Local Legend Susanna Sullivan Finishes 4th in the World

This is a Q&A with Susanna Sullivan about her incredible performance at the World Championships Marathon in Tokyo, Japan, where she placed 4th in the world and was the first American to cross the line. Beyond being a world-class runner, Sullivan is also a local Virginian, a middle school math teacher, and in her second year as an assistant coach at George Mason University. We are so grateful she took the time to share her thoughts with our local store, Runners’ Retreat in Winchester, VA.

Leading up to the race, how were you feeling? Were you expecting that 4th-place finish, and what was going through your head during and right after? Sullivan: “Leading up to the race, I was feeling grateful that the training block had gone well and that I was healthy and fit. My ‘B goal’ was top 10, but my ‘A goal’ was top 5, so I was definitely hoping to be competitive at the front of the race, but I was apprehensive about being too aggressive because the conditions were expected to be a factor. It was pretty hot and humid. During the race, I just tried to remind myself that the effort felt right and that even though it was a little scary to be exposed in the front with what people thought was a bold strategy, I was confident that I was using the best strategy for me. Right after, I was just relieved that I managed the conditions as well as I did. I thought I did a good job adapting to the challenge of taking in more fluids than I’d initially expected I’d need to.”

Sullivan's 2nd place finish at the 2025 Loudoun Street Mile.

You’ve been such a big presence locally—winning the Loudoun Street Mile multiple times as well as collecting 2nd and 3rd places finishes on multiple occasions—how does it feel to come from a small town (she attended tiny George Mason HS in Fairfax) and now be on the global stage?It’s been a journey, and it’s really exciting! I feel fortunate that there are so many avid runners in Northern Virginia that I’ve crossed paths with over the years, and it was great to head to Tokyo and feel like I had a lot of people in the community hoping I’d have a great day. I got so many messages of good luck before and congratulations after, and I loved that.”

How do you balance being a pro runner with Brooks, teaching middle school, and coaching at GMU? What keeps you committed? 

“I think I’ve had a lot of practice with time management. I’m fortunate that Coach Gerard is flexible and understands the demands on my time, so we’ve figured out how to make sure I’m getting the work in but also recovering. My husband, also a NoVa native, is really supportive and tries to help me make the most of my weekends so that I can be prepared for weekdays that are nonstop! I really want to walk away from professional running (several years down the road, I hope!) and know I gave myself the best shot to see how good I can be, and that keeps me motivated!”

Sullivan's 4th place finish in the 2025 World Championship.

And if you could give one piece of advice to locals about sticking with running, what would it be?“I think the advice I would give is to give yourself grace and keep showing up. Sometimes a run, or a whole week of runs, might not feel great, or life gets in the way and you aren’t sticking to the plan the way you envisioned, but you’ll be happier (and better) for getting out the door and doing what you can, even if it’s not perfect!”

Of course we had to ask this one—as big Brooks fans ourselves, what’s your go-to shoe for everyday training?

“I love the Ghost! I also like the Hyperion, but I do about 90% of my mileage in the Ghost!”