Learning from professional runners for better performance: Adopt a well-programmed running plan, focus on time, not miles, and incorporate proper ratio of low and high-intensity workouts to improve recreational running performance, as proven by author Matt Fitzgerald's experience with professional runners.
Improving your recreational running performance can be achieved by learning from professional runners. Author and running coach Matt Fitzgerald suggests that following a well-programmed running plan, focusing on the amount of time you run rather than miles, and incorporating a proper ratio of low and high-intensity workouts are some tactics amateurs can adopt from elite runners. Matt spent 13 weeks immersing himself in the lifestyle of a professional running team to prove that you don't need elite genetics to benefit from their best practices. By emulating top performers, Matt was able to secure a professional bib in the Chicago Marathon and ran the race in the third row, demonstrating the effectiveness of this approach.
Learn from Pros: Effective Warm-Ups and Moderate Running: Amateur runners can enhance performance by adopting professional runners' warm-up routines and maintaining a moderate pace during runs.
While amateur runners may not be able to match the training volumes or methods of professional runners, they can still benefit from adopting some of their principles. These include a more thoughtful warm-up routine and not pushing themselves too hard during runs, which make up for around 80% of their training time. Amateur runners often underestimate their potential and fail to prioritize these aspects, leading to suboptimal performance. Emulating these principles can lead to significant improvements, even for those who consider themselves slow.
Training for competitive races requires a strategic approach: Create a tailored running plan, follow a consistent schedule, and include rest and recovery for improved performance and injury prevention.
Effective running training for competitive races requires a specific and carefully planned approach, rather than a general "get fit, stay fit" mentality. Pro runners don't just aim for sustainable fitness; they strategically build up to peak performance through functional overreaching, followed by tapering and recovery. Amateur runners can learn from this approach by creating a credibly sourced running plan tailored to their specific race distance and following a consistent training schedule that includes periods of deliberate rest and recovery. This long-term perspective may be challenging for some, but the rewards of improved performance and avoiding injury are worth the effort. Additionally, the amount of running required depends on personal circumstances, but consistently increasing workload with deliberate rest periods can help amateur runners reach higher peaks without breaking down.
Determining the optimal running volume for maximal returns: Each person's 'mileage sweet spot' varies, requiring experimentation to find the volume of running that leads to the greatest fitness gains without injury or overreaching. Focus on time rather than mileage when starting out.
Finding the right volume of running that leads to maximal returns, or the "mileage sweet spot," varies greatly from person to person. This principle was illustrated through examples of runners on the same team who had vastly different weekly mileage but both found their optimal volume. The sweet spot is the point before an athlete starts to experience diminishing returns and negative effects from adding more mileage. Finding this sweet spot involves experimentation and can be a gradual process. When starting out, focusing on time rather than mileage is recommended because the body adapts to exposure to time, not mileage. Ultimately, the goal is to find the volume of running that leads to the greatest fitness gains without causing injury or overreaching.
Time-based training for running and fitness: Maintain VO2 max for 6 minutes, gradually increase running time, aim for 7 hours weekly, and consider high-intensity work for elite runners.
When it comes to running and fitness training, a time-based approach can be more effective and less daunting than focusing solely on mileage. Your VO2 max, the highest sustainable intensity of exercise, can be maintained for approximately six minutes regardless of fitness level. Therefore, time-based training allows for an appropriate challenge level for all individuals. Additionally, injury risk is high when starting out with running, so gradually increasing running time with rest days in between is recommended. Aiming for seven hours of running per week is a realistic goal for most amateur runners, and this approach can help avoid the debilitating effects of focusing too much on mileage. Elite runners also incorporate high-intensity work into their training, but determining the intensity level is subjective and can vary from person to person.
Elite runners train at conversational pace and incorporate high-intensity workouts: Elite runners train mostly at a conversational pace to reduce stress and recover better, but also include high-intensity workouts once every three runs to prepare for races or challenges.
Elite runners train most of their runs at a conversational pace, which is below their first ventilatory threshold. This approach is less stressful on their bodies and allows them to recover better. However, they also incorporate high-intensity workouts about once every three runs to prepare for races or challenging situations. Elite runners follow a predictable training rhythm, alternating between easy and hard days, and focus on maintaining a consistent structure in their training. The goal of high-intensity workouts varies, but they typically aim to challenge themselves and improve their performance.
