by Coach Mat | 11 Oct, 2020
Practicing non-judgment in athletic training has been one of the more liberating experiences I’ve had. It opens me up to more information, a more complex and nuanced understanding of my body and performance, and it allows me to form the kind of emotional...
by Coach Mat | 3 Sep, 2019
At an elevation of 4,688 feet (1,428 meters), in the last week of August, Cultus Lake was just high enough to keep us above the unpleasant heatwave passing through the lower lands and yet not leave us quite breathless. The water was crystal clear, pleasantly cool...
by Coach Mat | 25 Nov, 2018
Comfort Barrier If the water is cooler than you are comfortable with, or even really cold, should you wear a wetsuit? Well, my short answer to this question is, if the cold will keep you from swimming, but otherwise you are fit, capable and eager to go, then wear a...
by Coach Mat | 4 Nov, 2017
I want to lay out some thoughts about buying a wetsuit to address the many questions and concerns I receive. Much of the following is an excerpt from my forthcoming ebook A Better Triathlon Swim that is just days away from being published. Wetsuits are desirable for...
by Coach Mat | 21 Jun, 2014
When training in open-water how do I measure improvement? The best arrangement is to set up two fixed points (as described in the previous post), and then measure 2 of the 3 variables in the Pace equation: Pace = SPL x Tempo More specifically, for calculating Pace at...
by Coach Mat | 6 Oct, 2013
Autumn has its grip on most of the northern hemisphere and our wild waterways are cooling down fast. I have heard the usual chatter about the ‘last open water swim of the season’ and I fully sympathize. However, I want to raise the challenge to hold onto...
