This was taken from a list of 20 things in the Beginner’s Guide to Triathlon – Chapter 9 – “How to Keep it Fun.” It’s an accumulation of C26 Philosophies and a good reminder for all of us as we go through this lockdown. Good points to keep in mind regarding training, racing, and life.
It’s not about who’s fastest, it’s about who slows down the least – One of the ways we like to keep things fun is remove self-imposed pressure. In triathlon it’s not about “sprinting” (even if your race is called a Sprint) it’s about pacing and doing the best you can to be strong at the end. Over the course of training, you will begin to understand pacing and how it relates to everything in life. There is a concept called the “negative split” and we talk about it a lot. This means your second half is faster than your first. This takes patience at the start, but starting slow always sets you up for a better finish.
You need energy to be motivated – Movement is medicine, but getting over the hump is not always an easy task. Do things you love and enjoy and create a good momentum. self-imposed stress is one of your biggest challenges and it can suck the life out of you. Another thing we always say is, “Stress is stress is stress.” Good stress, bad stress, it doesn’t matter, it takes energy. And the core principle of living is: It’s hard to be motivated when you’re tired.
Don’t get caught up in the numbers, and remember to play like a kid – If you remember one thing, remember this . . . you are getting stronger and healthier, but sometimes it’s hard to remember when you’re in the thick of it. Your speeds and times will vary throughout training. Step back, appreciate your gains, and run free like you’re a kid.
Attachment breeds Anxiety – Don’t attach yourself to goals like they are the final answer. Enjoy the process of being in the moment. Train like you know you are doing something good for yourself. Goals appear when you continue to take steps in the right direction. Show love and appreciation for your positive journey.
Look at data from the right perspective – Don’t get caught up in the numbers. Triathletes tend to lean on their watch scores or bike computer results. But they don’t tell the whole story. There are many variables in training. You accumulate fatigue and that’s a GOOD thing, so don’t always expect yourself to be faster with every training session.
Getting slower in training isn’t really a thing – If you’re training for triathlon, you’re getting faster. Your times may be slower, but as mentioned above there is an accumulated fatigue. You have to trust the process. There is a thing called “taper” where you let your body recover and heal before the race. You are fresh and will do things you never imagined, if you follow the plan.
Getting out of yourself – Look, this is a process. Don’t get too hung up on yourself or who you feel like now. Know where you’re going and let that other you take over. It’s free and freeing to go down a path you know is the right direction.
Don’t feel sorry for yourself – There are times when you may want to cry and quit. That’s a signal that you’re about to make a breakthrough. Even though it will seem scary, intimidating, and maybe even hopeless, don’t stop. Blow through that wall and see what’s on the other side.
How do we get from THERE to HERE? – This is a very Zen way to think about your life and training. Most of us spend our time trying to get somewhere else, but what’s wrong with where you are? We all have goals and places we think we want to be, but all we have is what is here right now.
Remembering what it’s like to be a kid – Again with the kid analogy, but if you think about it when were you most free? When you went out to play and we believe that is at the core of why we want to “play triathlon.” We’ve seen hundreds of examples. The joy, the pain, the smiles. It all feels right when you do it for the fun.
This is from Chapter 9 of the C26 Beginner’s Guide to Triathlon. It’s a totally free 10 Chapter resource for anyone looking to get into triathlon. It also includes a 12-Week Spring or Olympic Plan. Please check it out and share with friends or family if you think they might be interested.
You work so hard, but can’t seem to find that speed you want in the water. You’re still dragging, gasping, and not seeing much return from your investments. It’s time to use the water and not let use you.
Swimming doesn’t have to be so hard. Today we break it down in the simplest terms and make the swim stroke easy. We dive into the reach/entry, catch along with early vertical forearm, a solid pull, and powerful finish. Have your mind ready when you get back in the pool!
Listen to this Full Podcast –
Summary:
When your hand hits the water, it needs to be preparing to work. No gliding, get the catch.
Reach as far as you possibly can. This is within reason. Your ability to reach long and move as much water as you can backwards is the key.