Mixing low-intensity and high-intensity workouts for long-distance running: Effective long-distance running training involves mostly low-intensity, high-volume workouts and occasional high-intensity sessions, focusing on building endurance and allowing for more overall training time.
Effective training for long-distance running involves a mix of low-intensity, high-volume workouts and occasional high-intensity sessions. The majority of training should be at a moderate pace, which is sustainable for extended periods, while high-intensity workouts should be kept to a minimum. The benefits of low-intensity training include building endurance and allowing for more overall training time, leading to better performance. Contrary to popular belief, elite runners do not focus much on running form and do not receive frequent corrections from their coaches. Instead, they prioritize consistent training and pushing their limits during high-intensity workouts.
Focus on natural running form and prioritize recovery basics: Runners should focus on their natural form and prioritize rest, sleep, nutrition, and stress management for effective recovery
Runners should focus on natural running form and not consciously try to change it. The body's nervous system is constantly seeking the most efficient way to run, and this self-optimizing system adapts with each stride taken. Elite runners, even those who are heel strikers, have found success with their unique forms. The key to effective recovery for pros and amateurs alike is prioritizing the basics: rest, sleep, nutrition, and stress management. These foundational elements account for nearly all of the potential recovery benefits. Expensive recovery tools like compression boots and massage guns may provide minimal additional benefits. A study at the Olympic Training Center even found that athletes who used these recovery tools the least were most likely to win medals.
Optimizing Performance: Prioritize Sleep, Nutrition, and Stress Management: Pro athletes prioritize sleep (10 hours/night, naps), nutrition (high carb diet), stress management (meditation, breathing exercises), and cross-training to optimize performance and recovery.
High-tech gadgets and supplements can't replace the basics of proper sleep, nutrition, and stress management for runners. Pro athletes prioritize these fundamentals to optimize their performance and recovery. Sleep is crucial, with many pros getting 10 hours at night and naps during the day. Nutrition is important too, with a high carb diet being common among pros. Stress management through practices like meditation and breathing exercises can also aid recovery. Cross-training in other aerobic activities can help runners reach their full potential without increasing injury risk. It's essential for recreational runners to prioritize these basics and consider cross-training as an additional tool for improvement.
Benefits of incline treadmill walking for runners: Incline treadmill walking maintains fitness and prepares runners for impact through low-impact, weighted, sequential leg movement.
Cross-training, specifically incline treadmill walking, can significantly benefit runners by maintaining fitness and preparing the body for the impact of running. Despite its goofy appearance, it provides low-impact, weighted, and sequential leg movement, making it an effective tool for runners. Additionally, professional runners approach the psychology of performance differently than amateurs. While they may abandon workouts more frequently, it's not due to laziness or mental weakness, but rather their smart decision-making based on their understanding of their bodies and their long-term goals.
Focus on the process, not individual workouts or performances: Pro athletes embrace discomfort and suffering during competition, focusing on their overall fitness and learning from experiences
Being a pro in running, or any other field, means focusing on the process rather than individual workouts or performances. Pros understand that fitness levels are determined by best workouts, and mediocre or poor performances can be attributed to various factors. During competition, pros embrace discomfort and suffering, viewing it as their time to shine. They don't need to enjoy the experience but must endure it better than their competitors. Matt Fitzgerald, author of "Run Like a Pro," emphasizes this mindset and encourages athletes to learn from their experiences and focus on their overall fitness. To learn more about Matt and his work, visit his websites: mattfitschirl.org and 8020endurance.com. The book "Run Like a Pro" is available at booksellers everywhere. For more resources and a deeper dive into this topic, check out our show notes at AOM.IS/run.
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Run Like a Pro (Even If You're Slow)
Recent Episodes from The Art of Manliness
The Safe, Effective Supplement That Can Improve Your Body and Brain
What if there was a supplement that could build muscle, maintain bone health, fortify the brain against cognitive decline due to age and stress, and alleviate depression, has been proven safe, and comes with almost no side effects? Well, there is such a supplement, it's been around a long time, and it isn't even expensive. It's creatine.
Here to unpack the myths, benefits, and recommended ways to use creatine is Darren Candow, a professor of exercise physiology and nutrition who supervises the Aging Muscle and Bone Health Laboratory at the University of Regina. Darren specializes in studying creatine and has published over 70 papers on the subject. Today on the show, Darren explains how a supplement often associated with bodybuilders may actually be beneficial for just about everyone — athletes and non-athletes and the young and old alike. He unpacks what creatine does in the body, and how its benefits extend beyond the body and into the brain. He offers recommendations on the formulation of creatine to use, a suggested dosage and whether it should increase with age, and how to avoid the bloating effect. He also shares what we know about creatine's safety, including its effects on the kidneys, and whether it can cause hair loss.
