In our weekly Q&A segment we asked Lauren Wallace a few questions about life on and off the track. We caught up with her before toeing the line in her outdoor season debut at Payton Jordan to talk about her USATF Indoor Championship, what it's like being a member of the Oiselle flock, and her expectations for the rest of the year.

Congrats on the 1k win at the USATF Indoor Championships. How has life been on the training side after bringing home Oiselle's first national championship?

Thank you! I took a little down time after indoors to regroup. Since then, I’ve been laying down some mileage. I am currently in Flagstaff, Arizona with my teammates (NorCal Distance) getting a solid block of training in.

Leading into the Indoor Championships, what was your favorite workout that got you race ready?

I spent this past indoor season in Boston. This was my first east coast winter experience, and it was far from ideal. I honestly didn’t have very many workouts that I was ecstatic about, but I soloed a 2:02 at the BU Valentine meet and that definitely boosted my confidence leading up to the Indoor Championships.

How has it been to be sponsored by Oiselle and have the Haute Volée team behind you?

I signed with Oiselle straight out of college. Putting aside the incredible amount of support I have received from the company, the camaraderie I have felt being a part of this team is unparalleled. Layman’s terms – It’s awesome.

Take us through your average daily routine? 

My daily routine changes day to day… but it always begins with coffee. I prefer to get my run in early. I fill in the rest of the day with various activities, such as (but not limited to): PT, hanging out with my dog, eating, napping, maybe running again and reading…

… I live a pretty boring life.

What do you normally eat while in training?

I love food. I like to eat a lot of smaller, more frequent meals. I consistently eat Greek yogurt after practice… but that’s probably the only constant.

What is your cross-training regimen?

I actually don’t have a cross-training regimen, unless you count walking my dog.

What is it like balancing life, training and racing?

I honestly haven’t really thought about that. Living in moments helps with balance I think. When you’re present, you don’t need to stress about that workout you did a few hours ago, etc, etc.

What is your most bizarre pet peeve?

I don’t know if this would be considered a pet peeve, but my roommate, leaves all of the cabinets open when she puts dishes away. It’s not necessarily annoying, but it is mildly shocking walking into the kitchen with all of the cabinets open.

Describe your childhood dream.

Have you seen the movie Homeward Bound? Remember the dude who saves Sassy? I wanted to be that guy. I wanted to live in a cabin in the woods, ride my horse around (though, he didn’t have a horse in the movie) and look at birds all day. Still sounds pretty neat to me.

Describe your fondest race memory.

Easy – U.S. Indoor Champs!

What is your main goal for this Outdoor season?

Aside from the more obvious goals of making a world team, my coach, Drew Wartenburg and I have been working a lot on my strength. I’d really like to put together a strong 1500m this year.

How do you feel about opening your outdoor season at Payton in the 1500m? 

I am really excited about opening with a 1500m. I usually open my season with an off distance. Hopefully all the pieces will come together!

If you had a day off from your everyday responsibilities, describe how you would spend it.

When we get a rare Saturday off, I like to escape to the mountains with my dog. We generally will drive up towards Tahoe, find a cool spot off a random exit and get lost for a few hours. I’m not entirely sure who has more fun – Finnegan or me.

Describe your most embarrassing moment as an athlete.

Allow me to set the scene: NCAA Championships, Eugene, Oregon, beautiful trails, iconic track.

The day before the qualifying rounds, my teammate and I headed out to Pre's trail for pre-race. I turned around about 15 minutes in, my teammate carrying on. I only expected to run around 30 minutes. I got lost. Not, “Oh whoops, I missed my turn” lost. It was, “Oh nelly, I have no friggin idea where I am” kind of lost. Needless to say, I broke down and started crying to an elderly gentleman who pointed me in the right direction. Fast-forward to over 50 minutes of running and I see my coach speed walking outside Hayward Field. No words from my end were spoken. I got my strides in and pretended not to be sore the next day.

Tell us about your favorite memory with one of your current or past training partners.

It’s an uncommon occurrence for Kim Conley and I to workout together. But she is hands down one of my favorite people to workout with. Her energy, motivation and determination is contagious. She is so happy and content to be grinding away on the track. One workout that comes to mind: 2 x 8 x 200m (200m jog between reps, 400m jog between sets). We started around 32 and finished the last couple in 29. It was early in the season and we hadn’t touched any speed. We were pumped.

Describe the perfect post-race meal in detail.

I don’t think I can pick one perfect post-race meal… Burrito, pizza, burger, ice cream sundae… they all sound equally appetizing.

Describe your guilty pleasure.

I eat handfuls of chocolate chips from the bag…

If you could give one piece of advice to any runner, what would it be and why?

Trust the process. It’s too easy to compare yourself to other athletes. Put some blinders on, trust what you’re doing and reap the benefits.

Describe your favorite place to run or train.

For me, it’s less about where I am and more about who I’m with. Surround me with good company and determined, like-minded athletes and I’m as happy as a clam!

Dinner with 3 (living or dead) who and why?

Nicole Bush, her cat Nurm and my dog Finnegan. Nicole is hilarious. I’ve never met her cat and she’s never met my dog. It would be glorious.

Describe your pre-race ritual.

I sit down with a hotel pen and paper, write out my schedule for the day, my race plan and usually a quote that motivates me.

What does racing/training look like for you in the next 6 months?

I’ll be opening up my season with a 1500m at Payton Jordan. From there, I will most likely race every other weekend until USAs. My main focus is being as prepared as I can heading into the national championship.