Tag: Triathlon

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Love The Sport

For more on our community and coaching, please visit C26Triathlon.com

Many of us get into triathlon to figure out who we really are and that process is more effective and enjoyable if we love the sport. And loving the sport is a process. Today, we reflect on Kobe Bryant’s life and his passion for, not only the game, but everything he did, and tie it into our daily approach with triathlon. Kobe’s death is a painful reminder that life is fragile and triathlon is much more than just the numbers – it’s about community, connection and helping others. Today is about finding your sweet spots in training and appreciating the little things to make net gains.

Takeaways from Podcast #342 – Love The Sport

  • The power of a little break – It’s impossible to keep the intensity for 365 days a year. It’s important to be around people who will remind you that it’s okay to take a break and step back from the grind. In fact, it’s essential.
  • Goaded by peer pressure – On the other hand, we find benefits of giving in to occasional “good peer pressure” if your friends have your best interests in mind. And as Mike points out, it’s not a bad thing to find a little kick start once in a while.
  • Kobe Bryant’s impact on us – Kobe Bryant was Coach Robbie’s favorite player, and while Mike is a Jordan fan, both respect and love the passion Kobe brought to basketball and his life. His death is one of those events that make no sense but certainly give us a wake up call.
  • Painful reminders of how fragile life is – We tend to go through life in a haze, focused on numbers and results without the big picture in mind. When someone seemingly immortal as Kobe Bryant dies out of the blue, it always gives us pause and it is in this pause that we should remind ourselves to appreciate the little stuff.
  • Overcomplicating what matters – There’s a lot of data out there but there’s no substitute for hitting the road or water and going. Pre-optimization is a flourishing disease. Lace em up and go.
  • Combining love for the sport with wanting to be the best we can be – How often do you have that “kid feeling” when you are staring in the fact of a workout? That is the one you want. So, whatever it takes, find the part of swim, bike, and run you love the most and start there when things seem rough.
  • Burnout rate – As we’ve said many times on the podcast, “Expectations are future resentments.” There is extreme power in moderating your approach and training. Listen to your body and it will tell you when it’s time to break or swing toward one discipline or the other.
  • Type-A Celebration – Nobody can be “on” all the time and there is always use for good balance. Triathlon has a reputation for being full of Type-A athletes, but that doesn’t have to define the sport.
  • Becoming your best, not “the” best – Imagine the intensity you would have to train for the Olympics. Years and years of work for one bright moment. In a way, we are a little that way. Days and days of training for one big race. The majority training for Olympics don’t win the gold and the same is true for triathletes. Just work to be your best and let the rest take care of itself.
  • Is Triathlon a “net gain” for you? – Are you moving in the right direction? This is and should be a slow process. Not every day will be a breakthrough, but often those “bad days” are necessary to create the next advance. Embrace it all as a learning and growing experience.
  • Slowing down the least – Triathlon isn’t about who goes the fastest, it’s about who slows down the least. This amounts to strength and durability. Think of that next time you are invited to do a track workout.
  • Chasing PRs – This is a trap most of us fall into, but eventually you realize that continual PRs is unrealistic. Not that you can’t get faster with age (we for sure see this all the time) it’s just that you have to temper your expectations and find hybrid successes that may not always amount to a PR.
  • Figuring out who you are as a person – This is why a lot of us come into triathlon – to figure out who we are. Ground yourself in that path and listen to your mind and body. Bring them together in a peaceful union to let the true you come alive.
  • Breaking up the rocks – Uncovering your the truth is often painful and this is what a lot of us experience as we evolve in triathlon. We learn to sit with the pain and realize just because it’s the opposite of joy doesn’t mean it’s bad. It is what it is and often it’s a gateway to uncovering parts of ourselves that we know are being starved.
  • Love what you love.

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Thank you for listening to the Crushing Iron Podcast. We have been recording podcasts for over 3 years on Monday and Thursday. We’ve explored many issues both in and outside of triathlon. We appreciate your support and look forward to meeting you out on the course one of these days.

