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From the 2023 Purple Patch Training Camp in Kona, Matt delivers a special on-the-road episode exploring the vital role of training and supporting habits in broader life and work performance. Matt sits down with Purple Patch executive athletes attending the Hawaii training camp to discuss the parallels between their individual athletic journeys and their journeys in leadership within their own organizations. They share the personal challenges they face as time-starved athletes and provide insight into how they apply performance habits in training, sleep, recovery, and nutrition to set up a framework of success to thrive as a business executive, parent, partner and athlete. What emerges from the discussions are individual portraits of sustainable high performance and the supporting habits each uses in their athletic and leadership journeys. Guests include: Carmel Galvin - Head of People at Stripe Carmel Galvin is a global human resources leader and CHRO who offers 20+ years of strategic HR leadership, consulting, and executive experience in fast-growing global software and financial technology organizations including Autodesk, Deloitte, and Glassdoor. Ronald Porter - Senior Partner at Korn Ferry Ron recruits Chief Human Resource Officers and assists them in building high-performance organizations. Ron is based in New York where he also helps clients design talent strategies to drive business results through Korn Ferry's Leadership and Talent Consulting organization. Pat Romano - CEO of Chargepoint Pasquale ‘Pat’ Romano has 30+ years of technology industry leadership and executive management experience. Pat has an undergraduate degree in computer science from Harvard University and received his Master of Science degree from MIT. Maury Blackman - CEO Premise Data Blackman is a tech executive with more than 25 years of experience leading high-growth enterprise software companies. Maury was a commissioned field artillery officer in the United States Army, serving on both active and reserve duty for 10 years, and is an eleven-time Ironman finisher, including the 2008 and 2013 Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona. Tom Hennessy - CEO of The Challenger Group and Challenger Homes Tom Hennessy is the president and CEO of the challenger Group based out of Colorado, which specializes in Commercial Real Estate, Real Estate Development, Modular Manufacturing, Residential Construction, and Commercial Development. Episode Timestamps 00:00 - 12:52 - Welcome and Episode Introduction 12:58 - 1:28:13 - The Meat and Potatoes - Episode 251: Lessons From Leaders - Purple Patch Kona Camp 2023 Purple Patch Video Podcast and More The Purple Patch Center is Open - Learn More and Schedule a Visit Free Live Webinar - Free Speed: Essential Strategies to Help You Align Trained Potential with Race-Day Performance Purple Patch Coaching Consultation Purple Patch and Episode Resources This episode is sponsored by our collaboration with INSIDE TRACKER. Inside Tracker and Purple Patch - Receive 20% off their services with code: PURPLEPATCHPRO20 Ask Matt Anything - Leave a voicemail question for Matt Learn more about Purple Patch Squad High-Performance Training Program Join Bike Squad - Don’t just exercise and work out; learn to train with our structured online cycling program Join Run Squad - Increase your running performance through our progressive, multi-sport approach to running Learn more about Purple Patch Fully Customized 1:1 Coaching Learn more about Purple Patch Strength Programming Purple Patch Swim Analysis Stay Up-to-Date with Purple Patch News and Events Purple Patch Upcoming Webinars and Events

With the wave of the new year's short-term objectives behind us, it’s time to get serious about the year and season ahead. Make no mistake, the focus or goal for most of you is to achieve! Whether that be results, PRs, finish lines, or championships, most people we chat with are eager to take their performance to the next level. To do that, we must first align with the goal and think bigger about the role of fitness and performance in the life of a time-starved athlete. In this episode of the Purple Patch Podcast, IRONMAN Master Coach Matt Dixon returns to fundamentals and helps frame an intelligent approach for your athletic journey. Matt frames the discussion in three parts: The role of the athletic journey in broader life (11:55) "The sporting journey is something that can be a little bit of a backbone or a framework for us to organize components around...If you do things successfully, and you get your recipe right...it should be a catalyst for you to improve your health profile. And beyond that, you should actually amplify your energy in the day. And if you have more energy, you're going to have more willpower and focus to actually give to all of the other components of life. And that means better clarity, better decision making, better ability to stay on task -- and that becomes really powerful. The unique challenges of the time-starved athlete (17:11) "It's never just about time...when we just label things in a challenge of time, I think that we miss a really important point, and that's that what we're really faced with as a time-starved athlete, is more of a challenge of total stress accumulation...A time-starved athlete has to manage a huge amount of variable stresses in life." A performance approach for time-starved athletes (the four pillars of performance) (26:53) "They combine and what they end up creating is your own performance recipe. They are in many ways, your toolkit, your method for you to approach everything around your goals and your performance to Yes, take your performance to the next level, but also to go beyond and think about effective productivity, boosting your health and more." Episode Timestamps 00:00 - 03:06 - Welcome and Episode Introduction 03:14 - 08:32 - Matt's News-ings 08:39 - 48:00 - The Meat and Potatoes - Episode 250: Back to Basics - Building a Season of Performance Purple Patch Video Podcast and More The Purple Patch Center is Open - Learn More and Schedule a Visit Free Live Webinar - Free Speed: Essential Strategies to Help You Align Trained Potential with Race-Day Performance Purple Patch Coaching Consultation Purple Patch and Episode Resources This episode is sponsored by our collaboration with INSIDE TRACKER. Inside Tracker and Purple Patch - Receive 20% off their services with code: PURPLEPATCHPRO20 Ask Matt Anything - Leave a voicemail question for Matt Learn more about Purple Patch Squad High-Performance Training Program Join Bike Squad - Don’t just exercise and work out; learn to train with our structured online cycling program Join Run Squad - Increase your running performance through our progressive, multi-sport approach to running Learn more about Purple Patch Fully Customized 1:1 Coaching Learn more about Purple Patch Strength Programming Purple Patch Swim Analysis Stay Up-to-Date with Purple Patch News and Events Purple Patch Upcoming Webinars and Events

Matt Welcomes former professional runner, running coach, and author Lauren Fleshman to the show to celebrate the release of her autobiographical memoir, Good for a Girl: A Woman Running in a Man’s World. Lauren details her new book which uses her personal experience and the challenges she faced as a collegiate and professional athlete in a male-centric environment, as a catalyst to bring about significant change in women’s athletics. Matt and Lauren discuss women’s sports in a male arena and how to reframe the female experience in a way that is grounded in knowledge of the female body. They cover the taboo of female physiology embedded in the culture of the sport. Lauren dissects the toxic talk that hinders natural performance development, can lead to body dysmorphia, and can encourage disordered eating habits in athletes. Matt and Lauren offer applicable tools for developing a foundation of support for female athletes as coaches, teammates, and loved ones, to help foster positive and healthy growth, improved performance, and longevity. Whether you are a coach, a parent, a supporter, or an athlete yourself, this episode provides insight into the diversity of voices and experiences at every level of sport. It inspires a call to action to create an environment that accommodates every type of athlete and helps nurture a deep love for sport. Lauren Fleshman - Highlights 5 NCAA championships at Stanford 2 USA Outdoor 5,000 meters championships 15-time NCAA ALL-American Former member of Nike’s Oregon Track Club Elite Brand strategy advisor for Oiselle, a fitness apparel company for women. Co-founder of Picky Bars, a natural food company. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times and Runner’s World. She lives in Bend, OR with her spouse, triathlete Jesse Thomas, and their two children. More on Lauren Fleshman More about the book Order Good for a Girl Episode Timestamps 00:00 - 04:16 - Welcome and Episode Introduction 04:24 - 1:09:16 - The Meat and Potatoes - Episode 249: Good for a Girl - A Woman Running in a Man's World (Interview with Lauren Fleshman) Purple Patch Video Podcast and More The Purple Patch Center is Open - Learn More and Schedule a Visit Free Live Webinar - Free Speed: Essential Strategies to Help You Align Trained Potential with Race-Day Performance Purple Patch Coaching Consultation Purple Patch and Episode Resources This episode is sponsored by our collaboration with INSIDE TRACKER. Inside Tracker and Purple Patch - Receive 20% off their services with code: PURPLEPATCHPRO20 Ask Matt Anything - Leave a voicemail question for Matt Learn more about Purple Patch Squad High-Performance Training Program Join Bike Squad - Don’t just exercise and work out; learn to train with our structured online cycling program Join Run Squad - Increase your running performance through our progressive, multi-sport approach to running Learn more about Purple Patch Fully Customized 1:1 Coaching Learn more about Purple Patch Strength Programming Purple Patch Swim Analysis Stay Up-to-Date with Purple Patch News and Events Purple Patch Upcoming Webinars and Events

