If you've raced this year, we hope allowed yourself the joy of "dusting the rust off" and approaching your events with a mindset of celebration.

If you're still building up to your first race, you'll love this "best of" that encapsulates some of the earlier stand-alone episodes from earlier this year. In fact, we highly recommend you go back and listen in full to episodes 160-165. It was our 'triathlon takeover series' where we did a deep dive into each discipline as we all head back to the start line of the sport.

Episode 160: Dust the Rust Off

Episode 161: Solutions and Strategies for Triathlon Swim Success

Episode 162: Your Guide to Race Day Fueling and Hydration with Andy Blow of Precision Hydration

Episode 163: Dial in Your Bike Performance - Fit, Posture, Equipment and Strategies with IOG Bike Fit

Episode 164: A Triathlete's Guide to Run Success

Episode 165: Nailing Your Race-Day Performance

Today, the "Meat and Potatoes" are actually more like dessert with some highlights taken from each of those episodes.

If you are feeling a little anxiety and fear about a return to racing, remember that it is normal and common. You are rusty, it has been a while, and the event feels bigger because of the gap from the last race. Acknowledge and even embrace the feeling. Why? Because It is your body priming you for performance.

Today, let's prime the brain with some "best of segments" from our return to racing triathlon series:

Episode Timestamps

00:00-04:00 - Welcome and Introduction to the "Best of" Episode

04:00-23:35 Swimming: Undoubtedly, the swim leg of any triathlon elicits the most fear and anxiety. In this clip, coach John Stevens and Matt Dixon identify some of the common sources of anxiety and fear and then outline solutions and strategies to help alleviate some of the stress around this leg of the race.

24:50- 37:05 Cycling: It's never a dull moment when Ivan O'Gorman and Chris Soden of IOG Bike Fit and Consulting pay a visit to the Purple Patch Podcast and in episode 163, Matt, Chris, and Ivan spent an hour of power on all things related to bike performance including - optimal fitting, posture, equipment,and pacing strategies. Their approach to consulting is driven by decades of experience with cycling and triathlon royalty. In this clip, they revisit aero. Is aero really everything in triathlon? Let's find out what the guys at IOG have to say.

38:10-57:30 Running: Fitness is seldom a prohibitor on the run, so why does it often cause the most frustration? There are plenty of reasons your run can be derailed and, with that groundwork of understanding, Matt outlines the steps to run greatness and - spoiler alert - it doesn't involve a carbon footplate in your shoe.

58:25-1:05:54 Mindset: - Finally, Matt ties it all together into "Nailing Your Race Day Performance." A successful return to racing is anchored around the mindset: This won't define me. There's nothing to lose. Nail the basics. Celebrate the return. In this clip, he explains why this is so vital to a successful return to racing.

Episode Resources

Learn more about Purple Patch Squad High-Performance Training Program

Learn more about Purple Patch Strength Programming

Open Water Swim Warm-Up Referenced in Swim Segment

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