MileSplit - How is your fitness now that you are in the middle of the 2013 season. What excites you the most about the rest of the season and what you want to accomplish?
Lauren - I feel really good about the rest of the season. I'm very excited to see how state, Southwest, and possibly Nationals pan out individually and as a team.
MileSplit - Colorado has a lot of talented female runners. Are you surprised you are able to compete with them and win despite only being a freshman?
Lauren - I am very surprised! I would've never guessed that i would be with all of these amazing athletes that I have looked up to for all these years.
MileSplit - When & how did you get started in cross country?
Lauren - When i was in 5th grade, i ran with the local middle school team because we knew the coach pretty well and he let me run with them. I ran practices and some races for them all throughout that year and then went on to do the National Junior Olympic cross country meat in Reno, Nevada and won. This definitely got me interested in cross country and I've been doing it ever since.
MileSplit - Person/people most influential to your success in cross country and why?
Lauren: So far in my life, I think the biggest influence to me is Emma Coburn. I've met her a few times and got to know her pretty well. I just like how even though she has a bunch of pressure and stress in her life, she still comes back and cheers on the middle school races and some high school races. She's really down to Earth and an all around good person that I look up to.
MileSplit - What are the keys to your successful cross country training program and what work did you put in to start off so well this year?
Lauren - I put in a really good summer and I've been doing a lot more core and push-ups lately. I used to not be able to do 1 push-up and now I'm up to 12. I'm pretty proud of that (haha) considering where I came from.
MileSplit - What are the keys to your team's unity and how you train to reach your goals?
Lauren: I just think that our team is so close because we all have the same personality and mindsets so we can relate really well and we all just have such a tight bond that I love. Even though I've only been with them for a little while, I feel like they are my family.
MileSplit - Your favorite past performance in a cross country race and why?
Lauren - My favorite past performance in cross country was the John Martin meet because I learned so much about myself during that one race and I think it contributed to how I ran at Titan Thunder.
MileSplit - Who are the cross country competitors you most enjoy competing against and why?
Lauren - I like racing against everyone who I have gone up against so far. I love racing with them because they are all so amazing and I would'nt be where I am at without them. This would be an entirely different season if Colorado wasnt such a competitive state.
MileSplit - What is your greatest non-running experience in cross country so far and why?
Lauren - The best non-running experience ive had in cross country would probably be a at running camp I went to over the summer. I met a lot of amazing friends that I will have for a lifetime. Everyone did a color run type thing in the small town of Crested Butte, Colorado. That was a really fun, exciting, and unforgettable memory.
MileSplit - What are your goals for the 2013 cross country season?
Lauren - My goals are to make the best out of this season and not have any regrets by the end. I also really want to make it to Nike Nationals and experience that with my team. I just want to have fun.
MileSplit - Do you have any long-term goals in running?
Lauren - Long term goals I have are basically to run in college and possibly someday go the Olympics.
MileSplit - What was your favorite performance from the 2013 World Champs?
The Fun Run
Lauren - I love running in the rain.
Music
Lauren - I like to listen to a lot of hardcore faster music when I'm working out.
Mud or Grass
Lauren - Mud because it makes you feel so intense afterwards.
Facebook or Twitter
Lauren - Personally I'm more of an instagram kind of girl haha but Facebook over Twitter.
Going out or home
Lauren - Definitely going out.
Running Gear
Lauren - I love my nike spandex and half tights. Basically any running clothes that are comfortable and that look cool.