Ep. 203 - Jane Hickey Ran the 6th All-Time U.S. HS 600m With 1 Year of Training | From Soccer Player to UNC T&F Commit

She'd never raced a track meet before her junior year. Eighteen months later, she was standing among the fastest high school middle-distance runners in America.

The Ursuline School graduate and future UNC Tar Heel didn't grow up in the sport. Her athletic foundation came through swimming, gymnastics, and years of soccer, where speed was always her greatest weapon. When she finally gave track a chance during the winter of her junior year, she entered a world that was completely unfamiliar. One built on patience, accountability, and quiet confidence.

Her breakthrough came quickly. In her first outdoor season, Hickey captured both the New York State and Federation 800-meter titles before running 2:03.61 to finish fourth at New Balance Outdoor Nationals. The performance broke the Ursuline school record and moved her to No. 3 all-time in New York State history. She carried that momentum indoors, clocking 1:28.68 for 600 meters at the Molloy Stanner Games before lowering it to 1:27.14 at the New York State Championships. Winning by nearly four seconds, she became the fourth-fastest U.S. high school girl ever in the event.

But the numbers only tell part of the story.

In this episode, Jane reflects on what it felt like walking into her very first track practice after years in soccer, learning to race athletes who had spent their entire lives in the sport, and slowly replacing imposter syndrome with belief. We talk about the workouts that shaped her, why she thrives in the 400 and 800 meters, the surprising culture of track compared to soccer, and how choosing joy over pressure allowed her to improve faster than she ever imagined.

As recruiting accelerated and expectations grew, Jane never lost sight of what made running meaningful in the first place. She shares why she chose North Carolina, how she balances elite athletics with academics, and why authenticity, strong relationships, and enjoying the process matter far more than chasing the next result.

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