Meet the 2017 Competitors: Steph Garcia

Steph Garcia | Women’s Elite Mile

Social Media: Twitter | Instagram

College: Virginia
Club / Sponsor: Furman Elite / New Balance
1500m PR: 4:04.63
Mile PR: 4:24.68

5 Things About Me: Steph Garcia

1. I’m actually a retired grandmother: my hobby is knitting and I never travel without a huge mess of yarn and a project to keep me busy during long hotel room hangs.
2. I make a Zagat-worthy charcuterie board and will rock your world with my avocado toast.
3. Don’t despair high school runners! I started as a walk-on at the University of Virginia, made it to NCAA Outdoors as a true freshman, won the ACC Championships my second year, and eventually earned a full scholarship!
4. I studied English and Government at UVA and would love to get involved in politics at some point in my life.
5. By the end of this season, I will have raced 14 times (with Sir Walter being the 14th!) in 6 time zones with 3 new PBs in different events over 4 months.

5 Fast Questions

1. What actor would play the movie version of you? I’ve been told that I look like Sophie Marceau from Braveheart… there aren’t many well-known actresses that look like me!
2. What did you want to be when you grew up? I very clearly wrote in my 5th grade yearbook that I wanted to be an “author”– not a writer, an AUTHOR.
3. Favorite post-run drink or snack? A citrus smoothie– anything with oranges or mango– and a PowerBar Plant Protein bar!
4. What was your AIM screenname? I moved from Texas to Virginia when AIM became a thing and because I talked about Texas so much, it was some play on that show Walker, Texas Ranger– TTR (Talker, Texas Ranger) plus a string of numbers.
5. If you had a “walk up” song as you approached the starting line, what would it be? “ELEMENT” by Kendrick Lamar.

Listen to Steph on the Summer of Miles podcast:
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Learn more about Steph at: VIS Experience | Run with the Pros | Sir Walter “Extra” Miler