11/05/2026
When Nicole Stawicki came to our Flanders center, her goal was to continue running for years to come while improving her performance in long-distance events. After returning to running two years ago following a 10-year break, increasing her mileage brought along a few nagging injuries that threatened to slow her down.
Over the last six months, Nicole worked with Physical Therapist Tori Searcy to not only stay healthy, but become a stronger, more resilient runner. Nicole admitted strength training was never her favorite, but fortunately, it’s one of Tori’s passions.
By combining strength training, plyometrics, agility work and running-specific conditioning, Nicole set personal records across multiple, shorter-distance races during her marathon build.
All of Nicole’s hard work paid off on race day when she completed the Guthrie Wineglass Marathon in Corning, New York in an impressive 4:47:50, with no pain during or after the race. As a healthcare professional herself, she has always appreciated what physical therapy can do. Experiencing it firsthand gave her an even greater appreciation for the profession.
Nicole’s advice to her former self is: “Things that look like they should be easy may challenge you, but it will only make you stronger.”
Congrats, Nicole! We’re proud of everything you’ve accomplished and can’t wait to see what you achieve next as you set your sights on the Mesa Marathon and New York City Marathon in 2027.
