For many years, I had seen the woman walking up and down the streets of Cadiz. She always seemed so focused and appeared to be moving very quickly for a walker. It was almost as if she was running, but yet, she was walking. Well, as the bumper sticker sort of says, stuff happened and we crossed paths. On Labor Day morning of this year, I was going for a three-mile walk. As I walked by her house, she hit the road just as I went by. I asked the lady what route she was taking and it was the same as mine. I then asked if I could join her and she said that would be fine. It was at that moment that I began a three-mile walk with the legendary race-walking Susan Bryant.

Let me begin by telling you this. You had better lace them up tight if you want to walk with Mrs. Bryant. I had to nearly jog to keep up with her. You don’t realize how fast she is walking until you try to walk with her. Twice, my shoe came untied and she waited for me. When hers came untied once, I kept going. I had to get ahead a little before she blew by me for good. My three-mile walk with Mrs. Bryant was without a doubt the best fitness walk I had ever been on.

Travel back in time with me and let’s see how Mrs. Bryant became such a walking machine. She was born Susan Woodruff in 1946. By 1947, she was taking the first of what would be many steps in her life. Mrs. Bryant graduated from Trigg County High School in 1964. She attended Murray State, where she graduated with an education degree. In 1969, she married another Trigg County alum, Mitchell Bryant. Mrs. Bryant taught English for 31 years at Trigg County and then another 10 at Kenwood High in Clarksville, Tenn. She just recently retired from education a couple of years ago. Once upon a time, Mrs. Bryant began walking to control her weight. Over time, she began to develop a passion for walking.

Eventually, Mrs. Bryant’s passion for walking led her to race-walking in 5K and 10k races. Mrs. Bryant even began to race-walk in 13.2-mile half marathons and 26.2-mile marathons.

Before we walk through this column any further, I am going to take a rest break and conclude next week. I may even tell you then why Mitchell Bryant won’t go pick his wife up if she is caught in the middle of a rainstorm!

Enthusiasm Makes the Difference

Mike Wright is the head coach of boys basketball and cross country at Trigg County High School. Emails concerning Coach’s Corner can be sent to jmcgill@cadizrecord.com.