As we head into the new year with new goals and pursuits in life and in sport, we take stock of the lessons learned in 2022 to help pave the way for success in the coming year. In this episode of the Purple Patch podcast, we look back so we can move forward. Matt compiles key observations and lessons in performance over the past year to help you shed unproductive habits, prioritize best practices, refocus your mindset and ultimately help you build a platform of success in 2023 off of the foundation you built in 2022. Matt breaks it down to these 7 key lessons of the year: 1. Packing the Calories - A Paradigm Shift (12:41) "On longer endurance events, this has not only become possible, but absolutely performance enhancing." 2. We are Social Beings - There is Strength in Numbers (15:47) "Ultimately, the truth is that we gain value from being connected, from feeling a sense of belonging, for having shared experiences." 3. Excellence is Built on Basic Fundamentals - Lessons from the Norwegian Train (21:43) "When you get your recipe right around these fundamentals that are really, really basic, guess how far you are close to optimal. You're 90% to 95% of the way there. That's almost everything." 4. Women’s Sports is Great - Recognizing Athletic Greatness (24:57) "Women's sport consistently delivers. Not almost as good as, but absolutely as good in the same way as men's sport. And we will all benefit if we collectively invest, deliver the same exposure, facilitate the same promotion side by side as men's sport." 5. Multisport Produces Great Results in Running - A Well-Rounded Approach (26:34) "It facilitates athletes being healthier, enjoying the sport more, and getting faster." 6. There is Great Value in Taking on a Big Challenge - Meeting and Beating Your Limits (34:25) "Sometimes you're going to have setbacks, but by committing to the journey, and course correcting through the natural adversity and obstacles that you will face both logistically and energy-wise, ultimately, you will reap great rewards." 7. Evolve Beyond COVID - An Opportunity to Grow (38:43) "While it was a slap in the face, and we all talked about simplification, and learning and applying new lessons, we don't actually need a pandemic to improve ourselves. We always are empowered to make decisions to actually improve our lot." We would also like to thank you for your continued support of our ever-evolving podcast. We would love your feedback to help the show grow and make the Purple Patch Podcast a useful educational tool to help you along in your own performance Journey. Episode Timestamps 00:00 - 02:47 - Welcome and Episode Introduction 02:54 - 07:31 - Matt's News-ings 07:46 - 11:15 - Word of the Week 11:23 - 42:54 - The Meat and Potatoes - Episode 248: Lessons of 2022 - The Annual Performance Review Purple Patch Video Podcast and More The Purple Patch Center is Open - Learn More and Schedule a Visit Free Live Webinar - Free Speed: Essential Strategies to Help You Align Trained Potential with Race-Day Performance Purple Patch Coaching Consultation Purple Patch and Episode Resources This episode is sponsored by our collaboration with INSIDE TRACKER. Inside Tracker and Purple Patch - Receive 20% off their services with code: PURPLEPATCHPRO20 Ask Matt Anything - Leave a voicemail question for Matt Learn more about Purple Patch Squad High-Performance Training Program Join Bike Squad - Don’t just exercise and work out; learn to train with our structured online cycling program Join Run Squad - Increase your running performance through our progressive, multi-sport approach to running Learn more about Purple Patch Fully Customized 1:1 Coaching Learn more about Purple Patch Strength Programming Purple Patch Swim Analysis Stay Up-to-Date with Purple Patch News and Events Purple Patch Upcoming Webinars and Events

What does success look like to you in the coming year? For many athletes, the answer to that question is often anchored in a single metric: Speed. We all want success, hope to get faster, and want to improve, but without a focused approach, it’s easy to lose sight of what you’re trying to achieve and how to achieve it. The dogged pursuit of a faster finish can lead to frustration and even injury, but taking a step back to see the bigger picture can help accelerate your progress and unlock the right training recipe for you. With a new year looming, now is the time to reframe your goals and define success. In today’s episode, Matt outlines how to broaden your perspective in order to reset your barometer of success and identify the right goals for you to hit your biggest performance gains next season. (2:05) "When we think about training for something, it's natural for athletes to just get drawn into faster, faster, faster, qualification, podiums, wins, whatever the metric might be... But what if we broaden our perspective on what this journey is all about? How about we think about a different way of progression, one in which you can always feel rewarded, you can always get something out of the effort that you put in, you can feel like you're progressing? Oh, and on top of it, ultimately, you end up getting faster and faster and faster than you can probably ever imagine." In this episode, Matt discusses: Building a Sustainable Training Recipe Avoiding Injury Upskilling Knowledge and Understanding Improving Craft and Technique Building Good Habits Around Nutrition and Recovery The purpose of this episode is to assist you in reframing your goals to help improve focus, energy, health, and happiness in sport and broader life. Episode Timestamps 00:00 - 03:43 - Welcome and Episode Introduction 03:50 - 06:17 - Matt's News-ings 06:25 - 42:54 - The Meat and Potatoes - Episode 247: Resetting the Barometer of Success - The Right Goals for the Biggest Gains in 2023 Purple Patch Video Podcast and More The Purple Patch Center is Open - Learn More and Schedule a Visit Free Live Webinar - Free Speed: Essential Strategies to Help You Align Trained Potential with Race-Day Performance Purple Patch Coaching Consultation Purple Patch and Episode Resources This episode is sponsored by our collaboration with INSIDE TRACKER. Inside Tracker and Purple Patch - Receive 20% off their services with code: PURPLEPATCHPRO20 Ask Matt Anything - Leave a voicemail question for Matt Learn more about Purple Patch Squad High-Performance Training Program Join Bike Squad - Don’t just exercise and work out; learn to train with our structured online cycling program Join Run Squad - Increase your running performance through our progressive, multi-sport approach to running Learn more about Purple Patch Fully Customized 1:1 Coaching Learn more about Purple Patch Strength Programming Purple Patch Swim Analysis Stay Up-to-Date with Purple Patch News and Events Purple Patch Upcoming Webinars and Events

Tis the season to be jolly, but unfortunately tis also the season of sickness. Be it flu, cold, Covid, or RSV, everywhere you look you can see the signs of illness. For those in the Northern Hemisphere, the days are getting shorter, darker, and colder and all of the elements needed for a winter bug to spread are perfectly aligned. So what can you do this holiday or postseason to avoid getting sidelined with the sniffles? In this episode of the Purple Patch Podcast, Matt provides a game plan to help you build your resilience and bolster your immune system to avoid sickness or at least minimize the impact if you end up under the weather. Matt offers insight into illness prevention through a coach's lens, using peer-reviewed research, and the expertise of medical and sporting professionals in his orbit. He discusses supporting habits and best practices you can use to build up your defense, considerations in how to approach your training, and other tips and tricks to apply should you start to feel symptoms. The three main topics of this discussion are: Timing: Components and Conditions of the Season (10:31) "It is a time of the year where there is a lot of high sickness frequency...We come into the holidays and we're having greater travel, typically...A lot of times we're switching environments going from cold to hot or hot to cold, and that's always an additional stress on the body. And also, it's a time that we get together with friends and family and so we tend to congregate inside...And so it's a relatively high-risk environment." Habits and Approaches: Building a Platform of Resilience (18:35) Many of us always feel like we must be on. But we can really, really thrive if we allow ourselves a little bit of luxury, a little bit of pampering, a little bit of Spa. And so over these next couple of months, I think that is a very simple but really important component to actually help promote health." Addressing Symptoms: Reducing Longevity and Severity (46:45) "We must realize that whether it's viral, or bacterial, infection is a huge additional stressor that now you must handle and it is often the thing that tips the applecart. Your very best chance to meet and beat viruses and bacterial infections is to reduce your overall stressors as you go through these winter months." The aim of this episode is to provide you with tools and techniques to develop systemic resilience and health, and to help prevent sickness from derailing your performance journey. Episode Timestamps 00:00 - 05:56 - Welcome and Episode Introduction 06:04 - 49:21 - The Meat and Potatoes - Episode 246: Winter Health - Building Resilience & Minimizing Risk of Sickness Purple Patch Video Podcast and More The Purple Patch Center is Open - Learn More and Schedule a Visit Free Live Webinar - Free Speed: Essential Strategies to Help You Align Trained Potential with Race-Day Performance Training Camp - 2023 Kona Triathlon Camp Purple Patch Coaching Consultation Purple Patch and Episode Resources This episode is sponsored by our collaboration with INSIDE TRACKER. Inside Tracker and Purple Patch - Receive 20% off their services with code: PURPLEPATCHPRO20 Ask Matt Anything - Leave a voicemail question for Matt Learn more about Purple Patch Squad High-Performance Training Program Join Bike Squad - Don’t just exercise and work out; learn to train with our structured online cycling program Join Run Squad - Increase your running performance through our progressive, multi-sport approach to running Learn more about Purple Patch Fully Customized 1:1 Coaching Learn more about Purple Patch Strength Programming Purple Patch Swim Analysis Stay Up-to-Date with Purple Patch News and Events Purple Patch Upcoming Webinars and Events

