Author: Matt Dixon
Some themes were in action this week. In the last few weeks of racing, we have discussed various topics around performance, many of which seemed to bubble up in real life examples and case studies. I love to educate through case studies and apply theory to allow athletes to appreciate the message within the context of real life. I am also aware that sometimes concepts can be just that, especially when applied to racing. When the gun goes off, all bets are off. With this in mind, and with great glee, I get to join the dots to provide some context and story-board some enjoyable personal results of Purple Patch athletes. I hope their stories resonate and help you see performance concepts in real action.
Development: Justin Riele
It was not long ago that Justin began triathlon, and he was incredibly proud of his first race, which was an Olympic distance here in the Bay Area. Justin was keen to join Team Every Man Jack but was way off the pace. As a good swimmer and decent rider, Justin needed a lot of work on the run. He was told that a 1 hour and 30 minute half marathon would secure his spot on the team. He just snuck in and happily joined the team. Since then, Justin has committed to consistent work and integration into our squad in San Francisco and also enjoyed great support from the EMJ team. This weekend he was the overall champion at IRONMAN Hawaii 70.3. An incredible 1 hour and 26 minute run in the soup of Kona correlates closer to 1 hour 20 minutes or so on a normal course. A giant leap and a massive performance that is honestly one of the best performances of the year. It is his commitment to the journey and willingness to allow development to begin to occur over multiple seasons. Now is the tough part - getting even faster.
Managing Failure: Stephanie Go
My honest favorite, sorry other folks, but this is a great story. You might remember the podcast episode on managing failure. I dedicated that show to Stephanie Go, following her struggles at the Boston Marathon. It was a tough experience that led to massive frustration and declining belief. Efforts didn’t reap rewards. Following some heartfelt advice and running with it, Stephanie rebuilt her mindset and gave it another crack. The result? Another marathon and a colossal PR and breakthrough performance. A great return to racing and a personal triumph. We couldn’t be happier for her.
Navigating Injury: Hallie Nicoll
Hallie has had, let’s call it, various niggles over the last year. She isn’t out of the woods yet, but she can certainly claim to be very familiar with the inside of many physical therapy clinics. When we met Hallie, we told her two things; first, she is much better than she thinks she is and second, to get more healthy she needs to get really strong. Following a couple of camp experiences, we started to see Hallie grow in confidence, level, and health. She owned her journey and carved ongoing charges toward the pointy end of the pack. While not out of the woods yet, she has evolved so much but also learned to manage her injury-prone frame. This weekend, she went on her path to age group winner at IRONMAN Connecticut 70.3. Great personal growth and the willingness to evolve in pursuit of health and performance.
Performance with a Smile: The Sarahs
The Sarahs (Piampiano and Cameto). Twinsies in performance mindset here, yet I could label 2018 as the year of “mechanical grind” for both Sarahs. Where was the pure joy and love for competition, unshackled from external expectations? I couldn’t find it. Both went on their own journey of discovery to find meaning, passion, and fulfillment. In 2019, we see smiles, passion, and simplicity in approach. Once again, a back-to-basics approach that creates performance. Sarah P? Well, we know all about her record-breaking performance in Brazil, but let’s allow Sarah Cameto to shine here, too. Not only a strong performance in IRONMAN Hawaii 70.3, but her ticket was punched to the Hawaii IRONMAN World Championships. Scary, yes, but fun for me to watch? You bet ya!
The Journey Ahead: Corey McPhee
Special mention to Corey - representing! We all get pulled into talking about breaking records, qualifying to Kona, and winning age groups, but let’s never forget the magical accomplishment of completing your first big race. Corey, a highly respectable first-time IRONMAN 70.3 finish in Victoria, Canada. Impressive, captain, and well done from myself and the team.
Well done to all who raced. We aim to capture them it but it is a tough journey! Sandy, Kristin, Antonio, more, more, more. Well done, well done!
