Debbie Sleeper
Debbie is a life long Runner. She competed on her Jr High track and cross country teams, high school track and teams where she was team captain and MVP, and was a NCAA cross country runner. She has competed in many 5K, 10K and half marathons and marathons. She has been quite competitive, winning some races and always finishing in the top of her age group. She has fallen 5 minutes short of qualifying for Boston on every one of her 6 marathons. Debbie has earned a Masters Degree in Exercise Physiology from Ball State University and has the American College of Sports Medicine Exercise Specialist Certification. She currently works as a Physician Assistant in a local family practice.

Mark Sleeper
Mark has run off and on all of his life.  He competed on his high school track team and collegiate track team as a sprinter.  After meeting Debbie and seeing the light, he started running distances and has run a countless number of races over the last 25 years ranging from 5K through marathons.  Mark has a Masters degree in Exercise Physiology, is an American Physical Therapy Association board certified orthopedic physical therapist specializing in spine and sports therapy, and is nearly completed his goal of a PhD. in Physical Therapy.

Sue Petkus
Faced with the challenge laid down by her best friend thirteen years ago, “You could run if you had to?” Sue answered, “Only if Keith Richards was signing autographs a block away!” But, the question prompted Sue to evaluate her gym routine. It was time to kick it up a notch. She thought better about saying yes to the challenge – the River to River Relay – and chose the Brookfield Zoo Run Run. A fledgling runner was hatched. Sue’s been running ever since and has great stories and memories about girls’ running vacations to locations such as New Orleans for the Crescent City Classic and Charleston’s Cooper River Bridge Run. Sue and her husband Steve have lived on Grove Street – can’t complain about the commute – for thirty two years. Sue loves meeting and getting to know all the great Downers Grove people that come into Runners Grove.

Nichole Sleeper
Nichole is a junior at Ball State University, majoring in Exercise Science with a track in pre-Physical Therapy.  She has aspirations of going to PT school in the future.  She was a competitive gymnast all through high school, and went to college competing for the Ball State Gymnastics team.  After two years, injury required her to retire.  Her new endeavors include running, swimming and other cross training types of activities.  She has worked at Runners Grove for the last three years, and has developed a solid expertise at analyzing the biomechanics of gait proper running shoe prescription.  She has run five 5K races and looks to increase her mileage as she transitions from gymnastics to her new found love of running.

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