A note to all at Purple Patch:

Over the last months, the world has been challenged with a pandemic that touched every country, it tested everyone and has had an unfathomable impact on how we live our lives.  Through this time, Kelli and I were immensely proud of how the Purple Patch team stepped up to support, and how all Purple Patch athletes stabilized, innovated, and remained committed to performance.

As we begin to ‘emerge stronger’, we find ourselves in the midst of even more challenge and heartbreak, and while America is the center of the injustice we witnessed, racism is not just an American issue.  This week we mourn for Geoge Floyd and Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery’s families, and for all families who have lost someone they loved to racism.  Make no mistake, these protests have not emerged because of George or Breonna or Ahmaud.  We must face that these incidents were just the latest catalyst that highlights the institutional racism that so many face.  We stand with everyone advocating for change and equality.  

Kelli and I, as well as the entire Purple Patch team, are committed to listening, learning, and improving.  We can all grow.  We commit to retain and improve a culture of diversity and inclusion and seek to continue to evolve and improve. 

We believe in the future.  As we have said over the last months, change is always hard, and the challenge is an opportunity for growth.  We just hope that the events of the last week will provide a runway of meaningful systemic change over the long-term.  We know it won’t be easy, and it will not just come from above, it will require all of us to contribute.  In the greatest adversity can emerge the greatest response.  Let’s make sure this chance isn’t wasted.

We appreciate your help in the process and are open to any feedback you have along the way. 

Matt and Kelli, and the Purple Patch Team

Resources: 

There are a few pieces that some of you might benefit from, that we thought we would share.

Podcast:  I couldn’t help but draw some powerful parallels in this compelling podcast by Malcom Gladwell.  It focuses on the British Establishment’s response to the Troubles in Northern Ireland, but you might find a perspective align to the last weeks: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/revisionist-history-presents-the-limits-of-power/id1119389968?i=1000476517088

Books:  In this week’s podcast we added some potential resources for race and privilege - you can find them in the show notes here:  

https://www.purplepatchfitness.com/podcast-transfer/episode-119-timetorampup

A Note About the Upcoming Week: 

In happier news, we march forward with the drive to performance, and have some exciting weeks ahead of us.  If we come up for a little perspective (and air) the coming weeks look like this:

• A new phase of training emerging
• A brand new progressive strength program for integration into programming
• Many athletes progressing back into consistent swimming
• Evolved program offerings planned around ‘live coaching’ and educational content
• A sniff of hope for races to bubble up and become a reality.

It is all very exciting.  One consistent question we receive is about emerging back into consistent swimming.  The vast majority of athletes are behind in their swimming training, which is not a long-term challenge, but we must engage with swimming in a sensible way.

The good news about this situation is that many of you are about to experience a happy surprise.  If you have been consistent in the dryland bands, then your swimming is likely much closer to the standard than you may feel right now.  The strange aspect is that almost every athlete is in a very different place.  Over the last weeks, we have developed a ‘return to swim protocol’, which we have put in the hands of our coaches and are going to make available to every Squad athlete.  It is a three-week program that gradually ramps athletes back to full swimming.  Simple in design, focusing on technical development, resilience and a gradual building of readiness to go full force back into swimming training. 

The headline news:

Return to swim is 3 weeks in duration:  We begin with a technical week with lighter endurance, a ramp with some lighter intervals in week two, then transition to the ‘gloves coming off’ in week three.  Following these nine swims, we will be ready to go (understanding 1:1 athletes might be on an evolved program).

Delivery:  For squad athletes -- we will post in the education hub as a PDF accessible document, but also place in Race Builds in single week segments ON JUNE 8th.  Treat it like the ‘Return to Run’ protocol we use for injuries.

Swim Education:  We are making next week swim-week!  Each Daily Bulletin will include education around swimming technique, drills and swim toys, we also have Office Hours with John Stevens focusing on swimming on Monday, June 8th at 3pm PDT. 

Let’s keep marching forward and be ready for lots of content coming your way over the coming weeks, with strength and training focus evolving.  The performance journey continues!

Stay safe.