Purple Patch Podcast

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 preventions and fixes to cramping could as easily be attributed to the all-powerful placebo effect as they could be the effectiveness of the intervention. This episode is outlined from a collation of conversations with passionate experts in the field, review of existing literature, as well as coaching observations and review. Matt takes a deep dive on: The Causes and Types of Cramps Ten Contributing Factors that May Lead to Cramps How to Mitigate the Risk of Developing Cramps in Training and Racing What to Do If and When They Occur It is a complex subject without an opportunity for definitive cause or prevention, but as with the rest of your performance, maintaining positive habits and a fit n' fresh mindset is your best path toward mitigating the risk of occurrence. To submit your questions for future episodes, email: questions@purplepatchfitness.com :00-:20 Purple Patch Weekly Intro :22- 1:45 Matt's Introduction to the Podcast 1:45- 5:38 Word of the Week - Camps 5:50- 43:25 The Complexity of Cramps Discussion 43:30-52:48 Athlete Questions of the Week on Running 52:50-55:05 Lessons of the Week Click Here for Matt's article on Sauna Protocols Follow Purple Patch Fitness and learn more about our Coaching Services, Training Camps, Promotions and Matt's Latest Book, Fast Track Triathlete: Purple Patch Fitness Website Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Instagram Thanks for taking a listen and, if you like what you hear, please subscribe, share, rate and review. Your feedback is appreciated. Subscribe to the Purple Patch Podcast: Apple Podcasts Spotify Stitcher Google Podcasts Copyright 2018 All Rights Reserved

"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 create a massive personal performance that can project themselves onto the podium. Regardless of your "main event," you will arrive with the physical resources that you have, and you have to set yourself up with the best performance you can have on that day. How do you achieve this? Today, Matt breaks it down in a few categories -- to help promote a positive mindset and enable you to free your body to do what it is prepared to do. By focusing on planning, mindset prior and execution, the chances of you having your best performance is at its best. To submit your questions for future episodes, email: questions@purplepatchfitness.com :00-:21 Purple Patch Weekly Intro :22- 1:40 Matt's Introduction to the Podcast 1:40- 6:40 Word of the Week - Baggage 6:55- 45:35 The Championship Mindset with Matt Dixon 45:40-50:15 Athlete Question of the Week - Wetsuits! Click Here for Matt's article on Finding the Right Wetsuit for You 50:20-53:10 Lessons of the Week Follow Purple Patch Fitness and learn more about our Coaching Services, Training Camps, Promotions and Matt's Latest Book, Fast Track Triathlete: Purple Patch Fitness Website Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Instagram Thanks for taking a listen and, if you like what you hear, please subscribe, share, rate and review. Your feedback is appreciated. Subscribe to the Purple Patch Podcast: Apple Podcasts Spotify Stitcher Google Play

"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. Both are highly successful individuals — Rick was a partner at Ernst and Young for 35 years, Ken a District Attorney in New Jersey — but they also continue to thrive and improve in their athletics, health, and mindset. With Rick at 64 and Ken at 71, they both have so much more to accomplish and refuse to settle for stagnation. This conversation is packed full of humor, personal anecdotes, inspiration, and education for athletes of all ages. You, too, can develop a path to longevity and excellence at any age as long as you maintain a growth mindset and choose to evolve. Have a plan, don't settle for less, be willing to reinvent yourself, and as Ken jokingly says, "Don't Screw It Up!" To submit your questions for future episodes, email: questions@purplepatchfitness.com :00-:21 Purple Patch Weekly Intro :22-1:25 Matt's Introduction to the Podcast 1:40- 3:27 Word of the Week - Growth 3:30- 52:20 Rick Wimmer and Ken Pagliughi - Dispelling Myths on the Aging Athletes 52:25-54:40 Athlete Question from Karim 54:40-59:15 Lessons of the Week Follow Purple Patch Fitness and learn more about our Coaching Services, Training Camps, Promotions and Matt's Latest Book, Fast Track Triathlete: Purple Patch Fitness Website Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Instagram Thanks for taking a listen and, if you like what you hear, please subscribe, share, rate and review. Your feedback is appreciated. Subscribe to the Purple Patch Podcast: Apple Podcasts Spotify Stitcher Google Play Copyright 2018 All Rights Reserved

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 Fueling in Races and that dreaded bloating. What causes it and how can you avoid it? Vacation Blues - This question is centered around the panic of an athlete who finds himself without a bike for six days! Will everything fall off the rails? How do you compensate for holidays and travel? Equipment and Wheel Choice - Tri geeks will love this one as Matt answers a question on race wheel choices and decisions around this technical aspect of racing. To submit your questions for future episodes, email: questions@purplepatchfitness.com Follow Purple Patch Fitness and learn more about our Coaching Services, Training Camps, Promotions and Matt's Latest Book, Fast Track Triathlete: Purple Patch Fitness Website Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Instagram Thanks for taking a listen and, if you like what you hear, please subscribe, share, rate and review. Your feedback is appreciated. Subscribe to the Purple Patch Podcast: Apple Podcasts Spotify Stitcher Google Play Copyright 2018 All Rights Reserved

