2014 Sponsors!!

PILOT FLYING J: 
PFJ is Knoxville-born (just like me!) and has given back to this city so much support. The people I know at the company and work with are incredible! I love what PFJ is doing to help their employees and also their customer-focused efforts on healthy food and workout opportunities. On average because of the nature of their job, truckers live 7 years less than others. PFJ is working hard to add workout facilities and healthy food choices for the truckers. It is an honor to be part of Team Pilot and their concern for their customers' health. PFJ is taking care of my logistics and transportation. What a gift to not have to worry about means to get to the race to compete! Thank you!

PROMPT PHYSICAL THERAPY: 
Steve Bailey was seemingly the only person on the planet who had insight into what was going on with my chronic neck/back dealio. He's the reason that I was able to have even an abbreviated season last year, and has an amazing gift. I love going to his office still for maintenance – it's like 90 minutes worth of PT exercises, hanging out with good friends and therapy...walking out always feeling better. What's there not to love?! Thanks!

SPORT & WELLNESS CHIROPRACTIC CENTER: 
Dr. John has helped me learn how to activate my hamstrings and butt as I ride my bike and run. My back doesn't feel as stiff, so I can freely move and have a better rhythm. He has really helped my achilles recover - I had achilles tendinitis, and he used ART to break up the knots in my calf and release the tension. Adjusting my hips relieved my lower back tension. I'm feeling much better now, and so thankful for his help!

CEDAR BLUFF CYCLES: 
What a fun, knowledgeable store! They've helped me maintain my bikes and have answered lots of questions for me! Lately they gave me 5 saddles to try out. My bootie didn't like the 2 saddles on my bikes from last year. Ouch! Developing saddle sores and cysts on my bum was not a highlight of last year, but(t) (hehe)...there are other saddle options! I have since realized that if a saddle still isn't super comfy after a few months, try a different one. At this point, I've weeded out 4 saddles out of...thousands! ha. Thanks, CBC, for your patience and help!

RETIREMENT PLANNING SERVICES: 
Also known as "The Dream Team"...seriously. I'll admit, RPS is a somewhat unusual sponsor for a pro triathlete...but there are actually a lot of parallels and ways I can learn from a company like RPS. In their core values, you'll see: “Excellence: We strive to honor our God, our families, and our clients in everything that we do.” Sure, we have very different jobs, but using our God-given gifts in whatever our daily work looks like can have the same core values! I've learned so much from my dad and brother in their top-level athletic careers, their values in their workplace, and have benefited immensely by their choices to love their families well, and honor God first always. Thanks for your encouragement and support!

COACH CLARK & THE UT TRACK/XC TEAM: 
I am so thankful to have the opportunity to run with the UT track/XC team for some key workouts. Coach Clark lets me tag along with his speedy team, and being in the midst of a team is of such great value whenever I run with them. Thank you!

COACH JAMIE INGALLS

Last but certainly not least, I'm thankful for my coach! He's not necessarily a "sponsor" but has my best interest at heart and adds value every day to my triathlon career. I have data that shows what I'm doing on a daily basis is significantly faster than just a few months ago, and that's exciting! Coaching an athlete to master 3 sports isn't easy, and I really appreciate his time, energy, patience, and wisdom on helping me get the most out of myself. Thanks!

Next post, maybe I'll share a tentative race schedule....oh boy!

Thanks for reading, and God bless you today!

bethany

Old, new, life, death, seasons, years, earth, heaven...

Whether I am in a seemingly perfect season or whether it is a survival mode season, I always find myself saying, "There must be more!"

Grandma Hall

A little over a year ago, I witnessed my grandma breathing her last breaths in the house I was living in (3 generations were living in my parents' house)...and just a month before, I held my niece moments after her birth. Life is short. James 4:14 says, "...yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes." C.S. Lewis said, “100 per cent of us die, and the percentage cannot be increased.”  

Watching/living with someone I love in the last 5 weeks of her life didn't necessarily always leave me with "Life is so good!" type sentiments. My parents graciously opened their home, energy, resources, & time to serve her as she approached the end of her life, not knowing whether it would last a month or a couple years. It was hard caring for her, watching her mind slip, teetering back and forth from a gentle, lovely demeanor & dry wit, to a grumpy, "whatever" type mentality. She absolutely loved my mom. (Of course she did! Who doesn't?!) My mom was the all-star care-giver, for sure...and I was the 2nd string; probably more like the 8th string in my grandma's eyes...So when my mom was out on an errand or busy with something then I was on duty:) I would come into my grandma's room and enthusiastically ask if she wanted me to make her breakfast...And she'd growl, "Where is your mother."  Every. time. HAHA! It took me off guard at first - like, "Aren't grandparents supposed to adore their grandchildren?!" ...But after her almost daily question, I started smiling and holding in a chuckle when she said that, although she just peered at me even more perturbed. I knew that wasn't my grandma! It's just her mind & body dying... and the filter of niceness/appropriate behavior dropping to zero and her true desires transparent. I knew she loved me but it still completely shocked me the first time she said that, and then continued to say it! But even just a few hours later, she would joke with me or say something sweet, and I knew she had snapped back into herself.

It was such a tender, heart-heavy day when she died - it took us all by surprise since she had sort of perked up and been jolly. It wasn't graceful nor elegant, but such is life sometimes. She completely lost control of her body, as it was shutting down for good, and her tongue was hanging out of her mouth. My dad got to hold her hand during that time and thank her for being his mom!! I wasn't in the room, so I don't know exactly what he said, but before her pulse shut down for good, she had a tear drop from her eye. Ahh, what a sweet ending to her earthly life and such a gift that he had already come home from work and could be there with his mom! I think her tear was especially sweet because she wasn't the typical teddy-bear type grandma. She was a tough one - grew up in a family of 6 on a farm during the depression...Very loving and ultra supportive, but not gushing, ya know? I had never seen her teary, much less cry. What a sweet day the Lord gave us all. And how thankful we are for her life and love!

Death and new life are a definite part of this gig we're born into! I have no hope to share other than hope in Jesus.

I know for Stephen and me, we couldn't be more excited to start a new year. Thank you, Lord!
I'll be posting soon about my 2014 sponsors - stay tuned! 
I'm thrilled with how 2014 is already starting out. Thanks for reading, and God bless you today.
bethany