How do you handle “on your left?” Would you stop if someone fell down in front of you during a race? Plus, is there anything worse than a GI issue after 6 months of training? The guys give some solutions. And how do you justify buying new equipment, or a bike? Some of today’s topics: 

• Does equipment make a difference?
• How and when do you justify purchases?
• When do buy a new bike?
• What makes your bike most aero?
• Upgrading your bike
• Trail running 
• Pre-Race meals
• Worst Pre-Workout meals
• Cramps
• GI issues
• Trail Running Etiquette
• How do we feel about “On Your Left”
• Why the next 30 days are about Patience 
• Swimming Pool Manners
• Crazy things that happen at the pool

If you like the Crushing Iron podcast, you can support us here. Thanks for listening!

Please subscribe to Crushing Iron on YouTube and iTunes.
For information on the C26 Coach’s Eye custom swim analysis, coaching, or training camps email: C26Coach@gmail.com

Facebook: CrushingIron
Twitter: CrushingIron
Instagram: C26_Triathlon

www.crushingiron.com

The Crushing Iron Podcast is co-hosted twice a week by Mike Tarrolly and Robbie Bruce

The Crushing Iron Podcast interviews professional triathlete, Andrew Starykowicz. 

Topics:

• When He Started Believing He Could Go Pro
• Pretenders—>Fringe Athletes—>Contenders 
• His Cycling Philosophy and Why He’s So Fast
• How He Discovered the Crushing Iron Podcast
• His Analysis of the Ironman Wisconsin Bike Course (Including Barlow)
• Does he prefer hats or visors
• His insight on aero helmets
• How he uses his Crushing Iron t-shirt
• He interviews us 
• The never-ending challenge of finding sponsorship 
• How the “little things” helped him win Ironman Louisville 2017
• The Importance of Race Experience
• Swimming in the Dark at IML
• First loop vs. Second loop at 27 mph on bike
• How He Wants You To Help Triathlon Grow
• His Number One Go-To For Recovery
• What He Thinks Is The Most Underrated Part of Triathlon Training

The Crushing Iron podcast is driven by the listeners and today they have spoken in a big way. Dozens of questions were asked and many are answered. 

Will Mike and Robbie go vegan again?
Will the Crushing Iron podcast keep being twice a week?
Fasted workouts. When, duration, time of year, benefits, frequency?
KETO/Butter coffee?
What is ideal race weight, what does it mean, and when should you hit it?
Will Rich Roll fall off the vegan train?
Do Recovery boots work? What about compression socks?
Should you run in different shoes to balance your foot strength?
Should you practice your flying dismount?
New hats and visors?
Many more . . .

If you like the Crushing Iron podcast, you can support us here. Thanks for listening!

Please subscribe to Crushing Iron on YouTube and iTunes.
For information on the C26 Coach’s Eye custom swim analysis, coaching, or training camps email: C26Coach@gmail.com

Facebook: CrushingIron
Twitter: CrushingIron
Instagram: C26_Triathlon

www.crushingiron.com

What are you doing when no one is watching? These are the moments that fill our lives and make them richest in the long run. It's easy to fall into the hack-trap but is there really a magic bullet for triathlon, or life? Today we dive into what's really going on when we search for simple and quick answers.

We all want to kick ass every day, but sometimes nature has a way of reminding us to back down a little. The question is, how much? Today we talk about the challenge of the holiday season and how you can stay in a groove with so many distractions and anxieties. And if you're looking for a great "alternative vacation" next year, we talk about our C26 Camps in detail toward the end of the podcast. Information can also be found atwww.crushingiron.com/camps Enjoy the episode and thanks for listening! 

Most of us have a dominant body side, and over time that can impact the efficiency of a triathlete. Not only does it create pain and injury, it takes more energy and will slow you down over the course of a race. Today we talk about ways to use the off season to renovate the body. 

Swimming Simplicity
How you create imbalance
Working on your weaknesses now
Why it’s so important to work harder on your strongest event
How to be consistently optimistic
Revisiting the basics
Teaching to learn
Restricted breathing practice in the swim
Pedal stroke efficiency
Return on training investment
The most gratifying things in life aren’t instant

If you like the Crushing Iron podcast, you can support us here. Thanks for listening!

Please subscribe to Crushing Iron on YouTube and iTunes.
For information on the C26 Coach’s Eye custom swim analysis, coaching, or training camps email: C26Coach@gmail.com

Facebook: CrushingIron
Twitter: CrushingIron
Instagram: C26_Triathlon

www.crushingiron.com

What's the first thing most of us do when we get a PR, either in a race or workout? We usually try force it to happen again the very next time, just to prove that we can do it. But this can be the beginning of a bad road. Today we talk about the importance of building your chassis and engine together. It's all about balance, timing, and knowing how to recognize what you really need. 

- Tennessee Fans Pile on Greg Schiano
- The Benefits of Yoga in Triathlon
- The Biggest Risk You Take When Building Speed
- How To Recognize If You Need More Speed or Strength Workouts
- Understanding the balance of hard and easy workouts
- Building Your Chassis To Handle Your Fast Engine
- The 3 Absolute Keys to Success In Triathlon
- How Triathletes Force Square Pegs In Round Holes
- Why Blunt Force is Never The Answer
- The Worst Thing To Do After A PR
- Swimming Slow to Get Fast

If you like the Crushing Iron podcast, you can support us here. Thanks for listening!

