#077 – Are fear and limiting beliefs holding you back in life? Amber Tait, a former competitive gymnast, shares her new passion as a coach in the fitness industry and her mission to empower others through fitness and sport. She talks about the importance of overcoming fear and limiting beliefs in pursuit of fitness goals and helping others transform physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Topics Covered:
- Conquer fear and self-imposed barriers to achieve success
- Breaking down large objectives into manageable chunks for steady progress
- Uncover the benefits of seeking expert guidance in your fitness journey
- Embrace the power of community to excel in your fitness goals
Today’s Guest
Amber Tait
After devoting the majority of her life to the sport of gymnastics in many different roles including competitive athlete, coach and judge, Covid led Amber to redirect her passions into the fitness industry starting up Pure Impact Athletics. As a fitness enthusiast and gym owner, Amber is on a mission to empower others through fitness and sport. There is nothing that excites her more than seeing others transform physically, mentally and emotionally.
Follow Amber:
- Instagram – @ambertait
Resources:
- Inspire to Run on Instagram – @inspiretorunpodcast
- Free Guide – Kickstart your Fitness in 5 Steps
- 8 Week Fitness Coaching Program with Underdog Fitness
- Sign-up using code INSPIRE10 for 10% off
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Listen to Inspire to Run Podcast:
Richard Conner 0:00
Hey everyone, this episode is fire. You’re going to enjoy the conversation today that I have with my guests as we talk about overcoming limiting beliefs and actionable steps that you can take, whether you’re doing your first 5k Or you’re doing your next race and you’re looking to improve your performance. We also talk about the role that community plays in your health and fitness journey. Hope you enjoy.
Intro/Outro 0:26
Welcome to Inspire to run podcast. Here you will find inspiration. Whether you’re looking to take control of your health and fitness or you’re a seasoned runner, looking for community and some extra motivation. You will hear inspiring stories from amazing runners, along with helpful tips from fitness experts. Now here’s your host Richard Conner.
Richard Conner 0:49
Hi, everyone, welcome to inspire on podcast. I am here today with Amber Tate after devoting the majority of her life to the sport of gymnastics and many different roles, including competitive athlete, coach and judge COVID LED Amber to redirect her passions into the fitness industry, starting up pure impact athletics. As a fitness enthusiast and gym owner. Amber is on a mission to empower others through fitness and sport. There is nothing that excites her more than seeing others transform physically, mentally, and emotionally. Welcome to the show, Amber.
Amber Tait 1:24
Thanks for having me. I’m excited to be here.
Richard Conner 1:26
I’m excited to have you as well thank you for being here. And I should also thank you for being my judge at the DECA event a couple of weeks ago. I haven’t shared my story yet. I promised to do so here on the show. But I did get a PR almost by a minute and a half. And it was just so awesome to have you judge me and motivate me through you know, a very challenging race.
Amber Tait 1:47
You did fantastic. And you know, it was really fun is I remember asking your your your goal when we started and just like I love helping people like achieve that. And like knowing like we’re so close, let’s stay on track. Like it’s, it’s a big win for me watching you into. So that was really exciting. So thanks for being my athletes for 30 minutes.
Richard Conner 2:10
Yeah, literally, for listeners, it was 30 minutes. So right on the dot, which is pretty incredible. But no, yeah, much appreciated. And happy to have you here to learn just a little bit more about you and your story, and how you inspire and motivate others. So maybe we’ll just start to learn a little bit about you and your background.
Amber Tait 2:27
Yeah, so like you said, Actually, majority of my life was devoted to gymnastics and the sport of gymnastics. And I do believe it really helped shape me as a person like not only just in sport, but in life. Yes, I competed very competitively. And I just, I loved everything about it. So immediately after retiring as a competitive gymnast, I jumped into a full blown career as a coach and judge and the, the mission behind that was really just to give back to the sport that had really shaped me throughout my life and given me so many experiences, and just learning about overcoming challenges mentally and physically and, and you know, just helping to form the next generation and share with them all that I had learned in the many, many years. So after 10 years of coaching and judging however, COVID hit and it was a, it was a massive, massive shift in sport, and in fitness and in life for so many people. And I just felt like it was such a pivotal point in my life for me and I had spent so so many years in that sport, and I just felt like I had so much more to give but maybe a different avenue. And that’s when I decided that, you know, my time in that chapter was kind of coming to an end. And I shifted into fitness and just felt that I had so much more to share with another age demographic to write because as gymnasts like it was predominantly youth, and teens. And I just really wanted to step outside of that and also have a chance to teach and empower adults to and not only adults and maybe even seniors one day, you know, and just more, more reach more age brackets more, right. So, so that was really appointed me shifting into fitness. And I do believe it was one of the best decisions I ever made. It’s just been such an incredible journey over the past three years.
Richard Conner 4:17
That’s awesome. Well, congratulations, Amber, just really wonderful journey. I appreciate you sharing that with our listeners. And, you know, as I’m listening to your story, you mentioned about COVID and the pandemic and the shift there. And I think that was, you know, a big barrier shift for a lot of us. You know, for those of us who’ve been with us been with the podcast from the start, it was born out of the pandemic. And it was really an opportunity not only for me to share my story about how I’ve been able to overcome fear and do things that I never thought I could do, but give others the opportunities to share their story. So definitely can relate to your story there.
Amber Tait 4:51
Yeah, and you know, it was a scary shift to write but I feel like it was the right time as well. And if you never ever take that leap and You know, this might sound corny, but you, you’re never gonna fly. And you know, I just took the chance I had the opportunity, and I’m definitely happier than I’ve ever been.
Richard Conner 5:10
Well, I’ve only known you for a short period of time, but you’re always smiling, you’re always happy. So definitely, definitely great to see that. And, you know, let’s talk a little bit about, you know, what you’re seeing with the people that you’re coaching and your clients. And I’ll share a little bit of my story of what I’ve seen, and maybe we can, you can relate to this. But, you know, my personal story is I’ve been on this journey to overcome fear and do things I’ve never been able to do. And I, I wonder if others are kind of going through the same thing, right. So when I share my story, others will say, Oh, that’s really great. And they’re really encouraging. But they’re like, Well, I can’t do that. Or I wish I could do that. And I’m wondering, I’m like, No, really, it’s it’s cliche, but if I could do it, you could do it kind of thing. And I’m wondering if it’s something like fear that’s holding others back. So, you know, I’d love to get your perspective on people that you’ve worked with clients that you’ve worked with, and, and kind of what they’ve been going through?