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 the biggest performance yield. In this episode, Matt discusses the many reasons to be present and the best path to set up these habitual practices during your training. It is often said that, "As you train, so shall you race." If you don't train with presence and focus, you can't expect to have mental resiliency on race day. Focus helps you develop your innate sense of pacing and effort and, with practice, can become habitual automation. Quite simply, you develop your inner animal. Tower 26 Podcast with Gerry Rodrigues and Swim Smooth Description of Minimum Form Pace in Running Follow Purple Patch Fitness and learn more about our Coaching Services, Training Camps, Promotions and Matt's Latest Book, Fast Track Triathlete: Purple Patch Fitness Website Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Instagram Thanks for taking a listen and, if you like what you hear, please subscribe, share, rate and review. Your feedback is appreciated. Subscribe to the Purple Patch Podcast: Apple Podcasts Spotify Stitcher Google Play Copyright 2018 All Rights Reserved

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 the leadership of Matt Dixon. On July 22, 2018, Ed Baker put his months of training and education to the test at IRONMAN Lake Placid and HE WON - OVERALL. This episode, recorded in February 2018, takes place while Ed was at the Purple Patch Pro Camp in Scottsdale. Yes, Dixon threw this triathlon newbie to the professional wolves and they had a feast, but it gives you a glimpse into the journey and progression of Ed that would lead to his first IRONMAN victory. Throughout the conversation, you'll hear them discuss Ed's journey from athlete-to-executive, and then back to an athlete. They also came away with many insights and lessons for any high-performing individual, and these are the nuggets that Matt and Ed discuss so thoroughly in this episode, including the: Benefits of maintaining an exercise or training routine even as a busy executive Value of having a coach to help you define goals and realize your full potential Similarities between sport and business - setting small goals and having the ability to check in frequently, embracing baby steps Many parallels between professional athletes and executives, including an insatiable thirst for personal evolution and growth Importance of nailing the basics both in work and life since that makes up 95% of performance success Qualities of successful people - humility, friendliness and a good sense of humor How did he go from triathlon newbie to IRONMAN champion? Talent Management: With an athlete like Ed, the coach better be equipped to say no as much as yes -- as talent requires management. To manage Ed's progression, Matt had to be very careful with load and progression, ensuring that he didn't just dump swimming and cycling onto an already comprehensive running background, and didn't just mimic old training habits. The key has been patience and careful progression. A Race Plan for Performance: Ed's race plan this weekend was simple. Go and train all day. He 'loves' to race, but this would be an event to train. This approach means a humble mindset, a cautious and patient approach, and a complete avoidance of thinking about places, times or qualification. Create a Positive Race Experience: This humble approach, with the focus on the occasion and joy of it, was the gateway to future performance. Yes, Ed won the race and had a magical day, but the key is how he got there. He listened, was patient, and despite his natural racing instincts, he had the courage to hold back to allow the magic to happen. Now he can learn, evolve and improve. Article about Ed's Victory Follow Purple Patch Fitness and learn more about our Coaching Services, Training Camps, Promotions and Matt's Latest Book, Fast Track Triathlete: Purple Patch Fitness Website Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Instagram Thanks for taking a listen and, if you like what you hear, please subscribe, share, rate and review. Your feedback is appreciated. Subscribe to the Purple Patch Podcast: Apple Podcasts Spotify Stitcher Google Play Copyright 2018 All Rights Reserved

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 hard session or in a heavy block close to a race) and unanticipated fatigue (not responding to several light days, poor performance over several training weeks, persistent injury, and illness, etc.). In today's episode, Matt takes a deep dive on both objective and subjective markers of fatigue. How do you know if what you're feeling is normal or not? A lot of it depends on where you are at in your season; what lens you are looking through. He describes how to ease back into a regular training schedule after a few days of rest and even goes through multiple case studies to illustrate when it's appropriate to back off or push through a tough session. Your training can't be just checking the box of training sessions. Success comes with the decisions you make along the way and this episode will help you create a framework of decisions around your fatigue accumulation. Follow Purple Patch Fitness and learn more about our Coaching Services, Training Camps, Promotions and Matt's Latest Book, Fast Track Triathlete: Purple Patch Fitness Website Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Instagram Thanks for taking a listen and, if you like what you hear, please subscribe, share, rate and review. Your feedback is appreciated. Subscribe to the Purple Patch Podcast: Apple Podcasts Spotify Stitcher Google Play Copyright 2018 All Rights Reserved

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. This is Matt's personal case study of how he approached Jesse's entire season and the lead-up to this "A" Race. Matt offers his in-depth thoughts, strategies, and even training sessions that went into this non-traditional approach to Ironman training. You'll, no doubt, absorb a few key lessons along the way centered around: The importance of taking a break Why you don't always train just for the demands of the event Why your training should have crystal clear clarity and purpose on every session and every day Why you should remain flexible and not reliant on a static program that is based on a certain number of hours per week The value of long-term coaching In laying this out, you will hopefully be able to draw the lines between his experiences and your own journey of performance. Cheers! Follow Purple Patch Fitness and learn more about our Coaching Services, Training Camps, Promotions and Matt's Latest Book, Fast Track Triathlete: Purple Patch Fitness Website Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Instagram Thanks for taking a listen and, if you like what you hear, please subscribe, share, rate and review. Your feedback is appreciated. Subscribe to the Purple Patch Podcast: Apple Podcasts Spotify Stitcher Google Play Copyright 2018 All Rights Reserved