For more on our community and coaching, please visit C26Triathlon.com

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C26 Triathlon Camp Video May 2019

There’s something truly special about having such a great group of people come to town and work on getting better. Not much is more inspiring or magnetic than effort and everyone that came to the C26 May Camp gave it their all.

Our camp motto has always been “No One Left Behind” and this year we added a new phrase, “Never Alone” because that’s at the core of what C26 is all about. Giving triathletes a community to meet new friends, grow, and become better triathletes.

Here’s the video highlights from another awesome camp in Nashville, TN. Special thanks to everyone for great energy and inspiring us to keep going.

Video highlights from the C26 May, 2019 Triathlon Camp

Below is the podcast we recorded the day after camp. We called it “Testing Your Limits” because many people come to camp do things they never believed they could do and always leave with more confidence.

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The C26 Triathlon Camp Diaries – Day 1

By Mike Tarrolly for Crushing Iron

This is how we do it . . . it’s Wednesday night . . . Party people on the westside throw your hands in the air. Or however that song goes. . . we start camp on Wednesday night.

It’s always interesting meeting everyone at Robbie’s the first night because even though I’ve been there multiple times it is one of those new and really tricky neighborhoods that I cannot navigate on memory (which you will see later is extremely rare later in this report). There are usually about 15 or so people waiting when I walk through the door where a Facebook-meets-real-life explosion typically goes off in my head. It’s like I sorta know everyone but not really, and really do know some people but it’s been a while, so I’m not sure if I’ve said something dumb on the podcast they’ve been waiting to confront me about for months. Ahh, the perils of internet-street-level fame.

As I move deeper into Robbie and Allie’s inner sanctum, people are usually face first in what always seems to be the perfect dinner for everyone. It’s a simple, yet jazzy fare that could easily roll as a vegan delight, or be quickly hopped up with side chicken for meat eaters. The salad/meat combo does really well for gluten sensitive campers and if we’re lucky, someone will bring huge cookies or cake for dessert. Of course everyone drinks their personalized liquid direct from water bottles.

After dinner, Coach Robbie takes the stage as we sit around on every chair they can find and jam into his living room. As you can see to the left, I’ve yet to figure out a perfect angle for a group picture, but I’m getting close.

We then go around the room with simple introductions and everyone says what they’re hoping to get from camp. Robbie goes through the camp plan and potential changes with any looming weather. This is usually when Hayden gets a little unruly and wants to spend more time with daddy forcing Allie to scramble for toys or another toddler diversion, including a trip upstairs through 3 or 4 campers as she navigates the staircase.

This entire opening night takes about two hours and we’re are typically back at our lodging (home in my case) before 9.

THURSDAY

I have extreme pre-race sleep anxiety. Anytime my alarm is set with a “4” at the beginning, that pretty much means I will not be falling asleep that night; and typically the night before camp starts is no exception. The weather threatened our first morning at the lake, so we shifted gears and went to Boost Fitness for a pool session. Said session was to begin at 6 am. Said session is also 30 minutes from my house, so said alarm was set for 4:45.

Around midnight I was really regretting not pounding some type of melatonin. I “think” I dosed off for a while around 1:00 but was up at 2 and this process lasted until I heard one of my weekend roommates up making coffee around 4:15. It was over. I hit snooze once and put on my sleepless-morning-happy-face, but knew that I would not be swimming one stroke that morning. I’m not in the best swim shape and swimming without sleep could have ruined me for a couple days. Instead I focused on getting cool video of cool people swimming at 6 am.

After a couple hours in the pool and some awesome personal instruction, we went for a light breakfast at LePeep in Belle Meade, which is the old-Nashville-money part of town. We immediately snagged 5 prime tables, clearly frustrating several people in tassle loafers and shawls. Not to be distracted, the sweaty and famished triathletes went to town on their post-swim meals. I sat with Erika, Jessica and Katie, the Richmond Crew. I’ve known Erika for a while, but it was the first time to chat with the other girls and let me tell you, they are hilarious if not edgy sarcastic.

