#917 – When Your Race Goes Sideways
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In this reflective and candid episode of the Crushing Iron Triathlon Podcast, hosts Mike and Robbie dive into the emotional and mental challenges of racing when things go sideways—whether due to self-inflicted mistakes like poor pacing, or external factors like race cancellations, flat tires, or weather. Drawing from Mike's recent Dallas 70.3 experience, where the swim was canceled and he overexerted on the run, the conversation explores the critical decision points athletes face mid-race: continue full throttle, DNF, or shift to gratitude and resilience. The hosts emphasize that race success isn't just about time or placement, but about finding wins in process, execution, and mindset—like a strong swim, a well-executed bike, or simply finishing with integrity. They stress the importance of mental flexibility, controlling the controllables, and cultivating a 'memory toolbox' of past resilience to draw from during tough moments. The episode also touches on the broader life lessons triathlon teaches: adaptability, perseverance, and the power of micro-decisions. With a light-hearted Easter-themed intro and a final basketball pick, the hosts close with encouragement to embrace the journey, not just the outcome.
Race success isn't just about time or placement—find wins in process, execution, and mindset.
When things go wrong, shift from competitive mode to gratitude mode to preserve mental energy and enjoy the experience.
Self-imposed mistakes (like bad pacing) are harder to recover from than external ones, but both require mental recalibration.
Use a 'memory toolbox' of past resilience to guide decisions during tough races.
The best race day isn't always the fastest—it's the one where you stay in motion and honor your effort.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
Easter Weekend Kickoff & Race Season Reflection
The hosts open with a lighthearted Easter-themed intro, discussing school breaks, candy, and their personal race calendars. They reflect on the holiday spirit and the irony of racing on Good Friday, setting a reflective tone for the episode.
The Dallas 70.3: A Race That Went Sideways
“I went from like, you know, kind of race mode. The first 10K, I was straight race mode trying to catch, you know, another athlete... Then once I completely hit the wall and like all my biscuits were burnt and they were shattered and crushed on the floor. If it was bothering me, I was like, you know what? And then I went from do I try to work through this and not be able to work out for a while? Or once I figured out I was going to not succumb, but I chose to walk some. I went in almost into gratitude mode.”
Pro vs. Age Grouper Mindset: The Pressure of Performance
The hosts contrast how professional triathletes approach races—driven by income, sponsorships, and placement—versus age groupers who race for personal growth and experience. They discuss the pros' tendency to 'mail it in' when things go wrong to protect training and avoid injury.
Finding Wins When the Race Is Going Wrong
“You've got to have those two reliance. If you make it a, you know, this is my, you know, this is the goal you set out for, then it's immediately not going to probably go the way, you know, as soon as one thing pops up and it's not going the way you think it's going to go, then things are bad.”
The Power of Micro-Decisions & Mental Resilience
“It's not always over. It's all, it's like 12 hours, 14 or whatever. You got a lot of time, you know, think about how many times during the day when you're like, I just need a nap and then like something changes and you're like awake again.”
“I said, nope. I wasn't going to walk, you know, like every time I wanted to walk, I said, nope. I probably said that 150 times throughout that race and it just kind of carried me through and I made it.”
“I went from like, you know, kind of race mode. The first 10K, I was straight race mode trying to catch, you know, another athlete... Then once I completely hit the wall and like all my biscuits were burnt and they were shattered and crushed on the floor. If it was bothering me, I was like, you know what? And then I went from do I try to work through this and not be able to work out for a while? Or once I figured out I was going to not succumb, but I chose to walk some. I went in almost into gratitude mode.”
“The best race day isn't always the fastest—it's the one where you stay in motion and honor your effort.”
Hosts
Mike
person
Robbie
person
Dallas 70.3
other
Easter
other
Ken Hammond
person
Good Friday
other
MuscleMan 70.3
other
Michigan Basketball
other
Final Four
other
Blumenfeld
person
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