Off the Clock: Marathoner Susanna Sullivan is in it for the long run

Lauren Reuscher — Thu, 25 Sep 2025 13:19:35 +0000

Off the Clock: Marathoner Susanna Sullivan is in it for the long run Lauren Reuscher Thu, 09/25/2025 - 09:19

When �鶹��Ƶ track and field assistant coach Susanna Sullivan stepped onto the start line at the World Championships marathon in Tokyo, she carried with her the encouragement of the student-athletes she mentors, the lessons of her sixth-grade classroom, and the resilience of an athlete who never stopped believing.

The result was proof that it is never too late to keep improving. Sullivan delivered a career-best performance on the world stage, finishing fourth in the women's marathon with a time of 2:28:17.

Susanna Sullivan, assistant track and field coach at �鶹��Ƶ. Photo by Michael Scott

Outside her full-time job as a sixth-grade teacher in McLean, Virginia, Sullivan stays busy logging workouts and mentoring George �鶹��Ƶ's distance runners as a volunteer assistant coach.

"My role at George �鶹��Ƶ isn't about writing training plans," Sullivan said. "It's about being a resource, talking with the athletes about nutrition, recovery, or just being a cheerleader. I want them to see that if you make something a priority, you can make it work."

Head Coach Andrew Gerard has guided Sullivan’s training for the past five years, emphasizing patience and long-term growth. That philosophy has fueled Sullivan's steady rise, allowing her to run faster more than 15 years after her collegiate career ended.

“I love that there are endless opportunities to improve yourself as an athlete,” Sullivan said. “With the marathon, the ‘little things’ like sleep, nutrition, and strength work seem amplified because you're running so far. Patience and discipline make a big difference.”

Entering the World Championship race ranked No. 99 in the world, Sullivan battled sweltering conditions to finish just one spot off the podium. To date, only two American women have ever medaled in the event.

"Susanna's result was spectacular," Gerard said. "This was not a race for fast times—it was about racing the competition and handling the conditions. Susanna showed tremendous composure and toughness."

Sullivan took the lead in the race with a 17:10 split and led the field through 25K. The two favorites, Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya and Tigst Assefa of Ethiopia, passed the 35-year-old just after the 18-mile mark.

Prior to her appearance at the World Championship, Sullivan established herself among the nation's elite marathoners. As a professional runner for Brooks, she clocked an eye-opening 2:21:56 at the 2023 Chicago Marathon, one of the 10 fastest marathons ever run by an American woman.

Sullivan competed collegiately at the University of Notre Dame. Her time as a member of Capital Area Runners after college was marked by steady improvement, several top-10 performances at U.S. road championships, and two Olympic Trials appearances in the marathon.

“The World Championships are different from many other marathons I've done, because there is a higher emphasis on placement, rather than running as fast as you can,” Sullivan said. “That lends itself to a more tactical approach.”

The result was particularly sweet redemption after her 58th place finish in the same event at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, where she finished despite suffering a fractured kneecap mid-race. A grueling recovery raised doubts about her future.

Susanna Sullivan. Photo by Team Brooks

"To not only come back, but to be running better than I ever have, feels like such a gift," Sullivan said.

Her resilience was strengthened by the George �鶹��Ƶ Athletics community. Training alongside passionate student-athletes helped her stay grounded and motivated through months of uncertainty, she said. Sullivan’s achievements offer proof of what is possible with grit, discipline, and consistency.

And she is already planning her next big race. “Immediately, I’m focused on recovering from the World Championships. I have wanted to run the TCS New York City Marathon for a while now, and that's coming up in early November,” she said.

“Longer term, I'm loving this journey with the team, and juggling teaching and running,” Sullivan said. “I hope to stay healthy and see what other opportunities running brings to see the world and test myself against the best.”

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Kestyn named first Hartley scholarship recipient

Colleen Rich — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 19:34:01 +0000

Kestyn named first Hartley scholarship recipient Colleen Rich Fri, 03/01/2024 - 14:34

Robert “Bobby” Kestyn, a graduate student thrower on �鶹��Ƶ’s track and field team, has been named the inaugural recipient of the Becky Hartley Memorial Scholarship.

Robert “Bobby” Kestyn. Photo by George �鶹��Ƶ Athletics

Rebecca “Becky” Hartley was an assistant track and field coach from 2004 to 2022, as well as the assistant vice president for research integrity and assurance in the Office of Research, Innovation, and Economic Impact from 2015 to 2022. After her death in October 2022, a scholarship was established in her name with a lead gift of $100,000.

Hartley helped coach her student-athletes to more than 50 all-time marks in �鶹��Ƶ’s record books, several Most Outstanding Field Performers, and an NCAA Woman of the Year semifinalist.

“[Becky] literally built the throwing program [at �鶹��Ƶ] from nothing,” said Head Coach Andrew Gerard. “Selecting an appropriate candidate for this first ‘awarding’ of the scholarship was a particularly special one, especially since she recruited and worked with a number of the current throwers—including Bobby—prior to her passing.”

“Bobby was an easy selection—he personifies all the attributes Becky looked for and valued in her throwers,” Gerard added. “As a freshman, Bobby came in as a relatively unheralded high school thrower, but Becky saw potential. Becky always looked for the best in people, encouraging them to better themselves, and strive for constant improvement. Bobby has bought in to that mentality wholeheartedly. Since struggling both in the classroom and in the throwing circles his freshman year, he has dedicated himself to maturing as a person, student and athlete, and the results have shown that.”

A native of Fairfax, Kestyn is now on �鶹��Ƶ's all-time list for five different disciplines: Indoor and outdoor shot put, discus, hammer, and weight throw.

“Beyond [his athletic accomplishments], he is an exemplary leader on our team, has righted his ship academically, and has thrived athletically all through a dedication to seeking consistent improvement,” Gerard said, all of which made Kestyn the right choice for the inaugural awarding of the scholarship.

“I am very humbled to receive this [scholarship] and especially honored to be the first recipient,” said Kestyn. “Coach Becky was a very influential person in my life and someone who picked me up at my weakest moments. Her coaching made me a better thrower but more importantly her mentorship, support, and overall kindness made me a better person. I aspire to be like Coach Becky.”

The Coach Becky Hartley Memorial Endowed Scholarship is awarded annually to a student who competes in the throwing events in the �鶹��Ƶ men’s or women’s track and field programs. Help support the Coach Becky Hartley Memorial Endowed Scholarship.

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