Resources Related to the Podcast
- AoM Article: Creatine — A Primer on Its Benefits and Use
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- AoM Podcast #852: The Brain Energy Theory of Mental Illness
- Darren's studies
Connect With Darren Candow
Is Self-Control Overrated?
Self-control, the ability to resolve a conflict between two competing desires, is frequently touted as the golden key to success. But many of the most popular ideas about self-control are actually at odds with how it really operates.
Here to unpack some of the lesser-understood and counterintuitive ideas around discipline and willpower is Michael Inzlicht, a professor of psychology who has studied the nature of self-regulation in depth. In the first part of our conversation, Michael unpacks the popular ego depletion model of willpower and how it hasn't held up to scientific scrutiny. We then turn to the surprising fact that the people who seem to exhibit a lot of self-control don't actually exercise a lot of discipline and restraint in their lives, that the achievement of goals is more a function of having virtuous desires, and what contributes to having those desires.
Resources Related to the Podcast
- Related studies:
- Perceived Mental Fatigue and Self-Control
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- New Zealand Study on Trait Self-Control
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- Sunday Firesides: What Looks Like Grit, Is Often Fit
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Connect With Michael Inzlicht
You Were Born to Run
For decades, some researchers have argued that the notable human capacity for endurance evolved from the hunting practices of our ancestors, which produced physiological adaptations that make us uniquely well suited for running.
But this theory has always had its detractors.
As my guest explains, a new study addresses these long-standing criticisms and adds evidence that, indeed, we were all born to run.
Alex Hutchinson is a journalist who covers the science of endurance and fitness, and today on the show, he explains what those criticisms were and how this new research counters them. We talk about the role running held amongst peoples of the past, how running is not only primal but cultural and even spiritual, and why we continue to run today, even though we’re not hunting for food. And we discuss how, even if we are born to run, that doesn’t mean everyone will always enjoy running all of the time, and how to get into running if you’re someone who doesn’t feel an innate desire for it.
Resources Related to the Podcast
- Alex’s previous appearances on the AoM podcast:
- “Why You (Yes, You) Were Born to Run” by Alex Hutchinson
- “Ethnography and Ethnohistory Support the Efficiency of Hunting Through Endurance Running in Humans”
- Indian Running: Native American History and Tradition by Peter Nabokov
- The Hunting Hypothesis by Robert Ardrey
- “The Energetic Paradox of Human Running and Hominid Evolution” — 1984 paper by David Carrier
- Why We Run by Bernd Heinrich
- AoM Podcast #691: What You Can (Really) Learn About Exercise from Your Human Ancestors With Daniel Lieberman
- Born to Run by Christopher McDougall
- “Reexamining the Mythology of the Tarahumara Runners” by Alex Hutchinson
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Connect With Alex Hutchinson
Becoming a Tech Intentional Family
In a family, a lot of the dynamics around devices and screens are reactive in nature. Kids bug for their own smartphones, parents worry they'll be left out without one, and without weighing the pros and cons, give in to their kids' requests. Parents let children have a ton of screen time because it lets the parents do what they want; then, they reach a moment where they feel disturbed about how much time their kids are on screens, berate their children for this habit, which they've facilitated, and vow that things are going to abruptly turn around.
Rather than basing your policies about kids and screens on mood, fear, and impulse, it would be better to do so based on reason and reflection. Emily Cherkin has some ideas on how to get there. Emily is a former teacher, a screentime consultant who helps parents and educators balance the role of devices in kids' lives, and the author of The Screentime Solution: A Judgment-Free Guide to Becoming a Tech-Intentional Family. Today on the show, Emily unpacks the state of screentime amongst kids today, how the "displacement hypothesis" explains how its impact extends beyond a decline in mental health, and why parents give their kids smartphones even when they're not sure it's good for them. We then turn to how families can become more tech intentional, and how that starts with parents taking a look at their own behavior. We discuss why putting parental controls on devices isn't the ultimate solution, why a better one is based on your relationship with your kids, why you need to live your digital life out loud, and some considerations to think through before getting your kid their first smartphone.