When you enter the water early and think about a high elbow out of the water, it forces you to shorten stroke. Finish the back end of the stroke to keep momentum.
Running and riding a bike come natural for most, but swimming isn’t something we do a lot. It will always be a challenge to understand your body in space while in water. More exposure (ie… more swimming) is the best solution to finding comfortability.
Early vertical forearm while IN the water is the key. The sooner you can turn your forearm into a water-moving-paddle, the better.
Swimming is simple: Swimming square and staying in your box. Stand up, reach both hands as high as you can. Now move them down (backwards) as far as you can. That is all you need to think about.
What your arm should look like out of the water? We believe this doesn’t matter. You don’t have to be pretty, just get a good finish to your stroke then get that hand as far as you can in front. How looks getting there doesn’t matter.
3 Different parts of the box – The catch, the pull, the finish.
Body position and staying high in the water. Stay higher in the water with a strong catch and pull. You press down at the beginning of your stroke and this pushes you up. With a good catch it will keep you high. Also try keeping your chin down, which naturally raises the butt. Don’t “over tuck” the chin, though. just naturally.
Where the stroke breaks down and gives you nothing – When you enter the water, you want to get an early vertical forearm and start pulling that water backwards before you eventually continue to push it backwards. If you’re not pulling or pushing, you have a dead spot. The more you gain swim fitness, the less dead spots you will have.
Pressure on forearms – You want a FEEL for the water and you want most of that feeling on your forearms because they are bigger than your hands. Try swimming with your hands in a fist to understand this feeling.
How to build REAL swim fitness – You don’t get faster and stronger by swimming easy 2000’s. You have to work hard with 25’s and 50’s. And, of course, swim at least 3 times a week.
Most of us swim the “easiest way” and taking the path of easiest resistance – Challenging yourself in the pool is usually harder than on the bike or run. Push yourself with hard sets using adequate rest. Find your swim zones.
Pressure and fatigue means you’re working – If you get out of every session feeling fresh, you didn’t work to improve your swim. Feel the pressure of the water against your forearms and push till you feel fatigue.
Developing different gears in the water – Again, find your zones. Find the ability to pick up the pace for a while in case you get into a scrum. Then understand how you can get back into a cruising speed to conserve your energy.
How to not go anaerobic in a race – One of the simplest ways to make sure this doesn’t happen is concentrate on breathing correctly. More specifically a full exhale while your head is in the water. If you don’t empty the lungs, there is no room for more air.
Why your kick could be slowing you down – Kicking the wrong way makes things worse. We don’t advocate kicking other than rhythm or balance kicks. Kicking is not worth the energy you burn. Relax and let your legs chill before you grind them on the bike and run.
The competitor in you . . . be excited to jump in … game’s on – We want you to feel excited about the swim, not scared. Get dedicated to swim training. Put yourself in uncomfortable situations with 25s and 50s. Be ready and calm for the swim.
Fitness in swimming is a domino effect – If you’re not in good swim shape and get out of the water gassed, you will suffer on the bike, then suffer on the run. Or at the very least not reach your potential. The swim takes way more out of us than most people think.
Just because your arm is in the water doesn’t mean it’s doing anything – Sort of back to the top. Make sure you are feeling pressure on your arms and they are working in the water. It takes time to build this fitness, but don’t cheat your stroke because it’s easier.
You can work so hard . . . and get nowhere. Sinking… gasping… swimming slow.
If you’re interested in a Custom Swim Analysis, view how it works here or contact Coach Robbie directly: [email protected]
For more information on our Coaching, Camps, and Community, visit C26Triathlon.com
By Mike Tarrolly, Co-host of the Crushing Iron Podcast
I like to joke that I’m most comfortable in isolation, and while that’s true on many levels (I suspect this is the case with a lot of triathletes) – I also know in my heart, that it’s bad for my health.
We’re all training for the “race unknown” and while that’s a challenge in its own right, I want to make sure we all understand how difficult this quarantine really is for our training.
Controlling the variables
One of the main reasons I lean toward my own world is . . . control.