It’s that time of the year. It’s the end of the racing season and the holidays are approaching quickly. Now is the time you might be considering upgrading your equipment, whether by adding on to your favorite frame or buying a brand-new bike altogether. The blizzard of information, potential or promised benefits, and the wide range of products on the market can leave you confused or frustrated with a purchase that simply isn’t right for you. Today on the Purple Patch Podcast, Ironman Master Coach Matt Dixon welcomes Chris Soden of IOG Bike Fitting to the show. With over 25 years in the cycling industry and an extensive background as a professional bike fitter and industry consultant, Chris shares his in-depth knowledge of custom and high-end bike sales and fittings to help you wade through some of the difficult decisions athletes and fitness enthusiasts of all levels face when considering a bike upgrade. Matt and Chris discuss five key elements and tips if you are contemplating or considering either upgrading your bike, buying a brand new bike, or even thinking about getting a used bike, as well as how you can avoid many of the pitfalls of a new purchase to make sure that you’re investing in the right place. Topics Matt and Chris Cover include: Making the Right Choice: What to consider when choosing a new bike (10:54) "As much as possible, what I try to get people to do is to actually look internally. We all want to watch what athletes just won a race and what athlete is on some new fun products, but really...look internally and be honest with the riding that you're going to do." - Chris Soden Common Mistakes: Elements that lead to a bad fit Best Investment For Your Return: Where to save money and where to spend (23:57) "As with many things in life, audio equipment, and cooking gear, whatever it is, you get to a point where you start spending cubic dollars for kind of marginal gains. And for some athletes, those marginal gains are the make or break." - Chris Soden Saddle Choice: The importance of getting it right (27:06) You can fidget with everything else. If you don't have your saddle dialed in, if your saddle isn't a seven or an eight out of a 1 to 10 scale, frankly, you're just going to be spinning your wheels." - Chris Soden Going Faster: Worthwhile investments for improving speed Used Bikes: The pros and cons of second-hand rides (35:01) So right off the bat, we're not buying the thing that we have the chance to buy new. We're buying this thing that's been altered, changed, and edited...And my question is always, does this bike allow proper bike fit." - Chris Soden The IOG Experience: How to access a good fit with Chris, Ivan, and the team at IOG Bike Fitting (50:09) "We've certainly helped people with new bikes, we've certainly helped people that they've progressed into different products or asked about certain upgrades. And I think the end results for us have been just a continual affirmation that this information and this expertise is very, very valuable. It's very welcome, and we're happy to be a part of it." - Chris Soden Want to connect with Chris and Ivan for consultations and more advice? Email info@purplepatchfitness.com and we will connect you to the IOG team. Episode Timestamps 00:00 - 04:59 - Welcome and Episode Introduction 05:06 - 54:05 - The Meat and Potatoes - Episode 245: Choosing Your Next Bike with Chris Soden of IOG Bike Fitting Purple Patch Video Podcast and More IOG Bike Fitting and Consulting Through Purple Patch Fitness Need More Info on IOG? Email info@purplepatchfitness.com and we can help. The Purple Patch Center is Open - Learn More and Schedule a Visit Free Live Webinar - Free Speed: Essential Strategies to Help You Align Trained Potential with Race-Day Performance Training Camp - 2023 Kona Triathlon Camp Purple Patch Coaching Consultation Purple Patch and Episode Resources This episode is sponsored by our collaboration with INSIDE TRACKER. Inside Tracker and Purple Patch - Receive 20% off their services with code: PURPLEPATCHPRO20 Ask Matt Anything - Leave a voicemail question for Matt Learn more about Purple Patch Squad High-Performance Training Program Join Bike Squad - Don’t just exercise and work out; learn to train with our structured online cycling program Join Run Squad - Increase your running performance through our progressive, multi-sport approach to running Learn more about Purple Patch Fully Customized 1:1 Coaching Learn more about Purple Patch Strength Programming Purple Patch Swim Analysis Stay Up-to-Date with Purple Patch News and Events Purple Patch Upcoming Webinars and Events

This week on the Purple Patch podcast, we are scaling back a little to give thanks to everyone who helped make the Purple Patch podcast what it is today. We are grateful for all of the support we have received over the past few years as we continue our journey and explore the evolution of the podcast experience. With nearly 250 episodes under our belt, we would like to say thank you to the more than 6 million listeners who have stood by us and inspired us as we have evolved our focus and approach. In this episode, we discuss what the podcast has become and, with the addition of the video podcast, what it has the potential to be with your input. Matt lays out the vision for the podcast's future and ways you can provide feedback on what you hope to gain from the experience. We welcome you to join the community and help us grow our platform as we strive to continue providing education, insight, and perspective to help you improve your performance in sport and life. (19:19) Thank you. Thank you for showing up engaging and making this really, really fun. I really hope that you find this show insightful, enjoyable to listen to, and helpful in your own performance journey. And the one thing that I can commit to is that we will continue to work our tails off to keep bringing the very best insights that we can. Hopefully, all of them actionable insights...We believe in ourselves. We believe in what we offer. We believe in our expertise and we care and we are invested. And so thank you for being a part of this journey. I hope that you have a super holiday. Be sure to check out the full episode for a special gift from our partners at InsideTracker. We wish you a Happy Thanksgiving from Matt, Kelli, and the entire purple patch team. Episode Timestamps 00:00 - 02:29 - Welcome and Episode Introduction 02:38 - 21:00 - The Meat and Potatoes - Episode 244: Thanks to You - The Purple Patch Podcast Experience  Purple Patch Video Podcast and More The Purple Patch Center is Open - Learn More and Schedule a Visit Free Live Webinar - Free Speed: Essential Strategies to Help You Align Trained Potential with Race-Day Performance Training Camp - 2023 Kona Triathlon Camp Purple Patch Coaching Consultation Purple Patch and Episode Resources This episode is sponsored by our collaboration with INSIDE TRACKER. Inside Tracker and Purple Patch Black Friday Sale: Nov. 23 - 30 - Receive 34% off storewide, $200 off the Ultimate Package with code: PURPLEPATCHBF34IA Ask Matt Anything - Leave a voicemail question for Matt Learn more about Purple Patch Squad High-Performance Training Program Join Bike Squad - Don’t just exercise and work out; learn to train with our structured online cycling program Join Run Squad - Increase your running performance through our progressive, multi-sport approach to running Learn more about Purple Patch Fully Customized 1:1 Coaching Learn more about Purple Patch Strength Programming Purple Patch Swim Analysis Stay Up-to-Date with Purple Patch News and Events Purple Patch Upcoming Webinars and Events

