In honor of Mike's dad's favorite Ironman pre-race song, "Let's get it started . . . now." No more overthinking. No more premature optimization plans, just go and don't let information overload push something off to tomorrow, or next month. The digital comfort food is slowing down your progress. Get supportive people around you and let it rip in wh…

Are you willing to let go and leave your comfort zone? Today, we start by talking about Cam Wurf’s perspective on endurance sports and life and it takes us into an interesting discussion about “being game” to try new things. We’re seeing more athlete “going for it” with their adventures and we love it. We get into staying grounded, but taking chanc…

We start talking about candy and ketones and it kinda goes on from there. www.c26triathlon.comPor c26triathlon

What a race from Patrick Lange. Today, we look at how KONA unfolded and why, after all these years, it still comes down to the run . . . and maybe the swim? It's incredible to think that Lange may have strategically pulled back on the bike with a 4:06, but it definitely makes you want to look at the little things and how important they are in racin…

The Triathlete’s Christmas is upon us… Who will stand on top of the podium at the Ironman World Championships? Despite being a little later in the year, it looks like it will be hot on the course. How will that play into the race? We go through some potential race strategies, talk about the favorites, and a few dark horse candidates for the podium.…

There’s not much worse than starting each year from scratch with rusty joints and bones, so today we look at some strategies to get the most out of your “off-season” training. Many may seem non-traditional, but the biggest key is to enjoy what you’re doing and stay in the fitness ballpark. We get into flex months, the reality of too much intensity,…

Today, we tackle a thought provoking question. What’s harder, an Ironman or a stand alone marathon? Within this question are a lot of interesting thoughts about becoming a stronger endurance athlete. We compare the body blow mentality of doing and Ironman vs. the more intense effort it takes to do a marathon. We ask if most people really “race” an …

Listeners drive today’s topics, including the highly debated topic of weight training. We also take a deep look at the swim and discuss whether it’s worth working overtime to save a couple minutes. Also, how do you keep motivated and inspired when something like injury takes you away from triathlon. Should you bilateral breathe in the swim? The bes…

Sometimes we talk with each other in a way to figure things out. Today, we dive into staying in the game, being in the moment, and living a life of experiences. We talk about letting outcomes ruin great journeys. We look at moving through things that give us fear. We get into shifting perspective on races that didn’t quite go our way. We look at ho…

We talk the best Z1 and Z2 ratios for the off season. We look at Training for unique races like the Triple T. We get into the best ways to attack ultra run training. We talk the loss of swim feel and the way to get back in the groove. Losing weight for performance or health? Time to upgrade your bike? Prepping for cold water swims. How to learn fro…

Now is the time to look deep inside and figure out where you want to go, what makes you happy, and how to find love of the process. We look at the post season mindset and investigate how what we learned can be a catalyst going forward. What do we really need to work on? Strength, endurance, overall health, attitude, our why? We also talk about how …

Success and getting better takes the ability to be willing to fail along the way. We can play it safe, but we’re training for Ironman, not SoftMan. On the other hand, it’s just a race and we pay to do this, so let’s take some chances? Have a plan, then a back up plan, and a back up plan for the back up plan. Roll with what’s in front of you. Quitti…

If you thought we would have a big celebration for #800, you are absolutely right! Today, we talk about how doing hard things like triathlon can be fun, even when they’re not on the surface. We look at defeating race anxiety, lowering expectations while still performing well, fr-framing fun and what that means inside a race. We talk about respectin…

Want to race better? Master the principles in this podcast. Today, we look at what’s really important for long course triathlon. The ability to hold form and effort over a long period of time. You can make it rocket science if you want, but the principles are pretty easy. Don’t break down. But how do you get to that point? We talk about how to get …

Are you too hard on yourself? Today we look at the challenges of consistency and commitment to racing and living free. It’s easy to burn our consistency matches by layering pressure on the daily. There are so many distractions and experts in the world, but ultimately this comes back to us. What works, what doesn’t, and how do we keep moving the rig…

Today, we give you a little food for thought on day to day nutrition and race fueling. We sort of explore the traditional triathlon thinking process and ask if you’re really doing what’s right for your long term health. We get into how to think about what’s working and how to recognize what’s not. On some levels it’s complex, but it can be really s…

We go deep into what was Ironman Wisconsin and 70.3 weekend in Madison. C26 had a great showing again with over 40 athletes racing and a 2nd place tri club performance in the 70.3 and 4th in the full. Stay tuned for a deep dive into race fueling. We talk about why the perfect weather wasn’t exactly perfect. We look at the two loop swim challenges a…

