From Blade to Boston: Hannah's Journey Back to Running

In this follow-up conversation, Hannah Nabors shares what life has looked like since her first appearance on the podcast. After receiving her running blade, she trained for and completed the Boston Marathon, stepped into the world of paratriathlon, and continued her advocacy for landmark prosthetic device coverage. Along the way, Hannah offers honest insights, hard-earned lessons, and powerful encouragement for anyone pursuing big goals after limb loss. 

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Host: Rachael Auyer, Co-Owner, Alliance Prosthetics + Orthotics

Guest: Hannah Nabors, prosthetic patient of Alliance Prosthetics + Orthotics

Producer: Laine Johnson, Marketing Coordinator, Alliance Prosthetics + Orthotics

Transcript

Rachael Auyer  00:01

Welcome back to the Alliance Goal Digger Podcast. I'm Rachael Auyer, the host, and with us we have a follow-up interview with Hannah Nabors. Hannah has been a patient with us for a little over a year, and we got some stuff done this past year. Plus, Hannah has achieved a lot of goals, so we wanted to take a moment to recap and discuss all the things that she has been able to accomplish since receiving a running prosthesis, as well as what she's looking forward to in the future. So, welcome back, Hannah Nabors. 

Hannah Nabors  00:33

Thank you so much for having me. I'm so excited.

Rachael Auyer  00:35

Well, we have some fun things to cover.

Hannah Nabors  00:38

Some fun things.

Hannah Nabors  01:00

Yes. So as we were leading up to Boston, I needed to adjust my running socket, and it was we're nearing the end of the school year, and I had used all of my sick days the year before for the accident. So I was like low on sick days. I had to save my personal days for Boston, and I just thought, how am I going to get to Gainesville and not miss any school, and so I was sitting at a baseball game, just kind of like talking out loud about my frustrations. And one, some friends of ours said, "Well, why don't you just let us fly you? And at first, I was like, "Oh, you know, okay, maybe. But then when I got home, I was like, "Wait, this is a really, really good idea. So I think I think we did it twice. Yes, I went to our local airport and met our friend Matt and his co-pilot Brian. Met them at six a.m. I would like come with their coffee orders, show up. We'd get on the their tiny personal plane, come fly up here to Gainesville. Jason would be waiting on us at the airport. Get out. He'd do what he needed to do. We'd get back in the plane, and then I would be in my cl assroom when the first bell rang at 7:45. It was wild.

Rachael Auyer  01:25

I want to start with good stuff, and then we'll go to kind of the the grind part of what took you so long to kind of get to the groove of being able to achieve all your goals. But I wanted to talk about flying on an airplane. To me, this is the coolest story that you flew on an airplane to come and

Hannah Nabors  02:07

Oh, yes

Rachael Auyer  02:08

have treatment in Gainesville.

Rachael Auyer  02:10

I just feel like we needed to start the top of the hour with "I'm talking to Batman right now.

Hannah Nabors  02:16

Yes, yes, actually, yes. It was so great, like to see the sunrise, and but just you know, like school starts and they're coming in, and I'm like, well, I've already been to Gainesville and back, friends. Have a seat.

Rachael Auyer  02:27

Yep, nothing, nothing can stop you then. Okay, so we are nearing up to your year anniversary of getting your running prosthesis.

Hannah Nabors  02:34

Yes,

Rachael Auyer  02:35

and I wondered if you could talk to our patients and our audience about what it was like to get the prosthesis, some of the initial days, and how you have achieved your goal of running the Boston Marathon.

Hannah Nabors  02:46

Yes, so we talked about the last time my community fundraising for the blade, and so got to come up here and try some that are that's so important, like being able to try the different blades. So Jason and I got to try some, and I chose one that that was a fit for me, and we did a Test socket, and I got to bring it home. Jason didn't tell me initially that the Test socket would be heavier than the final, so initially running with it was really difficult. Lots of tears, lots of frustrations, but I think I got the final one in October, and you know everybody had said run. It'll come back, like it'll come back quickly. But like I didn't believe that in the beginning. Like even just running a mile, I was like, great, I'm never going to be able to run two miles, much less run with my running group again. But at the same time, I was so thankful to run any miles, like just any any time I ran anything, whether it was 50 meters or two miles, like I just cried for the first like several months. Like I'd finish any workout and then I would just cry. But it was happy tears. It was just thankfulness of being able to run. But I think my running group was kind of like chomping at the bit for like come back, come back, and I'm like guys, we're going really slow, and they were like, no, we'll go really slow, but they were right, and it did come back pretty quickly. And I just kept like surprising myself. Like I was like, oh, like a month ago I was running this pace, but now like I'm already running this pace. And we got into the winter, and there were mornings that it was freezing or like it had snowed, and I did not want to get out of my warm bed. But I just, I just thought, like Hannah, like this is what you prayed for. Like you've been praying to reclaim this this whole time. Like don't sleep on an answered prayer. Get your tail out of bed and go run. And sure enough, I would, and just be so thankful that I got out. And I don't. I don't miss a run. I don't miss a workout because it is an answered prayer, and the blade gave me back my freedom and helped me rebuild my life.

Rachael Auyer  04:51

That's so beautiful. I. I wish our audience could just see your face because really, you're the same person. It's not that you've changed. At all, but there is a light back in your eyes, and there's a tenacity. Hannah and I pretty much talked every day last year It felt like. Because we did something else that was really cool. I thought we could talk about. We had legislation passed. When you came on, we were talking to all of our legislators, saying, "Hey, do you think you could include state employees next year, and come hell or high water, we made it happen, didn't we? 