I don’t think this is unusual for many of triathletes because we like to make sure everything is perfect for our training. No interruptions, pristine weather, unyielding gear, etc . . . but that’s not reality.
Training (and life changes) take a lot of focus and triathletes like to control the variables so they don’t get off course. This seems like a good plan, but the desire to control our environment should be sought in small doses.
A way of life
I’m also very big on things like meditation and yoga. Both calming practices that bring you back into the body and your breath. But when you hear “real” practitioners talk about these things, they will say, “sitting alone with your breath is really good practice for . . . sitting alone with your breath.”
They will tell you that meditation should be a way of life . . . around real people.
I’m fucking great at being peaceful while sitting in my quiet living room in the morning. But when I actually have to go out and interact with a bunch of people (a random and uncontrolled environment) my anxiety is ready for its time in the sun.
Anxiety
There have been times when I’ve driven to meet a very good friend, someone I’m very comfortable with, at a public place and I can feel my chest tighten. This is a totally irrational response, but also very real and I think the more we are away from people, the more pronounced this can be.
It’s no secret that chronic anxiety can lead to depression and we also know that depression can have a dramatic impact on our immune system. When our immune system is low, it’s tough to have energy because we’re closing in on ourselves.
Which leads me to the big point. Social interaction and community are the best remedy for depression.
Depression
Even if you don’t struggle with depression, it’s likely that not being around people you love during this time is taking a mental and physical toll. And yes, that directly impacts your workouts . . . and more importantly, recovery.
I’m talking with a lot of athletes that are posting, “Just didn’t have it today,” or “struggle bus,” or “didn’t sleep well,” etc. I’m spending a lot of time reenforcing the fact that this is a time to give yourself grace and “aim low” with your training.
Not only do we not have race dates, we are dealing with a massive amount of undetectable stress.
This is stress
This is a different world and we have to recognize how that affects us.
I’ve done nearly twenty Full Ironman or 70.3 since I turned fifty and in the weeks leading up to every one I was unsure about my training. But once I got to town and was around other athletes for a day or two, the anxiety and uncertainty melted away. I was ready whether I liked it or not, and you will be too.
Much of our training is in isolation to begin with, but now we have a completely new layer that’s forced us to stay away from others. It may be “comfortable” on some level, but it’s not good for us. Keep that in mind when you’re not hitting your FTP or feel like you’re fatigued for no apparent reason.
There is a rock solid reason.
You’re carrying far more stress than you realize, and I don’t think any of us can hear this enough.
Thanks for listening to the Crushing Iron Podcast. For more information on our Coaching, Community, and Camps, visit C26Triathlon.com.
This is the story behind the podcast . . . the community . . . and how Crushing Iron almost didn’t happen because of a bad hangover. Mike and Robbie talk about the early days of their athlete/coach relationship all the way through a humble morning in a Nashville coffee shop that laid the groundwork for what would become the Crushing Iron podcast and this community. Alcohol recovery, healthy career changes, and an epic bike ride that changed everything.
Mike and Robbie met back in 2012. Mike had just decided to do Ironman Wisconsin and was introduced to Robbie through his buddy.
Their initial meeting was a little awkward. Mike rolled in on his motorcycle and leather jacket, Robbie sat at the restaurant hungover and 15 years younger. But over time they formed a close bond.
Mike went on to successfully complete Ironman Wisconsin and Robbie went on to a treatment center for alcohol. His addiction story has been well documented over the course of 366 Crushing Iron Podcasts, and is addressed again in this episode.
After Mike finally quit his corporate job and Robbie went through rehab, they both went back to Ironman Wisconsin. It was an important day for both of them and soon after they decided to give the podcast a shot.
They realized they would quickly run out of triathlon topics, so the Crushing Iron Podcast has been centered on life and the general trials of what triathletes go through in daily life. It’s more or less too good friends talking and inviting others along for the ride.
They committed to podcasting twice a week (on Monday and Thursday) and with few exceptions have delivered on that promise to listeners . . . and themselves. This is an important point because both Mike and Robbie struggled mightily with consistency and commitment and this podcast has served as an example to many how showing up and staying with something can change your life.