Amber Tait 6:00
Yes, absolutely. And I think this is such a great topic for myself personally, as well. Because going back to my history, in gymnastics, a massive, massive part of gymnastics is fear. Like, there is a huge factor in that sport, where like, you’re really high, and you’re on a really thin beam. And you know, you’re throwing your body into these, these skills at a high level that is scary. So I feel like this was a great topic for us to touch on. Because this is something I’ve personally been doing is overcoming fear and learning how to walk through that and to talk yourself through and to just, you know, learn to trust yourself and what you’re capable of. So I’m really excited that this is the topic of today. Because you know, like, Guys, if you have a goal or a desire, know that you have that goal, because you’re meant to pursue it. And there is going to be fears that come along the way because it’s scary, because it’s, it’s pushing you out of your comfort zone and into flow, right? And that, that scares the heck out of a lot of people. Because it’s the growth that scares that it’s not the task itself. It’s the growth of getting from A to B, that is super scary. But you know what, there’s a lot of ways and things you can do to help that process. Because if you have that goal, and you have that something you want to do, you got to go for it.
Richard Conner 7:23
All right, awesome. So you know, let’s, let’s talk a little bit about it. And I can interject some of my own experience and some of the things that’s worked for me.
Amber Tait 7:30
Okay, so. So the how, you know, a big part of overcoming fear is we spend so much time worrying about how we’re going to achieve that goal, or what we need to do to achieve that goal, instead of just focusing on the little steps that are going to add up to the end result. So don’t like hyper focus on how, okay, that tends to lead us to overthink. And then that’s when we start to get those limiting beliefs. Well, can I do that? Well, yes, absolutely, you can, right, just focus on little smaller tasks along the way, that make that end goal seem a little bit less daunting. And never be scared to ask for help, you know, like hiring a coach and allowing them to focus on the how and the what takes that pressure off of you. And then all you have to do is focus on executing the task at hand. And that really helps you fall into the smaller steps that lead to bigger results.
Richard Conner 8:27
Yeah, for sure. And, you know, so thank you for sharing that. And you know, just in my own experience, that part about the coach is really important, because when I did my first Spartan Race, I don’t know, going back five years ago, I didn’t really know what I was getting into, and I did the race, and I completed it, and I feel good about it. But as soon as I finished it, I was like, I could do better, I could definitely do better. But everything about the race scared me, you know, climbing a rope and doing monkey bars, which I couldn’t do any of that stuff back then. And I’m like, I don’t even know how to do this properly. And I need somebody to help me and push me. And that’s when I got a coach at that time. So I definitely understand what you’re saying there. And I also like what you said about breaking it down into little steps. So for someone who may not even have run their first 5k. Of course, if they’re thinking, Well, I can’t do that they’re thinking about where they are today, which is not running to where they need to be tomorrow, which is where think they need to be is running a 5k. And that’s not the case. So you have these plans and programs that gradually builds you up to that point, whether it’s over six weeks or nine weeks, you’re going to take those first steps to eventually get to that first 5k distance.
Amber Tait 9:33
Right? And that’s exactly it is we worry about where we are now. And we worry about that how we’re gonna get there. Right and I think one of the biggest fears is actually that messy middle, like we need to be okay with being a work in progress. Like that is probably the biggest thing is just becoming Okay. With not being awesome all the time, right? Because if you’re awesome all the time, really and truly like how much growth or are you doing right? You have to be okay with accepting where you are going through the messy middle, you know, learning, achieving, overcoming and ultimately, being able to then do that 5k Because it’s unrealistic to Zana, like I’ve never run, but I’m gonna go do 10k Right now, like, that’s not realistic, right, you have to go through that growth, you have to go through that messy middle. And definitely having a coach to help you with that makes a big difference. And I would say it only makes it not only sorry, one of the main things that does make a massive difference with that is the confidence that you have, because of your coach who believes in you, and believes in the process, and that transfers into you. Right, and the more confident you can become a new capabilities, the less fear you tend to have, because you know what you can do? So I always tell like my members and my athletes, like, you know, what, if you don’t believe just borrow some belief from me, because I got lots of it. And I know what you can do, right? So sometimes boring belief from a friend or a family member, or, you know, someone speaking on a podcast, if you’re listening to this, and you’re not sure if you can do it, I believe in you. Because you just put the work in, and you’ve got this.
Richard Conner 11:16
That’s exactly right. And that’s exactly why we’re having this conversation is to reach those who may not believe in themselves or may have these fears, and they’re looking for a little bit of help and guidance, no matter where they’re on the journey. I mean, we talked a little bit about going to that first 5k but it may be doing your first half marathon or marathon or maybe doing your first Spartan Race or maybe doing you know, like a triathlon, it’s, if you haven’t done it before, I’m sure there’s some level of fear and anxiety about really, can I do this? So So yeah, and then having people around you supporting you is super important to you. And that’s one of the other things that I loved about kind of being part of this running community and just, you know, meeting you and others as part of those DECA events. I never really had that before, right? If I’m just showing up to a race, I’m kind of running alone. And you know, I may know somebody I most likely I won’t. But now kind of being a little bit closer to this community. Now you have people around, I have people around me who, you know, like you who say, yes, you could do this, you’re almost there, you could do this. And that’s, you know, motivation in itself.
Amber Tait 12:20
Right? Because you know, what, like running Spartan racing Dhaka, you know, like fitness, it’s an, I like to say it’s an individual team sport, like you, you go through it for yourself, but there’s absolutely no reason, you know, you need to go through it by yourself. Like, there were other people along the ride with you. And they’re like, the one thing I love about fitness and sport is that, you know, you’re in competition with yourself. So therefore, like, everybody’s cheering each other on, right, and there’s a lot of level of respect in, especially in I find, you know, the DACA in the Spartan community and the running community of like, you know, we want to help push each other because, like, you and I, we’ve been connecting, I’ve been keeping you up to date, because, you know, that inspires me to do more as well. So I want to see you keep improving, and I’m going to cheer you on. So we’re kind of in this together, even though we have very individual goals. So you know, whether you whether you’re in the community or not, like, you know, this podcast might be like your community, right, like listening to this and knowing that there are people out there in this same journey, like, just hear us when we say like, we’re here, we’re doing the work to and, and we know what you’re going through, and you can keep doing this, and maybe you know, join a running group or join a fitness group, because then you really don’t feel alone in your journey.
Richard Conner 13:40
For sure, for sure. So let’s talk about you specifically, Amber, let’s hear a little bit about maybe your story. And I don’t want to put you on the spot. But I’d love to hear like what would you say would have been the biggest obstacle in your own journey? And how did you overcome it?