Hannah Nabors  05:26

Just unbelievable. Like I think about in January, like oh my planning, being like, okay, I'm gonna call this legislator right now before they take the kids to lunch or after school, just reaching out, and I would have talked to anybody and everybody just to get the word out, but then to be a part of the process, you know, I had never been on jury duty. I'd never been like to the Capitol, and I just had no point of reference other than like my own, you know, the state's case against the driver in my trial. Like that was the closest that I had, and so getting to be there, getting to be there on march 10, limb loss and limb awareness day, and just be a part of the process was amazing. And I just never thought it won't go through, whether that was like ignorant optimism or not. Like I just never saw it going any way different. I mean, of course, I was nervous about it. Of course, it was like a huge item on my prayer list, but I just thought like we're gonna do this, and if it doesn't come through this year, like we'll be right back, and I'm just gonna come back again and again and again until this comes through, and I'm so excited about it. And last week, our town started an amputee support group. Yeah, yes, yes. So they meet once a month, and so I think this was their second meeting, and they invited me, and I got to talk about it, and just to see the other people there like light up at the possibility, like that this this could affect them, or this is something that they're going to have access to. There were like 1000 questions, and one of the prosthetic offices in our town, like they have a new practitioner, and you know he was excited, and so it was one thing for me, like when it was mine, like I'm going to get to have access to this. This is going to change, but then to be able to see the faces of people who will also benefit from it was just unmatched. 

Rachael Auyer  07:22

That's so so true, and the reason we did it. So excited that in 2027, as long as we get it all appropriated or in the budget, which, if you know Hannah and I, we'll be happy to talk to our legislators to ensure all of the budget is item line is going towards this.

Hannah Nabors  07:42

Correct.

Rachael Auyer  07:42

And we are confident that it's not going to be a problem. I wondered if you could share with our audience some of the things you've learned from getting back to running, and then very similar to running a marathon is the legislative session. It's a little bit of a different marathon, more of a stop, run really fast. It's more like a high intensity interval training. 

Hannah Nabors  07:43

Yes, a speed workout. 

Rachael Auyer  07:46

A speed workout, and then you take a long rest, and then it's another speed workout.

Hannah Nabors  08:06

People told me in the recovery process before running, like I can't count the number of times every time I came to something and it was like it just takes time. You know, everything. Give it time. It just takes time. Like that was like stop saying that. Like it was. I got so frustrated because you don't want anything to take time. Like you want it to happen immediately. And so somewhere along the way of recovery, I finally had to surrender and be like, okay, yes. Like it takes time. And so I think coming into running, I already knew that. And as much as I wanted to be able to go out and run with my group immediately. I knew that it it took time and I needed to do it correctly because I wanted to do it for a long time and I want to be able to take care of my body and I want to feel good through this process. And I think it's the same with the legislation. Like it is a process and it is conversations and it's not answers quickly. You know, it's a lot of waiting around for like, did this happen? Did it not? What's the next move? What's the answer? So I'd learned a lot about surrendering timelines to the Lord through both of those. But I think being a distance runner prior to, I am more comfortable being uncomfortable for long periods of time. Like I can recognize that like hey this is going to be really tough right now but also it's going to just be a season like I can get through this really tough workout because in an hour like I'm going to be back home with my cup of coffee and so I think even though this it was such a wild couple of months with the legislation and training for Boston and getting my leg and all the things like I recognize like I'm gonna get through this now and then when things quiet down a little bit like after May like I'm going to use that time to like recoup and resettle so this isn't forever I'm gonna just grind away at right now and then when the season ends then I can take that rest.

Rachael Auyer  10:01

That is great advice, no matter what you're training for. All right, now I want to hear everything about Boston. Everybody, I I already know a lot, and so I just know our audience wants to hear talk about the experience setting this big, hairy, audacious goal, achieving it, achieving it with your team around you. I would love to hear your perspective.

Hannah Nabors  10:21

You know, it was a wild dream, like said from the literal bed that they roll you from the OR in, without any knowledge of running blades or prosthetics or any of that. But it was one I held on to, and I think I held on to it because other people believed in it in the early stages. It maybe even a little more than me, and you know, you and Jason helped me get a blade, and Jarryd Wallace reached out to his friend Noel and helped me get a bib, and so it was definitely a group effort, but also beautiful the way that the Lord like heard my heart and you know arranged for it to come to be, and He didn't have to, right? He would still be good, and and I would still love the Lord if it hadn't. And so, just his favor in in allowing me to do this just blew my mind. But as we got closer, I just constantly woke up and thought, like, I can't believe Austin's in a week. I can't believe it's you know in two days. And when we woke up that morning, my friend Jamie that ran ran with me, we both looked at each other and we're like, we cannot believe like we're fixing to do this. Like this has been like the fact this has been a long dream, but then a short dream after the invitation. Like I, we can't believe this day is here, and like they do the town does such an incredible job of just the whole weekend, and especially like Taylor with the Para and Adaptive Program, like everything it ran so smoothly from like getting the bus to the start, and then the start to your wave, and then I mean even the porta potties. Like I was like so impressed, like it is a it's a well oiled machine, but the first seven miles went by so quickly because it was an atmosphere I've never been in. I mean, we probably must have like high fived like 80,000 children's hands in that first seven miles. Like they're just all along the road, hands out. Like I remember looking down and thinking, "Oh my gosh, it's already been seven miles." There was not one stretch of road that was not covered in people cheering. Like you think about like 26.2 miles. Like usually in marathons, I did before the accident. Like there was always dead space, like on the backside or like out. And so I think I had kind of prepared. Like okay, if we get out there, like maybe I'll turn on my music, you know, like it's gonna be quite. There was no dead space. I mean, there were people everywhere, and I had to stop looking them in the eye because they, the spectators, were just so passionate and so heartfelt about cheering you on that it would just break me. Like they, people I didn't even know, and Noel, you know, the Born to Run Foundation had given me a shirt, a running tank to run in, and so I would just run, and people would just be like, "Let's, you know, you've got it, Born to Run, you can do it, Born to Run". Like not knowing my name, but just recognizing like what was on my shirt and cheering me. I mean, it just felt like so individualized, and I've never been to the Masters, but you know you can't have your phone, and so the spectators are like all in watching it and wanting the golfers to do well and want and cheering them to do well. And Boston was the same. Like these spectators are nobody's looking at their phone. Like nobody's you know just laissez faire watching it. Like they are all actively involved, and the like I would stop to like adjust like my sleeve, or you know like or if it if it I had gotten like sweat or something, and as soon as I would go again, it would just be like this uproar of just people like yes you can go again like you can you can do it, and I somewhere along the way, I had gotten into a bad habit of when my leg got tired, like more or less swinging my prosthetic rather than bending my knee.

