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 - My fitness feels fantastic! I worked really hard over this past summer, and it’s all paying off. I still feel there is room for improvement, and I’m excited to see what the end of this season brings. As far as my goals for the rest of the season, I hope to accomplish a time in the low 17’s and qualify for Foot Locker Nationals. Everything that goes on in the final months of cross country is always exciting to me!
MileSplit - You have been competing well this year and had a solid race at Portage to beat some top girls and a great match up with Audrey Belf at the Coaching Legends Classic. What does this do for your confidence as we get toward the end of the season?
Lauren - It definitely boosts my confidence running and competing with such talented girls but it also drives me to work even harder. Good competition is always fun and it most definitely helps push me closer to my goals!
MileSplit - Where do you go from here and continue to focus for your upcoming races?
Lauren - My next focus is Regional’s. We will be racing against other top teams in Michigan. My personal goal is to continue to push myself to not only better myself but encourage my teammates to be the best they can be also. By trusting in my training and thinking of all the hard work I have put in I am able to keep a steady eye on all the goals I have set for myself.
MileSplit - When & how did you get started in cross country?
Lauren - I started cross country my 8th grade year because my parents were always pushing me towards it. My two older sisters had previously run so I figured I might as well follow in their trail. I never really put effort into the sport until sophomore year when I looked up to the seniors who were achieving so much success. I idolized these two seniors, Taylor Manett and Jane Hawks, for all their dedication and focus. I realized I wanted to be like them someday and started to focus more on training plans my coach would give me.
MileSplit - Person/people most influential to your success in cross country and why?
Lauren - Well I would have to say the list of influential people to my success would be too long to list. The most influential person of all is my head coach, Ben Watson. He has always taught me to reach for my full potential and made me believe I could achieve more success with hard work. With his training program and never ending encouragement I have become a strong and confident young lady, in and out of my running shoes. Along with my awesome coach, our other head coaches Lisa Miller, Josh Miller, and Andy Martin have constantly pushed me to see my potential by always making it a fun environment. Also, my parents and the whole Rockford community have been extremely supportive. I’m so thankful for all the motivation they have given me and it keeps me working hard towards my goals!
MileSplit - Who has influenced you the most so far in your life and what they mean to you and your success?
Lauren - My mom has most definitely influenced me the most. I’ve looked up to her for all her running success and her support is more than I could ever thank her for. Mainly, I think she understands a lot of the sacrifices I have gone through to have brought me to where I am today and her encouragement is something that keeps me pushing on stronger than before. She always knows how to make a bad race a good one and good race a great one!
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 - Dedication and higher mileage has helped bring me much of my success. Persistently putting in miles every day over the summer and the commitment to the training my coach had gave me also gave me a lot of confidence to run well. Even on the days when I didn’t feel 100% to get out there for a run, I would just remind myself of where I want to be on the finish line.
MileSplit - What are the keys to your team's success and how you train to reach your goals?
Lauren - Our team is a very close knit group of girls which I think helps because we push each other day in and day out. Having strong friendships is the foundation of all our hard work and it keeps us fighting for the finish line. With all the smiling faces and wonderful personalities, the girls on the team help make all the hard work worth it. As one unit we all encourage each other and really look up to our coaches like parents. We work together like one family.
MileSplit - Your favorite past performance in a cross country race and why?
Lauren - I would have to say my very first race of my senior season was my favorite because I had been awaiting it for several weeks. It was such a good feeling to be back in the atmosphere of racing, and I loved every minute of the course.
MileSplit - Who are the cross country competitors you most enjoy competing against and why?
Lauren - I enjoy racing against anyone who is willing to bring 100% from start to finish. Any competitor is exciting to race against because just the feeling of being in a race against other people in itself is enjoyable.
MileSplit - What is your greatest non-running experience in cross country so far and why?
Lauren - My greatest non-running experience during cross country so far was during our summer training this summer. Our team snuck over to our coach’s house the night before official practice started and pitched a tent in his front yard. It was funny that such a noisy group of girls were able to pull off this campsite. It was such a fun memory and I sense it becoming a new tradition for future years.
MileSplit - Do you have any long-term goals in running?
Lauren - I have to say I’m really unsure of where my future will go with running. My first goal is to find the right school I belong at and run at the collegiate level. I love lots of miles so in the future I want to tackle a few marathons and maybe a Triathlon. One long-term goal is to never give up running whatever will come because I love the freedom it brings way too much.
MileSplit - What was your favorite performance from the 2013 World Champs?
Lauren - I have to be honest and say I missed all the performances. Any performance is a favorite of mine to watch when I see athletes busting their butts to make it to the finish and giving all their energy towards the big goal.
The Fun Run
What music do you rock while working out…
Lauren - I’ll admit I like to turn on some Macklemore on my Pandora when I’m feeling up to it on long runs.
Do you like to run in the mud or the grass…
Lauren - I prefer grass because I’m too much of a clean freak to enjoy muddy shoes or legs.
Do you hang out on Facebook or Twitter...
Lauren - The twitter app is a good friend of mine.
Do you like going out or chilling at home...
Lauren - It definitely depends on the day. I love going out and getting to be with my friends because I don’t get to be with them much during the season, but after a hard workout, or race day I generally like to relax at home.
What gear is your favorite while running...
Lauren - For sure Nike is my favorite gear to sport. They offer so many colors and they make it so easy to match!
Check out Lauren's MileSplit Athlete Profile...
