MileSplit SC talked with Chapin distance runner Alex Rose after his Dorman Distance Carnival 3200-meter heat win and losing his shoe during the race.
How and when did you get involved in track and field?
I started track and field last year, but I started cross country in seventh grade. I got into the sport when I did not make the football team in seventh grade, and my mom told me I had to do some type of sport. I looked up sports that were happening at that time and I landed on cross country. My mom thought it would be a great idea, especially because she ran cross country in high school and eventually in college at the University of South Carolina.
How would you rate starting the 2026 South Carolina outdoor track and field season with a heat win and event personal best in the 3200-meter run at Dorman Distance Carnival?
I would rate it as a great experience because of how the race went and the interactions with people and coaches after the race. I think that the meet was very well put on, and the overall experience was great. I would love to experience the meet next year.
We noticed you kicked off your shoe during the race on the backstretch. Could you tell us what happened?
Before the race, I didn't tie my right shoe correctly and it started to slip off during the end of the second lap. As I was approaching the backstretch, I started stepping on the back of the shoe, so I kicked it off where I previously saw Coach Patrick Martin and kept going.
Watch the Dorman Distance Carnival races
How was it to finish the race with one shoe?
It was not too bad; I just felt like I had to grind it out and get to the finish line, but I've felt that before, so it was nothing I've never felt before. To be honest, my foot was not the thing that hurt the most; it was honestly my back that I felt on my cooldown and once I got home.
Did you hear the announcer and crowd when they noticed you with only one shoe in the race?
I did not hear the announcer. The first person I actually heard was my mom, and she said something along the lines of, "where is your other shoe?" and "can I get it for you?" As I was finishing, I heard the crowd, and that felt great.
Overall, how was the experience with the crowd and coaches after the race?
It was great; a lot of coaches came up and spoke to me after the race, and my friends waited for me after the awards. The first thing I saw on my phone was a text from my girlfriend asking if my shoe actually fell off. On my way back to the tent, my teammates spoke to me after I took a couple of pictures that people asked for in the crowd.
Looking back, what were some of the early challenges you faced as an athlete, and how did they shape you?
The early challenges I faced were tough because when I started, I was the type of runner to start really fast and then slowly die off within the race and kick really hard at the end. This worked for a while, but the faster the race I was in, the less this started to work. Over the course of this summer, I worked really hard to improve my aerobic endurance, and I feel like this helped me tremendously during cross country. I played basketball for Chapin this winter, so I feel like I lost some of that endurance, but I've felt really good over the past couple of workouts since the race, and I feel like I'm gaining it back.
Who have been the most influential people in your development up to this point?
Definitely Coach (Ashley) Holman. She has seen my development as a runner since I started and has been a tremendous help for me and the other athletes that have come through Chapin. My family has also been a huge part of my development because both of my parents ran and they kind of were the reason that I started; it has just been great to grow in the sport under my family and Coach Holman's guidance.
How has competing at Chapin helped you grow, both as an athlete and as a person?
I think being at Chapin has helped me grow as an athlete because it puts me against the best competition and it always puts me in the best place to succeed. Since I've been here, I've been under great leadership, not just from coaches but from athletes like Summit Wood and Joey Canning.
What motivates you to keep pushing?
My teammates motivate me to keep pushing during workouts, runs, and really everything else that I do.
How do you stay focused and grounded when expectations and attention increase?
I stay focused during those types of times by just thinking about how bad I will feel if I do not perform how I should or what is expected of me, but I also think about how great I will feel if I do what is expected of me or if I do better.
What lessons has track taught you that extend beyond competition?
Track has taught me so many lessons. What I think has been the most important lesson is that you really can't give up on anything or any situation because you never really know what can happen; you have to see it all the way through.
"It was not too bad; I just felt like I had to grind it out and get to the finish line, but I've felt that before, so it was nothing I've never felt before. To be honest, my foot was not the thing that hurt the most; it was honestly my back that I felt on my cooldown and once I got home." - Alex Rose, Chapin runner after losing a shoe during a race
Heading into the outdoor season, what specific goals have you set for yourself?
Looking forward to this outdoor track season, I would just like to do better than I did in the 5A state championship, score as many points as I can and do as much for my team as possible.
Are there particular meets you're especially looking forward to this spring?
Yes, I'm looking forward to the region championships, All-American Track Classic, and the state championships.
As a junior, how are you thinking about your future in track and field beyond high school?
I think I definitely would like to run in college. I'm not super reliant on location. I am really focused on the strength and connectivity of the program and how it can help me develop as not just a runner, but help shape me into an overall better person.
Chapin track and field photo
What kind of program or environment do you hope to be part of at the next level?
I would just like to be part of a program that prioritizes winning, teamwork and development of the person so that I can still have fun while competing for the love of the sport.
Where do you ultimately see yourself in the sport a few years down the road?
I see myself just competing and having fun, but also being a real contributor for a program or team and having developed great relationships with my coaches, teammates and people at the university.
What would you like to say to your coaches, teammates, family and everyone who has supported your journey so far?
I would just like to say thank you to everyone who has supported me so far. I appreciate all their help, and I want them to know that there is so much more to come.
How important has that support been in helping you reach this point?
That help has been so important because it has also been part of my motivation, as I just really hate to let those people down.
For younger athletes who look up to your success, what advice would you offer them as they begin their own track and field journeys?
The only advice I would offer is to honestly take pride in what you do when you race, and you will find a lot of success that way; also, just enjoy the time you are playing the sport.
What hobbies do you have outside of the sport?
I play varsity basketball for Chapin High School.