Hannah Nabors  14:09

So, about mile 14, like my hip started to you know kind of hurt, and we stopped at several medical stations, and they all just offered Vaseline, which at the time was very frustrating, I was like, I cannot eat Vaseline. I cannot put Vaseline on my muscle. Like, how is this gonna help? And so I just kept telling myself, like, this isn't about performance. Like, I didn't even really set a goal ahead of time. I was like, This is about possibility. Like, this is about like proving what's possible and what God can do through community. It doesn't matter. Like I just want to cross this line, and I promised my students that I would cross before the end of the school day because I knew that they were all tracking me. And you know, I think Jamie at one point looked at her watch and she was like, "Hannah, like busses are gonna load in an hour and a half, and I was like, "We have to. We we have to. Like I. This promise, and so, sure enough, we did. And I like crossing that line. Like it wasn't something I did by myself. Like it was a group effort. It was a community effort from the fundraiser to everyone involved. You know, like my physical therapist, people who helped me get there, people, everybody who prayed. Like just my town, like it wasn't just me crossing the line. Like it was everybody that has been involved over the last year, and I think like crossing that line. Like I just I like fell apart. Like I also learned that I'm not like I'm an ugly crier. Like the series of pictures at the finish line. Like the first one's okay, but they really go downhill. But it was just kind of like this release of like I'm here and I have overcome X, Y, and Z, and I, you know, had this blister or I had to learn to crawl or I had to learn how to stand up and brush my teeth by myself. Like all of that culminates here, and it was it was just like a I made it like it's gonna be okay like I I can do this and so we once I got myself back together we went back to our hotel room and showered and our balcony could see the finish line and it like we probably didn't I mean we didn't even eat dinner till late that night because we sat on the balcony and just watched the finish line for hours. Just watched people cross, cheered for people, and just it really was the best of humanity. Like the people that would help each other up, or would root for somebody, or like give somebody an arm lock to be able to get to the finish line. Like I've never seen anything like it. And I, you know, on our way on the bus from the airport, we met this lady, and she was like, "It's my I think she said 23rd 23rd Boston. And we were like, "Why? Like, why would you come? But we were like, "No, every year that we qualify, we will come right back. And I think that everybody, even if you don't run it, like you have to go, and you have to be a part of that atmosphere because now I'm like, will other marathons compare? Like now I'm spoiled. Like you go on a Disney cruise and you're like, well, will the carnival be as good? Because Disney was really great, but I don't have words for just how beautiful of a day and a moment it was. And I lived in it, you know, for the next several days, and you like wear your medal, and everybody from the custodian at the mall to like I think Delta had employees dress up like tennis shoes the next day at the airport when you're flying out, and they come around and like with this snack cart like in the airport at the gate, and they like cheer for each of you individually or like at breakfast. Like Boston knows to recognize if that medal's on, and it they just celebrate you like you won the whole thing.

Rachael Auyer  17:46

Oh, that's so special,

Hannah Nabors  17:48

so good.

Rachael Auyer  17:48

Okay, it took less than a year for you to fully train and be ready for.

Hannah Nabors  17:54

Yes, we started in October, and then we ran it in April, 

Rachael Auyer  17:57

and ran it in April. So I wondered if you could talk to the person whose goal is not Austin. 

Hannah Nabors  18:04

Right.

Rachael Auyer  18:05

But they have their goal. What would you say on their lowest day? Because I know you had low days. 

Hannah Nabors  18:11

Oh, for sure. 

Rachael Auyer  18:12

What What would you say to them? 

Hannah Nabors  18:13

I think having a goal is imperative. Like having something to chase after whether it's something that's going to be a five year plan or a two week plan, and not just one long goal. Like I want to run Boston, but step one, like I have to figure out how to like crawl to the bathroom. Like I had to figure out how to walk on a prosthetic. So it wasn't just it was this big goal made up of a lot of little goals, a lot of little checkpoints, and so I think when I wanted to get discouraged, like how am I ever going to be able to run 26 miles? It was good to be like, well, I've already been able to, you know, like take a shower by myself, or you know, figure out how to put my shrinker sock on at night. Or each of these checkpoints was just like encouraging to me to be like, okay, I've, I've, I've been able to do this, this, and this, so I can keep doing this. But I think that it's, it's also something that you like. I needed to say it out loud. Like, if it had just been a goal in my heart, like, I still would have gone after it. I'm pretty stubborn, but saying it out loud rallied the people around me, and so it it was. Let me help you, you know, with this, or let me let me help get the kids to school so that you can get this workout in because it's been raining all morning, or just bits and pieces. And so when other people start to believe in that goal, like it gives you even more confidence that you can do it. And then when people were like, "I know you're going to do it, like I know you're going to be able to do it, it was just like reaffirming to me to be like, "Well, if you know Susie thinks I can do it, like I can do this, like I, you know. And then when it becomes a group effort, like the celebration after two is amazing. I I actually just finished writing thank you notes like a week ago, which I was a little late on the draw. But just to see the village that supported that goal, and they weren't running it, and they weren't there, but they were just as invested in seeing it. And I can't remember if I mentioned it the last time, but a little girl in our community, her mom reached out to me. Like I didn't know, I didn't know that she was in our community. I didn't. I still am meeting amputees, but she is an amputee, and her mom was like, "You did this. She was like, "And my daughter wants a running blade, and I was like, "Worth it, you know, worth it, worth whatever it took to get there. Because I want her to know that she can get one, and that that you know the possibilities are endless for her. So.