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 now through July 8th! Episode Highlights: 1:20- 4:55 Performance in a Time-Starved Life Hear Matt's introduction on achieving performance in a time-starved life and the four magic words for a successful training recipe: specificity, consistency, progression, and patience. 4:57- 12:16 Sami Inkinen, Virta Health Matt and Sami discuss the key elements of training in context of Sami's time-starved Life and how he achieves successful performance in both the workplace and sport. 12:20- 18:38 Dr. Chris Winter, MD, Author of the Book, The Sleep Solution Matt and Dr. Winter discuss the influence of good sleep on global performance and the benefits and reward system for getting good sleep. 18:43-23:55 Steve Magnus, Co-Author of the Book, Peak Performance There are two big takeaways from this discussion: What are the mistakes that athletes make during training and, conversely, what are some of the positive supporting habits they possess? 24:00-31:00 31 Brad Stulberg, Co-Author of the Book, Peak Performance A discussion of the words, "Balance," "Excellence" and the importance of seeking joy in your training. 31:05-42:20 Jesse Thomas, Pro Triathlete Matt goes deep into conversation where Jesse talks about the new phase of his career and how he structures training around work, family, and a busy time-starved life. 42:25-49:40 Lars Tandrup, Purple Patch Athlete Lars Tandrup lost everything in the Santa Rosa fires and he talks openly about what's important in his life now and how his endurance mindset has actually helped him through this difficult period. 49:47-1:10:02 Kyla Channell, Purple Patch Resident Nutritionist This was a hot topic and two of our most popular episodes. Matt talks with Kyla Channell. We talk about hydration and nutrition, as it pertains to both daily life and training. 1:10:10 Matt's Wrap Up Follow Purple Patch Fitness and learn more about our Coaching Services, Training Camps, Promotions and Matt's Latest Book, Fast Track Triathlete: Purple Patch Fitness Website Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Instagram Thanks for taking a listen and, if you like what you hear, please subscribe, share, rate and review. Your feedback is appreciated. Subscribe to the Purple Patch Podcast: Apple Podcasts Spotify Stitcher Google Play Copyright 2018 All Rights Reserved

Register to win a 3-Month Subscription to Linden & True Coffee! Visit purplepatchfitness.com/coffee for the details. On April 16th, 2018, Des Linden became the first United States female to win the famed Boston Marathon in 33 years. While she admits that she often plays the role of "underdog," this year was different. She went from "underdog" to champion in a race that brought with it epic wind, rain, and freezing temperatures. When others faded, she chiseled away and rose to the top, earning the dream victory of a professional running career that started at the Boston Marathon back in 2006. What goes into a victory like the Boston Marathon? It certainly wasn't an easy victory. In fact, much has been reported about the fact that Des almost quit the race because she felt that it wasn't her day. But, she rode the wave and came out on top. What a lesson in life and performance! Today, she and her husband, elite Purple Patch triathlete, Ryan Linden, explore performance and relationships in this intimate conversation with Matt Dixon. This isn't a Boston Marathon recap, but a glimpse behind the curtain of two elite athletes and how they manage their training, racing, recovery, and day-to-day responsibilities as partners in each other's success. What are the components of their successful relationship and what can others learn from their journey? How do they overcome their own pain, adversity, and fear? Both Ryan and Des have evolved and changed throughout their careers and they graciously open up about their personal evolutions and explore how their thoughts around coaching, collaboration, and training have matured through the years. The lessons they've learned are lessons for anyone seeking peak performance. This is a personal conversation that feels like you're sitting with them having a cup of tea or coffee. Speaking of coffee - Des and Ryan even talk about another passion of theirs: the debut of Linden & True Coffee earlier this year in conjunction with another pair of elite athletes, Sarah and Ben True. In fact, they're giving away free coffee to lucky listeners. Go to purplepatchfitness.com/coffee for your chance to win a 3-month subscription to Linden & True Coffee. Purple Patch has also teamed up with CycleOps and PowerTap to make your summer training sizzle! Visit purplepatchfitness.com/getcracking for the chance to win a Magnus Indoor Trainer, pair of P1 Pedals and a consultation with Matt Dixon! Des Linden Instagram Des Linden Twitter Des Linden Facebook Fan Page Ryan Linden Instagram Linden & True Coffee Website Linden & True Instagram Follow Purple Patch Fitness and learn more about our Coaching Services, Training Camps, Promotions and Matt's Latest Book, Fast Track Triathlete: Purple Patch Fitness Website Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Instagram Thanks for taking a listen and, if you like what you hear, please subscribe, share, rate and review. Your feedback is appreciated. Subscribe to the Purple Patch Podcast: Apple Podcasts Spotify Stitcher Google Play Copyright 2018 All Rights Reserved