Trailbird Ambassador Alynn Davis from Flagstaff AZ shares her running story. Please follow Alynn on Instagram  @kamran_alynn This is part of an ongoing effort to capture runners' stories in their own words. If you would like to contribute to a future blog post with your runner story please contact us.

Squatting down, hands clasped together, radiant blue eyes wide open and looking up, beaming a smile. Hair flowing down my back, feeling the breeze, embracing life is me, myself, and I! I go by the name of Alynn Davis and I live by my personal motto ~ "Life is grand, so live it!" Also, I share this motto, quote, words, however you want to call it… with my man – “Don’t get too comfortable at home. Life is an adventure, so get out!”

You are given a life to live in this lifetime. What really matters is how you're living your life. Take it to heart and grow. Be the person that you are! It is about living your life in an optimal way. It is about choices; it is about becoming something you never thought you would become.

One of my passion is being outdoors, be it camping, trail running, hiking, bouldering, etc... I told Kamran, my man, when we started living together that if he wants to see me smile, take me outdoors.

Hmmm… I have been asked to share my story… Well… What IS my story?

I’m a woman, I’m Deaf, I’m a trail runner, I’m a dog lover, the list goes on…

More specifically, the question was, how did I become hooked as a trail runner? Years ago, during my last year in college, I was in a severe auto accident where someone ran a red light, going 75 in a 45, ramming into my driver’s side. My left hip was fractured/broken in two places, left eye swollen shut, bruised everywhere, stitches here and there. I was emotionally shattered when I was told that I may not be able to walk. Shit… What does this mean? It was hell of a ride, physically, emotionally and mentally. I was determined and I was damn stubborn. Also, I was pissed! About 3 months after the accident, I was bracing myself against the walls, to train myself to walk again. This day, I was SO hungry and to call out to my roommates was futile as all are Deaf. I made myself get up, crawl against the walls, shifting my legs inch by inch, finally found my way to the pantry. I grabbed a box of Cheerios, sat down on the floor while catching my breaths and smiled. I got what I wanted… FOOD! Also, I knew I was hungry to get my body moving again. Long story short, I pushed myself through and surprised my doctor(s) and physical therapists with the progress I was doing. For whatever reasons, the doctor told me to get started on running. Of course, that was the last thing I expected from the doctor, telling me to run.

I started running but at that time, mainly roads, paved pathways, 3-4 times a week. I ran my first 5k (Komen Race for Cure, I believe was the name of the race) in NC, with a friend/co-worker and I loved how it felt before, during and after the race. I was running for about 3 years at that time. Upon moving to AZ after living in NC for 3 years, It has been an on and off “gig” over the years. I have lived in various places (CA, WA, FL, CO, AZ) but never really knew about trail running or the community surrounding the trail running world.

When I moved back to AZ, this time to Flagstaff (Feb of 2013), to live with my life-time partner, my man, Kamran introduced me to trail running (among other outdoor sports). He learned it from reading magazines, online articles, outdoors media releases and we both started to give it a whirl. I believe this was in 2016. Kamran was curious and started to give a spark to my curiosity to see how well we do at races. We both agreed to sign up for “Gaspin’ in the Aspens” 5k race in 2017 and that lit a fire in us. During the same time, we were dealing with life challenges and I thought of ways to keep us moving forward, something to be passionate about while facing these challenges. I surprised Kamran by signing us up to the entire DRT (Desert Runner Trail) Series, hosted by Aravaipa Running, LLC. We ran the series together twice in a row. In 2018, I started working for Aravaipa Running, LLC and became part of the family. In 2019, I kept running, longer distances, and Kamran went further into moto biking on single tracks. Sometimes, we would even go together where he would moto and I would run the same trails. We still run together, do things together but running is such a great outlet for me, a perfect release.

Trail running is more than just running. It is being in the element, being in the zone, being outdoors, to connect with the surroundings, to bond with our dogs, to bring closer relations with others, to… just… be…

As I am writing this, I am dreaming of the race that I recently signed up for this weekend (Sat, Mar 6^th) at Mesquite Canyon Trail Runs (held at White Tanks Regional Park). It has been EXACTLY one year since I ran a race, just before the pandemic shifted our worlds upside down. I’ll be doing 8k and yes, I’m taking baby steps. I just want to feel the sun on my skin, my hair swaying down my back, dirt flying under my feet. I simply want to enjoy it. I’m also dreaming of a bigger picture… I will be running my first (in-person) 50k at Bears Ears Ultra this upcoming June! I have ran my first marathon at Silverton Alpine Marathon with a great friend, Ryan Commerson, and oh, what a blast we had! But this one… Bears Ears… 50k seems to be a bigger thing for me, even though it is only few more miles than a marathon. Man… I gotta tell ya… I AM PUMPED! I AM STOKED!