In this episode of the Purple Patch Podcast, IRONMAN Master coach Matt Dixon presents the Winter Running Project, a tried and true method for improving next year’s running performance regardless of your running level or overall goal.   The Winter Running Project is a chance for triathletes, fitness enthusiasts, injury-prone athletes, or those frustrated with the results of their running performance to improve their running technique and overall performance without getting depleted or shackling themselves with rigid structure in the postseason. (18:20) "What we're looking for in a project like this, again, is not burning up at the edge of our capacity, but we're looking for simple wins and a mindset of preparation. And so most athletes tend to thrive on a project like this, if they have a target, a goal, but that goal is built more around accountability and consistency, rather than a quantifiable, race-driven executional goal. And so I tend to not have athletes focus on training for an event here. Instead, you make something really fun and accessible. But the reward of it is by simple implementation of the program." Matt applies the method he uses to help athletes break through their running performance and breaks down the nuts and bolts of how you might put a winter running project into action by focusing on a simple, consistent, and soul-filling approach to running and training that will leave you primed for the coming season. (23:20) "A lot of your training week can act as a decompressor as a little bit of emotional relief, a little bit of simple joy of being outside, running, feel good from the endorphins that come with it. And we can shine the light more in this project on that aspect without actually losing the structure, the progression and specificity to actually improve." With the Winter Running Project, you will not only emerge an evolved runner but also build a platform of health, daily energy, resiliency, and a sense of enjoyment while running. Episode Timestamps 00:00 - 04:41 - Welcome and Episode Introduction 04:42 - 42:14 - The Meat and Potatoes - Episode 243: The Winter Running Project - A Framework to Improve Running Performance for All Levels Purple Patch Video Podcast and More The Purple Patch Center is Open - Learn More and Schedule a Visit Free Live Webinar - Free Speed: Essential Strategies to Help You Align Trained Potential with Race-Day Performance Training Camp - 2023 Kona Triathlon Camp Purple Patch Coaching Consultation Purple Patch and Episode Resources This episode is sponsored by our collaboration with INSIDE TRACKER. Inside Tracker and Purple Patch - Receive 20% off their services with code: PURPLEPATCHPRO20 Ask Matt Anything - Leave a voicemail question for Matt Learn more about Purple Patch Squad High-Performance Training Program Join Bike Squad - Don’t just exercise and work out; learn to train with our structured online cycling program Join Run Squad - Increase your running performance through our progressive, multi-sport approach to running Learn more about Purple Patch Fully Customized 1:1 Coaching Learn more about Purple Patch Strength Programming Purple Patch Swim Analysis Stay Up-to-Date with Purple Patch News and Events Purple Patch Upcoming Webinars and Events

While every performance journey requires commitment and hard work, the thing that sets enduringly good athletes apart from the rest is the dedication and time they put into establishing great fundamental habits around recovery. Postseason recovery doesn’t just mean it is time to lay on the couch, jump in an ice bath, or strap on recovery boots. Getting recovery right is key to avoiding underperformance or injury and instead achieving a sustainable performance in both sport and life. As the holidays loom and you settle into the postseason, it is important to engage in the preparatory phase of training that is so critical to facilitate future success, yet so many people fail to execute correctly. In this episode of the purple patch podcast, IRONMAN Master Coach Matt Dixon revisits the subject of recovery and frames it as a bridge between the end of the race season and improved performance in the coming year. Matt breaks down your recovery toolkit to see what works, what’s important, and what to avoid to ensure you fully recharge your battery, emotionally, physically, and socially to pave the way for enduring results and growth next season and beyond. In today's show we will go through: Recovery in the Context of Your Performance Journey (08:11) "On one side, you've got to work darn hard, consistently. On the other side, you need rejuvenation, to create acceleration in adaptations in growth in all of the outcomes that you're looking for." The Components of Proper Recovery (13:01) "This is about recharging your social connectivity to family, friends, the society that you live in, having an emotional and mental recharge so that we can gain full motivation, clarity, and purpose looking ahead, and physical rejuvenation, both from a systemic or hormonal standpoint as well as a musculoskeletal standpoint. " A Case Study of Post-Race Assessment - Recovery and Transition Into the Postseason (24:01) "Our first goal is recharge our batteries. The second goal is to have some really honest and objective reflection, and assessment of what happened over the course of this last season" (42:51) "So the process of reflection, and some smart structured months, is, I believe, a non negotiable for performance. But unfortunately, most athletes miss out on this, they take one of the two most common paths. And I promise you when you do that, completely disengage, or just have a quick break and obsessively dive back in problems nearly always lay ahead." Episode Timestamps 00:00 - 03:26 - Welcome and Episode Introduction 03:34 - 44:18 - The Meat and Potatoes - Episode 242: Deep Recovery – Post-Race Assessment and Recharging for a Magical Year of Performance Purple Patch Video Podcast and More The Purple Patch Center is Open - Learn More and Schedule a Visit Episode 130: Four Phases of a Successful Performance Culture Episode 215: Stress Is Not A Dirty Word Free Live Webinar - Free Speed: Essential Strategies to Help You Align Trained Potential with Race-Day Performance Training Camp - 2023 Kona Triathlon Camp Purple Patch Coaching Consultation Purple Patch and Episode Resources This episode is sponsored by our collaboration with INSIDE TRACKER. Inside Tracker and Purple Patch - Receive 20% off their services with code: PURPLEPATCHPRO20 Ask Matt Anything - Leave a voicemail question for Matt Learn more about Purple Patch Squad High-Performance Training Program Join Bike Squad - Don’t just exercise and work out; learn to train with our structured online cycling program Join Run Squad - Increase your running performance through our progressive, multi-sport approach to running Learn more about Purple Patch Fully Customized 1:1 Coaching Learn more about Purple Patch Strength Programming Purple Patch Swim Analysis Stay Up-to-Date with Purple Patch News and Events Purple Patch Upcoming Webinars and Events

As a follow-up to our podcast on the evolution of the professional triathlon, this episode focuses on the tip of the performance spear with a spotlight on two athletes who have taken the sport to new heights. Gustav Iden and Kristian Blummenfelt, also known as The Norwegian Train. With stand-out Olympic and Ironman performances in recent years, the two athletes paved the way to a stellar showing at the 2022 Hawaii Ironman World Championships and a record-breaking win for Iden. The pair recently appeared on the Rich Roll podcast to shed light on their approach and offered a glimpse into their training method, which is well known for its grounding in science and technology, spearheaded by their coach, Olav Aleksander Bu. In this episode of the purple patch podcast, Ironman Master Coach, Matt Dixon takes the insights gleaned from the interview with Iden and Blummenfelt and examines what you can learn from the principles, approach, and success of the seemingly unstoppable Norwegian Train. Matt discusses: Context and Perspective: The differences between elite professionals and the time-starved amateur. (12:48) "It's sort of a monastic life...it's not the game that the vast majority of us are playing." (20:27) "While the pros have a very pure speed and performance challenge, us as amateurs face an optimization challenge in both training, planning, and where to apply focus so that we can ultimately move our performance needle." Traits and Approaches: Traits and principles that make up the training approach of elite professionals. (25:22) "When you listen to Kristian, and Gustav, what comes through for me is a series of traits and approaches, all wrapped up in the team setup that are very, very common across almost any high-performing team and individual. And this could be tailored and positioned to sports, to business, to broader life." Actionable Takeaways: Key lessons you can draw from the interview to apply to your training approach and performance journey. (40:48) "What should you apply right now, from all of these insights? You can't just change everything, but what are the components that you should do? Should you go and grab a lactate meter? Should you recruit your partner to help you with the application of the core temperature monitor? If you've listened to the episode and interview you'll understand what I mean by that. Should you hire a personal physiologist? Should you scrap the family holiday so that you can spend it all on data analytics? No, at least not before you do these things that I'm going to break through." Episode Timestamps 00:00 - 06:59 - Welcome and Episode Introduction 07:07 - 46:07 - The Meat and Potatoes - Episode 241: Observations of Elite Performance - What Amateur Athletes Can Learn from Gustav Iden and Kristian Blummenfelt Purple Patch Video Podcast and More The Purple Patch Center is Open - Learn More and Schedule a Visit The RIch Roll Podcast - Gustav Iden & Kristian Blummenfelt: Lessons From The Norwegian Train Reign Episode 10: Recovery - Your Key to Improved Performance Episode 25: Traits of Highly Talented People Free Live Webinar - Free Speed: Essential Strategies to Help You Align Trained Potential with Race-Day Performance Training Camp - 2023 Kona Triathlon Camp Purple Patch Coaching Consultation Purple Patch and Episode Resources This episode is sponsored by our collaboration with INSIDE TRACKER. Inside Tracker and Purple Patch - Receive 20% off their services with code: PURPLEPATCHPRO20 Ask Matt Anything - Leave a voicemail question for Matt Learn more about Purple Patch Squad High-Performance Training Program Join Bike Squad - Don’t just exercise and work out; learn to train with our structured online cycling program Join Run Squad - Increase your running performance through our progressive, multi-sport approach to running Learn more about Purple Patch Fully Customized 1:1 Coaching Learn more about Purple Patch Strength Programming Purple Patch Swim Analysis Stay Up-to-Date with Purple Patch News and Events Purple Patch Upcoming Webinars and Events

