JESSE: That's kind of like -- I feel like there's all kinds of strategy. I feel like now after we get done talking I'm going to like head off to Google and be like, do all this stuff like research on the beer mile and be like, I'll find some sub forum of people dedicated to maybe making like the fastest beer mile they possibly can like, techniques for drinking and making sure air doesn't get caught so the beer comes out the fastest and it's just bizarre like what people get up to. Like, anytime somebody says, this is my beer mile time. I'm like, how did that happen? COREY: Yeah, there's usually a story behind it. Yes. JESSE: So, I'm actually kind of curious like, I think I saw your first full Iron Man was in Mont-Tremblant? COREY: Yep. JESSE: So, I've heard that that course is pretty punishing, at least on the bike. How do you make the decision to like, take on Mont-Tremblant for your first full? Were you just like, screw it. I can do it. Or was there a specific like, I'm good at hills, like I can do this one? COREY: Yeah, I mean, I would say-- So, what led me to my first full as Mont-Tremblant was -- So, in 2014, I’m pretty sure I'm getting the dates right. In 2014, the 70.3 World Championships was in Mont-Tremblant and that was my first year on every man jack. So yeah, because we had a house and I remember meeting a bunch of guys then. So yeah, in 2014, did the 70.3 World Championships at Mont-Tremblant, absolutely love the venue. It was so cool. I don't know if you've ever been there but it's such a I love cool venue. JESSE: I haven’t. I love Quebec and I've been meaning to go but I’ve not made it too Mont-Tremblant yet. COREY: Yeah, no, it's a cool spot because it's a ski town. But it's very much like European style theme village where if you stay within the village, like you have everything you need. And they had this chairlift that goes from the top of the, sorry, the bottom of the village up to the top, and there's a bunch of restaurants and things to do, even in the summertime. So yeah, did 70.3 World Championships kind of got exposed to the course, the venue and absolutely loved it. It was a great experience. And then that kind of planted the seed in my mind of all right, I'll come back here, I think it was next year, 2015 for the full. And I kind of knew what I was getting into. I knew it was a tough bike. But yeah, I mean, I figured I'm a strong cyclists, I would say of the three disciplines, that's my biggest strength. So, I knew what I was getting into, and I figured it a tough bike course would actually benefit me over the competitors. Yeah, I mean, it was it was a learning experience for sure. I mean, I definitely I didn't underestimate it. But I wasn't being coached or anything like that. I was just very much kind of doing my own thing. And I definitely probably undertrained, but yeah, I mean, it was a good experience. Yeah, my parents were there and my dad's always been a runner. And we went back down, I think I finished in like 11, I was just over 11. But we went back down for the midnight finish and I mean, it was my first time seeing the midnight finish and it was so cool. It's such a new experience just being in the village. And at Mont-Tremblant, you kind of run down this shoe in the heart of the village and yeah. Really, the whole village is just focused around the Iron Man. So, it's all this energy and my parents were there, they were watching the midnight finishers. And these are just like everyday looking people. I mean, it's not super athletes or anything like these are dedicated people that have been training for months and months. But they’re just like your average Joe. And my dad who's a marathon runner, I could kind of see it in his eyes that it was something that he was thinking about doing. Like he's looking at these people and after 16 plus hours, they were finishing. And he's like, if they could do it, like I could do it like he's got a running background. So yeah, we actually-- So, that kind of planted the seed in his mind that he would eventually want to do an Iron Man. And then we went back as a father son and did it did before again last year, so in 2018. And that was a really cool experience. I mean, I definitely trained better, but I attacked the bike a little too hard. It's a two bike course and like you said, it's a challenging bike and I hadn't, I ended up just blowing up hard after the first loop. Yeah, just could not keep my-- I was done after that. I ended up finishing and the night time was better than three years before. But it was a struggle to do the second one for the bike and then to run after that, I had nothing like it was weird. JESSE: Did you stop by an aid stations, or did you -- COREY: I knew I was pushing too hard on the first loop. But like, I felt good, my legs were fresh. But I think I wasn't using power anything but I knew my heart rate was above where it should have been. And then near the end of the first loop well, end the second loop too, it's the toughest section, there's a 10 kilometer out and back where there's a few hills that you climb, and I powered up those hills. And that was kind of my plan that I was going to try and make up a lot of time climbing the hills, and then descending as well pretty aggressively. And I felt good doing that. But