This continues to be the metaphor for training. Keep showing up. Do the best you can. And have fun. That, in a nutshell, is the Crushing Iron Podcast.
Listen to the entire story below and be sure to subscribe to the Crushing Iron Podcast for two triathlon and life podcasts per week.
For more information on our Coaching, Camps and Community Visit C26Triathlon.com
And please check out our “pay what you want” member area of the Online Hub where we have hundreds of helpful videos on swim, bike, run . . . bonus podcasts . . . athlete profiles . . . articles . . . and other behind the scenes stuff from the Crushing Iron Community.
If you told two us when we started the Crushing Iron Triathlon podcast that we’d have someone like Mike Reilly, “The Voice of Ironman” want to hang out with us for an hour, we would have probably laughed. But, then again, we have really believed in what we’re doing and the mission, so it’s more proof of Ironman’s motto, “Anything is Possible.”
Mike Reilly needs no introduction to triathletes and today we had the pleasure of learning what Ironman means to him. He told moving stories, funny anecdotes, and took us on a humble journey of how it feels to be an inspiration to so many athletes.
He’s uttered the phrase “You Are an Ironman” hundreds of thousands of times and shares what those special, life-changing words mean to him. He also shares his positive perspective on what we’re all going through and the unwritten rule he has with IRONMAN.
Mike’s self-published book, “Finding My Voice,” is available at www.MikeReilly.net.
Some of the topics we covered in the interview:
How many days is he on the road
The unwritten rule between him and Ironman
His emotions on the finish line . . .
What it’s like when he steps on the red carpet near midnight
His awesome story about Frank Farrar
3 Young Girls at the Finish Line that Cried
Will he back at the first return Ironman?
Will He Tell Us His favorite Ironman?
Where would he like to see another Ironman?
His morning before the race routine
His philosophy on race day morning
Crazy weather scenario at Ironman Wisconsin
His Race Wisdom . . .
Why he wrote and self-published his book
What he thinks of when you says “You are an Ironman”
His perspective on how some positives may come out of the pandemic
Coping, staying fit, working out and the stress relief
It’s a new game every morning
What IRONMAN means to him
Thank you for listening. Please subscribe and listen to the podcast on iTunes
For more information on our Coaching, Camps and Community, visit us at www.C26Triathlon.com
By Mike Tarrolly, co-host of the Crushing Iron Podcast
Mike from the Crushing Iron Podcast riffs on “How Yoga and Triathlon Work Together”
Yoga is a hot topic for me, but I think of it as an informal addition to my daily routines. Ie… I don’t typically carve out an hour and a half for classes. It’s something I drop into throughout the day. 5 minutes here or there.
I’m currently back in a pretty good streak and I also talk about how I think it has an impact on my plantar fasciitis.
This was the question from Facebook Group that generated this video: What are your views on yoga + triathlon- how they intersect and if one compliment or take away from the other?Do you take time to continue yoga when Ironman training? What’s your favorite pose? What have you learned from yoga that applies to triathlon?
Here are some of the things I get into:
– General thoughts on how Triathlon and Yoga intersect in general and throughout training. – He started triathlon in his late 40’s and he believes yoga eases the grind of triathlon and the repetitive motions. – Strength poses and a stronger run stride base – Warrior 1, 2, 3 – Balance, limberness, and general strength. – Plantar Fasciitus and how he’s dealing with it. – Favoring our dominant side. – Spinning into stillness… like a top … – It’s YOUR practice, not a competition – How he believes it can be a bit of a substitute for running – Go slow…. ease into it… – Poses…. Waking up the body… strong core and legs….
For more information on our Coaching, Camps, and Communities, visit C26Triathlon.com
By Mike Tarrolly, Co-Host of the Crushing Iron Podcast
I just broke rule number one from the Crushing Iron Podcast. Seems odd since I’ve probably heard and said it 100s of times, but what’s life without breaking a few rules?
This year is off to a rough start and I haven’t done a whole lot of “triathloning.” And outside of Run Camp, I probably haven’t run more than 5 times. The longest was about an hour.
