18 Jesse Thomas - Part 1- Winning Wildflower: How a Borrowed Bike and Cheap Sunglasses Catapulted a Career

04/24/18 • 64 min

Click Here to Register for the Jesse Thomas Wildflower Giveaway!

In 2011, Jesse Thomas was a new pro triathlete. He was so new, in fact, that when he decided to race the Wildflower Triathlon at the last minute that year, there were no real pro spots left, so he ended up with bib number 87, the first number behind the female pro bibs.

Picture this: He was on a borrowed bike and, fellow pro triathlete, Matt Lieto, let him borrow an aero helmet. Jesse slept in a closet the night before the race and he even stopped at the drug store at the last minute to pick up a pair of cheap aviator sunglasses because he didn’t even have sunglasses to wear.

Literally, no one knew who he was; not even the race announcers who had to ask him his name as he crossed the finish line, much to everyone’s surprise, at the front of the stacked pro field.

In part one of this special two-part interview with long-time Coach Matt Dixon, Jesse walks us through that magical day, which was, indeed, his catalyst into triathlon stardom.

He was a true “newbie triathlete” competitor who won this legendary race which seemed downright unfathomable. It is, as they say in the interview, one of the most authentic moments in sport, a true Cinderella story, and there are many lessons of process, expectations, and performance to be absorbed throughout this conversation.

Some may call it a fluke, but what makes this story and coach/athlete relationship so special is that Jesse defended his title successfully for the next SIX consecutive years and now he’s back in 2018 (along with the return of the race) with a different lens on the sport, but, still, with big expectations and a true desire to win.

He can’t wait to bring it all back to where it started and we can’t wait for you to listen to this amusing, funny and inspirational account of the non-glamorous start to a pro triathlon career that has turned into one of the most successful.

In celebration of the return of the Wildflower Triathlon and Jesse’s return to the start line, we’ve teamed up with Roka and Picky Bars to givevaway prize packs valued at over $2000! Visit purplepatchfitness.com/wildflowergiveaway to register.

Wildflower Giveaway

Jesse Thomas Instagram Jesse Thomas Website Jesse Thomas Facebook Jesse Thomas Twitter

Roka Instagram Roka Facebook Roka Twitter Roka Website

Picky Bars Instagram Picky Bars Facebook Picky Bars Twitter Picky Bars Website

Follow Purple Patch Fitness and learn more about our Coaching Services, Training Camps, Promotions and Matt's Latest Book, Fast Track Triathlete:

Thanks for taking a listen and, if you like what you hear, please subscribe, share, rate and review. Your feedback is appreciated.

Subscribe to the Purple Patch Podcast:

Click Here to Register for the Jesse Thomas Wildflower Giveaway!

Literally, no one knew who he was; not even the race announcers who had to ask him his name as he crossed the finish line, much to everyone’s surprise, at the front of the stacked pro field.

In part one of this special two-part interview with long-time Coach Matt Dixon, Jesse walks us through that magical day, which was, indeed, his catalyst into triathlon stardom.

Wildflower Giveaway

Jesse Thomas Instagram Jesse Thomas Website Jesse Thomas Facebook Jesse Thomas Twitter

Roka Instagram Roka Facebook Roka Twitter Roka Website

Picky Bars Instagram Picky Bars Facebook Picky Bars Twitter Picky Bars Website

Follow Purple Patch Fitness and learn more about our Coaching Services, Training Camps, Promotions and Matt's Latest Book, Fast Track Triathlete:

Thanks for taking a listen and, if you like what you hear, please subscribe, share, rate and review. Your feedback is appreciated.

Subscribe to the Purple Patch Podcast:

Previous Episode

17 Brad Stulberg - Achieving Global Performance Improvement

Click Here for Peak Performance Cheat Sheets!

Brad Stulberg has been in the spotlight a lot recently. Last Fall, his book, “Peak Performance,” written with co-Author, Steve Magness, captivated the attention of many an endurance athlete. I mean, who wouldn’t be captivated with a subtitle like, “Elevate your Game, Avoid Burnout, and Thrive with the New Science of Success?”

