The 2019 Four on the Fourth women’s winner, Mary Pardi of Falmouth, will be racing in Bridgton once again this summer, and she is looking to defend her title. 

After a year away from racing due to Covid-19, Pardi is eager and excited to return to the road racing scene. Pardi has been training for the 2021 road racing season since the winter, but it will be even more special since it will be the first time she races with her daughter and newfound training partner, Gina, a 2020 graduate and former collegiate runner at Wheaton College in Massachusetts. 

2020 was a strange year with no races, but both Mary and Gina welcomed the break. 

“Since I started running my sophomore year of high school, I haven’t really had a true break where I didn’t have to worry about an upcoming season or staying in shape,” says Gina. “So, it was nice to have a year to just run whatever I felt like running without getting stressed out about any workouts or races.” 

Mary feels the same way; she says it was nice to have a break from racing, but she’s excited to have something tangible to look forward to now. 

A mother/daughter training duo may seem a bit unconventional, but their running relationship is a symbiotic one. 

“It is fun running with her,” Mary says. “Gina has a strong work ethic and is very driven; she always gets me out the door and helps me stay motivated.” 

Gina enjoys running with her mom, as well. 

“My mom is my running role model,” she says. “My mom has had so much longevity and success in the sport because she trains smart and does all the right things, so as a young runner, it’s incredibly beneficial to have someone like that to look up to.” 

The two women have just started adding workouts to their training, and they are looking forward to racing together this summer.