In 2015, with three children under six, Susan Hickey was seeking a way to reconnect with her identity outside of her role as a mom. A friend training for a marathon inspired her to set a goal: run her first 5K all the way through without walking before turning 40. Susan had no idea that one 5K would lead to thousands of miles through trails, across borders and up countless hills. She went on to complete half marathons, marathons, ultras, 24-hour races and even 100-milers.
“I successfully reached my 5K goal in May 2015, and my friend asked if I wanted to train for a half marathon. I didn't even know how far it was, but said, ‘Sure!’ And... it escalated from there,” laughs Susan.
When searching for guidance for her new goal, Susan found the Facebook group for the Dayton chapter of She Runs This Town (SRTT), a free women’s running club. “I remember the first time I attended a group SRTT run, I was so intimidated. But they all accepted me, and I fit right in without being judged for being a new runner or running at a slower pace,” shares Susan.
SRTT was an amazing resource for all things running, and there were many moms in a similar life stage as Susan.
“Those women provided me with lots of wisdom and encouragement. They also introduced me to the Centerville-Washington Park District (CWPD) Pop-Up Park Challenges and weekly trail runs through CWPD and Up and Running. The challenges were a fantastic way for us to get our kids outside and off screens, and the moms got some much-needed social time,” adds Susan.
Both exploring the local parks through trail running and the park challenges help Susan be present in nature and clear her mind. “Trail running forces a slower pace through more technical sections that have lots of rocks and roots. Slowing down to appreciate nature helps cultivate gratitude for our amazing planet and all of creation. Nature is calming, and it helps to distract me from the everyday, never-ending to-do lists,” she shares.
Susan loved the CWPD Trail Master Challenge that required her to hike every single trail and encouraged her to venture down several trails she didn’t even know existed. Because of her love for running and the park challenges, Susan often marries the two together and plans SRTT group runs at the parks where specific challenges are happening.
“I like that some weeks the challenges require you to visit a specific park to accomplish a task because I can usually plan a run around it,” explains Susan. Just be careful if you join her at Rosewood Park, because she is likely planning to run hill repeats!
Running didn’t become only a hobby for Susan; it became a way to connect to herself, nature and a supportive community. Running trails and pounding the pavement, Susan is a modern-day explorer both in the physical sense and in the personal sense, constantly venturing into the unknown within herself, discovering that she is more capable than she imagined.
When asked about her greatest running accomplishment, she will tell you it was finishing her first 24-hour race. “It was the first time I had ever stayed awake all night long, and I was terrified about how it was going to go. Many things went wrong, but I pulled it together, stayed awake and completed 90 miles,” recalls Susan.
Now training for her second 100-mile race scheduled for October, along with a 50K in September, Susan is spending quality time on the trails at Bill Yeck Park. Despite her achievements, she never forgets her first 5K or what it felt like to start working toward that goal.
“I love that we, as a running community, are made up of young and old, all shapes and sizes, all abilities and we celebrate each other. For a new runner, I would emphasize that there's a place for you. If you have a goal, there are going to be runners who can help you reach it,” encourages Susan.
For more information on paved paths, trails or the weekly trail running group, visit CWPD.org.
“Slowing down to appreciate nature helps cultivate gratitude for our amazing planet and all of creation.”
“I love that we, as a running community, are made up of young and old, all shapes and sizes, all abilities and we celebrate each other. If you have a goal, there are going to be runners who can help you reach it.”