How 3 People Ran from LA to Las Vegas in a Week (And Why)

Mona Garcia: A Life Transformed Through Running and Connection

2021, 2022, 2023 TSP relay finisher

Hometown: Washington, D.C.

After years of working in the fashion and construction industries in her late 20s, Mona Garcia wanted to feel more at home in her body. She started attending Pilates classes and then joined the Nike Run Club. By 2015, she was a Nike pacer. Running became the spark for a whole new life: founding the North East Track Club, coaching boxing at Rumble, and leading strength and conditioning classes.

She was first intrigued when she heard about TSP eight years ago, captivated by the idea of a race that defied conventional structure and norms. But when Lululemon invited her to participate in 2021, Garcia was filled with uncertainty. “I said yes to the invitation, joining a team of strangers who became friends. Imposter syndrome crept in, but curiosity and drive got me there.”
She was drawn to the unstructured, rebellious spirit of the event—something raw and untamed that resonated deeply with her. “I loved the idea of a race that wasn’t about time or placement but about embracing chaos, about running through anything the world threw at you—be it sweltering heat, thunderstorms, or desolate desert paths,” she says. It was a race that attracted renegades, people ready to embrace whatever came their way, and Garcia realized she, too, was ready to shatter her own limits.

The experience, she say, was life-changing. “[I pushed] my spirit, will, and body in ways I’d never imagined. I embraced every moment, reflected, and wrote through it all. That feeling still lives in me: do it scared. Even when you think you’re done, you have more to give. It showed me the power of a good team and doing hard things together,” she said.

After completing her first TSP, Garcia returned the following year with her team from Northeast Track Club, the running club she had formerly headed. This time, the race felt even more profound—not just as a personal challenge, but as a way to bring her community together and share in the experience of pushing beyond the limits. “Bringing my team, I knew I wanted to preserve the spirit of the Speed Project and honor the journey. As captain, I led by example—supporting and empowering those around me. It’s always a privilege to take on the Speed Project, and crossing the finish line together was a huge win,” she says.

Source: https://www.fieldmag.com/articles/the-speed-project-race-what-its-like