Rachael Auyer  20:38

That is special. Oh man, to think about that little girl, and everybody needs a hero and somebody to look up to, and you're inspiring those in your community. Not even if they run or not.

Hannah Nabors  20:51

Right.

Rachael Auyer  20:51

To go after a goal, and so that's where I wanted to transition. I know Boston was your thing.

Hannah Nabors  20:57

Yes.

Rachael Auyer  20:57

but how how did you kind of know it was your thing, or what are what are the some signs of you're a big goal setter? I'm thinking about the person who is just not quite sure what to do. They just kind of has no future focus, no like. I'm not quite sure what I could even go after. What would you encourage them to do?

Hannah Nabors  21:16

Well, I think I chose Boston because I wanted to prove to myself after the amputation that I was still the same girl. Like I, I lost my leg, but it didn't change my personality. It didn't change what I loved. I loved running. It didn't change, you know, the goals or the dreams that I had. Like I, I needed to prove to myself that I was still myself. And so I think if there was something that you loved doing or being a part of beforehand, to be able to set a goal that kind of lives in that same realm, it it is helpful because initially you struggle with identity, not even just like how I look physically, but like how does this change my life? Like, what does this mean for my life now. Like I thought it was going this way, and now like it's going this way. And so a lot of that last year was reclaiming. I wanted to reclaim. Initially, I wanted to reclaim normalcy, meaning like I want to be able to go back to work, or I want to be able to move back in with my family. I want to be able to make it home. And so I wanted to reclaim bits and pieces of my life that that were important to me, and running was. And so I think you know another reason Boston was so important to me was I it didn't it didn't change my heart, it didn't change my character, didn't change you know the way that I love the Lord or how I want to interact with people. Like it literally is just physical, and it's not forever. You know, like there will be a day when you know my health is restored, and so you know, I this my life is about so much more than this one limb, and so I think choosing something that has been near and dear to you to begin with is a good place to start.

Rachael Auyer  23:02

No, I love that, and every runner like that's Boston is like on their list. If you're like a real, I would consider myself more a jogger, but I hang out with a lot of real runners, and Boston they've done it. They always attempted to do it. It's a big deal.

Hannah Nabors  23:17

Yes.

Rachael Auyer  23:17

Now that you've conquered Boston,

Hannah Nabors  23:20

yes,

Rachael Auyer  23:20

you are looking forward to this new journey, which we were talking about prior to turning the mics on and a lot of funny things. But overall, you're now getting in a wetsuit with a cap, crawling to water. I mean, yeah, working out with some 70 year olds. Like I want to hear all about it.

Hannah Nabors  23:39

So when I was training for Boston, I didn't want to write my own training plan. Could I? Yes, but I was afraid that I would doubt myself. So like, if I put like, okay, today I need to run seven miles, and I'd be like, should have really been seven? Maybe it should be 10. Like, I wanted to set like gutters in bowling, like to make sure that I was doing it right, and so I went on an Instagram look. I mean, Instagram has been so helpful to me since so I went down this tunnel, and I don't know how I found her, but I like Chris Palmquist came across my feed, and so I reached out to her and I told her who I was and what I wanted to do, and she was like, "Yes, I would love to help you. You know, I think this is great. She was like, "But when it's all said and done, I want you to do a triathlon. And I was like, "Okay, like that's a fair trade off, I guess. You know, like I want to do everything active anyway, so I'll do Boston, and then I'll try a triathlon. And so I needed to stick to my word, and I started. I I think I did my first triathlon two weeks ago in Knoxville, and at that time I had been biking. I had I borrowed a bike from a gentleman at church and a road bike, and I had been learning to ride that for about. Three, three or four weeks, and I had learned to swim about two weeks prior. You know, like post accident, and so I it was just all new to me. And of course, I think Chris, I've never met her in person. I want to say she's in Chicago, and so I had to talk some friends into going with me, which is a lot harder to talk people into doing a triathlon with you than it is like doing a 5k.

Rachael Auyer  25:26

Yeah, getting your hair wet is the real deal. 

Hannah Nabors  25:27

Yeah, I'm gonna need you to swim. I need you to find a bike. Um, and so I borrowed a bike from a gentleman at church. One of the ladies that I met, uh, swimming in the pool like gave me a swim cap. I ordered a helmet from Walmart because I previously was not a bike rider and I just showed up like 100% green, like not like all of my stuff was just like dumped in a pile at the transition area. Like I didn't know you were supposed to lay it out and just winging it, you know.

Hannah Nabors  25:57

Yes, I mean pretty much. Like I brought, in fact, I brought like a baseball beach towel. I don't know, you know, like I. They gave you that you have to wear like a sticker on your bike, and there's one on your helmet, and then you have a bib, and they handed it all to me, and I was like, "But what do I do with this? I don't know. 

Rachael Auyer  26:13

Did they write on your arm too? 

Rachael Auyer  26:15

In a Walmart bag. 

