The Alaska Club is celebrating Military Appreciation Month. We’re fortunate to have several staff members with a military background. One of them is Tia Hale, a cycling instructor at TAC Eagle River. Tia is a Lieutenant who was recently commissioned as a United States Public Health officer. The mission of the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service is to protect, promote, and advance the health and safety of the nation. Tia does that for TAC members every week with her Ride 50 class. You can catch her at Eagle River on Saturday mornings at 9:30 a.m.

Coming Home, by Lt. Tia Hale

Teaching cycling classes again made me feel like I was coming home. I remember learning how to teach those classes in college in my early 20s. It was such a fun time to listen to great music and meet other people who equally had a goal to improve their fitness.

Leading up to being commissioned as a United States Public Health officer, teaching cycling classes helped me prepare for my first Annual Physical Fitness Test (APFT). It was exhilarating to see that I could still keep up with other officers who were 15+ years younger than me. The challenges of my fitness test still pushed my muscles to the test, but upon completion, I felt a tremendous sense of accomplishment.

I’m thankful that cycling classes are back in my life as they improve my mental and physical health. Seeing new and returning participants in my classes is so much fun. The friendship, community, and effort to reach our goals in these classes are exciting. Thank you! You make me want to continue teaching.