

Purple Patch Podcast
Matt Dixon
Author and Triathlon Coach, Matt Dixon, will empower and educate you to integrate sport into life in order to reach your athletic potential because, it is through the lens of athletic potential, that you reach your human potential.
In addition to topics such as planning your fitness into a time-starved life, the show will provide in-depth interviews, advice, and insight into optimizing your health, work, and life performance, along with the critical habits and approaches that facilitate the success of some of the world's top performers across many disciplines.
In addition to topics such as planning your fitness into a time-starved life, the show will provide in-depth interviews, advice, and insight into optimizing your health, work, and life performance, along with the critical habits and approaches that facilitate the success of some of the world's top performers across many disciplines.
Episodes
Mentioned books

8 snips
Nov 11, 2026 • 41min
417 - Fitter and Faster: The Winter Bike Training Secret Most Triathletes Miss
Winter cycling gets a performance makeover: focused indoor sessions, VO2 max intervals, bike handling, pedaling technique, and terrain management all take center stage. The discussion explores how posture, pacing by feel, and preserving momentum can unlock speed without extra miles, alongside an inspiring Ironman comeback story and a practical two-hour training formula.

Nov 4, 2026 • 1h 4min
416 - Prepare, Think & Act Like a Pro: Pat Romano on Qualifying for Kona at 61 & Leading as a CEO
Welcome to the Purple Patch Podcast! On this episode, IRONMAN Master Coach Matt Dixon talks with 15-year Purple Patch Athlete Pat Romano and his athletic breakthrough, emphasizing how long-term training supports performance in both work and family life. At 61, Pat set a 10:38 Ironman PR at California, finished fourth in his age group, and qualified for the Hawaii World Championships, improving by more than 20 minutes from his 2016 PR. He described shifting from rigidly following metrics to adapting to conditions, listening to his body, and managing the race in smaller segments. His season included a running injury and an unexplained performance dip, and preparation was affected by travel and the Nice race, so rest, sleep, and nutrition were emphasized. Pat also linked consistent training, recovery, hydration, and short mental resets to sustained focus and adaptability as a CEO, showing how habits from sport transfer into leadership. Purple Patch and Episode Resources Book your needs assessment with Coach Max Hiring Purple Patch Coach: https://www.purplepatchfitness.com/careers-page Fast Track Run Squad: purplepatchfitness.com/fasttrackmarathon Check out our world-class coaching and training options: Tri Squad: https://www.purplepatchfitness.com/squad 1:1 Coaching: https://www.purplepatchfitness.com/11-coached Run Squad: https://www.purplepatchfitness/com/run-squad Strength Squad: https://www.purplepatchfitness.com/strength-1 Live & On-Demand Bike Sessions: https://www.purplepatchfitness.com/bike Get a free needs assessment and learn more about our programs: https://purplepatchfitness.simplybook.me/v2/#book/service/19 Live in San Francisco? Explore the Purple Patch Performance Center: https://center.purplepatchfitness.com Everything you need to know about our methodology: https://www.purplepatchfitness.com/our-methodology Amplify your approach to nutrition with Purple Patch + Fuelin https://www.fuelin.com/purplepatch Get access to our free training resources, insight-packed newsletter and more at purplepatchfitness.com

Oct 28, 2026 • 49min
415 - The Proof Is in the PRs: Racing an Ironman on 10–12 Hours a Week
Max Gering, a Purple Patch triathlon coach specializing in endurance strategy, joins Matt Dixon to unpack Ironman California’s standout results. They explore how athletes achieved Kona spots, PRs, sub-11-hour finishes, and first-time breakthroughs on roughly 10 training hours a week. The conversation covers sustainable consistency, year-round habits, coaching confidence, pacing a hot flat course, and racing smart when preparation is imperfect.

8 snips
Oct 22, 2026 • 26min
414 - The Counterintuitive Daily Habit That Boosts Performance, Energy and Sleep
Could a ten-minute pause be your secret performance advantage? This conversation explores strategic recovery breaks inspired by Ironman racing, plus meditation, brief naps, walking, and active mobility as ways to refresh focus and energy. It also examines how daytime resets connect with stress management, productivity, resilience, and better sleep.

Oct 14, 2026 • 26min
413 - The Two Sides of Great Coaching: How to Lead Better and Be More Coachable
Great coaching is a two-way performance partnership, whether you’re an athlete, leader, or professional. Explore how clarity, simple priorities, process-focused progress, and small wins create momentum. Learn what it means to be truly coachable by taking ownership, asking better questions, acting on feedback, reflecting honestly, and staying committed when growth gets uncomfortable.

