Nikki Hiltz To Face New Mother Shannon Rowbury at Silicon Valley Turkey Trot

By Adam Kopet

Nikki Hiltz, an adidas professional, will race at the Silicon Valley Turkey Trot, according to the Santa Cruz Sentinel. She recently placed fourth Nov. 11 in the Brooks Beasts Desert Throwdown, a mile road race on the Las Vegas Strip.

Hiltz finished as runner-up in the 1,500 meters at the 2018 NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Championships in a personal-best 4:09.14 for Arkansas. She also finished as runner-up in 2017 and she finished third in the mile at the 2018 NCAA Division 1 Indoor Championships. Hiltz started her collegiate career at Oregon, but transferred to Arkansas after her freshman year.

In the Silicon Valley Turkey Trot, a 5-kilometer road race in San Jose, Hiltz will face Shannon Rowbury in her first race since giving birth in June. Rowbury is the American record holder at 1,500 meters and she earned a bronze medal in that event at the 2009 IAAF World Outdoor Championships.

Rowbury held the 5,000-meter American record until this summer, when Shelby Houlihan broke it, running 14:34.45.