Cami Gage reflects on the importance of continued service, mental health and gratitude, and why showing up for people matters more than ever in today’s episode of Tango Alpha Lima.
Air Force veteran Cami Gage is an endurance athlete who coaches others. Gage shares her story, with an emphasis on the mind-body connection, service beyond the uniform and overcoming adversity as the special guest in today’s episode of The American Legion Tango Alpha Lima podcast.
Gage, who served for seven years as a personnel officer, competed in track and cross country at the Air Force Academy. While on active duty, she competed as a professional triathlete and was part of the Air Force’s world-class athlete program.
After her military and professional athletic career, she transitioned to coaching. She is also a certified yoga instructor and the owner of Wild Blue Racing.
“The coach role is like a torch compared to the Bic lighter of athletic competition,” Gage said. “It is amazing to watch people actualize and find themselves.”
For Gage, the act of coaching and helping others achieve their potential is a more meaningful and impactful form of service than personal athletic glory. She now specializes in helping wounded and adaptive veteran athletes through organizations like the Air Force Winter Warrior program and Semper Fi & America’s Fund.
“We’re all adaptive athletes in one way or another,” she said, noting to some degree all athletes use goals and mental strategies to overcome physical limitations, psychological trauma and self-doubt. “We are all trying to find ways around obstacles or using creativity to work with the body we currently have.”
Mental and emotional regulation through practices like breathwork was a foundational skill necessary for overcoming physical and psychological challenges in sports and life. That has correlated to Gage’s endurance achievements that include ice climbing, trail running — including completing the Grand Canyon Rim to Rim to Rim — and more.
“If we can show up for ourselves, we can show up in a better space for other people,” she said.
Previously, Gage coached co-host Stacy Pearsall for races including the Marine Corps Marathon. Gage explained a powerful lesson she learned about validating every individual’s personal struggle, regardless of how they compare to others.
“‘Your stuff is your stuff. Your stuff has value, your ability to overcome your stuff has value.’ You taught me that, and I have taken that with me to every athlete I work with,” Gage said, attributing the quote to Pearsall.
Gage talked about how critical it is to not take anything for granted.
“The gift and the bittersweet of impermanence that we won’t be here forever and we’ve all lost people we care about in their service to our country. You don’t take these moments for granted, you don’t take these experiences for granted. You just say the things you need to say to people and you don’t take their relationships for granted. I think that’s such a gift.”
Also in this episode co-hosts Stacy Pearsall, Adam Marr and Joe Worley talk about Pearl Harbor, ahead of the 84th anniversary, touching on:
• Whether the wreck of the USS Arizona could see its status elevated from a solemn memorial to a “living laboratory.”
• The continuing legacy of service of a sailor killed in the Pearl Harbor attack.
• The ripples of the attack are still felt today.
You can also check out the more than 300 Tango Alpha Lima podcasts available in both audio and video formats here. You can also download episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify other major podcast-hosting sites. The video version is available at the Legion’s YouTube channel.
- Tango Alpha Lima