Like most time-starved athletes, it’s the time of year when you reflect on the season and look forward to a well-deserved break. While the winter months offer a welcome shift of focus to other areas of life, your commitment to longer-term goals and your performance journey looms large. The threat of losing momentum in your athletic performance conflicts with the need to disconnect.  Today IRONMAN Master Coach Matt Dixon lays out a few strategies for developing your winter action plan, to help you find the mental relief you seek while setting up a strong performance for next year. Matt shares his 5 non-negotiable basics that every athlete or fitness enthusiast can do this winter to stay on pace for an optimal long-term outcome. Retain Structure and Amplify Focus on Life (24:07) "A training structure is actually the very framework that allows organization. And that becomes really important because having some structure in your life is the very key that unlocks effectiveness in work, in giving time to family and friends." Commit to Strength (36:19) "If you do strength and conditioning appropriately, you should experience improved motor patterns. So better synchronization, better coordination. In other words, you get to be more athletic, that's really good. We get to improve our posture, our stability, and our balance. So, therefore, better athletic awareness, a better platform to go and launch into any type of endurance activity that we might do." Go Play (42:57) "Beyond the framework of specificity that we have, there is capacity to add play into this...activities that can foster mental rejuvenation, freshness, but at the same time cross-pollinate to an effective training outcome." Evolve Your Fueling and Eating Habits (50:13) "It is the time when training stress is lower, that you really have mental capacity to apply the lessons...and then when training ramps up, you've got the habit creation, you've got the strategies, and you can parallel your nutritional demands with increasing demands of training. And that becomes a winning proposition." Lay Your Performance Foundation (51:26) "The truth is that if you want to make something really special happen for yourself, you need to go out and make it happen. There's no sugarcoating here. You do the work, you work your tail off within the lighter structure, with less hours and you will, as a non-negotiable, lay your performance foundation." This episode aims to help you turn your back on the sport this winter without turning your back on your overall performance journey. Episode Timestamps 00:00 - 05:37 - Welcome and Episode Introduction 05:44 - 10:49 - Matt's News-ings 10:50 - 100:29 - Meat and Potatoes - Episode 240: The Winter Action Plan - Five Non-Negotiables for Every Time-Starved Athlete Purple Patch Video Podcast and More The Purple Patch Center is Open - Learn More and Schedule a Visit Episode 238: Off-Season (As You Know It) Is Dead - The Postseason Path to Race Readiness Purple Patch Blog - Three-Month Race Plans are Ancient History Free Live Webinar - Free Speed: Essential Strategies to Help You Align Trained Potential with Race-Day Performance Training Camp - 2023 Kona Triathlon Camp Purple Patch Coaching Consultation Purple Patch and Episode Resources This episode is sponsored by our collaboration with INSIDE TRACKER. Inside Tracker and Purple Patch - Receive 20% off their services with code: PURPLEPATCHPRO20 Ask Matt Anything - Leave a voicemail question for Matt Learn more about Purple Patch Squad High-Performance Training Program Join Bike Squad - Don’t just exercise and work out; learn to train with our structured online cycling program Join Run Squad - Increase your running performance through our progressive, multi-sport approach to running Learn more about Purple Patch Fully Customized 1:1 Coaching Learn more about Purple Patch Strength Programming Purple Patch Swim Analysis Stay Up-to-Date with Purple Patch News and Events Purple Patch Upcoming Webinars and Events

If you are like many fitness enthusiasts, athletes, and those looking to improve their health and fitness while balancing the demands of work, family, and life, you may be struggling or disatisfied with the results. Maybe you invested in your fitness journey and your body composition or fitness profile is not improving Maybe you're stuck in an injury cycle. You are not alone. Many people are struggling to find their performance recipe within the framework of today’s traditional fitness model. The fitness landscape is saturated with gyms, group fitness classes, strength programs, and get-ripped-quick schemes that promise everything under the sun yet usually deliver little in the way of long-term growth. The stale routines and lack of results of programs that are narrow in scope and broad in guidance only compound the frustration by introducing a blizzard of information and performance-enhancing strategies that deliver nothing more than broken promises of improved body composition, better health, and longevity. Today, IRONMAN Master Coach Matt Dixon outlines a better pathway to success. He introduces a training model that is tailored to your own life, builds on an athletic approach, and offers a simple and proven training method that defies the broken models of traditional fitness. In this episode Matt covers: Part One: The Definition of Success - Building a Smart Training Program That Suits YOU (19:43) "So, control results, broad results across life and health, making sure that you're getting a sense of connection, and of course out of all, a deep sense of satisfaction for a job well done. This is what for me a commitment - that contract with yourself - a commitment to a smart program should be focused on delivering." Part Two: The Broken Model - 5 Elements that Lead to Random Results and Potential Failure (30:13) "Traditional fitness is globally designed for everyone. But there is a real case that, quite often that means that, it's not good enough for anyone. And the benefits that yield from this are short-term. But of course, the outcome and the risk is failure or injury." Part Three: A Performance Model that Works - 7 Elements of a Successful Training Program (33:27) "So just imagine if right now I could say to you, there's an approach that is absolutely proven effective in producing predictable results, and also helps develop great traits in organization. And underneath it all, it's shown that it improves your health. Wouldn't that be nice? Well, guess what? There is such a model. There really is. And that model is the development of an elite endurance athlete. " Part Four: The Purple Patch Performance Center - The Model in Action (57:37) "You've got your work, you've got your home, and you've got the gym. The club. That's your third space. And that becomes really important... By showing up and arriving here, you are fostering not just improvements in sport, but you're becoming a better person. It's actually building up your social network, a real social network." The goal of today’s episode is to provide you with a framework for training to help balance your goals in sport and fitness with your time-starved life and provide a filter against the performance noise often found in the traditional fitness model. Episode Timestamps 00:00 - 03:57 - Welcome and Episode Introduction 04:04 - 07:53 - Matt's News-ings 07:54 - 11:02 - Word of the Week 11:09 - 102:38 - Meat and Potatoes - Episode 239: Fixing the Broken Model of Traditional Fitness Purple Patch Video Podcast and More VIDEO PODCAST - Episode 236: KONA - Evolution of the Pro Performance (An IRONMAN Master Coach Insight) PODCAST - Episode 236: KONA - Evolution of the Pro Performance (An IRONMAN Master Coach Insight) RSVP For The Grand Opening Of The Purple Patch Performance Center Free Live Webinar - Free Speed: Essential Strategies to Help You Align Trained Potential with Race-Day Performance Training Camp - 2023 Kona Triathlon Camp Purple Patch Coaching Consultation The Purple Patch Center is Open - Learn More and Schedule a Visit Purple Patch and Episode Resources This episode is sponsored by our collaboration with INSIDE TRACKER. Inside Tracker and Purple Patch - Receive 20% off their services with code: PURPLEPATCHPRO20 Ask Matt Anything - Leave a voicemail question for Matt Learn more about Purple Patch Squad High-Performance Training Program Join Bike Squad - Don’t just exercise and work out; learn to train with our structured online cycling program Join Run Squad - Increase your running performance through our progressive, multi-sport approach to running Learn more about Purple Patch Fully Customized 1:1 Coaching Learn more about Purple Patch Strength Programming Purple Patch Swim Analysis Stay Up-to-Date with Purple Patch News and Events Purple Patch Upcoming Webinars and Events