Looks like it will be cooling down for the weekend and today Mike and Robbie walk through what that means if you're racing. If you handle the little things well, the weather may just turn out perfect for your needs. But, if you're cold and don't fuel, hydrate correctly, it could be an issue. We go through how to handle the morning swim, including w…

We start with the pros and cons of the new Ironman Chattanooga bike course. We look at whether or not these courses are really that crowded. We talk unorthodox training as a strategy for health and long term enjoyment of the sport. We also look at Ironman branding and our C26 community. We get into the challenges of late and early season races. We …

The heat is back but the stress never left and it’s a good reminder. We talk open water swim and your pace and if it’s right and if training in the pool is better than OW. Are you wiped out or just fueling poorly. What happens when you face the Training Peaks Hell Week Council? Are metrics making us lazy? Maybe you just need to open up your legs. T…

Focus on the details is very important when it comes to your race, but what are the right details? Today, we get into the “no man’s land” of training. Pre-race planning, effective taper, and post race discoveries. Data can be important, but obsessing over collecting information has nothing to do with racing well. How are you using your data, and be…

The inaugural IM Louisville 70.3 kicked off with a bang and we have an on location report. We’ll talk about all the expectations and the realities and how they turned this into an even better experience than we predicted. The slow swim, the “fast” bike, and the challenging run. Everything’s on the table including the business acumen of the infamous…

C26 is in Louisville in big numbers and today Coach Robbie joins from the Omni Hotel lobby to talk about the vibe for Louisville 70.3. We talk about the swim potential, bike strategies, and the run challenges. We also talk about how to lead up to your races without getting drained so you can leave it on the course. We’re also joined by C26 Coach, C…

Today we break down how volume and intensity overlap. Just because something is defined as “easy” doesn’t mean it’s not intense. How do you think about intensity? Do you train in a way to build fatigue resistance and hold form? Some of these thoughts may surprise you. Topics: Shout out to a friend of the podcast Volume or intensity? Age groupers vs…

A lot of us really complicate things in the water, but today we’re looking at a few “simple” concepts that can really make a difference in your swim speed. We’ll look at how and why to master these techniques and what it will mean for your overall enjoyment of the sport and the swim. These are not drills, they are effective and relatively simple te…

Everyone has different life scenarios and it’s up to you to figure out what works best in training. Is it not enough, too much? Why do you think that? Today, we look at carving your own way within the outline. Things to look at as you train for different distances. How to be confident you’ll be ready to perform on race day. We talk about mental ban…

We talk Olympics’ triathlon. We get into the heat. We get into adjusting for the heat. We talk Norwegian method as a strategy or burnout? Adrenaline as your only fuel. Swimming in a pool before a race if the swim is cancelled. Post race recovery food and methods. The goal is not the session. Downward spirals. And your NEED TO KNOWS about Louisville…

Great questions from the listeners. We get pretty deep into HR training and testing, along with intensity control and duration. We look at prescription load model, reading HR. Are you getting fitter or just tired? Swimming less for easy swim races?? How much racing is too much or too little? How to keep your head in the game. Typical amount of trai…

Topics: C26 Camp in Madison Lake Placid, Ohio, Oregon Ironman Branding problem? 20-30 Hour Weeks Extreme results The need to be expensive Appreciating free time Adaptive training Using race day as a metric for success The process as the success Excited to train - invigorated Sacrificing a whole season for one day When something just ain’t right Mor…

Many of us can look at the metrics, but how deep is our understanding? Today, we look at the decorations of triathlon in your training platform. Are you just becoming addicted to new numbers for the sake of it? Are the numbers confusing you more than letting you be your best? Do you really understand how you feel during a given workout? Should you …

How do you think about training? Are you going for race times or truly working on things that will make you better? Today, we look at different mindsets and how to not get trapped in training paces and performances. We look at the full forest of a race and how you can have a more objective view of your training, your progress, and future racing suc…

Yesterday, the two greatest riders in the world charged toward the finish line in Stage 11 of the Tour de France with completely different styles. Today, we look at both approaches and use it as an analogy for how you can go about your training and racing. There’s no one right answer for this sport, and we can all get better by taking little pieces…

Today we look how to get effective volume and why recovery should be an instrumental part of everything you do. We look at why it’s important to be aware of how and when you workout. We look at falling in love with the weather, good and bad. We talk about why summer can be the best time for base training. We look at making swim, bike and run EASIER…

Topics: Do you know in your heart it’s the right thing? Challenging our listeners Being proud of yourself Keep showing up Make one clear goal The joy of the work The perils of comparison Podium from the chin down Back of the pack from the chin up Not many “ups” Can you reflect on the good things? Only commenting on the bad days Easy needs to be eas…