Hannah Nabors  26:15

So they do. They do your number on your arm and your age on your calf, which first of all is a little rude, but during the run, it's super helpful because that's the last piece, and you're like, "Oh, I need to chase this girl down, and I'm like, "Oh, wait, no, she's in her 30s. You keep going, girl. You got it. You know, like I'm just looking for everybody else. Yeah. So that is a really helpful piece, but I had no idea like what a time should be. It was really just, it was like Boston. It was like really just about possibility. Like I just want to do everything, so I'm just going to do this too. And I cross the line, and I guess did a lot better than I had initially planned to. 

Rachael Auyer  26:15

Alright, come on, tell us all. I'm just so proud of you. And this is she is not a bragger, but we need to brag on what the Lord has done in her life. And go ahead, tell us your time.

Hannah Nabors  27:00

Okay, so I finished it in 126. So it's a triathlon sprint for Paras, which is usually like anywhere from a 400 to 750 meter swim, always a 20k bike ride and a three mile or a 5k run. So I finished, and it was like a smaller one, but I was top 10 for the females, and I just was like, okay, well, this guess this is a good time. Like that was fun. Like okay, triathlon checked off, but Chris contacted me and got in touch with a lady named Auburn at USA Triathlon, and she said your time is 10 minutes under the qualifying time for the USA Triathlon Paratriathlon National Championships. Would you like to register? And as it were, here's the thing. Yeah, here's some things to know about me. Today was my first day, and I don't like. I'm really just figuring out the gears on a bike, like I don't know, but ever the like opportunist, like okay, I was like, oh well, I mean, I guess okay, and so yeah, yeah. So I was like, well, I guess I'm going to be doing triathlons a little longer, but I and so I have been like trying to pay more attention to it, and I did borrow a tri suit. Like everything's barred because I didn't want to invest in it because I thought I was just gonna like do this like one hobby. But now I'm pretty interested in it, and I think it speaks to my endurance heart and being able to push. But I, I mean, the biking is like something new for me. Like I don't know how to pace on. And the first in in the in that triathlon in Knoxville, I like I wasn't ready for the like it to start, and so I had no idea like how deep the water was, how cold it was, and so I just like fling off of this dock from like a sitting position and make it like a third of the way, and I panic because I can't see anything. There's I can't touch. There's no walls. Like I don't know how to tread water. I was like, and so I kind of came up and like doggy paddle, and I was like, you know, like try to catch my breath. And then I realized like all I literally all I could do was swim. Like that's that's all I could do. That was the best I could do. And so there were a lot of hiccups in it where I was like, okay, I could see where I could do this better. Like I could see where I could kind of improve, but I was really proud of myself, and I think too because it's just like a field of you know everybody able bodied, you know. So I was proud to be able to do it, and I just want to do everything. I went to a adaptive golf clinic yesterday, so I'm you know basically PGA tour ready. Not really, I was really terrible, but I want to do all the things, so I asked when it was, and they're like, "Well, it's Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I was like, "Well, okay, I've never been there. And when is it? And she said, "August 9. Okay, so less than two months from today. Okay, so I guess we're gonna go for it. But it's wild because. Last year on August 9, you came to town and I walked a 5k on my prosthetic and just thought that like that was the greatest thing that I'd ever done. And now a year later on August 9, they'll be in Milwaukee apparently at the national championships.

Rachael Auyer  30:05

Yeah, just so many things. Mainly, I just want to say congratulations, congratulations on finding a new hobby.

Hannah Nabors  30:23

Yeah,

Rachael Auyer  30:23

and then also I wondered what do your kids think?

Hannah Nabors  30:28

Well, so we had a conversation about it, and I initially because I was like, you know, mom's gonna have to go to Knoxville, but it's summer, so it's a little more flexible. But getting home, like they were just so thrilled for me and so excited, and no matter what I do, like if I went out tomorrow and tried to snow ski, my children would be like, "Can I want you to go to the Olympics? Well, that's precious, honey. But the reality is, but they are they are believers. They are believers in me because I'm their mom. They cheer me on. But I was like, boys, you don't you don't have to know everything like how a triathlon works, and you don't have to be great at everything. You just have to start it, like just start. You don't have to. You can use borrowed things and not know the first like anything, but you just have to start. And I think at that race, like before we started, I think they made an announcement like this is so and so's first triathlon, and so and so, and people then came and were like, "This is where your sticker goes. This is where your your helmet goes. Because the people that do things like this love it. Just like I love running, you know, like they love this and they want to share a love of this sport with other people. And I, there's just not a community that I've met since the accident. Whether it's like the amputee community or the triathlon community, that that is just you don't just fall in love with. Like it's not. I mean, not a community I would know have known otherwise, but just the best people.

Rachael Auyer  31:54

No, I I love that, and just to hear how you've been supported and encouraged throughout this whole experience. I'd love to talk about your two buddies who you're training with in Rome. 

Hannah Nabors  32:03

Yes, yes. 

Rachael Auyer  32:04

Give them a little shout out.

Hannah Nabors  32:06

Yes. So I have been dragging people into it with me, but I think it's important that you also find people that do those things that love it. And so I was invited to ride with Jimmy and Francois, and in town, and Francois just had his 70th birthday.

Rachael Auyer  32:25

Happy birthday, Francois! 

