Beth Potter
Building the confidence and belief to conquer the world
“Be kind to yourself, don't lose belief in yourself. You got it, be consistent with it, and put it into perspective.”
We sit down with British World Triathlon Series champion, Beth Potter. Beth's remarkable journey from a successful track athlete and physics teacher to a world-class triathlete is a tale of inspiration and resilience. She shares the challenges of transitioning to triathlon, including financial uncertainty and self-doubt in swimming, biking, and running.
Drawing on her teaching background, Beth discusses how skills in planning, time management, and resilience have been key to her success. She opens up about the impact of psychology on her performance, sharing her experiences of working with a psychologist to boost her mental game and confidence.
Self belief, consistency and discipline are at the heart of Beth's approach to training and racing, reflecting her change in perspective from seeking instant results to embracing patience through years of overcoming setbacks. Currently ranked #1 in the world, Beth looks ahead to the Paris Olympics with excitement whilst remains steadfast in her commitment to taking one step at a time on her remarkable journey.
Go Do:
Recognise and Interrupt your negative thought processes - stand back, offer yourself more positive thoughts and accept that as your more realistic truth.
Take a moment, think about the positives of your situation, think about your skills and what you're good at, prepare yourself beforehand and think of times when things have gone well in the past, and assemble the evidence base to draw on when you need it.
We'd love to hear what emerges for you as you work through these questions. Follow us and tag us on twitter, instagram or linkedin, or send us an email: hello@runalive.co.uk
This season of the podcast is sponsored by Run Unbound Endurance Coaching.
Whether running your first half, discovering trail running, tackling an ultramarathon or attempting one of the UK big 3 rounds, Run Unbound can help you to achieve your goals in a fun and inspiring way.
We are so grateful for Run Unbound's support Find out more about them here.
Show Notes:
The RunAlive Podcast x Beth Potter
Podcast Title: Building the confidence and belief to conquer the world"
Hosts: Ed Perry and Gary Armstrong
Introduction and exploring Beth's Passions (00:00 - 01:15):Beth talks about her passion for exercise and challenges and her enthusiasm for races and physical activities.
Becoming World Triathlon Series Champion (01:20 - 02:02):Congratulating Beth on becoming the World Triathlon Series champion.Beth's surreal moment and disbelief at her victory.The culmination of years of hard work and self-belief.
Life After the Victory and coping with injury (02:42 - 04:03):Beth's post-championship journey, including flying to the US and participating in another race.Her plans to celebrate and upcoming festivities.
Discussing Beth's recent bike injury and how she's dealing with it.How the timing of the injury aligns with her need for rest.
Transition from Track to Triathlon (04:18 - 08:00):Beth's transition from being a track athlete and a physics teacher to becoming a triathlete.Her journey from a successful track career to exploring triathlon.How she took the leap to pursue triathlon full-time.
Applying Teaching Skills to Triathlon (08:07 - 08:38):The skills and lessons from her teaching career that have been valuable in her triathlon journey.Topics like planning, time management, resilience, and personal management.
Overcoming Challenges and coping with Doubt (09:18 - 10:19):Overcoming negative feedback and facing obstacles on her journey to becoming a triathlete.Beth's determination to persist despite challenges.
Dealing with self-doubt and external scepticism.Strategies Beth used to combat self-doubt and stay motivated.
Managing Negativity and Staying Positive (10:34 - 12:01):How planning, time management, and resilience played significant roles in her journey.Beth's approach to managing and mitigating negative feedback.The power of self-belief and positive self-talk.
Financial and Training Challenges (12:10 - 13:06):Financial challenges she faced as an aspiring triathlete.Her early struggles with expensive triathlon equipment.Adjusting to the intense training regimen of triathlon.
Living with Elite Athletes (13:33 - 13:57):The experience of living with elite athletes like Johnny Brownlee.Observing the intensity of training in the triathlon world.
Staying Focused, Setting Goals and Enjoying the Journey (14:25 - 15:39):How Beth maintained her focus and set new targets despite challenges.The excitement of seeing continuous improvements in her performance.
The joy Beth finds in challenging herself and embracing new experiences.Finding fulfilment in striving for constant self-improvement.
Embracing Challenges and Building Confidence (16:08 - 17:26):Beth's experience of starting from scratch in triathlon and facing her inadequacies in swimming, biking, and running.Feeling demoralised by her initial struggles.
How Beth gradually built her confidence in the various triathlon disciplines.Learning to manage the taxing training schedule.
Sources of Motivation and Achieving Goals (17:33 - 19:37):The motivation Beth found in embracing new challenges and seeing regular improvements.Her excitement for the upcoming season and future goals.
Beth's approach to setting and achieving goals.Reflecting on the significant journey from a novice to a successful triathlete.
Self-discovery and the mental side of sports (19:40 - 25:58):Beth talks about how she has been working on her psychology over the last year, investing time and resources into this aspect of her performance.She emphasises the importance of improving her mental game, which she believes has made a significant difference in her overall performance and attitude.Beth mentions that the changes in her mental approach have been noted by others, both in her personal and professional life.She acknowledges that while she's a strong athlete when it comes to physical training, she had to work on her mental strength to elevate her game.Beth discusses how psychological techniques have benefited her not only in sport.
Values (26:02 - 28:18):Beth shares that consistency in training is a key value for her because it contributes to consistent performance in races.She also values discipline, especially on days when motivation is lacking, and suggests that having a structured training environment helps her overcome those moments.
Impatience (28:20 - 32:05):Beth acknowledges that impatience has been a part of her personality, but she has learned to accept that success often takes time.She expresses her strong love for training and her desire to see results immediately, but she has learned to be patient and embrace the journey.The interviewers also explore the paradox between Beth's desire to get going and her ability to patiently plan her future.
Preparing for the Olympics (32:06 - 34:40): The conversation touches on Beth's status as the current world champion and the pressure she might face as a favourite for the upcoming Olympics.Beth shares her approach, stating that she's treating the Olympics like any other race and that staying focused on the present moment is crucial.The interviewers extend their best wishes for Beth's future endeavours.
Promoting Runna app (34:41 - 34:51):Beth mentions her involvement with the "Runna" app, an emerging platform for personalised running plans. She is one of the coaches at Runna and is excited to be a part of this innovative community.