Please subscribe to Crushing Iron on YouTube and iTunes.
For information on the C26 Coach’s Eye custom swim analysis, coaching, or training camps email: C26Coach@gmail.com

Facebook: CrushingIron
Twitter: CrushingIron
Instagram: C26_Triathlon

www.crushingiron.com

Squadcasts are ongoing series of interviews with the C26 Athletes. Traditional Crushing Iron Podcasts will continue to release on Monday and Thursday every week.

Imagine being on stage with a panel of judges picking apart every flaw of your body. Erika Jurkowski was there and hated not only that, but the lifestyle. She was bringing her own meals to dinner parties and eating out of Tupperware while everyone else feasted. She wanted to have fun again, so she dove into triathlon with the same passion as bodybuilding. She recently finished Ironman Louisville and today she tells her story on the C26 Squadcast. 

- The challenge that changed her life
- Why body building made her start to hate herself
- Going from 500 calories a day to 500 on a long bike ride
- Fear of the Swim
- What convinced her to leave body building
- From figuring out how to swim to signing up to a Half
- Was she more nervous for a Sprint or Ironman?
- How her lifestyle set her up for the fast track to Ironman
- Her post-Ironman struggles
- What's next?
- The emotional roller coaster of the journey.
- Her favorite part of training for an Ironman

If you like the Crushing Iron podcast, you can support us here. Thanks for listening!

Please subscribe to Crushing Iron on YouTube and iTunes.
For information on the C26 Coach’s Eye custom swim analysis, coaching, or training camps email: C26Coach@gmail.com

Facebook: CrushingIron
Twitter: CrushingIron
Instagram: C26_Triathlon

www.crushingiron.com

How often do you really push yourself outside of the comfort zone? For a lot of us that happens as we train for our first big race, but after that can come complacency . . . or mediocrity. Today we discuss the complications involved with settling and or staying with a crowd and/or mindset that is holding you back.

Is inspiration good if it doesn't create action? Today, Coach Robbie dives into Mike's brain to find out why he's so inspired, yet can't get training going. When does learning, planning, and researching turn into avoidance? 

- Does inspiration always need action?
- Re-connecting with what you want to do and achieve
- The guy in a top hat and handle bar mustache 
- Are you tired of settling?
- How to not care about what people think
- Why we let minor inconvenience trump momentum
- What worked in season works in off-season
- Painting the picture of your training
- Pre-mature optimization 
- If you're out of shape, start now
- The things we make up in our head that hold us back

If you like the Crushing Iron podcast, you can support us here. Thanks for listening!

Please subscribe to Crushing Iron on YouTube and iTunes.
For information on the C26 Coach’s Eye custom swim analysis, coaching, or training camps email: C26Coach@gmail.com

Facebook: CrushingIron
Twitter: CrushingIron
Instagram: C26_Triathlon

www.crushingiron.com

Something was missing in Somer Scandridge's life. She loved being a mom and taking care of her two kids every day, but she began to resent the fact that she didn't have something for herself. Her husband was gone every day finding fulfillment in a job that he loved while she felt she was lacking adult interaction. What started as a couple's spin bike venture quickly turned into a new and deep passion. Today she shares her story and encourages other stay at home moms (or dads) to ignite a new fire. And how that passion has made the entire family happier. 

Squadcasts is an ongoing series with our current C26 Triathlon athletes. They will be added as bonus podcasts within the main released casts on Monday and Thursday. We hope that you enjoy hearing stories from everyday athletes who have similar challenges and struggles as they grow in the sport. 

If you like the Crushing Iron podcast, you can support us here. Thanks for listening!

Please subscribe to Crushing Iron on YouTube and iTunes.
For information on the C26 Coach’s Eye custom swim analysis, coaching, or training camps email: C26Coach@gmail.com

Facebook: CrushingIron
Twitter: CrushingIron
Instagram: C26_Triathlon

www.crushingiron.com

One of the hardest parts of training is getting out of our own way. It's very easy to go "too hard" or "not go" when it comes to workouts, so having a clear grasp on WHAT'S RIGHT FOR YOU is the biggest part. Sometimes it's all about training your "state" of mind and body. Are you talking yourself into something that will hurt you in the long run? Track workouts, Off Days, Training Ruts, and bagging races.

Topics for today: 

Most triathletes figure out that most of their friends don't want to talk about their personal success journeys. Over time that can be a bummer and is the reason so many of us seek a community that supports, listens and inspires. That's at the core of why we started Crushing Iron and today we explore why all that stuff matters and can not only be the key to success in triathlon but life. 

- Connection in sport and life
- The power in being open and honest 
- Filling voids 
- The best drug is people- Asking the "dumb" question
- Americans and Diabetes
- The top causes of obesity
- Is obesity contagious?
- The six foods that make up majority of American diets
- Are we set up to fail in our diets?
- Obsession with hiding
- Friends vs. Relationships
- So Many Experts So Little Time

Adult Obesity Stats

Americans and Diabetes

If you like the Crushing Iron podcast, you can support us here. Thanks for listening!

Please subscribe to Crushing Iron on YouTube and iTunes.
For information on the C26 Coach’s Eye custom swim analysis, coaching, or training camps email: C26Coach@gmail.com

Facebook: CrushingIron
Twitter: CrushingIron
Instagram: C26_Triathlon

www.crushingiron.com