As we begin to close up a highly successful season, and enter the preparatory phase of the upcoming year of performance, it is timely to reflect on the key elements of athletes who seem to consistently improve their performance level, shine, and have a big smile on their face doing so. Across all levels, there are common elements that consistently bubble up, including:

• Consistent training. We don’t need obsession, but a year-round approach to maintaining a thread of consistency.

• Eagerness for learning and growth. The smart athletes realize there is always room to grow and improve.

• High level of engagement. High performers are seldom soloists. They tend to lean into community. Whether they realize it or not, this is because of the benefits that emerge from being a part of something, such as feedback, accountability and empowerment.

That third point is critical.

While so many obsess on training methods, new equipment, or what magic new metric they should track, the power of community is often undervalued. Lean into the community, and your training and racing results will almost certainly improve. 

Who and what is your Purple Patch community? 

• Community defines the culture, mindset, standards of performance, and belief of every athlete. It goes well beyond interactions between athletes. 

• It is an essential part of our ecosystem, infused into our educational events and our training. It is a powerful catalyst for growth and learning, an effective form of accountability and motivation, and of course -- a way to make all this more fun (and to share the suffering on those hard sessions).

• Our community at Purple Patch is unique in that it brings people from all walks of life and corners of the globe together. No matter your age, occupation, or athletic goals, there is a shared goal to learn and to reach your performance potential. 

• Of course, our staff and coaches are part of the community too, ready and willing to support you. We are truly invested in your success. 

How can you engage in the coming months?

Here’s a bit of what we have planned to help foster connection throughout Purple Patch:

• Take advantage of our interactive coached workouts:

  • Upcoming live ride with Matt: Stay tuned for details on future Saturday morning rides. Join Matt Dixon for a fully-coached, immersive, high-value workout with 100+ of your fellow Purple Patch teammates. (Bonus: sing-alongs!)

  • Watch Parties: Throughout October, watch parties will be FREE. Simply click the "live and on-demand sessions" link in the workout to reserve your space in a session. Drop in and get LIVE, real-time feedback from a coach on your form and technique, and have the opportunity to chat and interact with other athletes as well.

• Compete in our Virtual Challenges: These have consistently been a rich source for stories of unexpected fun and performance success for athletes. Expect an expansion and evolution moving forward -- including the return of the December Consistency Challenge (get ready, Joaquin!).

• Join the Facebook group: This is a great place to source answers on your questions, support and cheer each other on, and even connect with others that might be local for some in-person meetups. 

• We are open to your voices as well. Have an idea? Give us a shout.

What do you get out from leveraging the power of community?

• Belief, confidence, and support: It’s no secret that being surrounded by friends and training partners propels us to greater heights. 

  • Community ‘brings up the bottom’ by helping you navigate low points, be it a tough training session you struggled through, time of great personal adversity, or moment of second-guessing your next big race goal. There was no better example of this than the outset of the pandemic, where our athletes rallied around those in the community facing incredible adversity, keeping them focused on the greater mission and journey.

  • Community also amplifies the high points. We just saw 50 Purple Patch athletes compete at the 70.3 World Championships -- and most were first-timers. One of the common threads among those high performers was their commitment to connecting. They celebrated the successes of other athletes throughout the year, shared their own achievements and lessons with us all, even coordinated meet-ups for training. They did not shy away from connecting with each other and with the larger Purple Patch community.

• Feedback and growth: We frame much of our community experience in the context of education, be it the expert coaching in our Watch Parties, the opportunity for Q&A at Office Hours, or even coaches answering questions on the Facebook group. At Purple Patch, being part of the community means being able to connect with experts-in-field that can help you achieve your best performance successes.

• Accountability: Consistency is key when it comes to long-term performance success. While we say this through a pragmatic lens, the truth is, you do have to show up and do the work. Every athlete has moments where motivation wanes or worry bubbles up, and the threat of falling off the wagon becomes real. It is far easier to navigate those moments, and remain on track in your journey, when there are people counting on you to check in and stay committed to the shared goal.

We appreciate you being part of the Purple Patch community, and we hope you will use the coming months as an opportunity to discover the benefits it provides. We are here for you.

Cheers,

Matt and the Purple Patch team