This is where I’m usually reminded of how cool the people are that come to camp. The first night is a little about nerves and meeting new people. The first workout is acclimating and getting over wearing tight clothes in front of said new people. The post breakfast is where the true triathlon athlete spirit and unabashed hunger comes out. People will plow down anything right in front of anyone (including little old ladies sipping tea) which, if you think about it, is a very personal moment. We seem to cross a threshold at this point and from there on, the guards are down.

The next session was at Percy Warner Park, easily one of the most beautiful, yet daunting running venues in Nashville. It’s nestled at the end of Belle Meade Boulevard (think Thurston Howell III and his wife Lovey) and retains a certain kind of elegance even when it’s muggy and drizzly like it was this morning. The assignment? Run for an hour and thirty minutes.

The route we take is called “The 5.8” and it’s 5.8 hilly ass miles. You start going straight up for about the first mile, before finding some relief on flats and downhills that eventually drop you into Deep Wells. It was foggy and misty and absolutely stunning in a cinematic sort of way and I was really regretting not shooting video instead of running. But, I’ve been on a little roll with the run and it’s very hard for me to pass on Percy Warner Park.

The problem with Deep Wells is “It Is Deep” ie… at the bottom, which can only mean one thing. It’s time to climb again. And we did. Mile 3 is an absolute torture device that never seems to end. Up straight, up right, up left, up right . . . and even though I’ve run this track dozens of times, for some reason I always think that’s the last hill. It never is.

There are about 5 more, in fact, most manageable, but one is kind of a bitch. By the time you get to mile 5 (these are all rough estimates so please do no put them in your Garmin and hold my feet to the fire after you run it at camp) it’s all down hill, but the first 1/2 of that mile is Quad Buster Central. Early in my running life, this was the section that gave me a not so pleasant, but firm introduction to my IT bands. The last half mile is also downhill, but at a perfect grade for running and a welcome way to bring it back to the car.

But wait . . . that was only about an hour. There’s still 30 minutes to go.

Instead of retracing the course, I opted for a few more miles on the flat-ish Belle Meade Boulevard. Aside from its pretentious nature, it is a great way to look at big houses and wonder why and the hell you didn’t end up living in a mansion like that, which I did wonder about and pin pointed the reason to the time when I had a nice mutual fun started out of college but decided to pull all the money out and travel around partying in Florida. But, anyway, that’s neither here nor there, just a point I thought I would get into the open for therapeutic benefit.

I think that, for some reason, not living in one of those mansions made me want to prove something, so as I re-entered the park, I ran directly at the stairs. As I did, I was saying strange things like, “uh oh,” and “look out!” to anyone who would listen. Instead of going back to the cars, I scaled the Roman-Ruin-Like staircase and ascended to the heavens. I felt surprisingly strong as I screamed back, “Who’s with me!” and “Let’s Do it!” I’m pretty sure no one even acknowledged me or thought I was losing my mind so I barreled up the steps alone, with no mansion to speak of, but possibly a greater reward waiting at the top.

Well, I can assure you there was no such award, and the ease of my glide turned into cement filled shoes about 100 steps from the top. But . . . I made it . . . and . . . I put my hands in the air and looked down upon those mansions like I was now in control. But I wasn’t. I was just a sweaty guy at the top of a staircase with no mansion.

Despite two tough challenges right out of the gate, spirits were high. We even had a few campers finish loop one, then turn around to run it in reverse. Let me tell you, that is no picnic. One loop is around 600 feet of elevation on its own, so logic would tell you that two loops would be around twice that, but only God and the two-loopers’-hamstrings know the real truth.

It was super humid and Coach Robbie gathered all the soaking wet runners for the next day’s instructions. “In the morning, we’ll hit the lake first, then . . . “The Lab.”

But before tomorrow, it was a short session on Strength and Mobility from our friends over at Innate Performance. Steven and Louisa have both run and coached Division I cross country. Steven ran through some great exercises to keep the hip flexors loose and said most endurance athletes aren’t over-trained, they are under-recovered. With that he went through ways to recover properly and gave us his top three: Sleep, mobility, and nutrition. That’s when Louisa gave campers some top line nutrition strategies to stay on top of this crazy game we call triathlon.