Most recently, however, this speaker and regular columnist at Outside Magazine, has garnered attention in a much different way. In March, Stulberg, in an article entitled, “When a Stress Expert Battles Mental Illness,” opened up about his sudden and terrifying diagnosis with a rare mental illness known as Pure O. Pure O, it turns out, is a form of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder without the physical manifestations of the illness that many know. This display of vulnerability has opened the door to even deeper conversations about performance, success, fulfillment, and happiness.

That’s where this conversation with Matt Dixon picks up. Yes, they do talk in depth about Stulberg's diagnosis, but rather than having a traditional Q&A about the book, Matt and Brad give their own perspectives on the landscape of improving performance by focusing on just a few keywords that lead to even deeper discussion; words like: balance, excellence, self-awareness, hacking, routine and more.

How do these words apply to global performance improvement? And, even more importantly, how are they often misinterpreted?
Can you really achieve balance?
When do you know if you’re balanced?
What does it mean to have “excellence” in something? Does it always mean you’re the best?
How does self-awareness define your passions?
What does it mean to be fully self-aware?
Can you truly simplify complex situations by hacking them?
Are daily routines and rituals good or bad?
How do you know if a routine is enhancing or inhibiting your life?

This ultimately is a conversation about self-discovery and honesty.

Stulberg has provided two FREE GIVEAWAYS in this podcast!

The 10 Commandments of Peak Performance - key takeaways from the book
The Peak Performance Quote Book - 57 pages of key quotes from the book

Click Here for Peak Performance Cheat Sheets!

:00-:21 Matt’s Weekly Welcome

:21-1:50 Episode introduction and cheat sheet giveaway

1:00- 5:20 Word of the Week - Elevate - Elevate your performance by elevating your mindset by helping others

5:20 The Meat and Potatoes: Matt Dixon and Brad Stulberg

Follow us and learn more about our Coaching Services, Training Camps, Promotions and Matt's Latest Book, Fast Track Triathlete:

Thanks for taking a listen and, if you like what you hear, please subscribe, share, rate and review. Your feedback is appreciated.

Subscribe to the Purple Patch Podcast:

Next Episode

19 Jesse Thomas -Part 2 - Balancing a Big Life as Husband, Father, CEO, and Pro Triathlete

In Part 1 the Jesse Thomas story with Matt Dixon, Jesse and Matt reminisced about Jesse's surprising and humorous entrance into the world of professional triathlon racing with his unsuspecting win at the legendary Wildflower Triathlon. Since then, he's gone on to win six Wildflower titles, two Ironmans and countless 70.3s, performing at the top level for practically the last decade.

Today, Jesse is still performing at a world-class level, but much has changed for him and his family. Now, he and wife, Lauren Fleshman, are parents to two young children. He's also CEO of fast-growing Picky Bars, as well as his own brand. While professional triathlon is still incredibly important, it's certainly not his sole focus.

This is a story of the transition from an unapologetic quest for world-class performance to high performance across sport, work, and life. In this episode, you'll hear Jesse and Matt discuss:

What drives him now in this new phase of life
How he describes balance
How he prioritizes his day with family, work, and training
How he overcomes adversity
What has allowed him to keep improving
The role and value that a coach plays in maximizing the hours he does have
His proudest moments

There are so many lessons for any time-starved individual in this honest and introspective conversation.

The mission of Purple Patch Fitness is to empower and educate every human being to reach their athletic potential. Through the lens of reaching your athletic potential, you reach your human potential.

Jesse is a prime example of reaching both athletic and human potential.

In celebration of the return of the Wildflower Triathlon and Jesse’s return to the start line, we’ve teamed up with Roka and Picky Bars to giveaway prize packs valued at over $2000! Visit purplepatchfitness.com/wildflowergiveawway to register.

Wildflower Giveaway

Jesse Thomas Instagram

Jesse Thomas Website

Jesse Thomas Facebook