For many athletes, the offseason is the bridge between the end-of-summer finish lines and next season's starting lines. While you might be considering turning the dial down on your athletic performance, you may actually be setting yourself up for failure in the coming year. In this episode of the Purple Patch Podcast, Ironman Master Coach Matt Dixon highlights the common mistake many athletes make in their approach to training and performance habits during the most important phase of training. (22:08) "There is seldom a time where a complete removal of structure is your best option. Because when you remove structure, and focus, you lose all organizational framework. And you're also going to miss an opportunity of preparation. And that critical preparation is often the catalyst, the number one performance predictor for you having a wonderful season next year. " Matt makes a case for a radical shift in approach during the winter months to set up a platform of resilience and increased performance readiness for the coming season. In this episode Matt covers: Part One: A Broken System The problem with magic race builds and the short-term approach. (14:10) "you don't need to be year-round in your obsession. It doesn't need to feel like a monkey on the back. But you equally cannot expect greatness and ongoing personal development if you're only focused for a short period of time." Part Two: Shifting the Lens - Key supporting Ingredients for a time-starved athlete. (24:20) "What we're looking to do is to find a smart and structured program that can enable global performance readiness, free your mind and enable you to more easily ramp to races. And so the core components of this, almost the legs of your performance store, is number one, a realization that consistency is the magic word." Part Three: How to Build Sustainable Performance The preparatory phase - focusing on consistency and pragmatism. (32:15) "It is patient. It delivers low emotional load. But what it ends up delivering is you in a place when you are ready to turn the training focus up a little bit as having a platform of resilience. It's going to set you up to get optimal yield from the upcoming hard work." (32:51) "You can imagine how this type of training, pretty low stress, tissue resilience, technique focused, it's very, very hard to integrate that type of low-stress training into a race build is never going to happen." This episode aims to flip many listeners' mindsets around a typical approach to training by reframing the offseason and encouraging athletes to commit to a year-round approach to building a platform of health. Episode Timestamps 00:00 - 03:32 - Welcome and Episode Introduction 03:247 - 08:31 - Word of the Week 8:32 - Episode 238: Off-Season (As You Know It) Is Dead - The Postseason Path to Race Readiness Purple Patch Video Podcast and More RSVP For The Grand Opening Of The Purple Patch Performance Center Free Live Webinar - Free Speed: Essential Strategies to Help You Align Trained Potential with Race-Day Performance Training Camp - 2023 Kona Triathlon Camp Purple Patch Coaching Consultation The Purple Patch Center is Open - Learn More and Schedule a Visit Purple Patch and Episode Resources This episode is sponsored by our collaboration with INSIDE TRACKER. Inside Tracker and Purple Patch - Receive 20% off their services with code: PURPLEPATCHPRO20 Ask Matt Anything - Leave a voicemail question for Matt Learn more about Purple Patch Squad High-Performance Training Program Join Bike Squad - Don’t just exercise and work out; learn to train with our structured online cycling program Join Run Squad - Increase your running performance through our progressive, multi-sport approach to running Learn more about Purple Patch Fully Customized 1:1 Coaching Learn more about Purple Patch Strength Programming Purple Patch Swim Analysis Stay Up-to-Date with Purple Patch News and Events Purple Patch Upcoming Webinars and Events

You’ve done everything you can to avoid injury. You focused on fueling and hydration, followed a well-balanced strength and conditioning program, removed intensity when needed, and diversified your training to include a multisport approach. You leveraged all of the strategies Matt covered in the first two episodes of our three-part series on injury prevention and management. Despite your best efforts, you now find yourself fending off the niggles and worry about it becoming a larger issue. In our final segment on breaking the injury cycle, Matt moves beyond strategies for injury prevention and digs into the painful reality of coping with nagging injuries. In this episode of the Purple Patch Podcast, Matt provides insight, based on patterns he has seen as a coach over many years, on how to avoid getting stuck in a cycle of injury and successfully emerge ready to train and compete. Matt shares 6 principles that are important to apply a smart and pragmatic approach to overcoming the niggles and injuries. Understanding Your Injury (12:28) "If you're going to manage through any soft tissue, or even bone injury, it's really important that you spend the time to investigate what is actually going on, and how to manage." Preventing a Niggle from Becoming an Injury (25:55) "with tugs, or tightness, a general rule is to actually allow your body to do its thing. In other words, as I like to say, leave it the heck alone." (26:27) "The body is really good at regressing to the mean, in other words, restoring, adapting, recuperating, and you don't want to intervene with that process." Avoiding Detraining (30:23) "You are a multi-sport athlete. And so we want to ensure that we double down and ensure that we don't de-train across the other elements. You are an athlete. And we need to ensure that we maintain an athlete mindset and approach almost every situation no matter what happens as much as we can." Embracing the Four Pillars of Performance (42:35) "When you do experience a little bit of a niggle or do have to navigate injury, you want to really double down on those two pillars, great nutritional support, and really focusing on destressing, and prioritizing sleep and downtime." Following the Guidelines of Re-entry (43:06) "The most harm, and an extension of an injury, tends to occur as an athlete has got over the initial symptoms and begins to actually progress back to regular training." Leverage the Opportunity of Adversity (50:41) "Every time that you face in a niggle or injury, there are always lessons to be drawn. And that is a part of growth, of becoming smarter about your body or developing autonomy, and in fact, a platform for you ultimately, to build resilience. " Episode Timestamps 00:00 - 02:19 - Welcome and Episode Introduction 02:26 - 04:56 - Matt's News-ings 05:10 - 08:46 - Word of the Week 8:54 - Episode 237: Breaking the Injury Cycle (Part 3) - 6 Principles of Injury Management Purple Patch Video Podcast and More Episode 230: Breaking the Injury Cycle (Part 1) - 5 Keys to Prevention and Lowering Risk Episode 233: Breaking the Injury Cycle (Part 2) - The Role of Nutrition RSVP For The Grand Opening Of The Purple Patch Performance Center Free Live Webinar - Free Speed: Essential Strategies to Help You Align Trained Potential with Race-Day Performance Training Camp - 2023 Kona Triathlon Camp Purple Patch Coaching Consultation The Purple Patch Center is Open - Learn More and Schedule a Visit Purple Patch and Episode Resources This episode is sponsored by our collaboration with INSIDE TRACKER. Inside Tracker and Purple Patch - Receive 20% off their services with code: PURPLEPATCHPRO20 Ask Matt Anything - Leave a voicemail question for Matt Learn more about Purple Patch Squad High-Performance Training Program Join Bike Squad - Don’t just exercise and work out; learn to train with our structured online cycling program Join Run Squad - Increase your running performance through our progressive, multi-sport approach to running Learn more about Purple Patch Fully Customized 1:1 Coaching Learn more about Purple Patch Strength Programming Purple Patch Swim Analysis Stay Up-to-Date with Purple Patch News and Events Purple Patch Upcoming Webinars and Events