Great session, but now it’s around 3:30 and getting back to the East Side was going to be a nightmare. My roommates punched my address into Google Maps, but I calmly said, “I’ll take this one, boys,” and led them on a perfectly executed re-route that not only saved us time, it allowed for a concise exploration of the fascinating explosion we affectionately call downtown Nashville. The guys were very impressed with my navigation.

Around 5 o’clock, reminiscent of senior citizens, my house guests, Chuck, Ross, and Jason started getting cranky for food. I quickly put on my post-afternoon-nap-happy-face and we jumped in the car for a trendy little Mexican joint called RosePepper. I’d like to say we got wild and met a lot of crazy hipsters that showed us the nightlife around East Nashville, but instead we debated the reasons why Nashville is home for so many bachelorette parties why people don’t fall off the shelf more often at Top Golf.

We got home around 8:00 and I was ready to yuck it up with my new sorta college buddy roommates, but these guys were all business. After about 30 minutes of watching baseball, we all went to bed and I listened to old episodes of the Crushing Iron podcast to put me to sleep . . . but it didn’t work. In fact, I found them captivating, inspirational, and extremely motivating. I could not wait to get to the lake in the morning and shoot more video of people working their ass off!

To be continued . . . 

Attitude is King – Camp ReCap Podcast

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.

 

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New Triathlon Camp Video – Nashville, Tennessee 2018

Crushing Iron puts on several Triathlon camps a year and these are highlights from April, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. We had nearly 20 athletes in town and they all came with a great attitude ready to work. Hear their feedback on camp and see highlights from Natchez Trace, Percy Priest Lake at Anderson Beach, and the abandoned airfield we lovingly call “The Lab.”

If you’d like more information on camps or coaching please click and don’t forget to check out the Crushing Iron Podcast released every Monday and Thursday. Motivation, Information, and Good ole fashioned rambling.

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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

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Cycling Sizzle Reel from “The Lab” at Crushing Iron April Camp 2018

Here’s a little look at what it’s like to ride in what we affectionately call “The Lab” here in Nashville. These athletes are all from our April 2018 Triathlon Camp and were taking part in a “Power Hour” ride before busting out a hard 5k off the bike. Everyone brought an unbelievable attitude and effort into town and then all left stronger and more confident. For more information on Crushing Iron Triathlon Camps, please see the “Camps” tab on this sight. June currently has a waiting list but August may have an opening. We also have openings in our swim only camps.

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What Can You Do In Six Days?

By Coach Robbie for The Crushing Iron Podcast

What if I told you . . .

You could have 6 entire days to yourself.

You could use each of these days to better yourself.

Test yourself.

Grow.

Disconnect from life and all the chaos and stress it brings.

Clear you mind.

Soul search.

Show yourself how far you have come and be grateful.

When you get back you will still have your job, family, friends, etc. Nothing will have changed for them. To everyone around you it will be like you were never gone but you will feel like an entirely new person.

Does this sound like something you might be interested in? Great! I thought so! Since last October I have spent 144 hours training. THAT IS 6 DAYS!!

The greatest part of all that time spent was that I kept it all for myself. No Strava. No Garmin Connect. No nothing.

I compare every single session based on my personal effort of that day. Isn’t that what training is supposed to be about? How we test ourself each day and then grow from it?

Yes, I am sure you will try to convince me of all the great features that applications like Strava have but i don’t buy it. I don’t buy any of it. What is wrong with keeping something for yourself these days?

Sharing is not caring . . . for yourself in this sense.

You end each run. You sprint to upload it and then spend minutes comparing it do a past route. A past effort. A training buddy. Your biggest rival. Most of us got into endurance sports for ourselves but quickly got swept up in screenshot wars. I know I did.

We lose sleep over KOM or QOM segments in a virtual world where no one knows you or frankly even cares how you are doing…. they just want to do better then you. Period.

