Many triathletes tend to be busy people with very full lives, making participation in the sport a jigsaw of time management, physical challenges, and mental stresses. With the combination of three sports into one, training is not an easy puzzle to create, especially when considering the additional components such as sleep, nutrition, fueling, equipment choices, and environmental stresses (heat, altitude, etc). With all this, it is no wonder that athletes often turn their back on strength and con...
Feb 26, 2019•50 min•Season 2Ep. 58
As the importance of recovery has increased and the knowledge and benefits surrounding this topic have grown more popular, it has opened the door to a fleet of pseudoscience and heavy marketing that only leads to confusion and dilution of the message around recovery. Today's podcast takes on two real case studies of Purple Patch athletes who have been challenged with integrating a recovery mindset into their busy routines. With each, Matt Dixon illustrates that, in order to integrate recovery in...
Feb 19, 2019•44 min•Season 2Ep. 57
This episode features a special conversation with a man who is central to the success at Purple Patch. Matt Hurley is the Director of Coaching Operations at Purple Patch and he’s also an accomplished athlete, becoming overall champion at last year’s Ironman 70.3 Maine. He’s a multiple qualifier to the 70.3 World Championships and is also making quite a name in the SwimRun race scene. In fact, last year, he and his partner (fellow Purple Patch Coach, John Stevens), won the overall victory at the ...
Feb 13, 2019•59 min•Season 2Ep. 56
Chelsea Sodaro was born to be an athlete. Both parents competed in triathlon and Chelsea also remembers her Dad training for the Boston Marathon! With energy like that in your life, how could you not love sport?! And she did. Chelsea fell in love with running, which took her through college at Cal Berkeley along with a post-collegiate professional running career. She may be a superhuman on the track, but she is also very human, having suffered frustrating injuries and setbacks that kept her from...
Feb 05, 2019•52 min•Season 2Ep. 55
This week, it's the story of a time-starved athlete, but not just any time-starved athlete. Cecilia Davis-Hayes is heading into her Residency into her fourth year in Medical School at Columbia and, at the same time, is still competing at the top level of professional triathlon. She is, quite possibly, the most inspiring athlete on the Purple Patch Pro Squad. How did she discover a love for the sport? Why was Matt Dixon and Purple Patch Fitness a good match for her? How does she successfully bala...
Jan 29, 2019•42 min•Season 2Ep. 54
Today is, by request, an extension on the discussion around Episode 51, The Art of Coaching and Being Coached . It’s an expansive discussion into management and leadership within a corporate setting. There are many parallels between performance within a set of world-class athletes and performance within business teams. Your mission, as an effective coach or leader, is to create sustained performance and long-term buy-in from your team. In order to do this, you first have to create an effective p...
Jan 22, 2019•36 min•Season 2Ep. 53
The backbone of the Purple Patch Podcast is education around performance in both sport and life, and Matt hits it head-on this week in this conversation with Andy Blow, former professional triathlete and Founder of Precision Hydration . The topic? Hydration in sport, work, and life. If you're a pro athlete, an amateur athlete, a fitness enthusiast, an executive or a busy professional looking for better energy management in life, you'll love this coaches conversation on the impact that hydration ...
Jan 15, 2019•1 hr•Season 2Ep. 52
Welcome Back to Season 2 and our first Purple Patch Podcast of 2019! This is the time where people are choosing to be coached for the first time, transitioning to a different coach, or even refreshing their relationship with their current coach. There is a real role for coaches to play in framing the art of coaching and creating a culture of success. On the flip side, the athlete has a real responsibility as well. How can you be coached best? This episode is not just for coaches, but also athlet...
Jan 08, 2019•46 min•Season 2Ep. 51
This week is a special episode for Purple Patch. It's our 50th episode! We launched in January 2018. and as we approach the end of the year, we thought it was a good time to take a step back and have a little review. Today, it's Matt's picks from some of the episodes of the last few months that are anchored and channeled on global life performance and reaching your potential via an athletic mindset. Purchase a copy of Fast-Track Triathlete and Receive a Free Swim Cap Learn More About Purple Patc...
Dec 11, 2018•59 min•Season 1Ep. 50
This week, we provide a little fun (and hopefully a little inspiration) for your holiday lens and gift giving! Matt and his team of coaches came together to provide you with some of their holiday performance gift recommendations centered around our Four Pillars of Performance: Endurance Training, Strength and Conditioning, Nutrition, and Recovery. These ideas aren’t quick fixes or magic shortcuts to performance success. They are simple, actionable, and authentic ideas for your performance-driven...