Amber Tait 13:56
You know, what I have to say, for me, and I had this conversation with you is, I again, background in gymnastics, you know, I’ve been really awesome when it comes to short distance, you know, powerful movements and just, you know, I’m very confident when it comes to bodyweight movements, you know, get me on the rig, get me doing pull ups, get me doing those things. And I think for me, personally, is I’ve always kind of had a limiting belief in myself when it comes to endurance, and long distance, and that’s because I’ve always told myself, you’re not an endurance athlete. That is a load of baloney, first of all, so, you know, that was myself deciding that I wasn’t an endurance athlete. But you know, what, I’ve decided I’m going to rewrite that, you know, novel that I’m telling myself, because it’s not true. And I can learn to become an endurance athlete because it’s gonna make me more well rounded athlete. So just like everybody out there, I Well, not everybody, I do have limiting beliefs. And I think that’s been one of my biggest things to overcome. It is learning how to strengthen my weaknesses to become a more well rounded athlete, and to just stop telling myself that I’m not something when I’m becoming it,
Richard Conner 15:12
for sure, for sure. And as you’re mentioning this, I’m remembering our conversation about this. And we’re kind of opposites in this way, right. So I feel like I’m more of an endurance athlete than I am, maybe the Sprinter kind of short distance kind of events. And this is why events like deca, and some of the Spartan events are really challenging for me, because it’s challenging me in a different way. But what I love about it is I’m growing through those by by improving and learning how to do those events more, but I feel like, I hope it’s going to help me more so on the endurance side, too. So when I step up to the starting line, for my next half marathon, I’m hoping that it’s not only my half marathon training, that’s helping me but it’s also kind of those short sprint short distance races as helping me with my speed and my overall performance. Amber Tait 15:59
Right, because you have to constantly vary your training, right? Like muscle memory is real. So you have to keep adapting. And obviously, like with the the main goal in mind work strategically, but it never hurts to you know, challenge your training in different ways, because it’s going to make you generally, overall, more well rounded athlete, and therefore, it’s going to help you in your goals, whether it’s endurance or short distance, you know, you do want to be doing both, right, because short distance, you’re gonna work on your speed, which then ultimately, maybe you’re gonna be able to maintain a faster pace for your marathons, right? Like they really go hand in hand. So I think, you know, my biggest recommendation is everybody, just stop telling yourself, you’re not something and rewrite that story and just start accepting the fact that messy middle, right, like accepting the growth in the work of becoming both.
Richard Conner 16:55
That’s so true. That’s so true. And I’ve been doing a lot more speed work lately, programmed by my coach, Coach, Kevin, and, you know, I’m doing this, I don’t know, seven and a half minute, mile, eight minute mile. I’m like, gosh, if I’m having a hard time doing this B work here, how in the world am I going to do the half marathon. But that’s what I’m thinking when I first get started. But after a few rounds of it, it’s I’m like, oh, wait a minute, I can’t actually do this. And this isn’t as hard as it was, when I did my first round of the speed work. So definitely doing it is going to help your body get accustomed to it, and then improve your overall performance. But yeah, I mean, I guess the point is, you have to do it, you have to get started.
Amber Tait 17:32
Right. And even you right there you had fear of can I even do this like so even as like seasoned athlete, you still have those fears. But by doing the do, you’ve learned what you’re capable of, and you just prove to yourself like, I can do this, right, and therefore your confidence is already up. So the next time you see that in your training, you’re gonna be like, I got this. And I’m actually going to do better at this this time, right? So, you know, we all have that hesitation, we’ll have that fear. But by doing the do, you will always find out what you’re capable of. And that is exciting and good for you. Because that’s a big win. Because you connected?
Richard Conner 18:10
Yes, yes. For sure. Yeah. See, he brings people together and very in a very great way. So you know, so thank you for sharing that. I mean, we talked about a lot, right, we talked about, you know, your mindset and what you tell yourself, we talked about actually getting started and putting in the work. And that’s going to help you down down the line. We talked about doing things that’s outside of your comfort zone. So if you’re an endurance runner doing, you know, faster speed work, or vice versa, right, if you’re more of a sprinter or a short distance runner. What other tips or advice would you share for folks, you know, depending on where they are in their journey that’s going to help them kind of improve their performance, whether they’re looking to run a race for the first time, or they’re looking to improve their time.
Amber Tait 18:53
Yeah, you know, what, I always recommend doing accessory work and doing some strength training, because I know the word strength training can stress people out, you know, runners don’t want to be bulky and like, there’s all this fear over I don’t want to bulk guys strength training doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to bulk up. But you it’s so so important to to train your smaller muscles to train your muscles for longevity, and just build up that strength base so that you’re able to pursue everything and finish it and, and have the endurance and the strength to do so. So I always say, you know, like implementing sports specific strength training is a big, big factor in a lot of running and a lot of racing that I feel do goes kind of overlooked because everybody just thinks I need to get out and I need to run and I need to run and I need to run and I need to run because I’m running right and it’s like, yes, ultimately, yeah, you need to get your miles in for endurance based races, but strength training ultimately is going to give you the base that’s going to allow you to upkeep that training. And rest like I know running is a intense physical sport. So how Having proper recovery is essential when it comes to running an endurance sports specifically and my recommendation if you need help in either of those aspects, ask someone you know, hire a coach or seek help, because rest and some strength training in the sport of running and racing, in my opinion is essential.
Richard Conner 20:27
Yeah, for sure, for sure. And, you know, tell me a little bit about nutrition. How like, what kind of a role does nutrition play? And what should someone be thinking about? You know, we talked about doing your workouts, we talked about the importance of rest, what should someone be thinking about as it relates to nutrition.
Amber Tait 20:45
So nutrition can vary for a lot of people only because like a lot of people have different sensitivities and different needs. And that can be a big, like, broad, you know, but very, also personal conversation. But in general, like I personally, I like to keep my nutrition simple. And I very much believe in like, and you know what this might surprise everybody I don’t, I personally don’t believe in counting things, I believe in just living a whole food, healthy lifestyle that’s focused on fueling our bodies, instead of depriving our bodies because especially when you’re competing, and you’re racing, your body needs fuel. So when you focus and you change that, that mindset of what I can’t have to what am I going to have that’s going to fuel my running what I’m going to have that’s going to fuel my training, and, you know, strategically implementing nutrition plan that’s going to do that, not only does it create a healthy relationship with food, but therefore you’re going to have more optimized training and performance as well. And you know, how to fuel your your day, strategically towards your goals is something I would recommend you, you ask a coach for? Because it’s a very personal, personal thing.
Richard Conner 21:55
Yeah, for sure, for sure. And, you know, my nutrition has varied over the years, but there’s certain things that as that has helped me, I’m in the camp of tracking, because, for me, I need to know, and I’ve seen it work for me, but I know that doesn’t work for for a lot of people, right? I know that if you’re so strict, then there’s probably a good chance that you’re not going to follow it and then you’re not going to get the benefits of doing it anyway. So I totally get that I’ve been trying to find that balance of how do I keep track, maybe not tracking, but keep track to some extent of what I am eating. And then I’m making sure that I am kind of fueling my runs, because what I’m doing now is way different than what I was doing, you know, just a year ago, or even two years ago.
Amber Tait 22:35
Yeah, I definitely believe in more like what I would call intuitive eating. And that’s kind of the approach I take. So, again, I know, there’s lots and tons of different approaches out there. And I do believe in finding the one that works for you is the most beneficial one.