Hannah Nabors  32:25

I know. And so they will cycle at like 10 till five in the morning, which is hard in the summer as a teacher. I'm like, I don't want to get up, but have been super helpful in like you need to pump up your tires. I need to pump up my tires. Like I just thought that they would stay the same, or like you know, this is this crank and this cassette. What do those words mean? Help me understand. So they have been great at teaching me about cycling, and then in the the pool that I have been given access to swim in, there's a great group of retired folks, and you know, like here, take the swim cap; it'll break your hair. And so you know, like Lynn and Ruth. Ruth is going to do the Chattanooga triathlon with me this weekend, and she is amazing in the same age bracket as my friend Francois. And just you know, I think it's important to also realize that age or limb loss is not a limit setter. You know, like so important. Whether you have two legs, whether you're 90 or 14, like you are the only one that sets limits on yourself, and those don't have to exist. And so I love. I think I, as I move into things, I want to be like, okay, guys, I'm from a small town. I'm like a nobody. I'm a mom. I'm a teacher. Like rudely, just entered my 40s, but like I'm gonna do all these things, you know. Like I, I'm gonna keep going. And if I can do this, then you can do this kind of thing.

Rachael Auyer  34:00

That's so good, and I think a great model for your children for sure. Even the ones that you teach. I know in our previous podcast we talked about how important it is that you never give up and that you show your students that their lives have significance and importance, and that they can do these sort of things too. And you continue to do that. Have you found any obstacles that you're still working through that you're kind of tossing around, and how are you tossing those around? 

Hannah Nabors  34:27

Well, I will say I have not been to, so I've now done two fixing to do my third, but I've not been to a triathlon that is set up for me. And so, like this past weekend, I had to do a lot more advocating for myself, like I I want to do this. So you know, I think at one of them I was like, "Can I have a chair, like I to put my leg on? And they like went down to the Lost and Found and brought a chair up. And I was like, "Okay, you know what? Fine, okay, we'll do that. But so it's not, you know, sometimes you go to things like the Adaptive Golf Clinic. Yesterday and like everything's already set up for you to be successful. Any of the tools you need, access you need, but then you go to things where that's not there, and you have to say, "I want to do this, and I am willing to problem solve and do as much of it as I can myself. But like, I I need you to help me, and so sometimes that's received as yes, absolutely. I think it's amazing. I want you to be able to do this. We're going to help you. And sometimes it's like, well, we're really short on helpers, so like you can just kind of, you know, whatever you need to do, kind of thing. And so I think that has been kind of eye opening to me, especially as I've as I've left my like sweet town to go and do things, and just balance, I think I can like feel like I after the bill and you know running Boston, like I can feel this stirring to want to give my time to things that maybe I wouldn't have considered before, and pray about like what does that look like? You know, is does it change my day to day? Does it not? But I, you know, I know we talked about Hebrews 10:39. Like after my swim freak out in the water, the next time I was like, I am going to just like say a Bible verse to give my brain something to think about, and I think that is what I've held on to. Is like we are not those who shrink back and destroy are destroyed, but have faith and obtain life. Like this isn't going to hold me back. I'm not. We're not going to just shrink away to a dark corner. Like I am going to live this on behalf of the kingdom, and I'm going to live it well. And I'm going to be out there so that people can see. Yes, I'm different, but I'm still the same. You know, I this is maybe like maybe you haven't seen somebody with a prosthetic come and do this triathlon, but now you have, and now you're like, wow, if she can do it, then maybe so and so can do it, or like, how can we make this more inclusive so that you know other people can do it? And so I really want to like forge a path and push the limit on what's possible, and just make communities more inclusive and realize that we're not that different.

Rachael Auyer  37:11

No, so so powerful and something that's just sloshing around in my mind because I I have a son who has some differences, and I shared with a friend recently, sometimes it's really hard to be other people's teacher because you experience their first response, and you know it is hard. It is hard to navigate accommodating and not knowing, and how can you do it? And then there's an area of the person who needs the accommodating to say, "Hey, I need help, or I need this, and that's vulnerable.

Hannah Nabors  37:43

Yes.

Rachael Auyer  37:44

And admitting I I need it to be a little bit different, and I still want to be a part, or my son still wants to be a part. How can we find common ground? I think we figured that out at the Capitol this past year. Common ground. Yes, but how are you navigating those conversations, or how could you encourage those who? I mean, you didn't always live with limb loss. Now you do. Now that you have this experience, what would you say to people who, for the first time, this is their first experience? What are some helpful things that they could be thinking about when engaging with this population?

Hannah Nabors  38:19

I think it's about perspective. So this past weekend, the entrance to the swim was you like jogged in from the beach into the lake, but I didn't have my prosthetic on because you don't swim in one. So I'd it I'd already given it to a friend to go to the exit, and so I just had to like get down and like scoot on my butt into the water, and I got in there, and this man was coming by me, and he stopped and like fist pumped me, and and was like, "I'm so proud of you. Like somebody I don't know, and like one of the photographers got that picture, and you know afterwards a friend of mine was like, "That made me so sad for you that that's like how you had to get into the water. And I was like, "Like I can see where that would have been a thought that crossed her mind, but it wasn't for me because I was like, I'm I'm gonna get to do this thing that I want to do. Like I, it doesn't matter how I have to get into the water. I'm just excited to be able to do it. So I think a lot of it is perspective and patience. You're right. Like it can be exhausting to constantly be like forge this path and and teach. But at the end of the day, if you and I have a conversation and I'm like, "Hey, Rachael, this is me. This is what I need to move forward. When you walk away from that, like you've already got a nugget, so you've already got a groundwork. So if you have that a similar conversation with somebody of a different disability or even the same, you have something to build off of. So it's just it's it is takes a little bit more, but I feel like people walk away with some more information that they didn't have and. So maybe a year from now, when you run into the same conversation, like you're like, oh yeah, yeah, I know how to do that. Let me help you because you and I had that one now.