Dec 05, 2018•30 min•Season 1Ep. 49
It’s hard to argue with the concept that you will get more out of a project, workout, meeting, or book if you are fully immersed and focused in the endeavor. Being distracted or having your mind elsewhere is hardly a logical path to success and we are all susceptible to becoming distracted, especially with all the competing demands that our big lives tend to bring. For most of us, the buy-in for presence and focus is there, but the mind is often polluted. Diluting focus will NOT increase product...
Nov 27, 2018•38 min•Season 1Ep. 48
Take a moment to revisit your childhood. Do you recall spending hours on end riding your bike around the neighborhood, exploring backyards for unknown treasures, splashing in the pool with your friends, or playing in the snow without thought or fear of the cold? Ahhh…the glory days of childs ’ play. Hopefully, you engaged in a variety of activities, both structured and unstructured. You likely played soccer, or little league, or swam on your swim team. With luck, those days provided positive mem...
Nov 20, 2018•43 min•Season 1Ep. 47
“If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” - Isaac Newton The power of a mentor or coach cannot be overstated and to truly maximize the benefits of a professional coach, you, the athlete, must be a major stakeholder to ensure the relationship is fruitful and beneficial to your performance. In this episode, Matt discusses the importance of finding the right coach for you. What are characteristics of a great coach or mentor? How do you find the right coach for your nee...
Nov 13, 2018•39 min•Season 1Ep. 46
Download our Sample Post-Season Workouts There couldn’t be a more valuable part of the season to make fundamental groundwork changes to who you are as an athlete. Purple Patch views the post-season as perhaps THE most important block of training which includes preparation for the heavy lifting ahead, technical and skills development, and critical ‘building block’ work of good habits that pave the way for greater yields from the training that will come later. Consider it as the first part of your...
Nov 06, 2018•39 min•Season 1Ep. 45
To evolve and improve long-term REQUIRES blocks of serious rejuvenation and rest. In work, sport and life, it is impossible to optimize performance if you never get off the hamster wheel. Quite simply - to grow requires rest. But, how exactly should you integrate blocks of rejuvenation without throwing away all of the blocks of solid training in the last months? In this episode, Matt talks about the dangers and pitfalls of an "all in" or "all out" attitude. He also stresses the benefits that a s...
Oct 23, 2018•35 min•Season 1Ep. 44
We revisit an insightful conversation with three Purple Patch Pros who are competing in this Saturday’s IRONMAN World Championships - Laura Siddall, Kevin Collington, and Sarah Piampiano. They recorded this interview (Episode 5) in January at the Purple Patch Pro Camp in Scottsdale, Arizona when they were just starting their 2018 season. In this episode, they talk about goal setting, managing fears, mindset, key lessons, and finding world-class performance every time they toe the line at a race....
Oct 09, 2018•56 min•Season 1Ep. 43
The IRONMAN World Championships take place on Saturday, October 13th and Matt has dedicated this entire episode to the lore and lure of this 40-year-old magical race on the Big Island. Listeners get a glimpse of the race course from his perspective. What makes it so special and, at the same time, so difficult? Why do the best athletes in the world seem to struggle in this unique setting? It is, as he says, an event like no other and spectators have the privilege of watching the battle unfold thr...
Oct 02, 2018•43 min•Season 1Ep. 42
We've received so many great questions to questions@purplepatchfitness.com and Matt is answering several of them today surrounding season planning and continuous progression as an athlete. Topics include: How to approach your first 70.3 distance Advice on peeing during a race- should you stop? Approach and philosophy of the long run in Ironman or Marathon training Maintaining fitness without the pressure to race Tips on continuous progression after a breakthrough performance Season planning and ...
Sep 25, 2018•39 min•Season 1Ep. 41
In part one of the Purple Patch Podcast with Gerry Rodrigues, Matt and Gerry reminisced about each other's careers and how coaching and training methodologies have evolved, especially for the multisport athlete. In part two, they dissect the recent IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship race and discuss the natural evolution and progression of these world championship athletes. It should come as no surprise that there are common elements of their success that are applicable to athletes and performers a...
Sep 20, 2018•30 min•Season 1Ep. 40
Did you know that Gerry Rodrigues coached Matt Dixon in swimming when Matt was a professional triathlete? Their relationship and mutual respect span decades - as does their knowledge of the sport. Of course, this isn't a typical conversation about swim form and technique. This is a deep dive with two triathlon experts through their lens of performance and coaching. In part one of this two-part series, they reminisce about each other's careers and how coaching and training have changed, especiall...
