2025 Cause for Celebration: Suzie Tuffey

Among the most dominant female runners to emerge from the River City, Suzie Tuffey rises to the spotlight for this week’s Triumphs of Women in Running as part of the SC415 2025 Cause for Celebration Presented by PNC.

Her name says it all: Tuffey’s legacy is a tough run, impossible to beat, and relentless in the face of injury and adversity. Running for Bergan High School in the 80s (before it was consolidated into Peoria Notre Dame), Tuffey boasted a 4:46 Mile and a national record at the time of a 10:13 2 Mile!

She went on to run at North Carolina State, where she immediately won the NCAA cross country championship her freshman year. She raced locally as well, winning our very own 4 Mile Steamboat Classic in 1984 with a blazing 21:31.

Greater Peoria is proud to be home to national championship caliber runners like Tuffey. Thank you for joining us in honoring her triumphs!