So stop sharing every damn thing you do. Go for a run in a quiet place where you can hear a pin drop.

Stop halfway. Look around and feel it. Feel WHY you do these things and remember that of all the hours in the day you have very, very few precious minutes to yourself. I challenge you to disconnect from all the gadgets and comparison and reconnect with yourself. Be selfish with your time and I bet you wont go back.

The Crushing Iron Podcast releases every Monday and Thursday. We have over 130 Episodes, including several that focus on the journey of our athletes. Please subscribe to the Crushing Iron Podcast on iTunes or sign up for the Crushing Iron Newsletter on this page.

If you’d like to take your training to the next level, please consider C26 Coaching. We also offer Triathlon Camps in Nashville, TN that are held in beautiful locations, with great people doing challenging workouts. An excellent alternative vacation in a great city.

Be sure to sign up for the Crushing Iron Newsletter at the top right of this page. Thanks for reading and listening to the Crushing Iron Podcast.

 

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"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

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Ask The Coach Podcast

On today’s Crushing Iron triathlon training podcast we hit on a ton of topics for the beginner and intermediate triathlete with our new “Ask The Coach” segment. These are questions (or versions of) we see all over the internet. This is one of our favorite podcasts to date and we cover learn answers to the following questions.

  • What is a threshold test for the bike and how does it work…why should someone do this?  Explain power meter??
  • I’m having a tough time getting back into swimming… other than prescribed workouts, what do you suggest to get back into the groove?
  • A lot of people have a hard time training for hills because of where they live….what would you recommend for both the bike and/or run?
  • How do you deal with the mental aspects on the bike and run?  Do you prepare your thought process beforehand?
  • Regarding apparel…. what do you look for when you’re buying a new kit?
  • What about supplements… do you take them?  Why do you take the ones you do?
  • Let’s talk about dry land training for swimming….
  • Would you compare your first Sprint to losing your virginity?
  • FB question:  Since headphones are not allowed during the race itself, I’m assuming that training without headphones would be wise. Opinions?
  • FB question: I have been training six days a week, but I want to make sure I’m training right. What training plan does everyone recommend? Even though I’m a 140.6 first timer I don’t want to train as a beginner. I am ready and willing to put the time and work in, but want to make the most of my time.

Please subscribe and comment on iTunes and email your questions to: [email protected]
www.crushingiron.com

 

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What Do I Eat?

The other day I got a text from a friend asking what kind of a diet I was on for triathlons.  I sent back a picture of a can of vegetarian chili and said, “Tonight, it’s this.”FullSizeRender-3

I guess my diet is a bit of a dirty-little-secret in some ways.  I’m not afraid of pizza or even fast food a couple times a week, but of course there’s always a price to pay.

It’s funny, too, because I think nutrition is everything.  I am nearly 100% convinced that a solid diet (along with exercise and a good spiritual practice) will take care of most modern day ills.

I’m a big believer that inflammation is the root of most of our our problems, including things like depression and anxiety.  And the best way to reduce inflammation is to be on a alkaline leaning diet.  But I’m not scientist or nutritionist, I go by feel. I also listen to a lot of podcasts,  so I guess I like to regurgitate alternative facts.

My overall dietary habits can be summed up like this: I try to eat at least one solid meal a day, and by solid I often mean tuna from a can on bread with butter, steamed broccoli, and . . . that’s about it.  It can vary, of course, but I’m pretty simple and did have pizza tonight.  I also drink a lot of water and try to mix in a spinach smoothie during the day.

In general, our relationship with food cannot be understated.  But, unfortunately I have yet to find a clean handle on my diet, and know just enough to be dangerous.

That’s why we have brought a Registered Dietician onto the podcast today.  It was interesting to hear her philosophy, which I will describe as balanced and thoughtful.

We talked about everything from the best way to change your diet, how to keep is simple and steady, along with things like how to better access body fat for energy, ketosis, and challenges with body image.  We also get into race-day nutrition.

Thanks for reading and enjoy the podcast on Triathlon’s 4th Discipline, Nutrition, featuring Lizzy Miller.