Crushing Iron Triathlon Podcast

What do you love about triathlon? We think this is an important question to ask and an an even more important concept to protect. There are levels of going to the well and levels of stress we can handle in a functional way. Today, we talk about the power of elimination, and even more importantly when to recognize that it's needed. We argue that it isn't the races that wear us down, but the constant level of stress day after day. How do you protect your love of the sport? How do you get the most out of training in a minimal effective dose sort of approach? There's nothing wrong with the occasional shelling, but understanding how that amplifies all the stress around you is a key to continued enjoyment. Training is only as good as our ability to recover from it . . . and frankly, live a satisfying life in all areas. And, when did it become "only" a 70.3?
Topics:
Weather and forecasts
What's going on in triathlon?
Is the season feeling long?
Get rid of burden
Simplify
Reducing marginal stress
Controlling our ability to be prepared
Why do we like triathlon?
Making decisions about MORE
Craig Alexander is back on the bike after 7 years
Filling every corner of your plate
Racing is your ability to execute
Is it the races or the accumulation of days of stress that wears you out
Average power vs Normalized power costs
Training is only as good as your ability to recover from it
Dropping things off your plate
You don't have to be in a constant state of stress
Mike Tarrolly - mike@c26triathlon.com
Robbie Bruce - robbie@c26triathlon.com

For all of you enamored and in love with AI, here's your AI podcast summary:
This episode dives into the mental shifts and unconventional strategies needed to revitalize your triathlon training and racing experience. The discussion begins by addressing the "Dog Days of Summer," a period when athletes often fall into a slump, lulled into a routine of long, slow training sessions. However, the hosts suggest that you might not actually be tired of training itself, but rather bored of the monotony. By introducing concepts like "waking that sh*t up" with dynamic efforts, embracing unusual topics like birds and swimming, and understanding that "seeing it means believing it," you can change your attitude and find your fitness again. Training should remain fluid, allowing you to make it what you want it to be so that you stay mentally engaged and genuinely like the process.
The conversation shifts to practical, reality-based race preparation, highlighting the profound relief an athlete feels simply by arriving at the race site. Success on race day depends heavily on being rational about your goals and maintaining your confidence, such as having the discipline to let competing riders surge ahead up the road without chasing them. A major focal point is the psychological side of performance: if your mind isn't ready to race, your body won't follow, no matter how physically prepared you are. Ultimately, the goal is to show up to the starting line feeling both fresh and fit, looking forward to the event rather than dreading it.
Finally, the podcast tackles unconventional training volumes, exploring how to successfully finish a Full Ironman on limited training. The hosts break down why a condensed schedule is actually a preferred way to train for most people, especially athletes who are naturally averse to grueling, exhaustive long rides. Instead of grinding yourself into the ground, the key strategy is to "stop short" on your workouts to preserve mental and physical energy. This approach proves that you can feel highly confident and successful without sacrificing your entire life to the sport, redefining what it takes to conquer ultra-distance racing.
Topics:
Birds and Swimming
Dog Days of Summer
Finding your Fitness again
Seeing it means believing it
Changing Your Attitude
The relief of getting to the race site
"This" is a preferred way to train most people
Doing Full Ironman on limited training
Athletes averse to long rides
Mentally engaged
When we look forward to a race
Fresh and fit
If the mind isn't ready to race
You have to like it mostly
Being rational about your race goals
Confidence and letting riders go up the road
Feeling confident and successful
Lulled into long and slow everything
Sometimes we're not actually tired of training
Make training what you want it to be, sometimes.
Wake that sh*t up
Stop Short
Keep all of this fluid
Mike Tarrolly - mike@c26triathlon.com
Robbie Bruce - robbie@c26triathlon.com

Today we look at how our confidence can rise and fall based on the simplest things.. Taper is a good example, but it also happens in training and racing. We use a couple of analogies, golf and gambling, and how they can teach us lessons on being steady and racing the right way. How do you know if the stars are aligning in a race and you can go for it? We talk about staying within yourself and the me vs me philosophy… we talk about when to go for it and when to "lay up." We look at comparison and how it can be a rabbit hole of negatives. Make up sessions. Using your instincts in taper. Being ready for challenges you can't see.
Topics:
Taper - how does it work?
What is the perfect taper
When the stars align
Blaming success or failure on your taper
Ebbing and flowing confidence
Loving one discipline and tolerating the others
The over-fatigue melding with the fresh
It's gonna be what it's gonna be
Over-cooking your strength
You want to be content
Putting for a three foot circle instead of the hole
Emotional swings in races
Laying up in a race
Recognizing when it IS your day
Unforseen challenges
Check in and move on
Comparing with yourself 3 years ago
Real definition of conservative racing
Gambling attitudes
Polarized efforts
Mike Tarrolly - mike@c26triathlon.com
Robbie Bruce - robbie@c26triathlon.com

A lot of things can happen in your last month of training before a big race. Today, we talk about what some of them are and why the last thing you want is to start dreading the sport. How do you keep your body and mind right as training gets more intense and the weather heats up? Burnout is a slow burn and often starts with obsession. Obsession to the outcome instead of what's happening today. As coaches it's likely we'd rather have you miss a few days here and there than get into a funk of dread. We look at ways to keep your bandwidth open and be available to train. We talk about keeping perspective on what you want . . . really want from this sport. We talk about the price it takes to be the best and why that isn't for most people. We can't be great at everything, and it's usually not how fast you go, but how little you slow down.
Topics:
A lot can happen in a month
The psychology of a triathlete
Missing workouts in your race month
Last month focus to be your best
It's not how fast you go, but how little you slow down
Over-obsessing with metrics
Can't be great at everything
When every day becomes a chore
Worry and the pressure of expectations
Having bandwidth to be available
Keeping perspective and having fun
What do you want? Really want?
Are you willing to do that level of work?
Do you want the work or the result?
Saying no to things you enjoy
When Mike finally realized how he makes himself dread the training.
Don't put values on everything
Mike Tarrolly - mike@c26triathlon.com
Robbie Bruce - robbie@c26triathlon.com

Today, we take you through the bike and swim and talk about all kinds of ways you can be smarter so you're ready to run off the bike. We talk about handling hills, keeping the ego in check on flats, along with effort indicators that you may be digging a hole. We look at how to gain time, how to breathe, and the worst way to try and gain time. We talk about the concept of burning "mini-matches" in the swim and bike. We look at ways to save fatigue, climbs vs. descents, and being in the right gear at the right time. We look at the importance of comfort in your wetsuit, sighting practice, and why you should be using a pull buoy more often.
Topics:
Hills and climbing
Effort indicators
How the hills chip away at your legs
Shallow breathing
Is nasal breathing the best indicator?
Higher watts, trying harder, and going slower
How to gain time in efficient ways
The worst way to gain time
Getting in the right gear at the right time
Burning min-matches
Saving fatigue
The importance of keeping your line and cornering
Climbs vs. Descents
Finding sighting landmarks, especially when choppy
Your overall comfort level is key
Wetsuit issues and why you need to wear it often in training
Nothing new on race day
Is your neck pain from the bike or swim?
Why you should use a pull buoy more often as the race nears
Mike Tarrolly - mike@c26triathlon.com
Robbie Bruce - robbie@c26triathlon.com