Circa 2012 – Partial Interview with Mike (co-host of Crushing Iron Podcast) before his first Ironman

Note from Mike:

It’s funny to look back at my head space 10 months away from my first Ironman. I was 49 years old and had just started running earlier that year. I’m a little bit amazed to recognize a lot of little things that sort of became the foundational principles for what ended up being the Crushing Iron Podcast.

I signed up for Wisconsin with four other guys and Robbie would later become our coach. This is the first interview in what was planned to be a documentary made about the process. We still have hope it will come together, but a lot has changed.

Here’s what’s covered in this Interview Clip with Mike:

  • Trusting the process 
  • Predictions for his first Ironman
  • What’s the reason or cause for doing his Ironman?
  • How losing his close friend motivated him at the time

The full interview is about 13 minutes and in the C26 Online Hub. Click here for details.

  • How and why he got into Ironman
  • The memory of when he first signed up for Ironman Wisconsin
  • How he used sports to give him an edge in training
  • What he hoped to get from Ironman training
  • How he got involved with the other 4 guys he trained with 
  • Importance of training with others 
  • Was he scared about Ironman?
  • Trusting the process 
  • Predictions for his first Ironman
  • What’s the reason or cause for doing his Ironman?
  • How losing his close friend motivated him at the time
  • Gratitude . . . 

For more information on C26 Triathlon Coaching, Camps, and Community, please visit C26Triathlon.com

Getting Ready For Ironman Chattanooga

By Mike Tarrolly for the Crushing Iron Podcast

Next week the co-hosts of the Crushing Iron Podcast, Mike and Robbie, will descend on Ironman Chattanooga . . . as spectators. We have ten C26 athletes racing, (including C26 athlete, Ross, who had an amazing story to tell on a previous podcast) and will be soaking in the entire experience.

We thought we’d organize a look at some of the Ironman Chattanooga information we’ve compiled since the event started. After you finish this post, check out this one with 18 story/video links to things we’ve covered at Ironman Chattanooga in the past.

Here’s a podcast (the Crushing Iron Podcast is released every Monday and Thursday) we did about Ironman Chattanooga if you want to check it out:

Thursday/Friday: For starters, let’s talk about the first thing you should do when you get to downtown Chattanooga: Check In!

We are big on getting this out of the way. If you get into town on Thursday and make a quick drive-through to soak it in, park, get out, and check in. It’s just so much nicer to get your gear bags, chip, etc. and have it back at your room early. Plus, lines get increasingly longer as more people get to town. Thursday is optimal, but certainly early Friday morning so you can start loading your bags and go get anything you may have forgotten. Because, other than a morning tune up, Saturday should be treated as a day of rest with minimal walking.

Saturday is bags and bike. (We always like to remind people that they will have a final chance to check their bags race morning). We also like to drop our bags and bikes later in the afternoon when the lines are down and your bike won’t have to sit in the sun as long.

Race morning can always feel a little hectic, so below we’ve screen grabbed the timing for transition, shuttles, and the race start.

Quick story about race morning: In 2015 when I was racing Chattanooga (this is Mike), we stayed at the Chattanoogan, which is a really nice place, but about a mile or so walk to transition. We left insanely early and I was groggy as usual. I feel like we got to transition about 5:15 which was in PLENTY of time, but when you start hearing bus engines take off, you get the sense that you’re falling behind. We rushed to check our gear bags, then scrambled to the bus. It’s about a 10 minute bus ride and five minutes into said ride I realized I forgot my timing chip at the hotel. This happened because I put the chip into one of the backpack pockets instead of immediately putting it on the counter with everything else. Dumb move.

Talk about a panic moment. Thankfully the woman right behind me said she did the same thing and thought she heard they had extras at the start. Well, this was true. (Note: If you DO forget your chip, make sure to turn it in after the race or you’ll have to mail it back. If you don’t they charge you for it).

The problem was, they have them at the front of the line. The bus drops you off at a place that is essentially the middle of the line. So, I walked all the way to the front of the line, then all the way back to the end of the line forming line where my friends were. About two extra miles of walking for no reason. So, I’d walked around 3 miles before the race started, which really bummed me out, but it turned out to be my fastest race to date, so who knows.

When I raced it was a first come first serve rolling start. I can’t find anything that says it’s “self-seeded” so I’m thinking it may be the same. The earlier you get in line, the earlier you get into the water. If it’s a wetsuit optional swim, the people in line with wetsuits are asked to step to the side and they will go in after all non-wetsuit swimmers enter the water.

Race Morning Schedule:

Here’s a little more info from the Ironman Chattanooga Athlete guide that’s good to be familiar with:

And finally, here’s another screen grab about timing chips, race cut off times, etc.

Here’s a video we made for 2017 Ironman Chattanooga. Watch it, then go enjoy your race!

Regret As Motivation

By Mike Tarrolly for Crushing Iron

Now that I’m signed up for Ironman Louisville, my mind is back in overdrive, and on my ride today, I had a thought . . .

What would I die for?

It crossed my mind because often when I ride by (or through) meandering families on the bike path, occasionally “the dad” gives me the “don’t fuck with my family” eye. Today a “dad glare” made me shiver.

