Deb Hicks joined the Striders as a masters runner in 2024. Her running journey began (somewhat infamously) her senior year in high school, where she gave cross country a shot and earned the unofficial title of “the runner who should have been cut.” After rediscovering running in her late 20s, she became a Boston Marathoner— grit and persistence can go a long way. Deb gravitates toward endurance events, mostly because it takes her a while to hit her stride (literally and figuratively). She is hopeful that training with the Striders (and the coach who once should’ve cut her) might finally help her crack a fast 5K.