With the Hawaii IRONMAN World Championships looming, one can’t help but wonder about the level of performance to expect from an ever-growing field of high-performance athletes whose athleticism seems to trend upward every year. Beyond Kona, professional triathlon has witnessed performance and endurance levels rise and the makeup of endurance athletes shift based on the growing demands and expectations of the sport. In today’s episode of the Purple Patch Podcast, IRONMAN master coach Matt Dixon uses his experience as both an athlete and coach to examine the shift over the past few decades in the athletic approach to training, nutrition, recovery, and all the elements needed to perform at the professional level in today’s triathlon landscape. Matt takes a look at the future of Professional Triathlon through the lens of its past by highlighting 6 main principles he has observed around the changing of the sport. The Application of Science: Improved access and understanding of scientific data for optimal training and recovery. (34:03) "We have seen over the last five to ten years, a wonderful marrying of coaching, experimentation, research and applied research on the fly, or with a collaboration to accelerate learning of what truly works, and perhaps most importantly, what doesn't work. There has been a radical increase in the understanding of what it takes to achieve performance improvements." Triathlon as a First Sport: Early exposure and focus on a multisport approach. (37:28) "In the last few years, we genuinely are starting to see athletes that grew up as triathletes. It was their first real elite experience. And with this, we started to see the average age of world-class being dramatically reduced." Perceptions of Possibility: the elevation of athletic performance through breakthrough individual performances in all three disciplines. (39:58) "There is simply no place for being a weak bike rider. You cannot excel without being a great runner. And you also have to ultimately swim at or very, very close to the world-class level in swimming. It's a prerequisite now." Evolving Nutrition and Fueling: The evolution of science and approach in stabilizing energy, predicting performance levels, and improving recovery. (44:41) "this has proved to be a genuine and serious performance paradigm shift, particularly in long course racing, those that are benefiting from it, they're bonking less and experiencing less gastric distress." Advancements in Equipment Technology: The radical increase and optimization of technologically advanced triathlon equipment. (47:05) "Gimmicks are less dominant now. There's a smarter filter going on. And the access to all of this equipment is much more democratic." Structure of the Sport: The shift in race format and approach by the Professional Triathletes Organisation. (49:29) "The race formats and the structure has elevated the required range of participating pros. And I predict that this is only going to accelerate over the next three, four, or five years. What it means to be a serious professional triathlete is going to change." The aim of this episode is to shape your expectations and performance levels based on an understanding of what it means, and what it takes, to deliver a world-class triathlon performance. Episode Timestamps 00:00 - 03:38 - Welcome and Episode Introduction 03:45 - Episode 236: Evolution of the Pro Performance - an IRONMAN Master Coach Insight Purple Patch Video Podcast and More RSVP For The Grand Opening Of The Purple Patch Performance Center Free Live Webinar - Free Speed: Essential Strategies to Help You Align Trained Potential with Race-Day Performance Training Camp - 2023 Kona Triathlon Camp Purple Patch Coaching Consultation The Purple Patch Center is Open - Learn More and Schedule a Visit Purple Patch and Episode Resources This episode is sponsored by our collaboration with INSIDE TRACKER. Inside Tracker and Purple Patch - Receive 20% off their services with code: PURPLEPATCHPRO20 Ask Matt Anything - Leave a voicemail question for Matt Learn more about Purple Patch Squad High-Performance Training Program Join Bike Squad - Don’t just exercise and work out; learn to train with our structured online cycling program Join Run Squad - Increase your running performance through our progressive, multi-sport approach to running Learn more about Purple Patch Fully Customized 1:1 Coaching Learn more about Purple Patch Strength Programming Purple Patch Swim Analysis Stay Up-to-Date with Purple Patch News and Events Purple Patch Upcoming Webinars and Events

The day has finally come to celebrate a vision nearly a decade in the making, as the doors to the Purple Patch Performance Center in San Francisco's historic Mission District officially open. In this episode of the Purple Patch Podcast, IRONMAN Master Coach Matt Dixon takes us from seed to sprout with the story of how the performance center came to fruition through hard work, the endurance of spirit, and the adaptive evolution of the dream. Matt takes us from a special idea tangled in red tape to an opening day threatened by the impacts of a global pandemic. (22:07) "Greatness emerges from the ability to adapt, be changeable, and to navigate obstacles. And so the truth was that the center suddenly became a real-life situation of a phrase that we love at Purple Patch, we needed to evolve or die as a business, literally. And so we had no option, we had to adapt." Matt gives us a preview of the center, its partners, and the services it provides, that embody the Purple Patch Pillars of Performance and helped make the dream of the Purple Patch Center come true. With the official launch party set for October 20th, 2022, Matt welcomes everyone to attend the grand opening and to follow along today as he frames the vision for the center as a hub for local athletes of all levels and a beacon for athletes all over the world. (38:58) "It's not just going to be elite athletes, there's going to be a hodgepodge, a melting pot of all different sorts of levels of focus and goals. The only key, the only demand is a thirst and desire and ultimately commitment to improve. And so this will attract, I hope, time-starved athletes. Really busy professionals and executives, parents that are looking to improve their energy and perhaps their body composition, and anyone that is invested in their personal health, performance, and energy throughout life." The grand opening is a free event open to everyone. You don’t need to be a current Purple Patch member to attend. Feel free to bring your friends, family, and fellow fitness enthusiasts along to see what the Purple Patch Performance Center has to offer. Episode Timestamps 00:00 - 05:49 - Welcome and Episode Introduction 05:57 - 09:02 - Matt's Newsings 09:14 - 13:34 - Word of the Week 13:42 - Episode 235: The Purple Patch Performance Center: Journey to the Grand Opening Purple Patch Video Podcast and More RSVP For The Grand Opening Of The Purple Patch Performance Center More About The Purple Patch Performance Center Learn More About IOG Services at The Purple Patch Performance Center Learn More About Precision Hydration and Fueling Services at The Purple Patch Performance Center Learn More About Sports Medicine Institute Services at The Purple Patch Performance Center Free Live Webinar - Free Speed: Essential Strategies to Help You Align Trained Potential with Race-Day Performance Training Camp - 2023 Kona Triathlon Camp Purple Patch Coaching Consultation The Purple Patch Center is Open - Learn More and Schedule a Visit Purple Patch and Episode Resources This episode is sponsored by our collaboration with INSIDE TRACKER. Inside Tracker and Purple Patch - Receive 20% off their services with code: PURPLEPATCHPRO20 Ask Matt Anything - Leave a voicemail question for Matt Learn more about Purple Patch Squad High-Performance Training Program Join Bike Squad - Don’t just exercise and work out; learn to train with our structured online cycling program Join Run Squad - Increase your running performance through our progressive, multi-sport approach to running Learn more about Purple Patch Fully Customized 1:1 Coaching Learn more about Purple Patch Strength Programming Purple Patch Swim Analysis Stay Up-to-Date with Purple Patch News and Events Purple Patch Upcoming Webinars and Events

It’s that time of the year, and the first time since 2019, that athletes from all parts of the world gear up for the Hawaii Ironman World Championships in Kona. Whether you're planning to compete, supporting friends, or you're just an enthusiast, ironman master coach Matt Dixon invites you to follow along as he shares everything you need to know about how to achieve success in Kona. In this episode of the Purple Patch Podcast, Matt draws from his 15 years of experience helping athletes thrive at the Hawaii Ironman World Championships and provides a breakdown of the preparation, training, and logistical elements you need to consider before ever setting foot on the island. Purple Patch has guided more than 750 athletes to qualification at the World Championships, has coached multiple age group world champions, and has had numerous purple patch pros in the top 10 overall, including athletes such as Chris Lieto, Rachel Joyce, and Sarah Piampiano. Matt takes the lessons he has learned from coaching these athletes and shares a detailed walkthrough of what you can expect in Kona, from landing to leaving. The episode is broken into two parts: Part 1: pre-arrival and nailing race week Part 2: Race execution - swim-bike-run, nutrition, and mindset. In part one you will learn: Key strategies to adopt before you travel - How to arrive fit, fresh, and ready to handle the crazy of Kona week. (11:49) "your mission and goal is to arrive to Hawaii as systemically fresh as possible. You want to also be prepared physiologically to meet the conditions as best as you can. So you want to get there really fresh and already have some physiological adaptations in hand so that you are ready to navigate the heat. If you can achieve those two big things, then what you can do in Hawaii is start to prime for the race." A framework of how to optimize race week - Balancing training and preparation with the Kona experience. The hit list - answers to the most common questions athletes have around race week. In part two you will learn: Strategies around success in Kona - race day mindset and execution (38:10) "if you want your best race performance, the truth is that it's never going to come from you chasing splits. Having predetermined ideas of what you want to swim, what you want to bike, and what you run or run and trying to adhere a race plan to that is a fool's errand. Instead, success is going to come about through an element of control, really smart self-management, a great amount of persistence, and continued problem solving over all of the challenges that you will meet across the whole of the day." Key elements around race craft, fueling, and hydration. How to navigate recovery and reflection. So many athletes ruin their performance potential through a series of mistakes they make in their preparation or execution during race week. The goal of this episode is to provide you with details of the experience and recommendations to help you set up for your best Hawaii Ironman Race experience. Episode Timestamps 00:00 - 04:04 - Welcome and Episode Introduction 04:12 - 07:58 - Matt's News-ings 08:05 - Episode 234: Keys to Kona - Strategies for Success at the Hawaii Ironman World Championships Purple Patch Video Podcast and More Free Live Webinar - Free Speed: Essential Strategies to Help You Align Trained Potential with Race-Day Performance Training Camp - 2023 Kona Triathlon Camp Purple Patch Coaching Consultation Training Camp - 2022 St.George Triathlon Camp The Purple Patch Center is Open - Learn More and Schedule a Visit Purple Patch and Episode Resources This episode is sponsored by our collaboration with INSIDE TRACKER. Inside Tracker and Purple Patch - Receive 20% off their services with code: PURPLEPATCHPRO20 Ask Matt Anything - Leave a voicemail question for Matt Learn more about Purple Patch Squad High-Performance Training Program Join Bike Squad - Don’t just exercise and work out; learn to train with our structured online cycling program Join Run Squad - Increase your running performance through our progressive, multi-sport approach to running Learn more about Purple Patch Fully Customized 1:1 Coaching Learn more about Purple Patch Strength Programming Purple Patch Swim Analysis Stay Up-to-Date with Purple Patch News and Events Purple Patch Upcoming Webinars and Events

