Athlete profile: Susan Auch

Posted: Tue February 3, 1998 at 5:00 PM ET

Athlete notes

The silver medalist in the 500 meters in Lillehammer behind the incomparable Bonnie Blair, Auch has come all the way back from a serious leg injury to once again be a serious medal contender at the M-Wave..."I had quad tendinitis to the point where I couldn't flex my leg," she explains. "Calcium deposits developed and I had to have major surgery to repair the tendon"...successful completion of a vigorous rehabilitation program has Auch excited about her prospects for Nagano -- despite the fact she has been overshadowed by world record-setting teammate Catriona LeMay-Doan in the early World Cups..."I won silver the last time, so there's only one way to improve. Gold is realistic for me in the 500 meters and I believe I'll medal in the 1,000. This is my last shot. I plan to be right in the thick of it. I'm more than 100 percent. Even stronger than I was before. I have no qualms about my leg and I'll be ready to skate"...Auch is somewhat saddened with the prospects of her final year on skates..."Age is the main factor for me giving it up," says Auch. "I love it so much, but I need to get out of it and do other things in my life. I've satisfied pretty much all my goals and I don't think I have anything left to prove. Plus I look forward to not having my legs burning all the time from the strain I put on them"... Auch plans to do more with her life after the competitive phase of her career is done..."There is a huge shortage of female speed skating coaches, especially in Canada. The only really famous one I can think of is Dianne Holum," says Auch of the American. "I'd really love to get into coaching and help a little girl achieve the same success I've had"...Auch has had to coach herself to use clap skates..."It is a little irritating that this is my last year and I have to learn how to skate on new equipment, but if it's the price to pay for a gold medal, I'll do it"...but she has always possessed a fast first 100 meters and the start -- often considered unstable with clap skates -- she feels she has under control...Auch believes the clap skates will be vital to her chances in the 1,000m... "My first race on them was the last race of last season. I set the Canadian record in the 1,000 meters," she says. "I got great results on them quickly. They were something to get used to but I didn't feel I had a lot of technical adjustments to make, just concentrate on staying low to the ice"...Auch is a little less excited about racing the 500 meters twice..."I don't think the change was as necessary for women as it was for the men. I guess it was done so everyone would be equal," Auch says with resignation. "I don't think raw speed will be as much of a factor now that it's stretched over two days. Plus endurance will be more of a factor. I think the person who does best will have to combine consistent speed with the ability to deal with the tension of the Events taking two days now"...Susan's coach is her brother Derrick Auch, a former Canadian team member who is now pursuing his law degree...contrary to the tradition of sibling rivalry, Susan loves the arrangement and doesn't mind him often offering his opinion..."Athletes are naturally coached and I know nothing he says is personal," Auch says. "I totally trust his technical expertise and his knowledge of my skating because we've skated together for 20 years. We have a great relationship and I couldn't imagine doing this without him"...in addition to brother Derrick, Susan has an older sister, Andrea, who is an occupational therapist...mother Rosemarie is a housewife; father Eberhard is a retired bricklayer -- both plan to be in Nagano to cheer for their daughter...Susan is renovating her house with the help of fellow Canadian team member and boyfriend Neal Marshall..."Neal is over here all the time and has put in almost as much time building stuff as I have. He could claim half-ownership," says a laughing Auch. "I think I'm getting obsessed like Bob Vila with all this remodeling business." I can't pass by a house now without wondering about how it was put together"...when asked further about her relationship with Marshall, Auch coyly says, "Things are going well between us. Neal and I are thinking about some things together in the future"...