then it was just after I did that I was just-- It wasn't like I bombed it was just like, I just ran out of energy. It was like I was racing a 70.3 and I was just supposed to start running after that but I had a whole nother loop to do on the bike and it wasn't pretty. My heart rate, I just couldn't keep it up anymore and my energy was just low. And yeah, so it was a struggle. But my dad was there, he finished-- JESSE: Were you waiting for him at the finish line? COREY: Yeah, I got to see him. I saw him a few times on the course. And that was really nice too because I was in a bad place. So, just knowing that he’s out there on the course and that I was going to see him on the run kept me motivated to keep going along and get to the finish line. JESSE: So, I've kind of backed off on training, I was doing 70.3 short few years and then backed off so I can focus more on business stuff and podcasts and talking to people like you. So, it always amazes me this is like, in some ways, a pretty pedestrian thing, but it always amazes me how people like you or the people finishing at midnight have I’ll say everyday jobs, even though your jobs pretty high level. But I mean, you work for a company, you work at least 40 hours a week, I assume? COREY: Yeah. JESSE: And then finally to still train and race for Iron Man. How do you put that all together? How do you find the motivation to continue to get up in the morning or go after work; how does that all come together to actually get that done? COREY: Yes. For me, I think I just operate better when I'm busy than when I don't have free time. So, for me, I just find when I'm like, busy at work, when I'm busy training, when I'm busy hanging out with my girlfriend and doing social activities and things like that, that I'm just happier as a person. And when I'm doing well training, and I'm also doing well at work. So, it's just kind of this happy medium where if I do everything and find the right balance for everything, then everything is better. I don't know if that's coming across correctly, but it's just like, yeah, for me, it's all just about finding balance. And when I have more time to train, then I'll train more. When I'm busy at work, I'll start training less. When I have a bunch of social applications that I need to be at and be part of, then I'll figure out from-- I'll train lesser. So, for me, and it's nice that with work, yeah, generally, I'm working 40 to 60 hours a week, depending on the week. But I do have the flexibility sometimes to work from home, I'm traveling a good amount. So like, I can work from the road. So, it's with my training, with work with my social commitments, I guess I have a lot of flexibility in all three. But it's all just for me of finding the right balance. And if I need to, if I have a 60-hour Work Week, then I'm probably going to be training less or if I have a, just a quiet work week, then I'm probably going to be training more. So, it's nice that I am able to have that flexibility. And right now I'm not coached or anything like that. So, it's all very much of, I take a very, I guess, holistic approach to my training. And I feel like I've found a good place for myself where I kind of know how my body responds. And for me, at the current moment, I'm not looking to qualify for Kona or absolutely be the best I could possibly be just because with this whole work thing and moving, I know that I'm going to need to focus more on that than my training. So, yeah, I just had that mindset of, yeah, I don't need to be in my best shape right now. I'm still training and I do have a race coming up in a few weeks and I'm hoping to do really well. But if I don't do well, I guess it's not the end of the world. More I’m just hoping I get this job out in Denver. Still waiting on that call. JESSE: See, I know you're excited about it. It’s like you're ?? 11:27> this is going to be great. So, kind of curious like with, Todd he's champion of everything. So, I talked to him like, what now, and obviously, a lot of people that are competitive are focused on like, I want to be like I was focused on I wanted to be pro for a long time or they're focused on I want to win this event or beat this time, like, why keep racing if you're able to have the attitude of I have, but if it doesn't go well, that's fine. Like, why get out there? Because inevitably, you're going to hit some amount of hurt. Why go through it, what's the motivation for you? COREY: Yeah. No, that's a good question. I mean, just generally, my mindset as a whole is, I guess, kind of how I approach life is I'm just trying to continually be the best person that I can be. So, the best boyfriend, the best friend, the best triathlete, the best worker that I can be. And I know that's not going to happen in the short term, it's very much a slow, long process. So, in the meantime, right now, I'm focused more on the job and more on supporting my girlfriend and her move in her career. Whereas I guess my training is taking a backseat. It's not the priority right now, which I'm fine with. And it is a good time because last year, I did two full Iron Man's and I’m 29 now, but my racing age last year was 29. So, I was in the final year of the 25-29 age group. And I really went all in to try to qualify for Kona. And my first