One Foot in Front of the Other

By Guest Blogger and 2016 TRP Athlete of the Year Susan Alexander

Coaches asked us to write a sort of “year in review” blog about our running life. Problem....my thoughts are clearest while I’m out there running. I have all the best revelations after around mile 6 and beyond. Especially on trails. And especially when I’m alone. By the time I get home and peel off my sweaty bra (isn’t that the first thing you just HAVE to do!) my mind is once again back to my non running life. All the revelations are shelved until I go out again.

So here it is New Years - seems like the appropriate day to get some of this down. It is a “rest” day for me and so what to do to get some running mind inspiration?? Running movies!! Of course :-)

I chose The Last Mile. Excellent. Wow - these runners are articulate even when they aren’t running! And for a bit I was transported into running mind even while sitting on the couch.

As I reflect back on my life I must honestly say that I DO have regrets. Regrets for things I didn’t do - missed moments. At the root of these regrets is FEAR. Fear that kept me from following my heart.

So what does this have to do with my year review of running? Truthfully I’m not completely sure. But there is a connection between facing my fears and pushing my limits running.

At the beginning of the running year 2016 I think I made a vague goal of trying to find a balance between pushing to my potential and avoiding injury. My life pattern seems to be holding back. Always holding back emotionally in relationships, holding back physically in challenges - always holding back because of fear of failure. In December 2015 I ran my first marathon. My second in January of 2016 and my third in February 2016. The February marathon was Sedona. It was obvious to me I had not done nearly enough hill training. I bonked at mile 15 and had my slowest finish of the three. I decided that hills would be my focus and I began training on the Mt. Lemmon Control Rd weekly.

My next race would be in May - Whiskey Row - and I wanted to prove to myself that I could run hills. I wasn’t completely pleased with my progress and decided to do the half marathon instead of the full. It was the most fun race I’ve ever run. I ran it with Raeschelle and Marti. That day stands out as one of the best days of 2016. Probably THE BEST.

Promptly afterwards I was down with what I am almost 100 percent certain was a stress fracture of my right fibula.

And then in June the most horrible thing that could have happened did - the love of my life died. And all I knew to do was to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

I knew there was a coaching program started but I hadn’t considered it. I wouldn’t have felt comfortable with spending the money and I didn’t consider myself someone that was competitive and so of course I didn’t need coaching. I wasn’t trying to “win” anything. But some little voice inside me said “TRY IT”. I think I was just sort of flailing about hoping something would help in the darkness I was living in.

I am so very grateful that I listened to that little voice.

I really wasn’t able to think clearly for myself. I was on auto pilot. Get up. Take care of the animals. Take care of the teenagers. Oh and yes - take care of yourself so you can continue to take care of the animals and the teenagers.

So of course the coaching program was the perfect solution. I could give over the planning to someone else. It became clear to me after only a couple of weeks what an amazing mental relief having a coach is. No longer would I second guess my training plan. I could just get up and follow it.

My running year really began then - July 8 - when I got my first plan from Keith.

I was training for McDowell Ragnar Ultra. My ankle was still “cranky” but I decided not to worry about it and just follow the plan. Following the plan - what I didn’t anticipate was how much that training plan would bring to my life besides a consistent running routine.

 At the lowest point in my life I was surrounded by the most loving and supportive running family a person could ever dream of - Tucson Runners Project. I can’t imagine what this year would have been like without this beautiful group of individuals.

 Many have gone out of their way to support and lift me up. Others have inspired me just by who they are. And I feel I have gained a wealth of relationships this year simply because I chose to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

I am a stronger runner at the end of 2016. It still makes me bashful to say that. But I am. Hills still scare me. But now I love them - and I am loving embracing fear. I chose for my final run of the year to once again push myself out of my comfort zone a bit. I’ve never run in snow. So I chose to run in Bear Wallow and surrounding trails (wearing my new crampons). It was amazing. I enjoyed every moment. The fast ones, the slow ones, the painful ones....I didn’t know that blowing snow stings your eyes! (I hope I do this enough to justify buying goggles). I didn’t know how fun crampons are. They are helpful in so many ways! I needed to scramble up steep embankments to avoid overflowing streams - crampons to the rescue. They give traction running up muddy hills with rain water flowing down around. But they are most fun in the snow. Even just the sound of them - crunch crunch crunch. And then they get heavy with accumulations of snow, ice and debris. If I am careful I can run and shake them and knock out the build up while moving. So much fun!

I am looking forward to a new running year filled with running adventures on new trails. I am now training for the Oracle Rumble. It will be my first Ultra. (no - Randi - I don’t count the Ragnar Ultra because of the way it is split up :-) ). I expect and hope to love it. I am thinking about it as that day I will get to spend out ALL DAY on trails with friends. Bruce and Randi - we got this!

It would only be better if I could take my ever faithful running companion - Cowboy. After all - he is training for it as well.

I want to run with my heart - not just my legs - and see where that takes me. I want to build even stronger relationships with myself and my running family. And I want to sign up for a few races that scare the crap out of me!