In part two of our three-part series on injury prevention and management, Matt Welcomes to the podcast leading performance nutritionist Scott Tindal of FuelIn for a discussion on the role of nutrition in injury prevention, mitigation, and recovery. Together Matt and Scott frame the topic of injury through the lens of under-fueling or improper fueling and its impact on soft tissue and bone health. The conversation covers: Low Energy Availability (LEA), Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDS), Over Training Syndrome. Chronic vs. Acute LEA (7:06) "What I think tends to happen is athletes see the results of...taking in limited amounts of fuel. They see the body composition improve, they see the weight drop, they see maybe some improvement in these performance parameters, maybe because of reduced weight, and then they get oh, maybe if I lose more, maybe if I go further. Maybe if I drop more fat, maybe if I don't eat as much here, I can continue to improve, and then you start to see those changes, you know. Not just from a physical standpoint, but also a mental standpoint as well. And that's when I think if we're talking about soft tissue injuries and bone injuries, that's when it starts to occur." Caloric intake and the balanced consumption of carbs, protein, and fat Proper hydration Navigating dietary restrictions (30:24) "I fully respect the decision to go vegan or vegetarian. And I think you just need to be aware of the implications of those diet types, especially when trying to perform high volume, high intensity, you know, lots of load training, I think it just needs to be -- you need to be aware of protein intake, carbohydrate intake, fat intake, and total caloric intake when doing that, along with all the micronutrient potential deficiencies that could exist with a poorly designed the, you know, vegetarian diet." Matt and Scott also discuss the most common nutritional mistakes athletes make that promote injury and the practices that lead to bone resorption - the shrinkage or loss of bone. Scott Tindal also explains what it means to “feed the injury” as well as the habits athletes should avoid during injury recovery. (40:59) "When injury occurs, I think the most common mistake is that athletes will drop caloric intake. So they all say, sh**, I'm getting fat, because I can't move. But if we look at acute muscle damage...induced through exercise, we see an increase in resting metabolic rate. And that will occur for at least up to 72 hours. So if you get an injury, certainly don't restrict caloric intake for at least the first 72 hours. That would be something that we would absolutely stress that actually, if anything, increase your energy intake during those first three days post-injury, to allow the body to recover." The purpose of this episode is to provide an understanding of the negative physiological challenges that occur due to improper nutrition and how to leverage nutrition in a well-balanced and well-rounded approach to injury prevention, care, and rehabilitation. Episode Timestamps 0:00 - 02:39 Welcome and Episode Introduction 2:47 - The Meat and Potatoes - Episode 233: Breaking the Injury Cycle (Part 2) - The Role of Nutrition Purple Patch Video Podcast and More Learn More About FuelIn Free Live Webinar - Free Speed: Essential Strategies to Help You Align Trained Potential with Race-Day Performance Training Camp - 2022 St.George Triathlon Camp Training Camp - 2023 Kona Triathlon Camp Purple Patch Coaching Consultation The Purple Patch Center is Open - Learn More and Schedule a Visit Purple Patch and Episode Resources This episode is sponsored by our collaboration with INSIDE TRACKER. Inside Tracker and Purple Patch - Receive 20% off their services with code: PURPLEPATCHPRO20 Ask Matt Anything - Leave a voicemail question for Matt Learn more about Purple Patch Squad High-Performance Training Program Join Bike Squad - Don’t just exercise and work out; learn to train with our structured online cycling program Join Run Squad - Increase your running performance through our progressive, multi-sport approach to running Learn more about Purple Patch Fully Customized 1:1 Coaching Learn more about Purple Patch Strength Programming Purple Patch Swim Analysis Stay Up-to-Date with Purple Patch News and Events Purple Patch Upcoming Webinars and Events

Fresh from the Haute Route Alps, Ironman Coach Matt Dixon returns to the podcast to share his thoughts on the experience, the lessons he gleaned from the 7-day event, and how to apply them to your athletic pursuits. The conversation covers training versus race execution and a look at the principles and elements of Matt’s preparation as a time-starved athlete that supported his performance. (22:19) "I think I arrived at the race really vibrant and healthy. We always talked about fit and fresh. I think I actually managed to succeed in doing that. And that was really beneficial for me. The challenge was the mental test. Every single day I finished I thought, goodness me, I've just done too much damage to myself today. But the interesting thing about these is not judging yourself, not buckling mentally, and just maintaining a curious mind of what is the body going to pay me back with. And every day the body responded for myself and the rest of our team. And it was -- I just felt fresh every day." Matt walks us through the Haute Route with a look at his approach to the challenges of the ride and offers his five key takeaways and lessons from the experience. 5 Lessons from the Haute Route: (26:08) The importance of taking on a scary challenge (29:13) Prepare effectively without it dominating life (30:50) The critical importance of training self-management (33:38) A methodology and Coaching Matters (35:38) Being a part of something amplifies everything This episode aims to provide insight into approaching a multi-day event and provides principles and insights you can apply to your training approach towards your athletic challenge.   Episode Timestamps 0:00 - 03:09 Welcome and Episode Introduction 3:20 - The Meat and Potatoes - Episode 232: Lessons and Insights From the Haute Route Alps Purple Patch Video Podcast and More Free Live Webinar - Free Speed: Essential Strategies to Help You Align Trained Potential with Race-Day Performance Training Camp - 2022 St.George Triathlon Camp Training Camp - 2023 Kona Triathlon Camp Learn More About The Haute Route Learn More About Precision Fuel and Hydration Use the code PURPLEPATCH_SQ93 on Precision Fuel and Hydration products Learn More About FuelIn Purple Patch Coaching Consultation Training Camp - 2022 St.George Triathlon Camp The Purple Patch Center is Open - Learn More and Schedule a Visit Purple Patch and Episode Resources This episode is sponsored by our collaboration with INSIDE TRACKER. Inside Tracker and Purple Patch - Receive 20% off their services with code: PURPLEPATCHPRO20 Ask Matt Anything - Leave a voicemail question for Matt Learn more about Purple Patch Squad High-Performance Training Program Join Bike Squad - Don’t just exercise and work out; learn to train with our structured online cycling program Join Run Squad - Increase your running performance through our progressive, multi-sport approach to running Learn more about Purple Patch Fully Customized 1:1 Coaching Learn more about Purple Patch Strength Programming Purple Patch Swim Analysis Stay Up-to-Date with Purple Patch News and Events Purple Patch Upcoming Webinars and Events