Lauren Gregory's freshman year was filled with great moments, including a state cross country title, a 7th-place finish at NXN, a state title at 3200 meters, and a 10:15.34 3200 at Arcadia. It's difficult to imagine a freshman year going much better than that.
Interview with Fort Collins (CO) sophomore Lauren Gregory
Take us all the way back to when you started running. How did you first get involved with running, and what about it pulled you in?
I started running short runs with my parents around the neighborhood when I was about 7 years old. Then I raced the BolderBoulder when I was 8 years old. I started the race in a wave with my parents. They planned on just taking it easy with me and let me set the pace, but after the first few miles, I just took off - leaving my parents behind and having to wait for them at the finish line. I have been running and racing ever since. The feeling of running fast and the satisfaction when done is what pulled me in the most.
You enjoyed a large measure of success even in middle school, taking a middle school state championship in eighth grade and running a 9:58 3000m in a college race while still in seventh grade. I know this is a potentially long and open-ended question, but give us some idea of what your middle school training was like.
I ran with the Fort Collins Track Club raced in the Junior Olympics against some national competition. I had good coaching along the way. I went to summer camps in Crested Butte, running at altitude, and learned a lot from the coaches and other runners there. That was most of my middle school training.
You came into a Fort Collins program deep in tradition and boasting a long list of highly accomplished runners. Were there ever any doubts or anxieties for you entering the program?
No, I more felt blessed to have such an amazing program in my hometown, and I was excited to start the high school running experience.
If you had to pick one meet of your freshman cross country season that most opened your eyes to the possibilities of what the season could become, what meet would that be?
The meet that opened my eyes was probably the Titan Thunder Invite where I won for the first time as a high school runner. [Note: Not only did she win, but she beat Katie Rainsberger in that race by 34 seconds, photo, right, by Alan Versaw]
How important to you was it that you got to go to NXN with several teammates and with coaches who'd been there before and seen it all?
It was extremely important and comforting going with my team for my first year at NXN as that was by far the biggest race I had ever been in. Their knowledge was helpful and also they made it an extremely fun experience.
What did your time between NXN and the outdoor track season look like from a training perspective?
The winter off season training was mostly higher mileage, and I felt like that is when I got stronger.
You went to Arcadia on April 4 and dropped a 10:15 3200, one of the all-time freshman bests in that event. Did you go there daring to hope for that kind of time, or did it catch you a little off-guard to post that kind of time?
I went into Arcadia with a goal of 10:20, then once I got into the race I forgot about all times and basically spaced out everything around me and just ran. Luckily it paid off and I learned so much during that race.
What was the highlight moment for you of your freshman year of high school?
My highlights from freshman year were probably NXN, Arcadia, and winning state in XC and as a team in track.
Tell us a little about the other sides of Lauren Gregory. What are your favorite classes in school and your favorite spare-time activities?
In my free time I enjoy hanging out with my friends, listening to music, swimming and playing with my two dogs that I love. My favorite subject in school is math.