Resources Related to the Podcast
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- AoM Article: What’s the Right Age to Get a Kid Their First Smartphone? 3 Tech Thinkers Weigh In
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- The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
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Connect With Emily Cherkin
10 Philosophy-Inspired Challenges for Becoming a Better and Happier Man
Although they may call it different things and approach its attainment in different ways, many of the world’s religions and philosophies have a similar goal: achieving a life of virtue, peace, and flourishing.
In his new book, Seriously Happy, Ben Aldrige explains how anyone can use the wisdom of ancient traditions to improve themselves and live the Good life. Today on the show, Ben offers a thumbnail sketch of Buddhism, Cynicism, Taoism, Stoicism, Epicureanism, and Aristotelianism, along with practices and challenges inspired by these philosophies, including walking a banana, listening to a music performance without music, and taking a Wu Wei adventure, that you can use to put ancient wisdom into action and become a better and happier man.
Resources Related to the Podcast
- Ben’s previous appearance on the AoM podcast: Episode #640 — Weird and Wonderful Ways to Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable
- AoM Podcast #148: Trying Not to Try
- Why Buddhism is True: The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment by Robert Wright
- John Cage’s 4’33”
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Connect With Ben Aldridge
How to Win Friends and Influence People in the 21st Century
Note: This is a rebroadcast.
Over the last year, my 12-year-old son has been doing one challenge every week as a rite of passage and chance to earn a special trip. Some of these challenges have involved reading a book in a week, and the most recent book we gave him to read was How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie. His review? He said it was the best book he's read so far.
So a book written almost 90 years ago can still be a favorite of a kid in the 21st century. Talk about some staying power.
The advice in How to Win Friends & Influence People, and Dale Carnegie's other classic, How to Stop Worrying and Start Living, is timeless. But to help introduce it to a new audience, my guest, Joe Hart, has recently co-authored the book Take Command, which synthesizes, updates, and adds to the principles of Carnegie's two perennial bestsellers. Joe is the President and CEO of Dale Carnegie & Associates, which continues Carnegie's work in the present day, and we begin our conversation with some background on the guy who kicked off this work back in 1936. We then talk about what principles we can take from How to Stop Worrying and Start Living on developing a positive mindset. From there, we talk about the big overarching principle of How to Win Friends & Influence People, and how you can use it to improve your relationships. We end our conversation with advice on how to live life with more intentionality and meaning.
Resources Related to the Episode
- How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie
- How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie
- The Dale Carnegie Website, with links to the Take Command book page and the Dale Carnegie Course
- AoM Article: The 8 Best Vintage Self-Improvement Books
- AoM Podcast #818: The Philosophy of Self-Improvement
- AoM Podcast #457: Leadership Lessons With Craig Groeschel
- AoM Podcast #527: The Journey to the Second Half of Life With Richard Rohr
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Connect With Joe Hart
It's Never Too Late to Achieve Your Dream, Receive Recognition, or Make Your Mark
As you get older, you can start to feel like you'll never achieve your dream or receive recognition for your contributions to a field, or that your best work is behind you.
Mo Rocca has compiled stories that demonstrate that you shouldn't give up hope, and that no matter your age, the best may yet be to come.
Mo is a humorist, journalist, and the co-author of Roctogenarians: Late in Life Debuts, Comebacks, and Triumphs. Today on the show, Mo shares the stories and lessons of entrepreneurs, artists, actors, and more who achieved greatness or adulation in their twilight years or had a new spurt of creativity when they thought the well had run dry, including KFC founder Colonel Sanders, the artist Matisse, a couple of guys who didn't receive their first war wounds until they were old enough to qualify for the senior citizen discount at Denny's, and even a virile 90-year-old tortoise.
Resources Related to the Podcast
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- Samuel Whittemore
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- Frank Lloyd Wright's Guggenheim Museum
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- Documentary about Tyrus Wong
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Connect With Mo Rocca
When He's Married to Mom
Your relationship with your mother is likely the first and most foundational connection in your life. At its best, this bond can be a source of comfort, strength, and love that lasts a lifetime and changes in healthy, appropriate, and adaptive ways as you mature into adulthood.
But sometimes, the attachment between a mother and her son can become unhealthy, resulting in a phenomenon called mother-son enmeshment, in which a man can become a kind of surrogate husband to his mom.
