Carmen Alder is the most recent Alder to make running headlines
SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. (BVM) — When talking about the Alder family, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Dan Alder is a former Brigham Young University runner, as is his wife Janeth, but Janeth takes the cake as a former Olympic runner with the Ecuadorian National Team.
Now it’s time for the next generation of Alders to make their mark on the running world, and Carmen is well on her way. A three-time cross country state champion, Carmen Alder of Pinecrest High School is now a two-time returning Gatorade Player of the Year for North Carolina girls cross country.
Carmen has been stamping her name all over the North Carolina cross country history books for a while, and making a true case for one of the best in state history. She is just the fifth girl in N.C. history to three-peat at the state meet, and was the only one this year to get a mark under 17 minutes. Her accolades continue on as she was unbeaten by in-state competition this season, was named a first-team All-American and now has 11 titles between cross country and track and field.
“I’m flattered that people think that (she’s one of the best in N.C. history),” Carmen said. “But whenever I win something, I’m really proud but there is always someone better, always something else I could do better.”
This relentlessness might be one of the great characteristics she’s picked up from being a member of a military family. Her dad, despite being a storied runner, was also a Green Beret in the US Military. Green Beret is a reference to a member of the Army Special Forces, whom Dan had been deployed with multiple times.
Now, because of her dad’s history, Carmen does some volunteer work helping U.S. military veterans.
“I’m so grateful for what they do,” Carmen said. “We get to do sports because of what they do.”
Her career will now resume this fall in a familiar place: BYU. Though she considered other schools, the Cougar blood runs thick through her family’s veins. Also, coach Diljeet Taylor left a lasting impression on Carmen.
“After hearing about the program, you could tell immediately she’s (Taylor) very passionate and she really believes I could succeed at BYU,” Carmen said. “Hearing her enthusiasm, and her personality and her program, what she values, I knew after the first call with her that this is where I’m going to go.”
BYU should be the perfect fit for Carmen, considering that her parents will know the ins-and-outs of the city and the program. They’ll be able to continue carefully mentoring her, much like what they’ve done throughout her whole career.
“They’ve given me so much advice,” Carmen said. “They are runners. They know exactly what I’m going through, especially my mom. Before big meets we have a routine we do. She’ll help me stretch and warm up.”
All this help from her mom might put her right in her mom’s old track shoes. Knowing that her mother competed in the Olympics has made her want to chase that same dream. To say she hasn’t thought about it would be a lie.
“When I started running, it’s something my mom had always talked about, ‘If you work hard enough you could go to the Olympics, you could beat my record,’” Carmen said. “Since I have dual citizenship, my mom is Ecuadorian, I could do the US or Ecuador. It’s something I’ve thought about. If I keep training I hope I get fast enough to be able to go.”
Regardless, all the joy running has brought her to this point is probably enough to satisfy a lifetime. A compilation of state championships, a college scholarship and advice from two former star runners in her parents are all things many will never get to experience. Yet, Carmen will always continue to push for more.
“Once I won state, I wanted to do it again,” Carmen said. “It’s like, ‘OK, I was able to do this, I want to keep going.’”
