West Chicago mother of four chases Olympic dream

As a freshman at Wheaton North High School, Suzanne Ryan demonstrated the talent to become a track star when she qualified for state in the 400-meter relay.

Then she suddenly lost interest and quit the sport before her sophomore year.

It would be years before the Wheaton native put on another pair of running shoes. Along the way, Ryan missed the opportunities for medals, scholarships and finding where her athleticism could take her.

Now the 36-year-old mother of four has become an avid long-distance runner and is making up for lost time.

On Sunday, Ryan will join thousands of runners participating in the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. She hopes to finish in less than three hours and possibly qualify for the 2012 Olympic Trials.

“God has given me a second chance to run after not doing it in high school and college, said Ryan, who lives in West Chicago. “To not go for it, I feel, would be wasting my ability.

That ability is something Ryan has had her entire life, according to her mother.

“She was very athletic, Sharon Thomas said. “She was always out there playing basketball or running from the time she was in elementary school.

After quitting the track team in high school, Ryan didn't run again until her final year at Taylor University in Indiana. A coach took notice and asked her to join the team and compete in a few 10K races. She ended up qualifying for a national tournament.

While that experience reignited her interest, running had to take a back seat to family.

Soon after graduation, Ryan married her husband, Chris. They now have four children: Tommy, 12; Steven, 10; Leah, 8; and Rachael, 5.

“I ended up having child after child all through my 20s, Ryan recalled. Still, she stayed in shape and ran in a few road races.

It was during this time that her husband made a comment that has motivated her. “He told me, ‘If you are going to pay to run in races, you might as well win them, because I know you can do it,' Ryan said.

Once her last child was born, Ryan started training more heavily. She has since been a top finisher in a number of area races over the past five years.

When she competed in the Chicago Marathon in 2006, Ryan achieved her personal best time of 2:50:43.

That was less than three minutes shy of what she needed to qualify for the Olympic trials.

“My goal is just to make it to the trials, because out of the 150 or 200 women who run at the trials, only three make the team, she said.

Brutal heat in 2007 and untimely injuries in 2008 and 2009 prevented Ryan from improving her Chicago Marathon time. Meanwhile, the time she needs to qualify for the Olympic trials has been lowered from 2:48 to 2:46.

Still, she said she's healthy and feeling good going into Sunday morning's race.

“I have been really dedicated and disciplined in training, she said. “But you never know with a marathon because the weather has to cooperate and so many things have to fall into place.

And if Ryan doesn't qualify for the Olympic trials, she says that's OK.

“I am still satisfied with all my running accomplishments, Ryan said. “If I do make it, it's just icing on the cake.