Oct 7, 2026 • 49min
412 - 90 Minutes Faster at 40: How Lindsey Stopped Grinding and Qualified for Kona
Welcome to the Purple Patch Podcast! On this episode, Lindsey is a personal trainer, endurance athlete, coach, and busy mom who believes there's always another level to chase. A six-time Ironman finisher, ultra-distance runner, 70.3 World Championship finisher, and *finally* a Kona qualifier, she has spent 20 years proving that big goals are built through consistency, courage, and refusing to give up. She brings that same passion to helping others become stronger, healthier, and more confident in what they're capable of. Purple Patch and Episode Resources Hiring Purple Patch Coach: https://www.purplepatchfitness.com/careers-page Fast Track Run Squad: purplepatchfitness.com/fasttrackmarathon Check out our world-class coaching and training options: Tri Squad: https://www.purplepatchfitness.com/squad 1:1 Coaching: https://www.purplepatchfitness.com/11-coached Run Squad: https://www.purplepatchfitness/com/run-squad Strength Squad: https://www.purplepatchfitness.com/strength-1 Live & On-Demand Bike Sessions: https://www.purplepatchfitness.com/bike Get a free needs assessment and learn more about our programs: https://purplepatchfitness.simplybook.me/v2/#book/service/19 Live in San Francisco? Explore the Purple Patch Performance Center: https://center.purplepatchfitness.com Everything you need to know about our methodology: https://www.purplepatchfitness.com/our-methodology Amplify your approach to nutrition with Purple Patch + Fuelin https://www.fuelin.com/purplepatch Get access to our free training resources, insight-packed newsletter and more at purplepatchfitness.com

Sep 30, 2026 • 26min
Win Cycle: Lessons From Inside Three High-Growth Companies on Performing Under Pressure
Welcome to the Purple Patch Podcast. On this episode, IRONMAN Master Coach Matt Dixon shared lessons from three WinCycle performance workshops and identified practices for sustaining high performance amid rapid change. Current Headwinds High-growth organizations are operating without a stable playbook as AI accelerates innovation, changes priorities, and outpaces existing processes. New demands are being added to teams that were already operating near capacity. Leaders increasingly value people with a coaching mindset who can filter noise, apply judgment, and focus teams on what matters. Performance Approach Teams should prepare, think, and act like professional athletes: maintain high standards, build systems, and prioritize recovery. Sustainable performance depends on expanding human capacity rather than simply adding workload. Core Practices The performance foundation combines hydration, nutrition, movement, strength training, brief daily resets, and sleep. These practices work as an integrated system to support stress processing, focus, stable energy, resilience, and adaptability. Open question: How can leaders embed these practices into daily work so they become performance requirements rather than optional wellness benefits? li>ol]:list-[lower-alpha] [&_ol>li>ol>li>ol]:list-[lower-roman] [&_ol>li>ol>li>ol>li>ol]:list-[list-decimal] [&_[data-user]]:text-primary [&_:is(pre)]:overflow-auto [&_:is(table)]:w-full [&_:is(table,th,td)]:border [&_:is(table,th,td)]:border-collapse [&_:is(table,th,td)]:border-gray-300 [&_:is(table,th,td)]:p-2 [&_:is(strong,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:font-semibold [&_:is(h1)]:text-2xl [&_:is(h2)]:text-lg [&_:is(h3)]:text-md [&_h1:not(:first-child)]:mt-8 [&_h1:not(:last-child)]:mb-6 [&_h2:not(:first-child)]:mt-6 [&_h2:not(:last-child)]:mb-4 [&_h3:not(:first-child)]:mt-4 [&_pre]:bg-palette-gray-200 [&_pre>code]:bg-transparent [&_pre>code]:px-0 [&_pre>code]:py-0 [&_pre]:px-[6px] [&_pre]:py-[2px] [&_pre]:m-0 [&_pre]:rounded-[4px] [&_code]:bg-palette-gray-200 [&_code]:px-[6px] [&_code]:py-[2px] [&_code]:m-0 [&_code]:rounded-[4px] [&_blockquote]:m-0 [&_blockquote]:px-[16px] [&_blockquote]:py-0 [&_blockquote]:text-subtle [&_blockquote]:border-l-[4px] [&_blockquote]:border-palette-gray-200 overflow-x-auto [&_ol]:pl-5 [&_li]:my-2 [&_:is(p,ul,ol):not(:first-child)]:mt-3 [&_:is(p,ul,ol):not(:last-child)]:mb-3" data-testid="render-markdown"> WinCycle Context WinCycle was presented as a leadership and team performance program based on lessons from endurance sports. Three workshops were delivered for technology, legal, and private equity organizations. Participant feedback averaged 4.7 out of 5 for the experience and 4.9 out of 5 for likelihood to recommend. Organizational Headwinds Organizations are moving faster because of AI, with work timelines compressed from months to days or hours. Existing processes, priorities, and decision cycles are struggling to keep pace. Teams face increasing demands without equivalent increases in capacity. Athlete-Based Model High performers need disciplined preparation, consistent systems, recovery, and the ability to perform under pressure. Leadership should shift from management toward coaching to help teams navigate uncertainty and focus energy. Performance Foundation Six practices were emphasized: hydration, nutrition, movement, strength, strategic daily resets, and sleep. Together, they support capacity, cognitive performance, energy, physical resilience, and sustainable high performance. Purple Patch and Episode Resources Mike Moritz's Book Ausländer: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Auslander/Michael-Moritz/9798897101924 Check out our world-class coaching and training options: Tri Squad: https://www.purplepatchfitness.com/squad 1:1 Coaching: https://www.purplepatchfitness.com/11-coached Run Squad: https://www.purplepatchfitness/com/run-squad Strength Squad: https://www.purplepatchfitness.com/strength-1 Live & On-Demand Bike Sessions: https://www.purplepatchfitness.com/bike Explore our training options in detail: https://bit.ly/3XBo1Pi Ready to book a consultation with Purple patch? Sign up: https://www.purplepatchfitness.com/coachingconsult Live in San Francisco? Explore the Purple Patch Performance Center: https://center.purplepatchfitness.com Everything you need to know about our methodology: https://www.purplepatchfitness.com/our-methodology Amplify your approach to nutrition with Purple Patch + Fuelin https://www.fuelin.com/purplepatch Get access to our free training resources, insight-packed newsletter and more at purplepatchfitness.com