Somehow I just talked myself into a walk/run that lasted 1:43. How does this happen?
RULE #1 – Err on the Side of Caution
The weather was perfect and I cinched my hydration belt tight around the top of my waistband. I felt good and ready to roll out a few miles. The mistake I made was pulling up my shirt and looking in the mirror. That’s when I saw it . . . a cute little roll of flesh, softly draping over my belt.
Years ago I wrote a post called “Picture is worth dozens of pounds” and it is the epicenter of how I wound up in triathlon. We’ve all been there. That moment of truth when we think, “I’m gonna go out there and get in shape right now!” All those pesky pounds and revolting lung tissues will learn the hard way. I’m not playing around this time!
As jacked as I was to restore my fitness to Ironman level in one day, I did err to caution with the style of run/walk. Three minutes running, one minute walking. I played the whole thing by ear and the recovery cycle was quite intriguing.
Truth is, it wasn’t that difficult and the result gave me confidence that, despite my slacking, I could probably run a decent half marathon right now. A good reminder for that general paranoia we have about “losing fitness.”
RULE #2: Be Consistent
Yeah, I broke this one, too.
There has been nothing consistent about my training since my father went into hospice care in late November. Consistency is tough, especially when life gets in the way, but any win is a step in the right direction.
Thank goodness for my mom.
Mom was in town last week and she gave me a large dose of consistency. We cleaned, organized and polished this house into a good old fashioned home. She gave me a list of things on her way out the door, and the minute she left . . . I was back to being good ole’ Mike.
Well, not totally, but with all this crazy going on it’s a struggle.
This run gave me hope. It felt great to be out there and good at the end. Now it’s just a matter of stringing some things together and trusting the process.
RULE #3: Be Patient
If you think about it, patience is the balance in our lives. Worthwhile things don’t happen overnight and trying to force our lives into a box creates an anxiety loop.
I’m still about 90% sure I’ll tackle a Full Ironman this year, but haven’t quite found the juice. I’m trusting it will appear like one of these lemons I’m squeezing into hot water for my immune system.
And this whole quarantine thing might be the ultimate test of patience. So many things just waiting to happen, but the uncertainty weighs like a rain cloud.
This period of slow-down has actually been good for me. I’m just staying in the moment as much as I can and working on little things. It’s actually quite nice when the world slows down for you.
Rule #4 – Keep Learning
This is the rule I followed the most today. I still contend that writing things down is the best way to learn and grow in this sport. Remembering what you already know goes a long ways.
With that said, here are:
7 Things I learned (or remembered) from today’s run:
The Importance of exhaling – How quickly we forget the importance of breathing OUT. That goes for swim and bike as well. I’m a well-known-non-scientist, but for me, I just feel like a lot of our inflammation and lactic acid build up happens because we are tense and don’t exhale. I especially focused on this while walking and there was a crazy since of small recovery before each run segment. Like a lot of things, good exhaling is a habit.
Slow is Slow – There’s this thing called a “gray zone” and in my experience, most triathletes live there. It’s that pace we think is easy, but just creeps into Zone 3. It’s the, “I felt great today, I’m sure I can hold it after 56 or 112 miles on the bike.” Wrong! Today I truly ran slow and I think that’s the reason I actually didn’t feel that bad.
People Still Aren’t Looking at me on the greenway – This is an emotional thing for me. I wish people would realize this is a time to embrace humanity, not ignore them like they are the walking plague. I literally watched a woman reach out, grab her teenage daughter’s arm and yank her away as I ran past them. Don’t let this thing drive us to insanity!
Heal Cups may be helping my plantar fasciitis – This is TOTALLY an old man’s thing. My buddy’s dad always used to tell us heal cups were the solution to foot pain and take us down to the old pharmacy and hook us up. We always thought they were dumb but now I’m seeing his point. My left heal has been bothering me, which is one reason I’ve been inconsistent, but I think they are helping. Edit: The pain was certainly not any worse, which I’m taking as a good sign after such a long run.