I wasn’t riding fast and slowed down further because his three kids were blocking the entire path. I gave dad a nice smile but he looked at me like he would prefer throwing me and my bike in the river.

Now, maybe I’m projecting, but it’s pretty common. I’m wondering, are these guys really that tough, or are they just willing to die for their kids if some guy in lycra with shaved legs on a bicycle puts the fear of God in them?

Are we only willing to die for others? Or are we willing to die for ourselves?

Our own love? Our own freedom, experiences, or passions?

Last night I was listening to the Joe Rogan podcast and his guest, Christopher Ryan, told a story of getting stung by a scorpion in the jungle. A few minutes later he ran into a local who told him that scorpion was lethal. Ryan recoiled and genuinely thought he was facing his own death . . . soon.

He staggered through the darkness for help, certain he was about to die. A couple hours later he made it to a rundown home in the jungle, and through a conversation in broken English discovered he wasn’t stung by the lethal scorpion, but another kind without the potent dose.

It was during those two hours he claimed to find complete contentment with his life . . . and death. He’d traveled, experienced life, women, and song. He was “okay” with dying, but felt bad for family and friends.

Fortunately, he lived to tell the story of his own death.

Using Fear And Regret

On some level, I think I would have died for Ironman in the beginning. I pushed my body to limits it had never been seen. I “felt” like I was dying a few times, but it was sort of that “manageable death.”

During that Rogan podcast they also mentioned an article Joe had written for Maxim explaining why working out is like building a sand castle.  Essentially, you take time, spend effort, focus and love creating this thing that you know will eventually be gone. And that is the key point. You understand, always, that you will die.

That’s a bit morose, but it’s really a good motivator if you accept it. Death is coming, and nothing is more painful than regret.

Life Without A Phone

So, as someone without kids, am I willing to die for lack of regret?

I can sit here today and say, yes. But the reality is, I am still human and . . . I am afraid.

Sometimes I’m afraid of the simplest things like walking my dog late at night. Why? Because somehow, the idea has gotten into my head that all kinds of bad things can happen out there. People will jump you, cars will run you off the road, starving stray dogs will attack. Where does this shit come from?

Two days ago I ordered a Lyft home from the auto mechanic. I had reservations about getting in the car when it showed up because behind tinted windows was a guy, and the driver photo on my app was of woman. But it was daytime and I only lived 2 miles away, what could go wrong? His car smelled like weed and we almost got side-swiped, but other than that . . .

He dropped me off and everything was fine, until I couldn’t find my phone.

I went to iCloud to “find my phone” and it was halfway across town. I tried communicating with Lyft and had a short email exchange that claimed the driver didn’t have it. It was lighting up on the map in his car, but whatever.

I was a little freaked out at first, but did a quick inventory of everything I’d “lose,” and did a virtual erase before ordering an upgrade.

These two days without a phone have been a wake up call. I can’t tell you how many times I have reached for it or thought about texting someone or engaging my mind in some worthless stimulation.

The first day was flat out bizarre. I felt like a victim, alone, and depressed.

I thought I’d get the phone on Day 2, but Verizon screwed that up and I had no choice but to accept that I was off the grid again.

A funny thing happened that second day without a phone. I was starting to do stuff without thinking. Crazy shit, like taking an old rug into the driveway, pouring soap on it, and scrubbing out stains.

I hauled sticks and limbs out to the curb. Scratched paint spills off floors. Organized my garage.

Occasionally I entered a confusing gray zone. I’d sort of look around for something to do next, then start walking “toward my phone” in the other room. When I remembered it wasn’t there, I would vacuum the stairs instead.

I also noticed I didn’t get tired doing all of these things. Typically I will kick back on the couch or in bed and doodle on my phone, eventually falling asleep for a nap. No nap, or even a thought of a nap happened.

It’s a short sample, but it is natural confirmation for something I have suspected for years. Phones can literally suck the life out of you.

When you don’t have a phone for idle entertainment, you have to create something to do and this action gives you energy. Even something as simple as checking Facebook on an actual computer feels different. You are chained to a location and your natural instinct is to get up and move after a while. But with a phone, you are ALWAYS ON.

I can’t tell you how fucked up (and embarrassing) it is to say that when I lost my phone it felt like a part of me had died. A streak of hopelessness flooded my brain. Ironically, it wasn’t as bad as I would have imagined it because I think my phone has helped create a certain level of numbness in my brain and body which helped me get past the panic.

Building Our Sand Castle

People will criticize you for training for an Ironman. They will say you are crazy.

But we have to keep building our sand castle.

I’m now looking at my phone as water and wind. External elements trying to destroy my work in progress. Squashing the art. Doing its best to leave me with regret.

This may seem dramatic, but just think about how much time we waste on our phones. Think about all the dreams and goals washing away as we surf through endless streams of thoughts distracting us from our missions.

I am not giving up my phone, but I am taking action against its powers of seduction. My new phone won’t be used for activity, but to find activity. My new phone won’t be used to idly communicate but to find real communication. It will be used for its best qualities, not to suppress my path.