Richard Conner 22:51
For sure, for sure. So thank you for sharing all those things. And you know, I’m really enjoying this conversation and learning more about you and, you know, the the tips that you have to share with our with our listeners. So you know, tell us a little bit I know, we talked a lot a lot about the like, here are the things that you could do to improve your performance. Let’s talk about kind of the other side of running and sports in general, like, what are the other things to look forward to when you’re thinking about the races that you’re doing, or the training that you’re doing?
Amber Tait 23:20
Oh, my God, like thinking of race day just excites me so much. Because every time you step up to that start line, you know, you’re gonna overcome something that you haven’t overcome before. And that excites me, like as an athlete, like, I always like to learn how much more I can do and how much more I’m capable of. So you know, getting up to that starting line excites me tremendously, because, you know, every race is so different. And it’s fun. So I love that, like, I love that. And I just love being there and enjoying movement, and really just celebrating the fact that I’m able to do that, you know, like I think sometimes we always take for granted movement. But it’s really such a blessing. So to be able to be at that starting line and just sometimes, you know, taking away the the pressure of you know, like obviously have a goal in mind and a time in mind. But just taking a second to just embrace the fact that you’re there and you’re capable of being there is such a blessing. And I feel like that sometimes goes overlooked. And I always remind everybody, like, Don’t ever forget that, like you have the chance to step up to that starting line and discover what you can do. And that is such an adventure that I feel like goes overlooked sometimes.
Richard Conner 24:39
For sure, for sure. And it can be motivation. It can be motivation to keep going and sign up for the races and do the next one. You know, what else do you think could be motivation for for folks, you know, we talked about motivation here in the sense of you can get started you could do the right things, but sometimes you don’t always have that motivation to keep going And that consistency is really what’s gonna give you the benefits more long term. You know, other than signing up for that next race, what are the other ways to kind of just stay motivated? Or whether what are the ways that you stay motivated,
Amber Tait 25:11
I encourage people to set goals, right? I encourage you set like small goals, set big goals, and always celebrate your wins along the way, the more you celebrate, the more excited you have to go back for, like, don’t be scared to celebrate the smallest things because that is improvement. So set those goals, celebrate your victories, and every single one of them, because that’s what’s exciting about this for is your constant work in progress. And acknowledging that right. But not only that, like, you know, community, and we’ve talked about this as a big part of, you know, what keeps both of us coming back, like, we love this community. So I do think, you know, really, whether it’s an accountability buddy, right, or whether it’s joining a gym, you know, a group class or, you know, finding some sort of accountability, or maybe even just getting that next race on the calendar, right, and just, maybe that’s your accountability, and all you need is to just sign up and get that date in there and know that, you know, what, on January 30, of next year, I’m running the marathon, right, so like, that’s countability, too. I do believe that is a big factor in in peak keeping people going back. But I also do believe that, you know, celebrating your wins, and, and celebrating others as well, is, is a great way to to never lose that excitement.
Richard Conner 26:31
Yeah, for sure, for sure. And that’s something I need to get better at just personally is kind of celebrating the wins, I tried to do other things. So definitely, community, definitely signing up for races. So I had my 2023 race plan, pretty much set by the beginning of the year. So there’s some tweaks I’m doing along the way. I think I’m gonna squeeze in a couple of decorations that I didn’t plan to do. So I’m gonna put those in the calendar. So, so yeah, that’s for me, but celebrating the wins. I mean, I felt I feel like in the past, if I didn’t hit my target time, that was super demotivating for me, right, so So just this past race, we were just talking about, even though I got a PR, I didn’t hit my target time. So in the past, I would have been very upset about that, like, Oh, my goodness, I didn’t hit my hit my time. But now I’m recognizing that it’s not just about hitting that arbitrary time. It’s the improvements. Right? It’s improving improvement that I saw there. So now I’m like, Okay, well, I definitely need to celebrate that improvement. And now figure out what do I need to do next, to get me closer to that target time.
Amber Tait 27:34
And that excites me, like just hearing you even say that, like, if that doesn’t excite you and yourself, like hearing those words coming about, like, that keeps me coming back, like, as a coach like to hear that shift, you know, but also, like, one other thing I would recommend is, yes, set those goals, you know, like, celebrate the wins. Like, if you don’t achieve it, that’s okay, that gives you more motivation to come back again. Right. But I do also believe that, you know, like, as you know, I am big into DACA. And my husband, and I, you know, we’re trying to qualify as an elite co Ed team, you know, we currently hold the DACA strong record in the CO ed division, and we take our training very seriously. But you know, what, I also enjoy going to races sometimes, and just being there for the, like, sole purpose of just having fun. You know, like, sometimes you just got to go into different events, and just take that pressure off. Just be like, I have zero expectations for what I’m about to do today. And just enjoy. And, you know, maybe finding that balance of like, this is the race, I’m gonna prioritize a goal. And this is a race where I’m just gonna go, I’m gonna have fun, and I’m just gonna, like, enjoy it. You know. And I think sometimes when we’re very goal focused, and I do believe in being goal focused, we sometimes lose the enjoyment along the way. So that’s why I do what we say celebrate your victories because it helps keep the enjoyment in. But also, don’t be scared to just sign up for some random race, no expectations and be like, let’s see what happens. I
Richard Conner 29:06
love it. Love it. Amber, thank you so much. I’m really enjoying this conversation. And, you know, kinda as we wind down here, I’d love to hear what would be the one thing you would say to help inspire someone to run.
Amber Tait 29:20
You know, what, just if you have any goal of movement, whether it’s walking, start there, you know, like, if you if you always wondered, can I run because that word scares people guys start with walking, heck, start with crawling, if that’s what it takes, but sometimes just finding that starting point, is exactly what you need to do, you know, work might be 10 meters, you know, start there, run 10 meters. That is more than you probably did yesterday, if that’s where you’re at, right? So if you have any inspiration to learn to run, start to start. Right and Don’t, don’t put the pressure on, I can only do 100 meters. I can only do 50 meters and I want to run 5k. You know what, that’s the starting point. And you need to be proud of yourself for getting yourself to the starting point. And that would be my best advice, guys. Don’t be scared to start.
Richard Conner 30:16
Love it. Love it. Amber, thank you so much sage advice for our listeners. How can our listeners find you and follow your journey online?
Amber Tait 30:26
So I’m mostly on Instagram, Amber Tate ta it. I’m also on Facebook, but mostly mostly active on Instagram, so you guys can find me there. And, you know, if you need a cheerleader guys, please reach out because we’re all about community. And I’m all about celebrating each other’s victories. So please message me your wins. I want to hear about them. And I want to cheer you on. And you know, Richard and I have been doing that since we met. So we’re here for it.
Richard Conner 30:55
Love it. Love it. Amber, thank you so much for coming on the show. Thank you for sharing your story and everything to help our listeners along their health and fitness journey. So I’ll put this information in the show notes to make it easy for listeners to find and follow you. So just want to wrap up by saying you know, thank you again. And you know, I’ll see you soon.
Amber Tait 31:14
Yeah, you will. Thanks for having me.