Sep 18, 2018•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 39
To submit your questions for future episodes, email: questions@purplepatchfitness.com Click Here for Matt's article on Sauna Protocols mentioned in the Question of the Week. At just 34 years of age, Anna Hertel will likely never compete at another IRONMAN. Five years ago, that concept would’ve been devastating and unimaginable because, like a lot of people, triathlon was her identity. Anna’s story is one of growth; growth as a human even in the midst of overwhelming adversity, which has come har...
Sep 11, 2018•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 38
Cramping is a frustrating part of endurance athlete life for many, amplified by the fact that there is seldom a quick diagnosis of cause, nor an easy solution for most. The whole area of cramping tends to be an ‘experiment of one’ -- with plenty of conflicting or shaky research, interesting concepts and ideas that emerge, and different preventions and remedies that work for some athletes, yet fail for others. We still cannot definitively establish what causes cramps -- and many of the anecdotal ...
Sep 04, 2018•55 min•Season 1Ep. 37
“The best success you can have in any race is knowing that you remained open to performance and that when you crossed the line, you took all the steps in your control and ability to maximize your performance.” This is a true Championship Mindset. Speaking of, Best of luck to those athletes heading to the 70.3 World Championships in South Africa. A World Championship. Wow! For some, it will be a celebration of being present, and they simply hope for the best. For others, there is an ambition to c...
Aug 28, 2018•54 min•Season 1Ep. 36
“The list of what I want to accomplish continues to grow,” says 64-year-old Purple Patch athlete, Rick Wimmer. “Society expects people to retire, but this is how I get the most out of life!” Maintaining a growth mindset is everything - at any age. In this episode, recorded on location at the recent Purple Patch Training Camp in South Carolina, Matt converses with two Purple Patch Masters athletes, Rick Wimmer and Ken Pagliughi, about their recipes for success and longevity in sport and life. Bot...
Aug 14, 2018•59 min•Season 1Ep. 35
To submit your questions for future episodes, email: questions@purplepatchfitness.com This week, Matt goes into the weeds with his first official "Athlete Q&A" Episode dedicated solely to recent questions from real athletes. He covers off a variety of topics including: Maintaining Strength in the heart of your racing season What Bike to Use in Training - Do you always need to practice on you Time Trial Bike? Matt investigates the use and benefits of mountain and road bikes in your training F...
Aug 07, 2018•43 min•Season 1Ep. 34
Today’s focus is on…well…FOCUS... and remaining present in your training in order to maximize your training yield. Something that is often overlooked in training by both athletes and coaches is the importance of presence - focused awareness on the task. Whatever your quest or goal, being focused and present is a critical piece of the puzzle to maximize your precious training time. This becomes even more critical when you are time-starved. Being focused and present ensures the best execution and ...
Jul 31, 2018•25 min•Season 1Ep. 33
Article about Ed’s IRONMAN Lake Placid Victory This week, we revisit a former guest with a playback of Episode 9 with Ed Baker. Ed is an accomplished and impressive business executive, serving as Head of International Growth at Facebook and then VP of Growth and Product at Uber until the Spring of 2017. In addition to his business accolades, he is the father of three children (with another one on the way this Fall) and, over the last two years, he has taken a leap of faith into triathlon under t...
Jul 24, 2018•38 min•Season 1Ep. 32
Should you toughen up and push through your training, or should you be smart and back off? Matt explores the concept of fatigue in today's podcast. Fatigue is not a negative word. In fact, it's a part of growth and you should lean into it. It is earned from hard work and the adaptions can be positive, but you must make smart decisions in managing your fatigue. Context is everything when you're talking about this vital topic. There's a big difference between expected and anticipated fatigue (in a...
Jul 17, 2018•35 min•Season 1Ep. 31
This episode is a triathlon strategist’s dream come true! Matt opens the lid on the coaching mindset as he dissects the planning and performance journey of Jesse Thomas’s successful podium finish at the recent Challenge Roth. When great performances happen, especially with elite and professional athletes, most people assume it’s simply a result of some herculean amount of training that always had a perfect rhythm and flow. The truth is, triathlon training in a time-starved life is seldom that. T...
Jul 10, 2018•52 min•Season 1Ep. 30
Matt is on vacation, so he put together a “Best of” Series from the initial month of the podcast. It’s a taste of the key highlights of lessons and takeaways from episodes so far this year. CycleOps, PowerTap, and Purple Patch have teamed up to help you get crackin’ on your training! Visit purplepatchfitness.com/getcracking and register to win one of three great prizes that include: a pair of PowerTap P1 pedals, a Magnus indoor trainer and even a coaching consultation with Matt Dixon. Register n...
Jul 04, 2018•1 hr 10 min•Season 1Ep. 29
