Olivia Hoeing’s Amazing Race

Olivia Hoeing D’27 hasn’t always considered herself a competitive runner.

Before college, soccer had always been her primary sport. But when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and team sports were sidelined, she decided to give running a try.

“I wanted to get out of the house in a safe way,” said the Allentown native and current Doctor of Physical Therapy student. “And I’m very grateful to live so close to the Lehigh Parkway.”

Fast forward a few years and Hoeing accomplished an incredible feat on her home turf. In April, she finished first among all females in the St. Luke’s Half Marathon, which winds through Allentown streets and several parks, including the Lehigh Parkway.

Out of nearly 1,000 runners, Hoeing was the first female to cross the finish line and she placed 27th overall with a time of 1:26:32. This was her seventh half marathon and her first time running St. Luke’s.

“I wasn’t sure how this one was going to go,” she said. “With graduate school, I would go on runs but I’ve never done any specific training for it. I always say that I go on how I’m feeling in the moment.”

Hoeing first started competing in long distance races in Philadelphia during her time as an undergraduate at Villanova University. In spring 2024, she signed up for the Love Run and placed first for her age group.

Still, she never set out to be a first-place finisher in the St. Luke’s Half. She signed up for the race with several of her DPT classmates, all running at different paces but supporting each other along the way. This was also the first time her parents were able to cheer her on in person at a race.

“It was really awesome because my family had never been able to get to Philly to see the other ones,” she said. “My parents haven’t run in a long time, but in the past, they actually had run the St. Luke’s Half. They were giving me pointers.”

Going forward, Hoeing plans to take competitive racing more seriously. But, she maintains that her DPT studies come first. And she credits the program with not only teaching her about gait patterns and biomechanics, but with instilling in her a sense of gratitude.

“What being in PT did for me mentally in this race was realizing how grateful I am to have this able body to be able to perform in this way. I’ve always had disability awareness. But I feel like it’s been heightened through this program, which is great and necessary.”