Filling A Void

As I was writing this, my new phone showed up and I’m walking through the set up process. I feel that attachment and don’t like it. What have I missed? What can I explore? Where is all the information on my old phone?

Does any of this matter? Is my phone really a source of exploration?

Opening that phone box gave me this strange feeling of relief. It was like I’d been starving for two days and finally found food. But I hadn’t hunted or worked for anything. I simply pushed a few buttons on my laptop and it was delivered.

The First Big Test

I am now writing post trip to Ironman 70.3 Texas. Robbie and I drove down for the race and stayed with one of our athletes who was also doing the race. My phone experience was mainly for work, but I felt this bizarre sense of paranoia the whole time. Like I was going to lose my phone.

Somewhere on the trip it occurred to me that phone’s add an entire new dimension to our existence. Like another limb or head on our body that we could lose at any time because it isn’t attached. Panic driven moments when you pat your pocket and it’s not there. Where did it go!?!

It’s really kind of pathetic and has me leaning even more into simplicity. I wanted to put the phone in my luggage and forget about it for the entire 12 hour drive, but it was not even an option. It felt impossible, but as Ironman likes to say, Anything is Possible, so maybe, just maybe, I will be able to lessen my attachment to the phone.

I’d hate to regret it.


Update: It’s been a couple months since I wrote this piece and things have slowly returned to normal. I’m re-connected to my phone and it’s distracting me like it always has.

Last night I listened to an interview with Sam Harris and he was talking about this same dilemma and how social media literally creates an alternative universe in our minds. I can tell you as an older gentleman, there is not enough real estate for another universe in this brain.

It has me thinking about this concept of “back in my day things were different.” How that has always been the case with life. Everyone’s father had it different and harder, etc. And while it was true on some level, I wonder if today is the first time this case may have a real argument?

The internet has only been around about 20 years. It has changed things in a massive way. I feel like the last big change was the early 1900’s with the popularization of mass production. The internet is far more invasive and in its infancy. We don’t even realize how much technology, phones, and apps have or will impact us.

Everyone talks about how Steve Jobs changed the world. How he did all these great things for humanity, but as someone put it in simple terms, “Steve Jobs has created a whole generation of phone starers.”

I realize this is a me problem, but how do you get out of this cycle? How do I get back to the basics of tactile living? Touching the earth, looking in people’s eyes, having real conversation that matters.

We all just plod along like sheep and download the next app, the next source of distraction. Some do it with grace and the best intentions. I’m not sure that’s me. I genuinely hate when I sit around and randomly open apps to “see what’s going on.” One after another I click to stimulate, often when I should be shutting down to sleep.

It’s definitely not the old days when entertainment meant putting on a football helmet in the living room as an 8 year old kid and dad holding up a couch cushion while I slammed into him like a blocking sled.

Happy Father’s Day. Give me a call sometime.


Have you been thinking about an Ironman, half or any kind of triathlon, but don’t know how to start, please consider us for coaching. We’ve been through most every situation regarding this sport, including starting from scratch. We’ve also taken athletes from their “stuck point” and helped get them on the Ironman podium. We love working with beginners and athletes that want to push it to the next level. Check out our coaching page for more information, including philosophy and pricing.

All 170 podcast can be found on iTunes or on our podcast page.

You can always support The Crushing Iron podcast by making a small pledge here.

C26 Athletes Share Thoughts On Ironman 70.3 Chattanooga

One of the coolest things about C26 Athletes is the free-flow of information. The Crushing Iron podcast is committed to sharing anything that we’ve learned and think will help the listener. After Ironman 70.3 Chattanooga we asked our active athletes what they learned and they didn’t hold back.

We think there’s so much good stuff here that we dedicated our newest podcast to the topic. You’ll find it embedded below.

Some are fun, some are funny, and some are intense. Hopefully you’ll find a few nuggets from the C26 Athletes that will help you in your next race.

Suzanne– The biggest take away from this weekend: hydrating days out from the race is so important. Staying ahead of the heat is key. I never felt like the heat was getting to me until a half mile to go. I think this was the key to my PR. 

Joanne- I’m doing well. I learned that not worrying about things you can’t control and work on things you can is best advice for racing and life.

Walking the aid stations works for me, ice and sponges kept me in the game for the run.

Revae– Listen to your body when it comes to nutritional advice. If it ain’t broke, don’t try to fix it. And a second pair of socks for just in case after the bike is totally clutch!

Michael-  It was my first Half IM so I did not have a lot of experience or expectations except to finish. With that being said I learned that next time I will look closer at the course maps. Not that I didn’t look but I was not expecting a hilly run. I trained on the flat streets of Chicago. I might have been beneficial to hit the hills of treadmill or find some hill and do repeats.

Wes- To stop telling yourself you can’t do something and start telling yourself you can.

Steve- I am trashed. I learned that I love the 70.3 distance. I mean LOVE. Also, I learned that if I sing Eminem classics in my head i can squeeze out an extra 15 seconds per mile………. ‘Til the roof comes off, till the lights go out.’Til my legs give out, can’t shut my mouth.

Amy- I feel like I didn’t race 😢. Some races go as planned and others don’t. I’m trying to keep my head up and I’m looking forward to the next one.

