She may have been our youngest participant, but don’t let her small stature fool you, with two years of running and racing under her belt, this 4-year old is already a veteran runner. So when COVID hit, Nava, like so many runners, was crushed to see her summer race schedule wiped clean. It was looking like she would have to put her goals on hold. A setback she wasn’t quite ready to deal with. That is until her father, and running mentor Sam, participated in the Quarantine Backyard Ultra on April 4, 2020.
Nava was inspired by her father’s performance and thrilled by the chance to race virtually. So when Personal Peak announced the Summer Race Series, Nava was in! She immediately jumped on the opportunity and began to prepare for the 20-minute time trial.
This rising star has already been making a big impact on her community where she’s widely known as a trendsetter in run fashion (see photo) and celebrated as their ‘future Olympian’. So when they heard Nava would be racing on May 30, 2020, they lined the streets to cheer her on!* With her family and community at her side, Nava knocked out a Personal Best! Breaking 17-minutes for the mile and completing 1.2 miles total!
What’s next for Nava?
She has her sights set on the Dipsea Race. Where she hopes to one day compete against her father and grandmother in this age and gender handicapped race. When she does, Nava will not only be toeing the line with her family, she will also be carrying on a family tradition as the fourth generation to compete in the race.
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* “Some neighbors cheered her on as a “future Olympian” and liked her running outfit.”
Written by: Ashley Schiller-Brown