Sep 23, 2026 • 44min
411 - Inside Purple Patch's PR & World Championship Proofed Off-Season Approach
A deep dive into an 18-week off-season blueprint designed to build durable performance without burnout. Explore swim technique, bike craft, resilient running, strength training, recovery, and the role of education and community. The discussion also covers personalized planning and how smart preparation sets endurance athletes up for a stronger season ahead.

Sep 16, 2026 • 43min
410 - Off-Season: Strength, Body Comp, Durability
Build a stronger foundation for your next endurance season with a deep dive into off-season training. Topics include progressive strength work, sustainable nutrition and body composition, injury-resistant running, and maintaining structure when race pressure fades. Explore how easy mileage, technical speed, and smarter routines can prepare athletes for what comes next.

Sep 9, 2026 • 52min
409 - How to Build Your Ironman Off-Season
Welcome to the Purple Patch Podcast. On this episode, IRONMAN Master Coach Matt Dixon and Coach Max discuss strategic approaches to the triathlon off-season through various athlete case studies. Matt and Max analyze several athlete profiles to provide guidance on transitioning from race season to the off-season. Injury Prevention: For athletes like "Rachel" who struggle with run durability, Matt recommends a mindset shift toward building tissue resilience rather than chasing cardiovascular fitness. This involves high-frequency, low-intensity running and avoiding training under fatigue. Raising Performance Ceilings: For experienced Ironman athletes looking to improve bike power, Matt suggests using the Velocity platform for terrain management and performing high-intensity, short-duration intervals (VO2 max work) to increase engine size. Strategic Focus: For athletes feeling "cooked" or burned out, the coaches advise filtering out social media noise and focusing on a single strategic pillar—such as building a "platform of health"—to ensure long-term consistency. Multi-Sport Integration: Max emphasizes viewing triathlon as one sport with three components, using swimming and cycling to build an aero The discussion highlights how Purple Patch applies performance principles to both athletic and professional environments via the Wind Cycle program. Team Culture: Matt shares insights from working with USA Triathlon, noting that high standards and coachability are essential for both world-class athletes and corporate leaders. Sustainable Growth: The coaches advocate for the "Sunday Special" method, where athletes plan their week by prioritizing life commitments (family, work) alongside training to manage variable workloads effectively. Holistic Approach: The off-season is framed not as a gap in training, but as a unique phase focused on joy, strength building (squats, deadlifts), and non-triathlon activities like tennis or skiing to prevent mental burnout. Purple Patch and Episode Resources Check out our world-class coaching and training options: Tri Squad: https://www.purplepatchfitness.com/squad 1:1 Coaching: https://www.purplepatchfitness.com/11-coached Run Squad: https://www.purplepatchfitness/com/run-squad Strength Squad: https://www.purplepatchfitness.com/strength-1 Live & On-Demand Bike Sessions: https://www.purplepatchfitness.com/bike Explore our training options in detail: https://bit.ly/3XBo1Pi Ready to book a consultation with Purple patch? Sign up: https://www.purplepatchfitness.com/coachingconsult Live in San Francisco? Explore the Purple Patch Performance Center: https://center.purplepatchfitness.com Everything you need to know about our methodology: https://www.purplepatchfitness.com/our-methodology Amplify your approach to nutrition with Purple Patch + Fuelin https://www.fuelin.com/purplepatch Get access to our free training resources, insight-packed newsletter and more at purplepatchfitness.com