Negative splits are negative splits – This is my training motto. The negative split is all about finishing strong and I believe it’s a good habit to build. On a day when I ran for 40 minutes longer than I have in months, I tried to keep way under control on the way out. I did the same thing on the way back and negative split the second half by 30 seconds. That’s about 4 seconds per mile faster and a huge win in my book.
Operation Hamstring must start in earnest – Will he ever stop talking about his f&*king hamstrings? I know, it’s annoying. Are they weak or are they tight? I am leaning toward tight and I really have to take this seriously. Yoga has worked wonders for me in the past, but I also think it could be sleeping on my stomach (this after talking with a body mechanic). There’s just no reason I should feel like I do in the morning. Hunching over like an old man with tight hammies. But then again, I am an old man, so maybe I should just live with it.
No chance in hell – I am not “accepting age” as I get older. For me it’s about throwing your hat in the ring over and over. Doing hard stuff that keeps you young. If I do something today that is hard, there is no reason I shouldn’t be able to do something tomorrow that is similar. That one day at a time approach is my other mantra. In fact, I believe this to the core. You know how some days you just feel great? Well, if that was just yesterday, why can’t it be tomorrow, too? Sometimes I feel 20 years old. That’s the feeling I go for, until 30 is the best I have . . . and I hope it’s a long ass time before I feel like I’m in my fifties.
For more articles like this, bonus podcasts, triathlete conference Q&A’s, coaching articles, and tons of instructional videos, please check out the C26 Online Hub Preview. We currently have a “pay what you want” program through September 30, 2020. Thanks for supporting the Crushing Iron Podcast.
Here are some great ideas from C26 Athlete, Jennifer, for staying busy at home and doing body work that will pay off big time down the road. If you have more time on your hands, dive in and be in better shape when you turn things up as race season returns.
For more information on our Coaching, Camps and Community, please visit our website at C26 Triathlon.
Jessica Jacobs is a C26 Coach, currently living in Germany. After serving in the military, she raced successfully for seven years winning 4 x Ironman titles, 3 x 70.3 titles. She was also crowned the National Duathlon Champion in 2009 just before winning the Birmingham Marathon in 2010. At last year’s Ironman Wisconsin she joined Mike and Robbie for a special #300 Crushing Iron Podcast (embedded below). For more information on Jessica and her coaching, please visit the C26 Triathlon Coaching Page.
What two or three books would you recommend ……. it doesn’t have to be triathlon related, but may have helped you with motivation/balance or to get through a tough time… create a new approach to the sport.
Ok: 2 best best best books! a.) Last Days of Summer by Steve Kluger (novel taking place in the 1940s Brooklyn, the bulk of the novel consists of letters written between fictional NY Giants third baseman Charlie Banks and Jewish 12 yo, Joey Margolis.)b.) The Heart of a Soldier: A True Love Story of Love, War, and Sacrifice (written by one of my best friends – story uncovers Kate’s journey from friend, wife, Solider, wife of a Soldier and ultimately losing her husband in Iraq.)
What is the one thing (other than a bike or power meter) you purchased that you use and benefit from all the time? Name a specific brand and where you got it so others can share in your love.
Honestly – my Air Pods – love these things! The Bluetooth technology is amazing and gives me a chance to run with my podcasts or music with my iphone tucked into my sports bra! As a mom, I don’t get a lot of time to myself, so listening to podcasts while I run is like killing two birds with one stone!
Additionally, listening to podcasts versus music while I run has FORCED me to slow down! I was one of those “grey zone” runners that was pushing the pace WAY TOO HARD and listening to podcasts helps tremendously from going to fast!
Headlamp: I use it to run in the dark either in the early morning on the trails or later at night – love love love running in the dark – it’s my “quiet time” and the head lamp I use stay on perfectly and charges easily. ONLight 710 for $39.95
What is a specific “failure” or “apparent failure” in a race or training that set you up for future success? Or what was a turning point in your triathlon career that changed how you approached the sport/lifestyle?
CONTROL THE CONTROLLABLES. Once I got that concept-driven home into my head it released so much pressure off me. All I can control is myself. I can only control how I race my race, how I take care of my body, how I approach (mentally and emotionally) mishaps in a race.