attempt was in August or September, August at Mont_Tremblant with my father. And like I said, I kind of blew up halfway through the bike. So, that didn't work out so well. But then came back a few months later and did Cozumel in November, and had a really good race. There was a bunch of things leading up to it that made it challenging, but I was really happy with my performance. And it just so happened that my time in other years may have qualified me for Kona, but that year, there was a few other guys that were better than me on that day in my age group. So, didn't qualify for Kona over there at their either. And then now that I'm in a new age group, and it's a very competitive age group in a very deep field, that right now I'm okay kind of having training, take a backseat to my professional life, my social life. But maybe in-- I mean, I still enjoy it so I still train. And like I said, I it's all about finding that balance. So, in order for me to be a better boyfriend or a better worker, I need to also do training for myself. It's finding that balance because there's been times where like, I've stopped training all together and it affects my mood, it affects my motivation for work. So, it's really just, I need to do at least something. And I enjoy training and I enjoy racing. So, obviously, I'm still going to do it, I just go in with the expectation that I'm not probably going to be as quick as I was last year, the year before. But it's still fun, and I still enjoy getting out there. JESSE: That's fair enough. I think I've heard that from several of the EMJ guys I talked to and just a lot of people it's like, the whole point is that you enjoy it. If you don't enjoy it like what are you doing? You know Chris Douglas? COREY: Yep. JESSE: Yeah, so I think it was when I was talking to Chris, we were talking and he just said even if you want, like nobody cares that you won, did you enjoy yourself? Like that's what you're after at the end of the day. COREY: Yeah. And that's why I like triathlon too is it's very much a lifestyle. And a lot of people have that same mindset that it's not the end of the world if you don't win, or like no one really cares how well you do except yourself. So, yeah, it's very much a lifestyle. And for me, yeah, if I'm training, well, then I'm doing well, at work, I'm doing well in my personal life, too. So, it's very much finding that balance. JESSE: So, I got one last question for you. And this is the question I asked everybody, which if you've watched all of Todd's episode, you will know. COREY: Oh man, gonna get caught off guard now. JESSE: No, no, no, it's very simple. It's an interest of mine because it's varied so much. But if you can only choose one thing to eat for recovery for the rest of your life, what do you choose? COREY: To eat for recovery? JESSE: So, it’s that crucial meal, like what's your go to? COREY: I mean I guess for me, this is going to be pretty boring. But two years ago, when I first moved to Cambridge to start my job, my mom got me a wooden bowl set. And it came with like one big salad bowl, and then like two serving bowls. And I just, I would eat salads out of the big bowl, not even use the little bowls. And I ended up giving the little bowls back to her because I never used them. So, like I said, this is a boring answer. But for me really my biggest recovery. Food is just a big salad for dinner and it's usually my go to meal. Just throw a bunch of raw food in a giant wooden bowl, dress it and eat it. Yeah, I mean, it's pretty-- takes me longer to eat what I put in there than it does to prepare it. So, it's healthy, it's nutritious. Getting in all those nutrients after a hard workout. I guess that I would say. I mean, my biggest splurge would be ice cream for sure. I'm a big fan of Ben and Jerry's being from Vermont and all. But that's probably not if I was only going to have one meal for the rest of my life to eat for recovery ice cream, probably wouldn’t be-- JESSE: ...the top of the list. COREY: Yeah, it's got a lot of sugar and fat. JESSE: No, I feel like salad’s like an answer your girlfriend can be proud that you gave. COREY: That’s right. JESSE: She’s like a-- Do you know what Todd said? Peanut butter and jelly. COREY: Okay. I think he was gonna say cinnamon roll. JESSE: Yeah, I did too, we talked about cinnamon rolls. COREY: Maybe that's a pre workout snack. JESSE: It seems like it’s his like I'm done with everything, I can relax for five minutes. Cory, if people want to find you, follow you, see what you're doing racing wise; where can they find you? COREY: Sure. I guess you can go to my Instagram @C_Rob802. JESSE: Good deal. Thanks for coming on today, Corey. COREY: All right. Thank you. Go to Part 1 Go to Part 2
Smart Athlete Podcast Ep. 9 - Corey Robinson - EMBRACE CHANGE - Part 3 of 3
That's kind of like -- I feel like there's all kinds of strategy. I feel like now after we get done talking I'm going to like head off to Google and be like, do all this stuff like research on the beer mile and be like, I'll find some sub forum of people dedicated to maybe making like the fastest beer mile they possibly can like, techniques for drinking and making sure air doesn't get caught so the beer comes out the fastest and it's just bizarre like what people get up to.