Richard Conner 31:18
I hope you enjoyed this conversation just as much as I have. We really learned a lot from Amber she shares such great tips to help all of us in our health and fitness journey. If this episode was helpful for you and you enjoyed the conversation, it would really mean a lot to me if you could leave a review, either on Apple podcasts or on Spotify. And this will help us get this podcast in front of more people. So again, I really appreciate you tuning in for this conversation. And with that, have a great day.
Intro/Outro 31:50
That’s it for this episode of inspired to run podcast. We hope you are inspired to take control of your health and fitness and take it to the next level. Be sure to click the subscribe button to join our community. And also please rate and review. Thanks for listening
Transcribed by https://otter.ai
Hey everyone, this episode is fire. You’re going to enjoy the conversation today that I have with my guests as we talk about overcoming limiting beliefs and actionable steps that you can take, whether you’re doing your first 5k Or you’re doing your next race and you’re looking to improve your performance. We also talk about the role that community plays in your health and fitness journey. Hope you enjoy.
Intro/Outro 0:26
Welcome to Inspire to run podcast. Here you will find inspiration. Whether you’re looking to take control of your health and fitness or you’re a seasoned runner, looking for community and some extra motivation. You will hear inspiring stories from amazing runners, along with helpful tips from fitness experts. Now here’s your host Richard Conner.
Richard Conner 0:49
Hi, everyone, welcome to inspire on podcast. I am here today with Amber Tate after devoting the majority of her life to the sport of gymnastics and many different roles, including competitive athlete, coach and judge COVID LED Amber to redirect her passions into the fitness industry, starting up pure impact athletics. As a fitness enthusiast and gym owner. Amber is on a mission to empower others through fitness and sport. There is nothing that excites her more than seeing others transform physically, mentally, and emotionally. Welcome to the show, Amber.
Amber Tait 1:24
Thanks for having me. I’m excited to be here.
Richard Conner 1:26
I’m excited to have you as well thank you for being here. And I should also thank you for being my judge at the DECA event a couple of weeks ago. I haven’t shared my story yet. I promised to do so here on the show. But I did get a PR almost by a minute and a half. And it was just so awesome to have you judge me and motivate me through you know, a very challenging race.
Amber Tait 1:47
You did fantastic. And you know, it was really fun is I remember asking your your your goal when we started and just like I love helping people like achieve that. And like knowing like we’re so close, let’s stay on track. Like it’s, it’s a big win for me watching you into. So that was really exciting. So thanks for being my athletes for 30 minutes.
Richard Conner 2:10
Yeah, literally, for listeners, it was 30 minutes. So right on the dot, which is pretty incredible. But no, yeah, much appreciated. And happy to have you here to learn just a little bit more about you and your story, and how you inspire and motivate others. So maybe we’ll just start to learn a little bit about you and your background.
Amber Tait 2:27
Yeah, so like you said, Actually, majority of my life was devoted to gymnastics and the sport of gymnastics. And I do believe it really helped shape me as a person like not only just in sport, but in life. Yes, I competed very competitively. And I just, I loved everything about it. So immediately after retiring as a competitive gymnast, I jumped into a full blown career as a coach and judge and the, the mission behind that was really just to give back to the sport that had really shaped me throughout my life and given me so many experiences, and just learning about overcoming challenges mentally and physically and, and you know, just helping to form the next generation and share with them all that I had learned in the many, many years. So after 10 years of coaching and judging however, COVID hit and it was a, it was a massive, massive shift in sport, and in fitness and in life for so many people. And I just felt like it was such a pivotal point in my life for me and I had spent so so many years in that sport, and I just felt like I had so much more to give but maybe a different avenue. And that’s when I decided that, you know, my time in that chapter was kind of coming to an end. And I shifted into fitness and just felt that I had so much more to share with another age demographic to write because as gymnasts like it was predominantly youth, and teens. And I just really wanted to step outside of that and also have a chance to teach and empower adults to and not only adults and maybe even seniors one day, you know, and just more, more reach more age brackets more, right. So, so that was really appointed me shifting into fitness. And I do believe it was one of the best decisions I ever made. It’s just been such an incredible journey over the past three years.
Richard Conner 4:17
That’s awesome. Well, congratulations, Amber, just really wonderful journey. I appreciate you sharing that with our listeners. And, you know, as I’m listening to your story, you mentioned about COVID and the pandemic and the shift there. And I think that was, you know, a big barrier shift for a lot of us. You know, for those of us who’ve been with us been with the podcast from the start, it was born out of the pandemic. And it was really an opportunity not only for me to share my story about how I’ve been able to overcome fear and do things that I never thought I could do, but give others the opportunities to share their story. So definitely can relate to your story there.
Amber Tait 4:51
Yeah, and you know, it was a scary shift to write but I feel like it was the right time as well. And if you never ever take that leap and You know, this might sound corny, but you, you’re never gonna fly. And you know, I just took the chance I had the opportunity, and I’m definitely happier than I’ve ever been.
Richard Conner 5:10
Well, I’ve only known you for a short period of time, but you’re always smiling, you’re always happy. So definitely, definitely great to see that. And, you know, let’s talk a little bit about, you know, what you’re seeing with the people that you’re coaching and your clients. And I’ll share a little bit of my story of what I’ve seen, and maybe we can, you can relate to this. But, you know, my personal story is I’ve been on this journey to overcome fear and do things I’ve never been able to do. And I, I wonder if others are kind of going through the same thing, right. So when I share my story, others will say, Oh, that’s really great. And they’re really encouraging. But they’re like, Well, I can’t do that. Or I wish I could do that. And I’m wondering, I’m like, No, really, it’s it’s cliche, but if I could do it, you could do it kind of thing. And I’m wondering if it’s something like fear that’s holding others back. So, you know, I’d love to get your perspective on people that you’ve worked with clients that you’ve worked with, and, and kind of what they’ve been going through?
Amber Tait 6:00
Yes, absolutely. And I think this is such a great topic for myself personally, as well. Because going back to my history, in gymnastics, a massive, massive part of gymnastics is fear. Like, there is a huge factor in that sport, where like, you’re really high, and you’re on a really thin beam. And you know, you’re throwing your body into these, these skills at a high level that is scary. So I feel like this was a great topic for us to touch on. Because this is something I’ve personally been doing is overcoming fear and learning how to walk through that and to talk yourself through and to just, you know, learn to trust yourself and what you’re capable of. So I’m really excited that this is the topic of today. Because you know, like, Guys, if you have a goal or a desire, know that you have that goal, because you’re meant to pursue it. And there is going to be fears that come along the way because it’s scary, because it’s, it’s pushing you out of your comfort zone and into flow, right? And that, that scares the heck out of a lot of people. Because it’s the growth that scares that it’s not the task itself. It’s the growth of getting from A to B, that is super scary. But you know what, there’s a lot of ways and things you can do to help that process. Because if you have that goal, and you have that something you want to do, you got to go for it.