Bobby- I learned to stick to myself and my plan and not let those people who passed me on the bike early on get in my head. I saw a lot of them towards the end of the ride and then again on the run. Also, stuffing ice in my tri top was a fantastic feeling.

Claire- I learned that sports bras can hold an absurd amount of ice between aid stations and that my bike saddle has got to go.

But on a more serious note I also learned that if things aren’t going wonderfully it’s not the end of the world. I got kicked in the mouth on the swim, which I was a little bitter about, until I was chatting with a girl in transition who was excited because she overcame her fear of the water. She almost drowned when she was 8. Yeah. I got humbled real quick. Getting perspective back made the rest of the race better.

Peter- I’m sure I learned more but two specific things stick out for me. 1) this was my first race with power on the bike. My first half I let the power be a guide but followed how I was feeling more, the second half I became obsessed with hitting the range coach and I talked about, it became all I was worried about. I was so worried I over-biked, it almost took over my thoughts on the run. Future races I will trust my body more and keep the power as a guide. 2) the run is going to hurt, it is all about managing the pain as long as possible, I kept telling myself to keep running, just make it another mile before you walk. I made it to mile 10 when I gave in to pain and walked the hill. In the future I want to push through and not give in.

Sharon- I learned you can have a ton of fun doing a relay and push yourself as hard as you want in your leg because your teammates can do the rest and you still get a cool medal out of it.

I also learned that people like reading my name off my butt.

Tom- I learned that 70.3’s are this really interesting puzzle of power, speed, pace, and nutrition. Solving that puzzle specific to your body is the key to a successful race. Lots to learn

Tracy- Things I learned…

1. Although every single podcast mentions going too hard on the bike and being trashed for the run I probably kinda did that. And I’m gonna use this as an excuse to convince my husband I need a power meter.

2. But I’m still wayyyyyy stronger and more capable than I thought.

3. Going into a race with a time goal ruins everything. This was the first time I truly didn’t have one and I barely watched the clock because I didn’t care.

4. I need to learn how to pee on my self.

5. Having my name on my ass is low key annoying when I am on the struggle bus and people want to talk to me.

6. I hate coke except during a 70.3 when it tastes like the nectar of the gods.

7. My coach kinda sorta maybe just a little knows what he is doing.

Robbie– I learned it’s really hard to run and vomit at the same time… and forcing yourself from aid station to aid station works

Lucas- I learned how it’s funny when you hold back on the bike because coach says so and then all those people that passed you in miles 1-10 show back up in miles 40-56.

Courtney-  Long car rides home the next day suck especially when you have to drive most of it. I learned I need more focus on nutrition. So for everyone that rocked the run what was your nutrition like on the bike?

Ross-  1) Racing with teammates and C26 colors rocks. 2) No, Andy Potts does not get special treatment from the shuttle bus driver when he asks to be let off before everyone else. 3) You can pee your wetsuit in line before the swim and almost no one will notice. 4) Without enforcement, people will draft the heck out of the bike course. 5) Coke on the run works best when flat, otherwise, get ready for crampy run burps (it’s about as pleasant as it sounds). 6) Trusting your coach with a conservative game plan can produce a good race. 7) I haven’t reached my potential and can’t wait to see what comes next.

Mark- All good here, quads are sore as a MF! 1) Consistency and hard work in the winter will pay dividends. 2) I like running with no watch. 3) Patience, patience, patience… 4) Do a lot of walking. Helps the sore legs.

Kelly-  I did a caffeine fast for 8 days prior to Sunday and found that caffeine was a great reward to my system on race day. I also worked on taking in more nutrition. I’ve basically doubled the amount of gels I take on the run. No stomach issues and almost perfectly even splits on the marathon. I feel like that helped me race closer to my peak pace. I’m excited to have figured out what works for me. And I’m ecstatic that Robbie’s running workouts don’t have all the long boring runs I used to do yet still produce great results. I don’t think I’ll ever look back on a 20+ miler again! Unless I get so fast that I log that many in 2:20.  😂

And I’m sore and I’ve already lost a toe nail. Boo—it’s finally sandal season. A 7 hour car ride home after a marathon is not ideal.

Jason-  (1) Consistent, structured training beats sporadic, panic training. (2) if its going to be a hot day, Its never too early to start cooling (3) Don’t under estimate the power of managing your mind and thoughts. (4) Smiling when it sucks does help. (5) Paying a little more to have a hotel room close to the race start is worth it. (6) Personally,my biggest area of opportunity and gains is on the bike (7) THERE IS NOTHNG BETTER THAN RACING WITH A TEAM OF AWESOME FOLKS! GO CRUSHERS!

Aaron- Love all the posts.What I learned: 1) Racing without a watch was AWESOME, I could focus on the race instead of pace . 2) Mud, my plan was ok to mitigate the mud which populated the grassy transition area and path to and from each discipline with extra wet towels at my transition area. You lose cool points with muddy cleats and wet pedals when clipping in at the mount line… 3) Race reports and more informative workout journaling to have a robust set of references of that day and what worked and what didn’t to help build your race plan.

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If you have a race coming up and are thinking about a coach, please contact Coach Robbie at [email protected] to discuss our multiple plans. We have all the information, including prices, posted on our Coaching Page.

