No limits for CdM’s Arenal
When 16-year-old track and cross-country runner Suzanne Arenal sets her mind to something, not even the limitations of a disability can get in her way.
At the age of 10 months, Arenal was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, a disability that severely hinders her movement. She tried using walkers, braces, and orthotics for stability, but the doctors predicted that she would never be able to walk on her own.
Fast-forward 15 years, and Arenal is a successful runner for Corona del Mar High School and a member of America’s prestigious Paralympics track team.
Throughout her childhood, Arenal built her muscle strength by participating in various sports. She tried soccer, basketball, equestrian, dance, and karate, but her favorite sport of all was cross-country.
Arenal took up running in the fourth grade, but did not get serious until she met her current cross-country coach and personal Paralympics trainer Bill Sumner, the longtime coach at CdM.
“My first time watching Suzanne try to run, she could barely shuffle 50 yards, but she had fire in her eyes that told me she wanted to prove to people that she could be a runner,” Sumner said.
He has now been coaching Arenal for five years and sees her improve more each day.
Arenal’s early running form was described by her coaches as a “side-to-side shuffle.”
She wore leg braces that came up above her ankles, disabling all ankle movement and making it difficult for her to run with the proper form. As a result, she often fell down on runs, slicing open her elbows and knees.
“Surprisingly, I am pretty good at falling,” Arenal said. “I’ve learned that falling is only an advantage to me because every time I’ve fallen, I’ve had a personal record and gotten motivated to run faster. Plus, crossing the finish line with bloody knees has kind of become my trademark.”
Her effort has been inspirational.
“Whenever Suzanne falls, she always gets up, brushes herself off, and keeps going,” said Sarah Reyna, one of Arenal’s coaches. “We can all learn a little something from Suzanne.”
In eighth grade, Arenal ran three miles in about 38 minutes. Last year, she got her time down to 27:15, and this year, her personal record was a 23:43.
Arenal now runs without any leg braces. She can run the same workout as her teammates, finishing when they finish.
As Arenal gained speed, she also gained confidence.
“I realized that setting your mind to something and working your hardest can get you anywhere,” she said. “Sometimes, you have to take risks to get where you want in life, so I decided to try out for the Paralympics. I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to challenge myself and meet others who are pushing the limits of their disabilities and overcoming my same obstacles.”
Arenal transitioned from distance running to sprinting so she could compete in the Paralympics. She now holds the national record for both the 100- and 200-meter dashes for athletes with cerebral palsy. Her record times are 17.94 seconds for the 100 and 37 seconds for the 200.
Arenal’s times earned her a spot on Team USA as the only California representative in her division.
“Being a part of Team USA is an absolute honor,” she said. “This whole country was built on the philosophy ‘If you can dream it, you can do it,’ and that’s what the Paralympics are all about. These games are proof that people with disabilities can achieve just as much as anyone else, and I am so excited to be a part of it all.”
Although she would love to get a new personal record or a medal, Arenal’s goal for the Paralympics is to simply enjoy the experience of competing at an international level, alongside people who share her hopes, passions, and struggles.
“Running has shown me the rewarding feeling of love for others,” Arenal said. “Instead of being jealous, I cheer my teammates on, and they inspire me to work harder to be as good as them one day.”
Her teammates certainly enjoy her.
“Every time I see Suzanne after a run, she’ll immediately ask me how my run was because she just cares that much,” Haley Cohen, a teammate said. “She’s an admirable and valuable teammate, and I couldn’t ask for a better friend.”
Arenal has always been her teammates’ biggest cheerleader. She encourages them with her positivity and kind words, but nothing inspires her teammates more than Arenal’s approach to life’s challenges.
“The thing I find most inspiring about Suzanne is that she hasn’t let her physical challenges stop her from pursuing anything she wants to do, including running,” Reyna said. “She has a positive outlook on life, despite the difficulties she has faced, and she refuses to make excuses. When I’m struggling during a run, I think of Suzanne, which makes me dig in deeper.”
Arenal will have the support of all her teammates and coaches back home as she travels to Toronto, Canada for the Parapan American Games Aug. 7-15. She hopes that her times in Toronto will be fast enough to qualify for the 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships in Doha, Qatar this October.
Her ultimate goal is to qualify for the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games. With Arenal’s record times and the support of the Newport Beach community, there seems no doubt that she will get there.
HANNAH SCHOENBAUM is an incoming junior at Corona del Mar High School. She is the Editor-in-Chief of CdM’s magazine, Trident, and a reporter for the LA Times HS Insider. She is also a runner on the school’s track and cross-country team.