Photo By Capt. Patrick Sawicki | Sujey Cuadrado, the wife of Sgt. Misael Cuadrado, a scout team leader in Bravo Troop,...... read more read more
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FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska – Kaboom! A thunderous rapport cracks through the brisk Alaskan morning, marking the start of the 51st annual Equinox Marathon on Sept. 21 and the beginning of Sujey Cuadrado’s journey of meeting and overcoming challenges.
Cuadrado, the wife of Sgt. Misael Cuadrado, a scout team leader in Bravo Troop, 5th Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, is running a marathon not just to run one, but to overcome personal challenges and motivate her family to move on.
Although she has run in previous races like the Law Day Half Marathon and the Louisiana Marathon, “this is personal for me,” she said. “My brother recently took his own life, and my family has been devastated. I need to do something to motivate them, to get them to move on.”
If it was motivation, the challenge or just the right time, she chose the Equinox Marathon her next obstacle to overcome.
The Equinox marathon is one of the top 15 toughest marathons in the world, according to The Weather Channel’s Sports and Recreation department, so the newly-arrived wife, mother and grieving sister, saw it as an opportunity.
The family recently arrived to Fort Wainwright, Alaska, in June from Fort Polk, La.
A move over that distance impacts kids, neighbors and most of all family members.
“The move was not that big a deal,” said Cuadrado “We have been challenged the last few years, and it has made us a strong family.”
Savy, her nickname since she can remember, was actually living in Mexico until 2009, when she married Misael, a U.S. citizen. The following year, she decided to join the U.S. Army Reserves and headed to basic training.
“Although living in the U.S. for a year was a great experience, I still did not know much English or know what to expect,” she said, “On my first physical fitness test I took at basic training, I could not even do one pushup or run two miles even close to the required time standard.”
Those initial results are common among new recruits, but the improvements and results she displayed are not. Within two weeks she could do 27 pushups and run two miles in 14 minutes. She was the only female that ran with the fast group during training.
Joining the Army was an immersion experience like no other.
“I did extra workouts in the morning to get stronger and learned English to be a better soldier,” said Cuadrado.
Throughout Advanced Individual Training, where soldiers learn their specific job skills, she maintained her performance and desire to learn, grow and develop. She graduated from the Power Generation Equipment and Repair course as the distinguished honor graduate with the highest grade point average.
“The Army really taught me how tough I am and can be. I learned English and learned a whole new culture,” she said, “Being tough and just running wasn’t enough though, until recently I had no idea how to run, training tips, racing information, all the things that define a runner as a runner. I was just going out and running and doing exercises, but there was no methodical training plan or schedule to prepare for the upcoming marathon.”
It was not until recently that Sujey actually started reading a professional running circulation, Runner’s World, and learning how to train, eat, prepare and become an even better athlete.
“Runners World, was really the first professional information, I read about running,” she said, “I read the articles, used the training plans for a marathon and felt more confident in my abilities.”
Even before proper guidance and training plans, she entered and won 1st place as overall female in the Law Day Half Marathon at Fort Polk, La. in 2012.
The pain and agony of failing the first physical fitness test during the initial days in basic training to racing and winning the overall female winner in a half marathon within two years, is a remarkable feat. The emotional impact of losing a younger brother and moving across the country to Alaska away from all your friends and family seemed to slow things down for Savy.
“We were extremely close. This was very hard for me,” she said, teary eyed, “He was the youngest, and unfortunately I was the only one who made it back to attend the funeral.”
“The family, my family took this hard and personal, they needed something to wake them from the shock,” said Cuadrado, “This marathon is my way of telling them to start living again to start focusing on the present and be alive.”
With her husband’s support, she began training with a greater drive and focus, doing 10-plus miles a few days a week and longer runs on the weekends.
“I didn’t know I had this in me, until I joined the Army I am thankful for that experience,” she said.
Sujey completed one of the toughest races in the world, her family was there and just as excited as she was crossing the finish line in 5:24:00.
“I am so glad I did it, and that it is over.” she said tired and heavily breathing.
Even in the exhaustion of a 26.2-mile race, Sujey still held her baby girl and let the child have some post-race snacks.
| Date Taken: | 09.21.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 09.25.2013 16:15 |
| Story ID: | 114254 |
| Location: | FORT WAINWRIGHT, AK, US |
| Web Views: | 243 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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