Here’s our Ironman 70.3 Chattanooga Re-cap Podcast. Please be sure to subscribe to the Crushing Iron podcast on iTunes and follow Crushing Iron on YouTube.
Our Facebook page.

Ironman Chattanooga My 20 Things
Ironman Chattanooga 2016 Tribute Video
Ironman Chattanooga 2015 Tribute Video
Ironman Chattanooga Run – 11 Thoughts

"100 Days to Ironman Louisville"

It’s far less than 100 days away, but Mike and Robbie have been recording video documentation of every training day on their way to Ironman Louisville this October. Videos can be found at the Crushing Iron page on YouTube. Here’s a sample of what’s been going on.

We also headed out to the River Bluff Triathlon in Ashland City this past weekend for an Olympic and had four C26 Athletes on the podium. Across the country we were 6 for 6. Great racing everyone!

riverbluff podiumsWant to dial in your swimming before your next race? Check out the C26 Coach’s Eye, which has been helping people get remarkable short-term return on their swimming. Check out the video to see how easy it is to fix your swim stroke.

There’s a lot more going on, along with a new website coming soon. And the podcast is really taking off. Click picture below for a link to our latest podcast, or find us on iTunes under Crushing Iron Podcast

train smart

Inside the Mind of a Race Director (Part 2)

If you’re looking for inspiration and deeper reasons for doing triathlon, look no further than this podcast. Steve DelMonte joins us again and is as fired up as ever. (Podcast embedded).70DelmonteIG

Steve DelMonte is a full-time Race Director. He has incredible passion for the sport, but he’s more concerned about athletes enjoying their lives. We get into a lot of things with Steve, including: planning a race, cancelling a race like Alcatraz, changing the swim at Wisconsin, dealing with upset athletes, and getting the most out of your race. It’s a great and inspiring conversation that will have you ready to get outside and fall back in love with the tough parts of triathlon.

– Cancelled Swim at Escape from Alcatraz
– The story behind Escape the Cape
– Why they really changed Ironman Wisconsin’s swim start
– How race directors should treat their athletes
– Working behind the scenes with city leaders, businesses and churches to secure swim, bike, and run courses
– What it’s like to have two races in a row cancelled by weather
– Race insurance
– Ironman 70.3 Atlantic City news
– How to race with gratitude and excellent thoughts on how athletes can better enjoy their day

Learn more about Steve DelMonte at www.delmosports.com
Follow Steve on Twitter: @DelMoSports
Please subscribe to Crushing Iron on iTunes
Comments or questions: [email protected]

C26 Triathlon Camp Information

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Nashville, Tn
C26 Triathlon Camp
July 13-16, 2017

Swim location -Anderson Road Beach
*pictured above 

Skills that will be taught and demonstrated include:

  • Dealing with anxiety
  • Sighting
  • Beach and mass swim starts 
  • Swimming in a straight line
  • Cornering buoys 
  • Breathing  techniques 
  • How to deal with swimming in a crowd
  • Drafting
  • Entry and Exit
  • Fast wetsuit removal
  • OWS specific technique 
  • How to train in the pool for OWS
  • Plotting your course 

*will offer group and 1 on 1 sessions Fri/SunScreen Shot 2017-05-31 at 9.00.10 AM
Cycling location – 
Natchez Trace Parkway
*pictured above 

https://www.nps.gov/natr/index.htm

The Natchez Trace Parkway is a 444-mile recreational road and scenic drive through three states. It roughly follows the “Old Natchez Trace” a historic travel corridor used by American Indians, “Kaintucks,” European settlers, slave traders, soldiers, and future presidents. Today, people can enjoy not only a scenic drive but also hiking, biking, horseback riding, and camping along the parkway. The Natchez Trace is a designated cycling route allowing cyclists to have the entire lane and cars are encouraged(mandated by law) to pass only in the other lane. 

We will begin at mile marker 441 of the Trace and you can expect challenging hills, rolling terrain, perfectly paved roads, long downhills and great scenery. We will spend the majority of our Saturday on The Trace. We will work on your position, climbing, descending, pace lining, and most importantly we will get in a lot of awesome riding with plenty of elevation gain. These are the absolute safest roads you will ever be on. Full SAG support will be provided along with extra hydration at the rest stops. 

**depending on time and demand we may make our way to the lab to work on more cycling specific skills on Friday afternoon 

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Running locations:

– Percy Warner Park (top) 

– The Infamous “Lab” (bottom)

We will have run workouts and run clinic in the LAB on Friday afternoon after our long open water session.  We will start the clinic by going over form, dynamic movements, strides, the lunge matrix, posture, and more.  After a good warm up and some one on one time we will conclude the clinic by heading out on the connected greenway to work on our new form and log some easy miles.  Saturday we will have a real treat as we descend onto Percy Warner Park for some post-ride miles. Again, here we will have a quick form check-in and then run on some of the most beautiful paved trails that Nashville has to offer. 