Richard Conner 7:23
All right, awesome. So you know, let’s, let’s talk a little bit about it. And I can interject some of my own experience and some of the things that’s worked for me.
Amber Tait 7:30
Okay, so. So the how, you know, a big part of overcoming fear is we spend so much time worrying about how we’re going to achieve that goal, or what we need to do to achieve that goal, instead of just focusing on the little steps that are going to add up to the end result. So don’t like hyper focus on how, okay, that tends to lead us to overthink. And then that’s when we start to get those limiting beliefs. Well, can I do that? Well, yes, absolutely, you can, right, just focus on little smaller tasks along the way, that make that end goal seem a little bit less daunting. And never be scared to ask for help, you know, like hiring a coach and allowing them to focus on the how and the what takes that pressure off of you. And then all you have to do is focus on executing the task at hand. And that really helps you fall into the smaller steps that lead to bigger results.
Richard Conner 8:27
Yeah, for sure. And, you know, so thank you for sharing that. And you know, just in my own experience, that part about the coach is really important, because when I did my first Spartan Race, I don’t know, going back five years ago, I didn’t really know what I was getting into, and I did the race, and I completed it, and I feel good about it. But as soon as I finished it, I was like, I could do better, I could definitely do better. But everything about the race scared me, you know, climbing a rope and doing monkey bars, which I couldn’t do any of that stuff back then. And I’m like, I don’t even know how to do this properly. And I need somebody to help me and push me. And that’s when I got a coach at that time. So I definitely understand what you’re saying there. And I also like what you said about breaking it down into little steps. So for someone who may not even have run their first 5k. Of course, if they’re thinking, Well, I can’t do that they’re thinking about where they are today, which is not running to where they need to be tomorrow, which is where think they need to be is running a 5k. And that’s not the case. So you have these plans and programs that gradually builds you up to that point, whether it’s over six weeks or nine weeks, you’re going to take those first steps to eventually get to that first 5k distance.
Amber Tait 9:33
Right? And that’s exactly it is we worry about where we are now. And we worry about that how we’re gonna get there. Right and I think one of the biggest fears is actually that messy middle, like we need to be okay with being a work in progress. Like that is probably the biggest thing is just becoming Okay. With not being awesome all the time, right? Because if you’re awesome all the time, really and truly like how much growth or are you doing right? You have to be okay with accepting where you are going through the messy middle, you know, learning, achieving, overcoming and ultimately, being able to then do that 5k Because it’s unrealistic to Zana, like I’ve never run, but I’m gonna go do 10k Right now, like, that’s not realistic, right, you have to go through that growth, you have to go through that messy middle. And definitely having a coach to help you with that makes a big difference. And I would say it only makes it not only sorry, one of the main things that does make a massive difference with that is the confidence that you have, because of your coach who believes in you, and believes in the process, and that transfers into you. Right, and the more confident you can become a new capabilities, the less fear you tend to have, because you know what you can do? So I always tell like my members and my athletes, like, you know, what, if you don’t believe just borrow some belief from me, because I got lots of it. And I know what you can do, right? So sometimes boring belief from a friend or a family member, or, you know, someone speaking on a podcast, if you’re listening to this, and you’re not sure if you can do it, I believe in you. Because you just put the work in, and you’ve got this.
Richard Conner 11:16
That’s exactly right. And that’s exactly why we’re having this conversation is to reach those who may not believe in themselves or may have these fears, and they’re looking for a little bit of help and guidance, no matter where they’re on the journey. I mean, we talked a little bit about going to that first 5k but it may be doing your first half marathon or marathon or maybe doing your first Spartan Race or maybe doing you know, like a triathlon, it’s, if you haven’t done it before, I’m sure there’s some level of fear and anxiety about really, can I do this? So So yeah, and then having people around you supporting you is super important to you. And that’s one of the other things that I loved about kind of being part of this running community and just, you know, meeting you and others as part of those DECA events. I never really had that before, right? If I’m just showing up to a race, I’m kind of running alone. And you know, I may know somebody I most likely I won’t. But now kind of being a little bit closer to this community. Now you have people around, I have people around me who, you know, like you who say, yes, you could do this, you’re almost there, you could do this. And that’s, you know, motivation in itself.
Amber Tait 12:20
Right? Because you know, what, like running Spartan racing Dhaka, you know, like fitness, it’s an, I like to say it’s an individual team sport, like you, you go through it for yourself, but there’s absolutely no reason, you know, you need to go through it by yourself. Like, there were other people along the ride with you. And they’re like, the one thing I love about fitness and sport is that, you know, you’re in competition with yourself. So therefore, like, everybody’s cheering each other on, right, and there’s a lot of level of respect in, especially in I find, you know, the DACA in the Spartan community and the running community of like, you know, we want to help push each other because, like, you and I, we’ve been connecting, I’ve been keeping you up to date, because, you know, that inspires me to do more as well. So I want to see you keep improving, and I’m going to cheer you on. So we’re kind of in this together, even though we have very individual goals. So you know, whether you whether you’re in the community or not, like, you know, this podcast might be like your community, right, like listening to this and knowing that there are people out there in this same journey, like, just hear us when we say like, we’re here, we’re doing the work to and, and we know what you’re going through, and you can keep doing this, and maybe you know, join a running group or join a fitness group, because then you really don’t feel alone in your journey.
Richard Conner 13:40
For sure, for sure. So let’s talk about you specifically, Amber, let’s hear a little bit about maybe your story. And I don’t want to put you on the spot. But I’d love to hear like what would you say would have been the biggest obstacle in your own journey? And how did you overcome it?
Amber Tait 13:56
You know, what I have to say, for me, and I had this conversation with you is, I again, background in gymnastics, you know, I’ve been really awesome when it comes to short distance, you know, powerful movements and just, you know, I’m very confident when it comes to bodyweight movements, you know, get me on the rig, get me doing pull ups, get me doing those things. And I think for me, personally, is I’ve always kind of had a limiting belief in myself when it comes to endurance, and long distance, and that’s because I’ve always told myself, you’re not an endurance athlete. That is a load of baloney, first of all, so, you know, that was myself deciding that I wasn’t an endurance athlete. But you know, what, I’ve decided I’m going to rewrite that, you know, novel that I’m telling myself, because it’s not true. And I can learn to become an endurance athlete because it’s gonna make me more well rounded athlete. So just like everybody out there, I Well, not everybody, I do have limiting beliefs. And I think that’s been one of my biggest things to overcome. It is learning how to strengthen my weaknesses to become a more well rounded athlete, and to just stop telling myself that I’m not something when I’m becoming it,
Richard Conner 15:12
for sure, for sure. And as you’re mentioning this, I’m remembering our conversation about this. And we’re kind of opposites in this way, right. So I feel like I’m more of an endurance athlete than I am, maybe the Sprinter kind of short distance kind of events. And this is why events like deca, and some of the Spartan events are really challenging for me, because it’s challenging me in a different way. But what I love about it is I’m growing through those by by improving and learning how to do those events more, but I feel like, I hope it’s going to help me more so on the endurance side, too. So when I step up to the starting line, for my next half marathon, I’m hoping that it’s not only my half marathon training, that’s helping me but it’s also kind of those short sprint short distance races as helping me with my speed and my overall performance. Amber Tait 15:59
Right, because you have to constantly vary your training, right? Like muscle memory is real. So you have to keep adapting. And obviously, like with the the main goal in mind work strategically, but it never hurts to you know, challenge your training in different ways, because it’s going to make you generally, overall, more well rounded athlete, and therefore, it’s going to help you in your goals, whether it’s endurance or short distance, you know, you do want to be doing both, right, because short distance, you’re gonna work on your speed, which then ultimately, maybe you’re gonna be able to maintain a faster pace for your marathons, right? Like they really go hand in hand. So I think, you know, my biggest recommendation is everybody, just stop telling yourself, you’re not something and rewrite that story and just start accepting the fact that messy middle, right, like accepting the growth in the work of becoming both.