Topics: Predicting your race Detached from expectations Taking a week away from podcast for Triathlon Camp New 70.3 coming close to Mike? Typa A Insecure? Olympic Trials Lack of objectivity Why do you think you should be faster? Is it more a wish, or want, or hope? Tri-calc Potential is different than reality Reverse engineering goals Having a goal…

This one is all about getting more results and enjoyment out of your training. Be creative and make things work. Don't trudge through training tired and uninterested. A little undertrained is always better than being overtrained. Both for the race and your longevity. Do this for the right reasons and find ways to make training GIVE you energy, not …

***Be sure to stay tuned at the end of the podcast for an interview with C26 Coach, Erin Koerner. Topics: Are you trying too hard Swimming harder, but slower Coming back from an injury Our data is often inaccurate Treadmills, wearables, power meters Are food labels precise? Tracking food macros Is the answer really more? Over-stimulated Low expecta…

Whether it’s a niggle, injury, anxiety, or fear, there’s always a way to spin things in a positive direction. Today, we look at the wide range of challenges triathlon delivers, and offer several solutions for how to make setbacks work in your favor. One of our favorite mantras is, Do Something. Do something that will create momentum, or simply drag…

In the world of Apps and Special Offers, we present . . . cutting through the clutter. We start with the simplicity of the early days of Training Peaks and weave our way through Instagram Ads, Lactate testing, and other crazes and phases. In the end we boil this sport down to something really simple, which we believe can be the difference between t…

Are you throwing in the towel right before a big breakthrough? Today, we cast based on a quote, "The magic you're looking gor is in the work you're avoiding." We look at the concept behind patient training, and what breakthroughs look like. We talk about race expectations and how they should rarely, if ever, be the main goal. This is about enjoying…

Today we look at how workouts weave together with soothing, straining, and stressful sessions. The C26 Triple S! This one is great for all athletes and at the center of how to be consistent, improve, and not go through life shelled. Stress on the body is definitely the way to get better, but if you're not recovering, or understanding the concept/di…

Whether we’re a front pack, middle pack, or back of the pack athlete, we can all learn from each other. Today we look at the different ways to think about racing based on your experience. We dig back into finding satisfaction in your training, re-cultivating your “why” and what it takes to break free from your current pack, or even get over the hum…

Today we dovetail off Chattanooga 70.3 and Moro Bay. We start by talking about swimming and how it should not be taken lightly. We ask if shortening the swim cut off would make people train harder to be stronger swimmers? We also talk about bike congestion and if it’s really that bad or many people just aren’t prepared with their bike handling. Thi…

Today, we look at energy breakdowns for your swim, bike, and run. We also get into how to handle A, B, and C races. Are they really different? Are you setting goals for today or down the road? We also look at A, B, and C goals for each individual race. Do you want to see how much you can push the bike and still run? Swim hard or reel it in? How do …

Today we give you all the secrets to more enjoyable training, which will obviously transfer into better racing . . . and maybe even a happier life. Are you going about your training in the right places with the right approach? Topics: Summer is here . . . Finding routes you enjoy Having great training options It’s hard to get burned out Finding a g…

Lots of talk about open water including, how comfort, how to approach workouts, and length of stroke. More discussion about the feel for water today, and a sidebar into the feel for the bike and run. How often should you use the pull buoy? What about paddles? How to breathe right and fix dead spots in your stroke. Topics: Weather and running and em…

Are you struggling to get faster despite thinking your form is correct? Are you an adult onset swimmer that just can’t seem to solve the riddle? This podcast is for you. We go deep into being a stronger, faster, and more relaxed swimmer. We talk about the things you should actually be doing vs. spending your time on drills you don’t understand. Swi…

Today we dive into Iroman Texas 2024. We get into the race venue, the conditions, etc, but largely talk about Coach Robbie's decision not to start. Topics: Ironman Texas Venue Mike's Trip Robbie Talks about his experience Taper/Pre-Race What's been hard/frustrating Race frequency Race pressure vs. nerves When we're focused on performance Perfection…

This is a re-post of another of our favorite episodes/concepts. Off a great, but tough weekend at Run Camp, we reflect on how and when to push and why it’s important to have fun in your life and training. We talk about your big race is “Just One Day” and how it’s better to be undertrained than burned out. Also, the little signs in your training wil…

This is a re-post of one of our favorite C26 Ironman stories. This is an Ironman story for Everyone. If you've ever stayed until the end of an Ironman you know the level of emotions. But have you ever been out in the dark on the last few miles with someone who isn't sure they will make the cutoff? Today, we share the story of how one of our C26 ath…