Four decades ago, then-student Renee Williams-Smith was unsatisfied by the absence of a girls’ cross country program at Mira Costa High School in Manhattan Beach, Calif., so she stitched her own uniform to run with the boys. Years later, Williams-Smith again blazed a trail for female runners in Southern California by returning to the school where she famously bucked convention and launching Mira Costa’s girls’ cross country program. Today, Brooks Running Company recognizes her work and dedication by crowning Williams-Smith the 2014 Inspiring Coach of the Year.