Richard Conner 16:55
That’s so true. That’s so true. And I’ve been doing a lot more speed work lately, programmed by my coach, Coach, Kevin, and, you know, I’m doing this, I don’t know, seven and a half minute, mile, eight minute mile. I’m like, gosh, if I’m having a hard time doing this B work here, how in the world am I going to do the half marathon. But that’s what I’m thinking when I first get started. But after a few rounds of it, it’s I’m like, oh, wait a minute, I can’t actually do this. And this isn’t as hard as it was, when I did my first round of the speed work. So definitely doing it is going to help your body get accustomed to it, and then improve your overall performance. But yeah, I mean, I guess the point is, you have to do it, you have to get started.
Amber Tait 17:32
Right. And even you right there you had fear of can I even do this like so even as like seasoned athlete, you still have those fears. But by doing the do, you’ve learned what you’re capable of, and you just prove to yourself like, I can do this, right, and therefore your confidence is already up. So the next time you see that in your training, you’re gonna be like, I got this. And I’m actually going to do better at this this time, right? So, you know, we all have that hesitation, we’ll have that fear. But by doing the do, you will always find out what you’re capable of. And that is exciting and good for you. Because that’s a big win. Because you connected?
Richard Conner 18:10
Yes, yes. For sure. Yeah. See, he brings people together and very in a very great way. So you know, so thank you for sharing that. I mean, we talked about a lot, right, we talked about, you know, your mindset and what you tell yourself, we talked about actually getting started and putting in the work. And that’s going to help you down down the line. We talked about doing things that’s outside of your comfort zone. So if you’re an endurance runner doing, you know, faster speed work, or vice versa, right, if you’re more of a sprinter or a short distance runner. What other tips or advice would you share for folks, you know, depending on where they are in their journey that’s going to help them kind of improve their performance, whether they’re looking to run a race for the first time, or they’re looking to improve their time.
Amber Tait 18:53
Yeah, you know, what, I always recommend doing accessory work and doing some strength training, because I know the word strength training can stress people out, you know, runners don’t want to be bulky and like, there’s all this fear over I don’t want to bulk guys strength training doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to bulk up. But you it’s so so important to to train your smaller muscles to train your muscles for longevity, and just build up that strength base so that you’re able to pursue everything and finish it and, and have the endurance and the strength to do so. So I always say, you know, like implementing sports specific strength training is a big, big factor in a lot of running and a lot of racing that I feel do goes kind of overlooked because everybody just thinks I need to get out and I need to run and I need to run and I need to run and I need to run because I’m running right and it’s like, yes, ultimately, yeah, you need to get your miles in for endurance based races, but strength training ultimately is going to give you the base that’s going to allow you to upkeep that training. And rest like I know running is a intense physical sport. So how Having proper recovery is essential when it comes to running an endurance sports specifically and my recommendation if you need help in either of those aspects, ask someone you know, hire a coach or seek help, because rest and some strength training in the sport of running and racing, in my opinion is essential.
Richard Conner 20:27
Yeah, for sure, for sure. And, you know, tell me a little bit about nutrition. How like, what kind of a role does nutrition play? And what should someone be thinking about? You know, we talked about doing your workouts, we talked about the importance of rest, what should someone be thinking about as it relates to nutrition.
Amber Tait 20:45
So nutrition can vary for a lot of people only because like a lot of people have different sensitivities and different needs. And that can be a big, like, broad, you know, but very, also personal conversation. But in general, like I personally, I like to keep my nutrition simple. And I very much believe in like, and you know what this might surprise everybody I don’t, I personally don’t believe in counting things, I believe in just living a whole food, healthy lifestyle that’s focused on fueling our bodies, instead of depriving our bodies because especially when you’re competing, and you’re racing, your body needs fuel. So when you focus and you change that, that mindset of what I can’t have to what am I going to have that’s going to fuel my running what I’m going to have that’s going to fuel my training, and, you know, strategically implementing nutrition plan that’s going to do that, not only does it create a healthy relationship with food, but therefore you’re going to have more optimized training and performance as well. And you know, how to fuel your your day, strategically towards your goals is something I would recommend you, you ask a coach for? Because it’s a very personal, personal thing.
Richard Conner 21:55
Yeah, for sure, for sure. And, you know, my nutrition has varied over the years, but there’s certain things that as that has helped me, I’m in the camp of tracking, because, for me, I need to know, and I’ve seen it work for me, but I know that doesn’t work for for a lot of people, right? I know that if you’re so strict, then there’s probably a good chance that you’re not going to follow it and then you’re not going to get the benefits of doing it anyway. So I totally get that I’ve been trying to find that balance of how do I keep track, maybe not tracking, but keep track to some extent of what I am eating. And then I’m making sure that I am kind of fueling my runs, because what I’m doing now is way different than what I was doing, you know, just a year ago, or even two years ago.
Amber Tait 22:35
Yeah, I definitely believe in more like what I would call intuitive eating. And that’s kind of the approach I take. So, again, I know, there’s lots and tons of different approaches out there. And I do believe in finding the one that works for you is the most beneficial one.
Richard Conner 22:51
For sure, for sure. So thank you for sharing all those things. And you know, I’m really enjoying this conversation and learning more about you and, you know, the the tips that you have to share with our with our listeners. So you know, tell us a little bit I know, we talked a lot a lot about the like, here are the things that you could do to improve your performance. Let’s talk about kind of the other side of running and sports in general, like, what are the other things to look forward to when you’re thinking about the races that you’re doing, or the training that you’re doing?
