Name: Lauren Trent
Age: 47
Hometown: Sherman Oaks, CA
Currently Living: Missoula, MT
Miles Run Per Week: 20-25
Why Do You Like Running: In addition to keeping fit, running just makes me happy. It feeds my soul, whether I’m running on pavement or tails, and it slows me down. I find myself appreciating the small things in life when I run: spring flowers, beautiful landscapes and architecture, wildlife, etc. I read somewhere that “Running is a grown ups lost link to playing outside,” and for me, this is 100% true.
Currently Training For: Missoula Half Marathon
Favorite Race or Run: Missoula Half Marathon. I’ve completed 1 full, and 5 half marathons to date. By far, my most favorite race is the Missoula Half! The first time I ran it, I was so inspired by the community support that I wrote a 2-page article about the experience afterwards.
Do You Prefer Running Solo or With a Group? I love to run with a group, and some of my best laughs have occurred while running with friends. For those times when a solo run is my only option, I always have a canine “running” buddy with me.
What Age Did You Start Running? 20 years old. I participated in high-school sports (volleyball, basketball & softball), but never tried running. A college friend, who was training for the Los Angeles Marathon back in the late 80’s, encouraged me to give it a try. I’ve been hooked ever since.
Words of Wisdom: Be kind to others, and be thankful for the good things in your life.
Running Advice: When it hurts, listen to your body, and stop. I sidelined myself in the early 90’s when I ran an extra 25 minutes with knee pain. As a result, I ended up training for the Portland Marathon in a swimming pool (aqua jogging) and didn’t hit the pavement until 3-weeks prior to the race while my knee healed.
Anything Else You’d Like to Add: While I’ve lived in a number of cities over the course of my life, Missoula has the BEST running community around. I’ve found that runners of all levels (elite runners, joggers, back-of-the-pack runners) are very welcoming, encouraging, and supportive of each other. Additionally, we have an awesome running store supporting us, and opportunities galore to participate in the sport through Run Wild Missoula. It’s how I met some of my best running buddies!
*SIDE NOTE: We chose Lauren to be our Runner of the Month because she exemplifies what we feel a runner should be like. She works hard but most importantly, she always brightens our day when we see her. Thanks, Lauren, for inspiring us and others in our community!