I would find myself getting caught up in the “what if she does this, what if this happens, what if I don’t get on this person’s feet, etc, etc that before the gun even went off, I had already found myself self-sabotaging my own race.
The other wonderful “aha” moment I still, to this day MUST remind myself of is this…now, listen closely because MANY don’t realize this little secret…NO ONE CARES…seriously – no one gives a flying “eff” how you do…seriously, 90% of people are more concerned with themselves and the 10% that are overly concerned with how you did, did you “win”, why didn’t you do better….well, those ppl are losers and you don’t need them in your life.
I found myself putting A LOT of pressure on myself thinking that I needed to perform for others or they wouldn’t like me or think I was good enough to be a pro or whatever and I literally walked away from the sport once those negative thoughts and emotions engulfed me.
Today – I barely tell anyone what I’m doing because I only train for me – I love the process of training and the racing is a simple by-product of all the hard work you put in. I will go do races without telling many because I really don’t want to revisit those demons of pressure I put on myself. I’m in a very good place now, where I enjoy training more than racing and honestly if I never race again, but get to enjoy the daily journey of training, well – I am fine with that!
If you could make an Instagram post you knew would be seen and shared by millions, what would it say? It doesn’t have to be your quote, just something you love and think would make a difference.
“Be the type of person your dog thinks you are”
What is the best or most worthwhile investment you’ve made in triathlon. (this could be financially, time, or energy investments).
Getting a coach you trust, can be honest with and will LISTEN to you but still push you mentally, emotionally and physically or hold you back when you need to pull tight on the reigns.
What is an unusual or absurd habit or superstition you have that relates to training or racing?
I LOVE LOVE LOVE petting a dog before starting a race…it gives me good vibes and calms my nerves. Reminds me what’s important and that dogs don’t care if you win or lose or how you do – they just want love and food!
In the last 5 years, what is the behavior, habit or new belief that has most changed how you train?
Less is more. I had to come to terms with 3 things:
I’m no longer a professional, therefore DO NOT NEED to train 25-30 hours a week nor can do the intensity I once did
I can’t do the intensity I once did because I’m older and don’t have the volume to do said work
I’m a full-time coach now and have 2 children and a military husband (which means I do most of the parenting and work around the house) – my stressors are different, my limits have changes and frankly so have my aspirations. Chilling out and enjoying training for the sake of good mental and physical health is what is MOST important to me over any outside goals.
What advice would you give a friend your age who is just getting into triathlon? What advice should they ignore?
HAVE FUN!!! Enjoy the process and watching your body and evolve! Ignore all the noise! There is a lot of “experts” out there that will tell you contradictory advice regarding how to train, what to train with, what to eat, how much of this and that you need to use, blah, blah, blah – at the end of the day…this is a HOBBY!!!
Don’t turn this into a stressor or another job! That’s negating the entire purpose you got into the sport! Plus, it’s expensive and can be very intimidating, so do not think you need all these outlandish products and training tools all at once!
What are bad recommendations for training that you hear a lot?
Where do I start? Ummm….I hear a lot of bad advice regarding swimming and running and diet. So, I’ll give you three bad examples from each:
Swimming: Bad advice – you HAVE TO SWIM 5, 6, 7K at a time to get better and you shouldn’t use toys….ok, so, what do I recommend – less yards per session, but get in the water more frequently! Touch that water more, but make the sessions shorter so the technique is solid and get out once the form begins diminishing! Why practice crap form? USE A PULL BOUY!!!!! A PULL BOUY IS YOUR FRIEND!!!
Running: Bad advice: you gotta run fast to get fast. Well – sure, if you’re ready for it, but many don’t have the strength, stamina, recovery, etc to endure the speed, you’ll only end up getting injured! Also – no you do not need to do track workouts…those will likely injure you and frankly, running on a track creates a lot of wear and tear that we don’t need to attempt to absorb!