Rachael Auyer  40:08

No, I think there's just something so important to being available and being integrated. So just in our space, you know, I try to educate my children and people that I live around. If when you see a curb. So prior, because I learned everything over the kitchen table. I didn't go to school for this. I married somebody who was into prosthetics and orthotics. I was like, I don't know anything about this. And quickly, I began to understand every curb is a couple extra thoughts of how I'm going to get over the curb. Stairs. Where's the ramp? Where am I going to park? Am I going to do a handicap accessible parking, or am I not? Which is the best place for me to enter railings? Thinking about all and its executive functioning, right? Breaking down a big task into smaller, manageable tasks. I think this philosophy or thought is not just for people living with limb loss, not just for people who have learning disabilities or other diagnoses. This is how to be in community.

Hannah Nabors  41:06

Right.

Rachael Auyer  41:06

One thing that I've learned over these past 10 years is being available and opening the door. Just going through the door, having the conversation, being open to learn. Even just recently, Laine and I were working on a marketing initiative, and the people who help us with our marketing, they know nothing about our space, and we said, "Well, we really don't like to identify people based off of their diagnosis. We like to identify them as a person living with this. Yes, and they said, "That's such a good point. But like you just said, it was the first time,

Hannah Nabors  41:36

Right.

Rachael Auyer  41:36

So I find instead of being angry, like, "How do you not know? What do you mean? It's 2026. To think, oh, right, we get to teach. What an awesome privilege to be the first to teach and to and I'll give him a shout out. Senator Robertson said the thing he loves about our group so much is that we're offering this with open hands, saying, "Hey, will you help us? That is a cool thing that we get to be known for, and our movement here at the Capitol. I think they like us. I mean, they do talk about us click clacking around with our lipstick and heels, which I do tease is the only way anything gets done and down at the Capitol is, you know, putting on your good outfit and getting a good argument. But I just I wanted to encourage you to use, and I know you're using your platform and what you've been doing to talk about how to include more people as a teacher in special education. I know this has translated a lot now that you're on this side. What would you say has been the the most like eye opening experience for you?

Hannah Nabors  42:39

I think that we have a tendency to think that if someone is different, that they like we want to go ahead and say like, oh, this is what you need. But like, how in the world do we know better than them what they need? Like to me, if I say I only need X, Y, and Z, it's almost belittling to be like no, no, no. But I know that you also need one, two, and three. Like, so I've learned a lot about advocating for myself so that I can be clear about what I what I need because I know what I need best, you know, out of everybody else. And I just I I want my leg to be seen. I want it to be visible. I want it to be something that just gets to a place where it doesn't even catch an eye because it's just everybody's just so used to it. You know, like last week I was teaching VBS at church and this girl, this little girl who doesn't know me, came up to me and she was like, "Can you walk? And I was like, yes. I was like, and I can jump, watch, and I can run, watch. You know, like, and I just loved that. I loved that she, you know, came up to me and just like asked me, like, ask me any question. I don't care. Like, come up and ask, and let me have this conversation rather than just like look and then quietly leave. And like, also, like, I think some people, and this may be different person to person, but they don't want me to catch them looking, and I just want to be like, yes, like look, what question do you have? You know, and for me, it's my leg, but you're right. It could be anybody. It could be any number of things because at the end of the day, this is a fallen world, and I think we just recognize that everybody has value, and we all, you know, going back to the capital, like we all have these things that we can agree on. So, like, don't dismiss some of us because we don't look the same as everybody else. Like, don't don't miss a don't miss a chance to have a conversation with me because you're gonna love it. No, but like, you know, like don't dismiss us. Like don't you know don't don't feel sorry for like I don't want people to look at me and feel sorry for me or or be like oh that's you know the girl that was in the car accident. I want them to look at me and think well dang she's missing a leg but she just did X Y and Z or you know she's got a prosthetic but she's still doing each of these things. Like I want them to see what I am still capable of, as opposed to what happened to me.

Rachael Auyer  45:08

No, I think that's that's exactly the train of thought I was going towards of helping people kind of get to know the space. I'm seeing because this is going across our nation. I mean, 28 by 28 I think it's going to happen. Yes, I'm so excited, and we have such an incredible national team that's working really hard to get this done. Our Georgia team got everything we asked for. 

Hannah Nabors  45:28

Yes.

Rachael Auyer  45:28

I'm still pinching myslef.

Hannah Nabors  45:30

So far, Randy Robertson. So far.

Rachael Auyer  45:33

Exactly so far. Make sure the budget is the way we need it. I'm sure he will. And so I wanted to talk about a special moment that I got to share, so my senator Bo Hatchet, we got to meet him at the floor of the Capitol, and you stopped him because this is something that I'm a former teacher, so I have like this real deep passion for this. Talk about the PTO thing and meeting him. I just love this story.

Hannah Nabors  45:56

So we were at the Capitol, and you said, I think you said like that's Beau Hatchet, and I was like, oh, okay, like who is that? And you were like, he's the reason that you know teachers will have five personal days next year instead of three. And I just went down the stairs and just hugged this man that I'd never met before I even introduced myself because I was so excited and so thankful because that is something that I've run into as there have been things that I wanted to go to, like even the capital like having like the days to be able to capital like what does that look like or you know like I want to advocate for other things so but having the time to be able to leave work to go and do that is not as easy as a teacher and so we're given these three personal days and so of course I used mine this year to run the Boston Marathon, but to be able to have five-I mean, I know it's just two more-but the flexibility and knowing, like, I can go on a field trip with my child if if I want to, or I can, you know, meet you back at the Capitol for this next piece of legislation, like if I want to. So it just gives us a little extra time to pursue our other passions, not more important passions than education, or you know something completely different. But you know everybody is has so many things that make them tick, and so like I love education and I love teaching, but there are other things that I love too, and just the flexibility as a mom working full time and now triathlons, and as a mom to be to have you know five days that I can fall back on if I need them is amazing and incredible, and I just love that that's something that he thought of and something that he fought for.