Itinerary- 

Thursday – 6:00pm-9:00pm 

Dinner/Meet and Greet/Live Podcast with Q&A from campers

*Location TBD

Friday————————————————————————————-

 6:30am- 9:30am

Open Water Skills at Anderson Road Beach

9:30am-1:00pm

Break

1:00pm-2:45pm

Run clinic and workout at THE LAB

3:00pm-4:30pm

**optional bike skills work at THE LAB

***We will get together that evening for dinner

Saturday———————————————————————————

6:30am-10:30am

Cycling skills and long ride on Natchez Trace

10:30am-12:00pm

Break

12:00pm-2:00pm

Run workout at Percy Warner

2:00pm-4:30pm 

Break (NAP)

5:00pm-6:30pm

Presentation and Q & A on race strategy, execution, nutrition with Coach Robbie and C26 Alumni Elyse Gallegos. Elyse is a multiple 70.3  Worlds and Kona qualifier who currently races for Team Timex.

Sunday (Final Day)————————————————————

7:00am-9:00am

Open Water Skills Refresher and workout

9:30am-12:00pm

Group long run!!!!

12:00pm- 

Depart home a faster, fitter and more confident triathlete having established friendships that last a lifetime!

Cost:

C26 Athletes and/or Alumni – Before June 15 – 250.00   After June 15 – 285.00

C26 Forum Members -Before June 15-  350.00   After June 15 – 400.00

All other athletes – Before June 15 –  400.00    After June 15- 450.00

*Please send payment via Paypal to [email protected] to reserve your spot. This camp will be capped at 20 athletes. 

*If you can only attend a portion of the camp please email me for a quote on a pro-rated registration fee

*if you have ANY questions at all regarding payment or different options PLEASE do not hesitate to email me at [email protected] . All inquiries are welcome.

*We have another camp tentatively scheduled for Aug 3-6. If you are interested in attending that camp please email us. 

What IS included:

– All workouts, instruction and presentations

  • Dinner on night 1
  • SAG support and nutrition
  • a 30minute session w/ Coach Robbie to go over topics of your choice.

*if you need assistance choosing the right hotel or would like to be put in contact with some of our local athletes for a homestay please email me at [email protected]

What you should be comfortable completing:

  • Swim approximately 500-750 meters without stopping or 10-15 minutes of continuous swimming.
  • Can complete an “endurance” ride of at least 2:00
  • Run an easy 1:15-130.

Who should attend?

This camp is going be filled with both beginner athletes and seasoned veterans. One of the special aspects of this sport that I love is the diversity among athletes. We can all learn from each other. We all started as beginners. I think it is incredibly beneficial for beginners to see where they can get and also for the veterans to remember how far they have come. It all comes full circle.  No one will be held back nor will anyone be pushed inappropriately beyond their abilities. If you are looking to get in some more volume, with instruction, feedback, and meet some other amazing people along the same journey then this camp is for you.

Best,

Robbie Bruce

The Bond of Sport

By Mike Tarrolly

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Pete and Me at one of many Badger weekends

It’s probably impossible for a college athlete to understand the impact they have on an older generation, but I think I may have figured out a way to put it in words. Last week I lost one of my best friends, Pete, and I’m almost certain we wouldn’t have been as close without Wisconsin Badgers basketball.

Pete and I were in the same dorm our freshman year at UW-LaCrosse . . . way back in 1981. He was on the basketball team and we were as tight as it gets, but after a year he transferred to UW-Whitewater where he eventually played on their NCAA Division 3 National Championship team. This was in “the days of home phones” (that were usually disconnected) and while we promised to stay in touch, we didn’t.

Three years later I went to Whitewater with our college “club team” to play in a lacrosse tournament. I’d never played the sport and after 2 games of getting my ass pummeled, our team shifted to party mode.

After 6 hours in the bars we landed at a house party. At 2:00 in the morning I was filling my beer when in through the back door comes . . . Pete.

I said, “What the hell are you doing here?”

He said, “This is my house!”

He’d just finished bartending and I’d unknowingly found his kitchen.

We promised again to stay in contact but fell out of touch aside from a few random encounters. Fast forward to about 5 years ago when he reached out on Facebook to see if I wanted to go to Indianapolis for the Big 10 tournament.

I jumped on the offer and it turned into a run of great memories, including two Final Fours, that won’t be forgotten. The main thing I’ll remember is lots of laughter.

Pete’s buddy was a big donor at Wisconsin who hooked us up in a big way. Pete and I always joked about being “high rollers” and got huge laughs from something as simple as putting on a ticket lanyard, or seeing  someone like the Wisconsin AD, Barry Alvarez hanging in the hotel lobby. “Yeah, Barry’s playing it cool, but he knows we’re big time greasers.”* Or this time (much to his chagrin) when I had to photo bomb Bo Ryan to get his picture. IMG_9361

I’m not gonna lie, we often acted like we were still college freshmen on these weekend jaunts. Somehow we got on this thing about zooming our phones to take unflattering pictures of opposing team’s fans. One of my favorites was the sulking Iowa fans wearing Carhartt hats sitting next to us that talked shit all night until they lost.

 

We’d even do it to each other and the whole point was to create the anti-glamor-shot.

