FORT BLISS, Texas-- Being a runner was always a part of her life and after retiring from the Army and transitioning to a new role as a Reserve Officers' Training Corps instructor, Lt. Col. Sue Bozgoz was involved in a car accident that made running difficult.
"The police at the scene said I must have had a guardian angel to have made it through the accident with an 18-wheeler, and it wasn't until I tried to go for my regular run that I realized that I was injured," said Bozgoz.
She thought she was through running. After 54 marathons, she decide the best way to stay involved was to coach other runners. She coached international competitive runners and helped share her knowledge of the sport with others.
Then Marine Gen. Joseph Francis Dunford, Jr., challenged Bozgoz to run with him in the 2017 Marine Corps Marathon, and she accepted.
She decided that the Warrior Care and Transition's 2017 Army Trials would be a good starting point to get back into running and training.
"The physical therapists are so helpful, they pulled out the knots in my leg and today I had the first pain free run in years," said Bozgoz.
"The power of the Army Trials and the Warrior Games is that it cultivates an environment that unites us all, versus dividing us," said Bozgoz. "I have come to realize, that this event is the glue that binds us together regardless of our capabilities and it fosters discipline, confidence, and teamwork."
Bozgoz hopes to remind people not to give up, that there is always a way to do something you love in spite of injury, and it is important to get out and continue living.
She believes that after traumatic injuries, whether physical or emotional, the mind wants to escape and disassociate from others as a defense mechanism, but disassociation blocks and delays the healing process.
"The Army Trials experience, along with the great mental and physical coaches and my great physical therapist have allowed me to have the confidence to do something that I once loved, but never found the inner strength to make it come together until now," said Bozgoz.
"I want to thank General Joe Dunford and the Army Trials team for challenging me and getting me back on the track."
Bozgoz plans to compete in all the running events from 100 meters to the longer distance runs.
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