Diet: FOLLOWING ANY DIET THAT TELLS YOU TO ELIMINATE A CERTAIN FOOD Group…I can not emphasize enough on how much I hate hearing about this latest fad diet and that – eat foods that are good for you, drink a lot of water and enjoy that ice cream once in a while – life is too short!
In the last 5 years how have you changed your approach to nutrition? What are some specific benefits you’ve found?
Well – now that I’m into my 40s I’ve noticed I enjoy different foods more than I ever have – veggies, salads, fruits, and lean proteins really encompass a large part of my diet – BUT, having two kids and needing my energy, yes, I have embraced coffee as well – at least 2 cups a day is definitely needed! 🙂
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When you feel overwhelmed, unmotivated or distracted what kind of things do you do to get back in the game and re-center/focus? If helpful, what questions do you ask?
I’ll watch a video of a trail running youtube documentary or something like that to get my blood going and excited. I’ll remind myself to NOT LOOK AT THE FORREST (the entire workout) but just the first 10-15 min…let the body COME TO YOU – by the time that all happens, I’m in a much better headspace and I’ve turned a mental corner. I always say to my daughter, you will likely never finish a workout saying, “yeah – I wish I hadn’t done that!”
Of swim, bike, run, what is your toughest sport and what kind of things have you found helpful to improve?
Hands down – the swim has been my Achilles heel. It was the sport I didn’t learn properly till I was 28 years old and as a natural runner, I would try to “muscle” my way thru the water, ultimately fighting and punching the shit out of it, instead of allowing the water to “hold me” and work with me.
Getting someone to really look at you at ALL ANGLES and give you 1-2 things to focus on for 4-6 weeks and then re-visit your form and readjust the next issues is likely the best approach. Add to that making your sessions purposeful and not just “garbage yards” and making yourself mentally present through the session is key.
Oftentimes I’ll see people swimming and just going thru the motions – to become a better swimmer you have to mentally concentrate on 1-2 aspects of your body, your stroke, you finish, your position, etc at a time – once you turn off your brain, that’s when things begin to unravel. You should get out of the water not only physically fatigued but mentally fatigued as well.
What is your “why” when it comes to triathlon and how do you keep it present in your mind?
My “why” is my happy place…I’m a much happier and stable person when I get in my ME time – and my best ME time is when I’m swimming, biking or running. I have never found a better outlet than movement…shopping doesn’t do it for me, getting my hair or nails done, drinking wine or eating….they are all nice things to do AFTER I’ve worked out but, my happy place is moving. Always has been and likely always will be!
I know if I don’t get in that time, I’ll be an anxious and aggravated person to be around. I know myself – I’ve always been this way – when I was little I ran around the house 10 times (outside) to get my energy out – we didn’t come home till it was dark – biking for hours a day was a norm and playing was better than sitting around watching TV.
I’m eternally grateful for how I was raised and that I was raised without cable TV, that we lived out in the “boring” country and thank GOD there wasn’t the internet to distract us! My parents wouldn’t even think about buying us Nintendo when it came out…first of all, $100 was like a $1000 back then and “it will rut your brain” – those hidden blessings are what made me into the athlete I am today!
Jessica Jacobs joins Mike and Robbie for Crushing Iron Podcast #300.
For more information on Jessica Jacobs and her coaching, please visit the C26 Triathlon Coaching Page.
There is a full, over an hour long, interview with Jessica from 3/31/20 available in our online membership hub. We currently have a “pay what you want” available through September 30th. For more information on the C26 Online Hub, click here for a preview.
Community is HUGE right now and we are having weekly Zoom Conference calls with C26 Athletes to answer questions, make decisions, and frankly, see friendly faces.
The entire call was about an hour, but here is a taste of how we are communicating with our team. It’s available in our online Hub which currently offers a “pay as you want” membership through September, 30.
Questions addressed in this clip: – How to handle unknown layoffs – base phase, etc. – Sleeping better – Swimming thoughts when you can’t get to a pool – What if they move a race close to another one I have scheduled?
——————————– C26 Triathlon is Coaching, Camps and Community. Learn more at C26Triathlon.com. Check into our “pay what you want” offer for all of this bonus material in our ONLINE HUB, located on our website.