Me at the losing end of Pete's "extreme close up"
Me on the losing end of Pete’s “anti-glamor-shot”

Another year Pete was telling anyone who would listen that I was an “arm-wrestling-champion” and I promptly lost 10 matches in a row to older men.image4

The second time we played Kentucky in the Final Four at Indianapolis, Pete and I were jacked. We sat with our other Badger buddies Pack and Marty and it was a tight game. At one point Wisconsin made a couple questionable moves and Pete was getting hot under the collar. I looked at him and told him to “RELAX and QUIT CRYING” while I made that “crying move” with my hands on my eyes. We didn’t talk the rest of the half. Well, Wisconsin came back and won that game, and over the next couple years I’d randomly open my text messages to this pic.IMG_9359

There were hundreds of moments like that on our Badger trips and if I had a chance I’d thank guys like Josh Gasser, Ben Brust, Nigel Hayes, Sam Dekker, Frank Kaminsky, Bronson Koenig, and dozens of other Badger basketball players helping make them happen. It was in large part due to them that two, once-young-college-buddies, were re-connected and became tighter than ever after 20 years.

We always looked forward to the weekend in Indianapolis (or Chicago) and the trips delivered some of the best times of our lives. Win or lose, Pete and I cultivated a deep and real friendship with no boundaries. We went to watch kids play basketball and it gave us back our youth.

Jerry Jones in the background at Final 4 in Dallas.
Jerry Jones in the background at Final 4 in Dallas.

That 5-year-reconnection-mark was also the time when I was beginning my life transformation through triathlon and Pete was a huge supporter. He was there for three of my Ironman races and even drove 7 hours to Muncie one time for a half. I think it inspired him and his support surely inspired me.image5

I’m sure a lot of players don’t understand the vigor of some “older” fans, but the simple answer is, it’s a common cause that creates some of the most important and enjoyable memories of our lives. I love Wisconsin basketball, and I definitely love me some Pete. RIP, buddy.image7

*Greaser was a term we used for having big money.

 

Finding "Peak Performance" with Brad Stulberg

Our 59th Crushing Iron podcast is out and we interview health and human performance writer, Brad Stulberg. Brad co-wrote “Peak Performance” with Steve Magness (an earlier guest on the podcast) and these guys hit a home run.

When we started the Crushing Iron Podcast, our goal was to find passionate people and help inspire others in triathlon and life. We didn’t really know what we were doing, but obviously something is connecting, and having guys like Brad and Steve share their incredible insight is thrilling.

PEAK PERFORMANCE – BY BRAD STULBERG AND STEVE MAGNESS

41peNvWGh8L._SX331_BO1,204,203,200_“Peak Performance” is a manual for modern life. Brad and Steve combine scientific evidence with eloquent storytelling to explain many things we may already feel in our gut but don’t quite understand.  They take a deep dive into the theory of STRESS + REST = GROWTH and deliver clear answers on how to be a better athlete, along with a more focused, productive, and purposeful human being.

Coach Robbie and I highly recommend the book to anyone who is looking to find another level in their performance or get to the bottom of bad habits that derail your progress. The book is out June 6th, but we’d like to encourage you to help these guys by pre-ordering if you think this is for you.  Here’s the pre-order link with some cool giveaways.

Below are some quotes and notes I pulled while reading this fascinating book, “Peak Performance.”

  • There is nothing more gratifying or fulfilling than setting a goal on the outer boundaries of what we think is possible, and then systematically pursuing it.
  • David Epstein, a well-respected investigative reporter who covers doping, dug deep into the world of performance enhancing drug (PED) use among weekend warriors. What he found isn’t pretty: He says that some $120 billion are attributed to “anti-aging,” much of which is the peddling of steroids to middle-age men. This market is only destined to grow as baby boomers, with their disposable incomes and desire to stay young and competitive, grow older. Epstein sums up the sit- uation in the report’s title: “Everyone’s Juicing.”
  • Economists Daniel Hamermesh and Elena Stancanelli found that 27 percent of Americans regularly work between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., and 29 percent of Americans do at least some work on the weekends.
  • Resisting Cookies is a Dangerous game
  • Stress isn’t just harmful, it can also serve as a stimulus for growth and adaptation. But if the stress is too large or last too long the body fails to adapt.
  • Skills come from struggle
  • Growth comes at the point of resistance
  • “For 99% of us, effective multi-tasking is effective delusional thinking.”
  • “Instead of trying to calm yourself down, ‘reappraising your pre-performance as excitement’ is often advantageous.”
  • The good idea comes in the moment of rest.
  • How to warm up to give you the best shot at getting “into the zone.”
  • Be fully intentional on how you spend your most precious resource: time.
  • Is fatigue all in your head?
  • How people break through the limits of “self” and find the power of purpose through minimizing ego.

bradley-stulberg-bio
Brad Stulberg, co-author of “Peak Performance”

“Peak Performance” is loaded with insight and solutions that will help you get on your right path. I really like it because it isn’t a typical “self-help” foray that leads with a “trust us” attitude, instead “Peak Performance” explains “why” you feels certain ways, and how science has given us a roadmap to help you get more connected with your body, mind, and spiritual centers.