Rachael Auyer  47:35

Yeah, so many good legislators down at our Georgia capital. 

Hannah Nabors  47:38

I mean the best. Yeah, I think they get. I think sometimes they get a bad rap, but like I mean, they are doing an incredible job, and they are equipped for it and have a heart for it. I mean, I couldn't be that. Like I, I'm not built to be a legislator, but you know, like the Lord has equipped them to do it, and just I mean, they're just they're people, just like me and you. You know?

Rachael Auyer  48:01

They're people and they're willing to serve each district and represent. 

Hannah Nabors  48:05

Yes.

Rachael Auyer  48:06

And you know, just like you and I, not perfect, of course. You know, we're in special session right now, so I feel like okay, everybody, they are actually meeting right now. So if in fact you care at all about our state, give them a high five. I mean, the fact that they have to go in suits in the middle of this heat, I feel terrible for them. 

Rachael Auyer  48:26

The other part that I wanted to talk about is what we're doing as a state initiative is our thank you tour. So we're not asking for anything new, except you know, obviously fill the budget for this beautiful bill that we have, Senate Bill 503. But what would you like to say as a thank you tour? Kind of our lead off of you. Your story is the one that we shared across the capital. Everybody knows about the teacher. I think one person thought you were a cheerleader. 

Hannah Nabors  48:54

Yes. 

Hannah Nabors  48:54

Yes, yes, yes. Just get excited about things. 

Rachael Auyer  48:58

Yeah.

Hannah Nabors  48:58

I think I want to say first of all, just like thank you for the time to listen. Like thank you for taking a minute to just listen at all. You know, like that's that doesn't always come easy. You know, fighting for so to just to be heard or for somebody to answer the phone. But thank you for sharing your talents and using what you have been gifted and equipped with to represent this community and to want to fight for what we need as much as what another group needs or like Georgians as a whole. Thank you for being bold enough to stand up and say this is what needs to happen when maybe everybody in the room doesn't agree or thinks the same thing, and holding on to what you believe in and your ethics and your morals, and saying like, no, I know these people, and I know this is what they need, and even especially if it's something that you didn't initially have a tie to you know, like I didn't know. We've talked about before. Like I didn't know you could major in prosthetics. I like I had no idea. You know, like there are plenty of things that we don't know. But being willing to stand up for a group that maybe you wouldn't have known about otherwise or ahead of time is incredible.

Rachael Auyer  50:18

No, so well said. So I wanted to say thank you to you for representing Georgia on these athletic stages and doing such a great job. No, it is.

Hannah Nabors  50:29

I mean, we'll see. 

Rachael Auyer  50:31

Even though it's a used bike with a Walmart helmet, 

Hannah Nabors  50:34

that's right, 

Rachael Auyer  50:35

and a borrowed swim cap

Hannah Nabors  50:36

and a 40-year-old woman. But yes, yes, 

Rachael Auyer  50:39

You're doing a great job. Thank you for showing us that it is possible. Hannah, while we close, I wondered if you could pray for the person who is in the beginning stages, dreaming, or in the middle of their goal, and kind of in that middle ground where you know it's not quite there to the finish line, and they're grinding.

Hannah Nabors  50:55

Yes, for sure. Heavenly Father God, there is such peace in knowing that you see us at all times in all things. You hear our hearts cry. You hear our prayer, Lord. We don't always understand the timing, but you have taught us to know what it means to surrender, and such freedom in being able to surrender, surrendering the hard parts, the easy parts, the joyful parts, Lord, and knowing that you hold all of that in your hand, that you go before us and you are constantly with us, and that there's nothing that we can do that will change your love for us, and that it's okay to come with come to you with our frustrations or our questions. Because when we ask questions, that invites dialog, and dialog invites relationship. So thank you, Lord, for being accessible and being steady through all of life's storms, and someone that we can call on whenever we need for strength and for guidance, Lord, we appreciate you and love you. Amen.

Rachael Auyer  52:09

Thank you, Hannah. I so appreciate it. Now, if you are interested in running or wanting to shower independently, or strength training, or doing triathlons, you can reach out to our clinic, or really any clinic in Georgia now, if you have state-regulated insurance, it is covered. And coming in 2027, if you are a state employee, there will be coverage for you. So you need to reach out to your local prosthetist. And of course, if you need recommendations or want to be treated here at Alliance, we would love to have you. Our number 770-679-3090 or find us on our website in the description box below. Also, my friend Laine is going to link Hannah's Instagram if you want to follow along to all these triathlons and marathons. She's got Chicago, Houston for the the shoes, right? 

Hannah Nabors  53:00

Yeah. 

Rachael Auyer  53:00

They're gonna get some shoes. Yes, but also she's got this opportunity in Long Beach as well in Milwaukee. Consider following her along, and if in fact you want to reach out to her and offer her any support, prayer, encouragement, 

Hannah Nabors  53:13

Advice!

Rachael Auyer  53:14

Advice. 

Hannah Nabors  53:14

Information. 

Rachael Auyer  53:15

How how should she do her hair for the triathlon I think. 

Hannah Nabors  53:18

Yes.

Rachael Auyer  53:19

Please give her a shout. We are so grateful for you, Hannah. Thank you for coming on today and sharing a little bit about your life. 

Hannah Nabors  53:25

Thanks so much for having me. 

Rachael Auyer  53:27

Were you inspired or challenged today? If so, connect with us. Follow the links in the description box below. We want to hear from you. Until next time, thanks for listening to the Alliance Goal Digger podcast.