“She had this determination of really believing in something and going through with it, which is something that I carry with me today,” shares María Paredes Fernández (@mfp131) in an interview with writer Emilia Benton (@emiliambenton). A long-held relationship with her late grandmother has made Paredes Fernández’s relationship with sport particularly special, allowing her to feel closer to her culture. In many Hispanic and Latinx households, grandmothers play a special role. They are the keepers of recipes, the givers of advice, the solvers of life’s toughest problems. In the running community, Hispanic and Latinx grandmothers are also central. #GotItFromOurAbuelas This story was created as part of “From Our Abuelas” in partnership with Lexus. “From Our Abuelas” is a series running across Hearst Magazines to honor and preserve generations of wisdom within Latinx and Hispanic communities. Check out the link in our story highlights for the complete portfolio of stories, and the link in our bio for María‘s story.