Strength isn't just something you build. It's something you earn, something that tests you, challenges you, scares you, and carries you far, far beyond. Traci Copeland is even stronger than she looks. A former competitive gymnast and collegiate Track & Field competitor, she channels her relentless drive as a running coach, yoga guru, and Nike Master Trainer. UNDO caught up with the unstoppable Ms. Copeland about the difference between pain and injury, the benefit of fear, and the one workout that makes her smile. 
How does fear shape athletes? Fear is a good thing. It means you have passion, and it means you care. Fear can push you and challenge you, but having too much fear is what can cause injuries and hold you back. How do you overcome fear? Growing up as a competitive gymnast, I had to be fearless. I had to swallow my fear and try the impossible. Do and try things I never thought I could do. The best way to overcome fear is visualization. Imagine yourself doing the impossible, the unimaginable, and what you're essentially afraid of. Once you actually do it, then they key is repetition. What was your scariest moment as an athlete? It was when I tore my ACL—something popped in my knee and the pain was excruciating. Nothing is scarier than when you can't do what you love. It happened when I was 13 and at the beginning of my gymnastics season. It took me two months before I could walk again and one year until I could compete. All I wanted to do was tumble and do release moves on bars. Not being able to compete and watching the entire team compete was so frustrating. What have you learned from pain and injuries since then? I have a pretty high tolerance for pain. I'm not sure if it's necessarily a good thing. Fortunately I've been injured enough to know the difference between being injured and just being hurt. Progress doesn't come without physical or emotional pain. If it hurts, then it probably means you're getting stronger. My dad used to always tell me when I was training for the marathon, that pain is between your ears (in your head). Whether you're training for a marathon or if it was my last tumbling pass in a gymnastics floor routine, I've always been taught to push past the pain, finish strong, and if I fell then I had to get back up and finish the routine. 
What does pain look like? Pain is black/blue, but initial pain is bright red. Have you ever wanted to give up? Once you give up, you get in the habit of it. The only thing I ever quit was Track & Field in my senior year of college. I quit because I just had my third knee surgery on the same knee, which happened to be my lead jump leg. I decided to "retire" from Track, not because I stopped loving it, but because it was a smart physical decision and I wanted to preserve my body. Is that type of self-awareness part of what it means to be athlete? Being an athlete is a natural part of who you are. An athlete likes to compete, not necessarily to always win but to be able to compete at their highest level. Athletes don't train to just train, but they train with purpose. How has your view of training evolved from competition to a lifestyle? My entire life I'd been training for something and then competition stopped after I graduated from college. The hardest thing for me was making the transition from no longer competing to training to stay in shape. That's when I turned to dance class. I was just eager to move and move in a different way than I initially used to. If you're an athlete, you have to keep finding new ways to train and challenge yourself. That could just mean find something else you really love doing and do it with purpose and passion. Training and learning should never stop. When all-else fails, what's the one thing you can always count on? When all else falls, I turn to dance class. I love dance. It's always been there for me in a time of need. I think the only time I smile when I workout is when I'm in dance class. Even if I'm struggling to pick up the choreography, I love dance. It's the best way to lift my spirits both physically and emotionally. Writer: Chelsea Bauch // Photograher: Ben Draper
How does fear shape athletes? Fear is a good thing. It means you have passion, and it means you care. Fear can push you and challenge you, but having too much fear is what can cause injuries and hold you back. How do you overcome fear? Growing up as a competitive gymnast, I had to be fearless. I had to swallow my fear and try the impossible. Do and try things I never thought I could do. The best way to overcome fear is visualization. Imagine yourself doing the impossible, the unimaginable, and what you're essentially afraid of. Once you actually do it, then they key is repetition. What was your scariest moment as an athlete? It was when I tore my ACL—something popped in my knee and the pain was excruciating. Nothing is scarier than when you can't do what you love. It happened when I was 13 and at the beginning of my gymnastics season. It took me two months before I could walk again and one year until I could compete. All I wanted to do was tumble and do release moves on bars. Not being able to compete and watching the entire team compete was so frustrating. What have you learned from pain and injuries since then? I have a pretty high tolerance for pain. I'm not sure if it's necessarily a good thing. Fortunately I've been injured enough to know the difference between being injured and just being hurt. Progress doesn't come without physical or emotional pain. If it hurts, then it probably means you're getting stronger. My dad used to always tell me when I was training for the marathon, that pain is between your ears (in your head). Whether you're training for a marathon or if it was my last tumbling pass in a gymnastics floor routine, I've always been taught to push past the pain, finish strong, and if I fell then I had to get back up and finish the routine. What does pain look like? Pain is black/blue, but initial pain is bright red. Have you ever wanted to give up? Once you give up, you get in the habit of it. The only thing I ever quit was Track & Field in my senior year of college. I quit because I just had my third knee surgery on the same knee, which happened to be my lead jump leg. I decided to "retire" from Track, not because I stopped loving it, but because it was a smart physical decision and I wanted to preserve my body. Is that type of self-awareness part of what it means to be athlete? Being an athlete is a natural part of who you are. An athlete likes to compete, not necessarily to always win but to be able to compete at their highest level. Athletes don't train to just train, but they train with purpose. How has your view of training evolved from competition to a lifestyle? My entire life I'd been training for something and then competition stopped after I graduated from college. The hardest thing for me was making the transition from no longer competing to training to stay in shape. That's when I turned to dance class. I was just eager to move and move in a different way than I initially used to. If you're an athlete, you have to keep finding new ways to train and challenge yourself. That could just mean find something else you really love doing and do it with purpose and passion. Training and learning should never stop. When all-else fails, what's the one thing you can always count on? When all else falls, I turn to dance class. I love dance. It's always been there for me in a time of need. I think the only time I smile when I workout is when I'm in dance class. Even if I'm struggling to pick up the choreography, I love dance. It's the best way to lift my spirits both physically and emotionally. Writer: Chelsea Bauch // Photograher: Ben Draper