Here to unpack this complex issue is Dr. Kenneth Adams. Ken is a clinical psychologist who has spent much of his career working with what he calls "mother-enmeshed men" and is the author of When He's Married to Mom. Today on the show, Ken unpacks the characteristics of mother-enmeshed men and how to know if you are one, and he explains what can happen in childhood that would cause a mother to enmesh with her son. We discuss the problems enmeshment can create in men's relationships and other areas of life and how it can lead to things like compulsive porn use. And we unpack what it means for a man to become independent and emancipate from his mother, how it's different from cutting her off, and what it looks like to have a healthy relationship with your mom.
Connect with Ken Adams
Unlock Better Sleep and Health by Harnessing Your Circadian Rhythm
You probably know your body follows a circadian rhythm, and probably think of it as primarily regulating your sleep/wake cycle, which it certainly does. But your body's internal clock also regulates many other physical, mental, and behavioral changes that occur every 24 hours, and working with your circadian rhythm, rather than against it, can boost your health and happiness.
Here to unpack how to do so is Russell Foster, a professor of circadian neuroscience and the author of Life Time: Your Body Clock and Its Essential Roles in Good Health and Sleep. In the first part of our conversation, we discuss some science and background on circadian rhythm and its connection to light exposure. We then turn to the practical implications of having an internal clock, including whether you need to worry about viewing blue light at night, the significant mental and physical harms that can accrue from working the night shift and what can be done to mitigate them, what influences your chronotype and whether you're a morning lark or a night owl, whether you should be concerned if you're waking up in the middle of the night, why you wake up to pee in the night, the best times of day to exercise, and how the circadian rhythm can influence when you should take medication.
Connect With Russell Foster
Boots, Tents, Sleeping Bags, and More: How to Choose and Use Outdoor Gear
A fair amount of gear is involved in making a camping or backpacking trip a success, and choosing that gear can be a little intimidating as there are lots of options, and it's expensive to boot.
Here to offer some tips on selecting gear and getting the most out of it is Craig Caudill, an avid outdoorsman, the director and lead instructor of the Nature Reliance School, and the author of Ultimate Wilderness Gear: Everything You Need to Know to Choose and Use the Best Outdoor Equipment. Today on the show, Craig and I discuss some things to know when purchasing things like boots, tents, sleeping bags, and more, and we offer some specific recommendations as to the gear that's worked for us respectively. Craig also offers tips on using outdoor equipment, including how to dry wet boots without damaging them, whether you should put a tarp under your tent, what to do if you get hot and sweaty or cold in your sleeping bag, a hack for sleeping more comfortably on the ground, and the best kind of knife for an outdoorsman to carry.
Resources Related to the Podcast
- AoM Article: How to Filter and Purify Water for Traveling, Camping, and Survival
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- AoM Article: Two Things You Should Be Doing to Take Better Care of Your Camping Gear
- AoM Article: Outdoor Hydration Showdown — Nalgene Bottle vs. Water Bladder
- AoM Article: How to Choose the Perfect Survival Knife
- Craig's books
- Native Summit in Edmond, OK
- Brett's Tent: Hubba Hubba 2-Person Backpacking Tent
- Hennessy Hammock Tent
- Warbonnet Hammock Tents
- Military Modular Sleep System
- Brett's Sleeping Pad: Big Agnes
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- Backpacking Cot
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- Brett's Water Bladder: HydraPak Shape-Shift
- Craig's Water Filter: Sawyer Mini
- Brett's Water Filter: Katadyn Hiker Pro Hand Pump Water Filter
- Sawyer Squeeze Water Filter
- Brett's Backpacking Stove: Jetboil Stove
- Fire-Maple Backpacking Stove
- MSR Backpacking Stove
- LT Wright Handcrafted Knives
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- Hill People Gear Backpacks
Connect With Craig Caudill
Related Episodes
Episode 247: Resetting the Barometer of Success - The Right Goals for the Biggest Gains in 2023
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
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Upskilling Knowledge and Understanding
-
Improving Craft and Technique
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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
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Episode 281: Purple Patch Case Study Series - #5 - Kyle, Minnie & Kathy (Cautionary Tales)
This week on the Purple Patch Podcast, we conclude our Purple Patch Performance Case Studies series. In this series, we delve into the experiences of real athletes to provide practical insights about performance. In the past few weeks, we have examined some motivating and informative examples of athlete achievement. However, today we will focus on stories that serve as warnings.
In this episode, Ironman Master Coach Matt Dixon shares three cautionary tales of athletes at various levels of performance who faced common and significant setbacks on their athletic journeys.