Here’s the podcast with Brad Stulberg, please spread the word on the Crushing Iron podcast if you enjoy what you hear. Follow Brad on Twitter @BStulberg

Solving The Healthcare Crisis

By Mike Tarrolly for Crushing Iron

It’s unbelievable how people can blabber for years without actually doing anything to solve a problem. Health Care is one of those things, so I thought I’d throw out a few thoughts on how to fix this mess.

The problem starts at the top, but I think the best way to solve it is from the bottom.

The combination of Congress and Big Pharma make Pablo Escobar look like a high-schooler selling weed on the corner. The money involved in this legalized drug ring is legendary and the only real way to stop it is by shutting down demand.

The body is dying to heal itself and but we continue to “hack” the symptoms.

In most cases it’s as simple as fertilizing the body’s landscape and letting miracles of nature happen . . . over time. Here are some ways I think we can do it while actually saving money on health care.pills

Get Real With Prescription Drugs

Doing Ironman races has taught me something very valuable: Pain isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Pain is a clue telling us something is out of whack. By taking the right steps, the human body can fix a lot of our pains. We can swim, bike, run, walk, and/or rest through it. Pain often goes away when you do good things for your body and don’t obsess over it. We don’t need to chase a pill every time our ankle, belly or head hurts. And don’t get me wrong, an occasional pill isn’t the problem, it’s what happens when that pill becomes our first thought.

Make Gym Class Mandatory for Life

We’re all wrapped up in having the government pay for health care, but I think they should take a prevention approach with exercise incentives. Can we incentivize exercise?  I know that’s a tricky one, but if we put some thought into it and employers got on board with flex-time I think we’d all be a lot happier and more productive. Besides, most people don’t work a full 8 hours anyway.

Make Water More Attractive

I realize some countries don’t even have drinking water, but the US has plenty. The problem is, it is often polluted with prescription drugs (see above) and who knows what else? There has to be ways to make out drinking water more plentiful and pure. Maybe installing filters becomes a tax write off. If the government is serious about health, this is one major step they can take to save them money in the long run. Water and sodium are the keys to creating electrical impulses in our body. If an organ or cell doesn’t have enough water, it becomes defective or dies. The body naturally protects the heart and brain first, but if dehydrated, other parts of the body suffer and eventually meet the scalpel of a hungry doctor who wants to hear nothing about water.

I’ll Sleep When I’m Alive 

I personally think lack of sleep is the cornerstone of our obesity problem. Poor rest is the beginning of the carb, caffeine and simple sugar cycle. You wake up tired, pound a bunch of caffeine, reach for a donut or two to soak it up, then grab a Snickers and Coke in the afternoon. I know because I’ve been there (and often still am) but I also realize it’s a problem. I know when I’ve slept well because I will literally forget about coffee and sugar for the first hour or so. I’ve learned the best way to combat this cycle is to exercise more than normal so you’re actually tired when you go to bed.

Food Is Not Medicine . . . But It Is

I saw a post recently touting things like Avocados, Celery, and Spinach as “Medicinal Food” and I almost puked. I can already see it coming, they are turning food into medicine so they can sell it for more. I retweeted it with a scoff because, I mean, how long have we known food is the best medicine? I kinda feel like I’ve known that for, oh, 40 years? Who doesn’t know that we are what we eat by now? It’s ridiculous and I’m not sure where the problem is, but the food most people eat (including me often) isn’t even food. Here’s the thing, though, I realize eating “right” all the time is difficult, especially when changing your diet in a major way, but the body is an amazing machine. I just think if we maybe ate less, drank more water, and had some fruit and vegetables on occasion we’d all be better off.

All I Need Is The Air That I Breathe

Ahh . . . take a deep breath, man. If you listen to the podcast, you know I’m a big fan of Wim Hof. He’s done some amazing human feats. He’s run desert marathons with no water, climbed Mt. Everest in shorts, and sat in a tank of ice water for nearly two hours while raising his core body temperature with mentally induced adrenaline. He claims most of them are possible because of his deep breathing and cold exposure practices. In essence his philosophy is to get the most possible out of the human body and he says oxygen is the key. It’s about getting oxygen into all your cells to make them function right. I don’t want to paraphrase but he’s doing it all with science and they are now proving breathing exercises and cold water therapy are “curing” many modern day ills. His style can be intense, but even deep, purposeful breaths do wonders.

Don’t Let Health Bankrupt 

Personally, I think most of this country has a major drug addiction problem and it’s fueled by doctors who have to make tremendous amounts of money to pay off med school. And of course health insurance is the biggest of businesses and the cost to insure families (or yourself) is insane. Can we start with a way that insures we’re not going bankrupt is something serious like some kind of accident that requires surgery happens? I don’t want to go into disease because I think that whole thing is out of control and much of it can often curtailed by the above points. I’m talking about the real stuff like saving lives in the moment. Bike crashes, whatever. Can we get that part covered?

All of this sounds nice, but as many of the wisest people have said, “If you want the truth, follow the money.” I’m not really sure these are realistic solutions unless a boat load of money can be made with a preventative approach and I’m pretty sure there’s more profit in pain killers than water filters.

The only real solution to huge problems like this is to start with one person at a time. And usually, that one person winds up being yourself.

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