Amber Tait 23:20
Oh, my God, like thinking of race day just excites me so much. Because every time you step up to that start line, you know, you’re gonna overcome something that you haven’t overcome before. And that excites me, like as an athlete, like, I always like to learn how much more I can do and how much more I’m capable of. So you know, getting up to that starting line excites me tremendously, because, you know, every race is so different. And it’s fun. So I love that, like, I love that. And I just love being there and enjoying movement, and really just celebrating the fact that I’m able to do that, you know, like I think sometimes we always take for granted movement. But it’s really such a blessing. So to be able to be at that starting line and just sometimes, you know, taking away the the pressure of you know, like obviously have a goal in mind and a time in mind. But just taking a second to just embrace the fact that you’re there and you’re capable of being there is such a blessing. And I feel like that sometimes goes overlooked. And I always remind everybody, like, Don’t ever forget that, like you have the chance to step up to that starting line and discover what you can do. And that is such an adventure that I feel like goes overlooked sometimes.
Richard Conner 24:39
For sure, for sure. And it can be motivation. It can be motivation to keep going and sign up for the races and do the next one. You know, what else do you think could be motivation for for folks, you know, we talked about motivation here in the sense of you can get started you could do the right things, but sometimes you don’t always have that motivation to keep going And that consistency is really what’s gonna give you the benefits more long term. You know, other than signing up for that next race, what are the other ways to kind of just stay motivated? Or whether what are the ways that you stay motivated,
Amber Tait 25:11
I encourage people to set goals, right? I encourage you set like small goals, set big goals, and always celebrate your wins along the way, the more you celebrate, the more excited you have to go back for, like, don’t be scared to celebrate the smallest things because that is improvement. So set those goals, celebrate your victories, and every single one of them, because that’s what’s exciting about this for is your constant work in progress. And acknowledging that right. But not only that, like, you know, community, and we’ve talked about this as a big part of, you know, what keeps both of us coming back, like, we love this community. So I do think, you know, really, whether it’s an accountability buddy, right, or whether it’s joining a gym, you know, a group class or, you know, finding some sort of accountability, or maybe even just getting that next race on the calendar, right, and just, maybe that’s your accountability, and all you need is to just sign up and get that date in there and know that, you know, what, on January 30, of next year, I’m running the marathon, right, so like, that’s countability, too. I do believe that is a big factor in in peak keeping people going back. But I also do believe that, you know, celebrating your wins, and, and celebrating others as well, is, is a great way to to never lose that excitement.
Richard Conner 26:31
Yeah, for sure, for sure. And that’s something I need to get better at just personally is kind of celebrating the wins, I tried to do other things. So definitely, community, definitely signing up for races. So I had my 2023 race plan, pretty much set by the beginning of the year. So there’s some tweaks I’m doing along the way. I think I’m gonna squeeze in a couple of decorations that I didn’t plan to do. So I’m gonna put those in the calendar. So, so yeah, that’s for me, but celebrating the wins. I mean, I felt I feel like in the past, if I didn’t hit my target time, that was super demotivating for me, right, so So just this past race, we were just talking about, even though I got a PR, I didn’t hit my target time. So in the past, I would have been very upset about that, like, Oh, my goodness, I didn’t hit my hit my time. But now I’m recognizing that it’s not just about hitting that arbitrary time. It’s the improvements. Right? It’s improving improvement that I saw there. So now I’m like, Okay, well, I definitely need to celebrate that improvement. And now figure out what do I need to do next, to get me closer to that target time.
Amber Tait 27:34
And that excites me, like just hearing you even say that, like, if that doesn’t excite you and yourself, like hearing those words coming about, like, that keeps me coming back, like, as a coach like to hear that shift, you know, but also, like, one other thing I would recommend is, yes, set those goals, you know, like, celebrate the wins. Like, if you don’t achieve it, that’s okay, that gives you more motivation to come back again. Right. But I do also believe that, you know, like, as you know, I am big into DACA. And my husband, and I, you know, we’re trying to qualify as an elite co Ed team, you know, we currently hold the DACA strong record in the CO ed division, and we take our training very seriously. But you know, what, I also enjoy going to races sometimes, and just being there for the, like, sole purpose of just having fun. You know, like, sometimes you just got to go into different events, and just take that pressure off. Just be like, I have zero expectations for what I’m about to do today. And just enjoy. And, you know, maybe finding that balance of like, this is the race, I’m gonna prioritize a goal. And this is a race where I’m just gonna go, I’m gonna have fun, and I’m just gonna, like, enjoy it. You know. And I think sometimes when we’re very goal focused, and I do believe in being goal focused, we sometimes lose the enjoyment along the way. So that’s why I do what we say celebrate your victories because it helps keep the enjoyment in. But also, don’t be scared to just sign up for some random race, no expectations and be like, let’s see what happens. I
Richard Conner 29:06
love it. Love it. Amber, thank you so much. I’m really enjoying this conversation. And, you know, kinda as we wind down here, I’d love to hear what would be the one thing you would say to help inspire someone to run.
Amber Tait 29:20
You know, what, just if you have any goal of movement, whether it’s walking, start there, you know, like, if you if you always wondered, can I run because that word scares people guys start with walking, heck, start with crawling, if that’s what it takes, but sometimes just finding that starting point, is exactly what you need to do, you know, work might be 10 meters, you know, start there, run 10 meters. That is more than you probably did yesterday, if that’s where you’re at, right? So if you have any inspiration to learn to run, start to start. Right and Don’t, don’t put the pressure on, I can only do 100 meters. I can only do 50 meters and I want to run 5k. You know what, that’s the starting point. And you need to be proud of yourself for getting yourself to the starting point. And that would be my best advice, guys. Don’t be scared to start.
Richard Conner 30:16
Love it. Love it. Amber, thank you so much sage advice for our listeners. How can our listeners find you and follow your journey online?
Amber Tait 30:26
So I’m mostly on Instagram, Amber Tate ta it. I’m also on Facebook, but mostly mostly active on Instagram, so you guys can find me there. And, you know, if you need a cheerleader guys, please reach out because we’re all about community. And I’m all about celebrating each other’s victories. So please message me your wins. I want to hear about them. And I want to cheer you on. And you know, Richard and I have been doing that since we met. So we’re here for it.
Richard Conner 30:55
Love it. Love it. Amber, thank you so much for coming on the show. Thank you for sharing your story and everything to help our listeners along their health and fitness journey. So I’ll put this information in the show notes to make it easy for listeners to find and follow you. So just want to wrap up by saying you know, thank you again. And you know, I’ll see you soon.
Amber Tait 31:14
Yeah, you will. Thanks for having me.
Richard Conner 31:18
I hope you enjoyed this conversation just as much as I have. We really learned a lot from Amber she shares such great tips to help all of us in our health and fitness journey. If this episode was helpful for you and you enjoyed the conversation, it would really mean a lot to me if you could leave a review, either on Apple podcasts or on Spotify. And this will help us get this podcast in front of more people. So again, I really appreciate you tuning in for this conversation. And with that, have a great day.
Intro/Outro 31:50
That’s it for this episode of inspired to run podcast. We hope you are inspired to take control of your health and fitness and take it to the next level. Be sure to click the subscribe button to join our community. And also please rate and review. Thanks for listening
Transcribed by https://otter.ai