Susanna Sullivan

Susanna Sullivan
Sullivan at the 2023 World Championships
Personal information
Nationality United States
Born (1990-05-13) May 13, 1990
West Palm Beach, Florida
OccupationMiddle-school math teacher[1]
Height1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)[2]
Sport
SportTrack and field · Road running · Cross country running
Event
5000 metres · 10,000 metres · Marathon
College teamUniversity of Notre Dame[3]
ClubBrooks Sports (2023–present)[4]

Susanna Sullivan (born May 13, 1990) is an American distance runner and teacher based in Northern Virginia. A multiple-time World Marathon Majors top-10 finisher, she placed sixth at the 2022 Chicago Marathon, 10th at the 2023 London Marathon, seventh at the 2024 Chicago Marathon, and 10th at the 2025 London Marathon. She has represented the United States at the World Athletics Championships twice, finishing 58th in 2023 and fourth in 2025. Her personal best of 2:21:56, set at the 2024 Chicago Marathon, ranks her as the 10th-fastest American woman of all time in the marathon.[5][6]

High school

Sullivan competed for George Mason High School (now Meridian High) in Falls Church, Virginia. In cross country she earned multiple All-State honors, placing 3rd at the Virginia state championships as a sophomore and junior, and 2nd as a senior. On the track, she won state titles in the 1600 meters and 3200 meters in 2007.[7]

Collegiate career

At the University of Notre Dame, Sullivan competed in cross country and track, earning varsity letters but never an all-conference selection. She has described her collegiate career as “lackluster” and “completely unspectacular,” citing fatigue and recurring injuries.[8][9]

Post-collegiate career

2012–2020

Sullivan joined Capital Area Runners after graduating in 2012. She debuted in the marathon at Grandma's Marathon in 2015, finishing 9th in 2:35:37 to qualify for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon, where she placed 20th in 2:41:18.[10]

In 2017 she sustained a hamstring injury in a car accident, which sidelined her for an extended period. She returned to the marathon at the Richmond Marathon in 2019, where she ran 2:42:35 — at that point the slowest marathon of her career — but the result nonetheless met the qualifying standard for the 2020 Olympic Trials.[11] At the Trials in Atlanta, she placed 145th in 2:45:57.[12]

2020–present

Following the 2020 Olympic Trials, Sullivan began training under Andrew Gerard, head coach at George Mason University.[13] Later that year she competed at the The Marathon Project in Arizona, finishing 20th in 2:33:27.[14]

In 2021 she placed 15th at the 2021 Boston Marathon in 2:33:22, finishing as the fourth American woman.[15]

In 2022 she won the Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run (52:32), becoming the first local runner to win the women’s title since 1983,[16][17] placed third at Grandma’s Marathon (2:26:56), and finished sixth at the 2022 Chicago Marathon (2:25:14), her first top-10 at a World Marathon Major.

At the January 2023 USA Cross Country Championships, Sullivan finished eighth in the senior women’s 10 km, which placed her as an alternate for the World Cross Country Championships in Bathurst, Australia. [18]

In April 2023 she placed 10th and was top American at the 2023 London Marathon in 2:24:27.[19] Shortly afterward, she announced her first professional contract with Brooks.[20]

At the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, she finished 58th after competing with a fractured kneecap that worsened during the race.[21] Owing to ongoing recovery from that injury—and a COVID-19 infection the week of the race—she withdrew from the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon in Orlando.[22]

In October 2024, Sullivan ran a lifetime best of 2:21:56 at the 2024 Chicago Marathon, finishing seventh overall and first American; the performance moved her to 10th on the U.S. all-time list.[23] In 2025 she was again the top American at the 2025 London Marathon (10th, 2:29:30) and later placed fourth at the 2025 World Athletics Championships marathon in Tokyo (2:28:17).[24]

Personal life

Outside competition, Sullivan teaches sixth-grade math at The Langley School in McLean, Virginia.[25] She also serves as a volunteer assistant coach for the women’s track & field program at George Mason University.[26] She resides in Reston, Virginia.[27]

Personal bests

Event Performance Venue Date
5000 m 15:25.94 Boston, USA Feb 10, 2023
10,000 m 31:55.80 San Juan Capistrano, USA Mar 4, 2023
Half marathon 1:08:59 Houston, USA Jan 19, 2025
Marathon 2:21:56 Chicago, USA Oct 13, 2024

