The Pacific Crest Endurance Festival is a favorite of mine. I have participated in the half-iron triathlon and half marathon events over the years. The Olympic distance tri has always held my interest but I’ had never made room in my racing schedule for it until this year when I placed it on my calendar as an “A” race.

My focus for this race was on consistent execution across all three disciplines without a reliance on in-the-moment metrics for feedback on my performance. My goal for the race was the top spot in my age group, something I have never accomplished in triathlon. Taking to heart all I have learned during my 18 months as a Purple Patch athlete, I placed on-course metrics, a focus on place, and the mental whining about altitude, temperature and course conditions at the back of my mind and focused on racing strong throughout the race. My (mostly) straight swim was one of the best open water swims I’ve ever had. The San Francisco camp really paid off here for an improved swim stroke- Thank you Coach Hurley. The bike was my strongest part of the race (7th overall), despite a couple of course management errors. The run was an exercise in stubbornness and focus on my MSP (this one’s for you Coach Dixon, “Maximum Sustainable Pace”). I did a lot of passing during the run and was able to get a guy right at the line (always a warm fuzzy). I earned second in my age group, missing the top spot by 9 seconds, and felt this was my best triathlon performance yet (10th overall). I’m ready for more.

Why purple patch- I call myself a “recovering” collegiate distance runner, who found triathlon as a way to keep running as I aged and the miles took their toll through a series of injuries. As a self-coached athlete for over 25 years, I read a lot and used online training programs to prepare for my running and tri events. It was my first Ironman race and the realization that being coached would up my chances for a finish I could be satisfied with that led me to Purple Patch. Purple Patch gave me the structure and foundation to have a successful first Ironman at the 2018 Ironman Canada in Whistler. I have remained a Purple Patch athlete because it has provided me with a framework for growth as an athlete where triathlon enhances my life, and is not a source of friction within my family. My wife recommends Purple Patch to my tri-obsessed friends’ spouses because of the sanity it has brought into our house. The reasons I recommend Purple Patch are: the understanding of the purpose for the workouts (even when they hurt), the flexibility of the schedule to meet my busy life, the athletic progression I’ve seen, the educational content, and the quality of each coach I have encountered.