Matt outlines the case studies to explain how these challenges developed and recommends solutions for avoiding common pitfalls of the performance landscape.
This episode aims to highlight the obstacles that caused these athletes to stumble, and hopefully inspire you to reflect on your own journey and create a positive path to your goals.
We highly recommend you check out Matt’s recently published white paper on Sustained High Performance. In it, Matt combines his two decades of coaching observations with current empirical research and direct insights from high-performing C-Suite executives. He lays out a roadmap to amplify performance at the highest levels of business leadership. Click here to download your free copy and access Matt's extensive experience in coaching individuals to the highest level of performance in world-class sports, executive performance, and corporate leadership.
Episode Timestamps
00:00 - 03:13 - Welcome and Episode Introduction
03:14 - 05:28 - Matt's News-ings
05:29 - 09:11 - Word of the Week
09:18 - 51:38 - The Meat and Potatoes - Episode 281: Purple Patch Case Study Series - #5 - Kyle, Minnie, & Kathy (Cautionary Tales)
Purple Patch and Episode Resources
Join Run Squad - Increase your running performance through our progressive, multi-sport approach to running
Purple Patch Video Podcast and More
More on the Purple Patch Methodology
More on Purple Patch Bike Live & On-Demand
Get a Free Taste of Purple Patch Strength
Join the Purple Patch Team - Director of Growth and Business Operations
The Purple Patch Center is Open - Learn More and Schedule a Visit
Purple Patch Coaching Consultation
Learn more about our Tri Squad Program
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
Stay Up-to-Date with Purple Patch News and Events
Episode 236: KONA - Evolution of the Pro Performance (An IRONMAN Master Coach Insight)
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
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
Stay Up-to-Date with Purple Patch News and Events
Episode 284: Offseason - Foundation, Skills, and Technique (Part 2 - Key Principles and Approaches)
We continue our three-part series on the off-season, in which we frame the approach to building a foundation of performance, developing skills, and improving technique.
In part 2 of our series, IRONMAN Master Coach Matt Dixon discusses his reimagined approach to the off-season and lays out a blueprint for leveraging the months between Q4 and Q1 in a smart and balanced way.
Matt shares key principles and approaches you can leverage this off-season to improve your swim stroke, terrain management on the bike, balance on the run, and more while emerging faster, stronger, and injury-free.
He lays out the various methods and resources that form the basis of Purple Patch programming, coaching, community, and education, with the goal of helping athletes achieve their best year of racing while integrating sport into their busy lives.
The challenge, of course, is that really focusing on technique and skill acquisition is almost impossible when you're equally training hard, you're in that environment. It's a hard session. You don't have the willpower, focus, and attention to really think about your posture, your form, your skill acquisition, etc. And it becomes even tougher when you've got a looming deadline for a race. When that comes up, all bets are off. All you have hope for is to retain what is already habitual. And that's why these coming months are your golden platform of opportunity. Because you have no deadlines. You have much lower stress training demands, and therefore you have the capacity to focus on your HOW.
Although Matt discusses the approach from a triathlete's perspective (swim, bike, run, strength, and habits), the principles and techniques he covers apply to all endurance athletes and fitness enthusiasts.
Whether striving to reach the podium and finish line or simply aiming to enhance how you perform at work and in life, the principles Matt discusses today apply to anyone seeking to improve their performance.
Episode Timestamps
00:00 - 07:55 - Welcome and Episode Introduction
08:02 - 09:36 - Matt's News-ings
09:51 - 13:30 - Word of the Week
13:37 - 01:01:11 - The Meat and Potatoes - Episode 284: Offseason - Foundation, Skills, and Technique (Part 2 - Key Principles and Approaches)
Purple Patch and Episode Resources
Purple Patch Video Podcast and More
Learn more about the Purple Patch Tri-Squad Join Tri Squad with the code POD10 and get 10% off your first month.
More on Purple Patch Bike Live & On-Demand
More on the Purple Patch Methodology
Get a Free Taste of Purple Patch Strength
Join the Purple Patch Team -
The Purple Patch Center is Open - Learn More and Schedule a Visit
Purple Patch Coaching Consultation
Learn more about our Tri Squad Program
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
Stay Up-to-Date with Purple Patch News and Events
Episode 251: Lessons From Leaders - Purple Patch Kona Camp 2023
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
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
Stay Up-to-Date with Purple Patch News and Events