Major competition results

Marathons

Date Race Location Time Place Notes
Jun 20, 2015 Grandma's Marathon Duluth, Minnesota 2:35:37 9th Debut
Feb 13, 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials Los Angeles, California 2:41:18 20th
Nov 16, 2019 Richmond Marathon Richmond, Virginia 2:42:35 5th
Feb 29, 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials Atlanta, Georgia 2:45:57 145th
Dec 20, 2020 The Marathon Project Chandler, Arizona 2:33:27 20th
Oct 11, 2021 2021 Boston Marathon Boston, Massachusetts 2:33:22 15th 4th American
Jun 18, 2022 Grandma's Marathon Duluth, Minnesota 2:26:56 3rd
Oct 9, 2022 2022 Chicago Marathon Chicago, Illinois 2:25:14 6th First WMM top-10; 15th-fastest American all-time (as of Oct 2022)
Apr 23, 2023 2023 London Marathon London, England 2:24:27 10th Top American
Aug 26, 2023 2023 World Athletics Championships Budapest, Hungary 2:44:24 58th
Oct 13, 2024 2024 Chicago Marathon Chicago, Illinois 2:21:56 7th PB; Top American; 10th-fastest American woman all-time
Apr 27, 2025 2025 London Marathon London, England 2:29:30 10th Top American
Sep 14, 2025 2025 World Athletics Championships Tokyo, Japan 2:28:17 4th

Road races (selected)

Date Race Location Time Place Notes
Apr 3, 2022 Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run Washington, D.C. 52:32 1st First local winner since 1983
Jul 10, 2022 Utica Boilermaker 15K Utica, New York 49:48 6th
Aug 3, 2024 Beach to Beacon 10K Cape Elizabeth, Maine 32:22 3rd
Sep 15, 2024 Philadelphia Distance Run (Half Marathon) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1:09:42 1st

Track (selected)

Date Meet Event Location Time Place Notes
May 27, 2022 USATF Championships 10,000 m Eugene, Oregon 32:12.77 17th
Feb 10, 2023 Boston University Valentine Invitational 5000 m Boston, Massachusetts 15:25.94 — Personal best
Mar 4, 2023 Sound Running – The TEN 10,000 m San Juan Capistrano, California 31:55.80 9th Personal best
Jun 29, 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials 10,000 m Eugene, Oregon 32:43.58 19th

References

  1. ^ Lorge Butler, Sarah (October 14, 2024). "Susanna Sullivan Leads American Women at the Chicago Marathon". Runner’s World. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  2. ^ "Susanna SULLIVAN – Profile". World Athletics. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  3. ^ "Susanna Sullivan – 2012 Profile". Notre Dame Athletics. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  4. ^ "America's Fastest Teacher Signs a Shoe Deal With Brooks". Runner’s World. August 4, 2023. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  5. ^ "Susanna Sullivan Leads American Women at the Chicago Marathon". Runner’s World. October 14, 2024. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  6. ^ "All-time top lists – Marathon (Women)". World Athletics. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  7. ^ "Susanna Sullivan – George Mason High School Hall of Fame Profile". FCCPS / TouchPros. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  8. ^ "Interview: Susanna Sullivan". Citius Mag. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  9. ^ "Susanna Sullivan's personal worst marathon still moves her on to the Olympic Trials". RunWashington. December 3, 2019. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  10. ^ "2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Marathon: Women's Results". USATF. February 13, 2016. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  11. ^ "Susanna Sullivan's personal worst marathon still moves her on to the Olympic Trials". RunWashington. December 3, 2019. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  12. ^ "2020 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon results". RTRT.me. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  13. ^ "Susanna Sullivan – Women's Track & Field Coach". George Mason Athletics. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  14. ^ "The Marathon Project – Results". Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  15. ^ "2021 Boston Marathon Results". Boston Athletic Association. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  16. ^ "How runner Susanna Sullivan would spend a perfect day in D.C." The Washington Post. April 25, 2022. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  17. ^ "Susanna Sullivan wins Cherry Blossom 10 Mile". WTOP. April 3, 2022. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  18. ^ "LetsRun.com – World Cross Country Championships 2023 recap". LetsRun. February 18, 2023. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  19. ^ "TCS London Marathon 2023 – Results (Women)". World Athletics. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  20. ^ "Brooks Women – sponsorship announcement (2023)". Instagram. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  21. ^ "Assistant Coach Susanna Sullivan Set to Compete at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials". George Mason University Athletics. June 27, 2024. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  22. ^ "Here Are the Runners Who Withdrew from the Olympic Marathon Trials". Runner’s World. January 31, 2024. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  23. ^ "Chicago Marathon 2024 Results". Olympics.com. October 13, 2024. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  24. ^ "Women's Marathon – Final | Tokyo 2025". World Athletics. September 14, 2025. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  25. ^ "George Mason's Susanna Sullivan Balances Classroom, Coaching, and the World Stage". George Mason University Athletics. September 11, 2025. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  26. ^ "Susanna Sullivan – Women's Track & Field Coach". George Mason Athletics. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  27. ^ "George Mason's Susanna Sullivan Balances Classroom, Coaching, and the World Stage". George Mason University Athletics. September 11, 2025. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
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