Lauren Bonczek

FAVORITE RUNNING OR RACING EXPERIENCE: 

I used to live near Auburn, CA. My sister and I used to run along the Western States trails and float in the river after.

FAVORITE PLACE TO RUN: 

Lake Tahoe

FAVORITE POST-RUN EATS/DRINKS: 

Burritos and Beer! I also eat an absurd amount of hummus.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY DOING WHEN YOU'RE NOT RUNNING? 

I read a lot, I also love to knit and am teaching myself piano.

YOU CAN ONLY HAVE ONE SONG ON YOUR RUNNING PLAYLIST.  WHAT IS IT? 

Probably "Got to give it up," by Marvin Gaye or "You shook me all night long," AC/DC, depends on the pace of the run!

DREAM RACE OR RUNNING ADVENTURE: 

Running in New Zealand and living out my Lord of the Rings fantasy.

CURRENT RUNNING KICKS? 

Trail Shoes are Hoka Torrent, Road shoes are On Running Cloud Flows

WHAT DOES THE WOODLANDS ENDURANCE TEAM MEAN TO YOU? 

Being a part of a team is in my DNA. After ending my time in the Air Force, I really missed the camaraderie and inspiration that the military provided me. Joining in on group runs with Woodlands, and meeting fun and inspiring people has reminded me how important community is to the human spirit. Sharing adventures with rad people is necessary for the health of the soul. Joining the Endurance Team is a fantastic way to stay accountable to training and foster community while giving back to the larger community of Southern Oregon. I'm looking forward to collaborating with the team to create more events to help us all come out of Covid social hibernation!

YOUR 2021 RACE CALENDAR (WHAT/WHEN/WHERE ARE YOU PLANNING TO RUN OR RACE?): 

My big race so far is the SOB 50k. This will be my first ultra, and i'm so stoked for it. I'm also planning on participating in the Twin Peaks 50k, and the Ashland Hill Climb (which sounds like epic suffering, but in a fun way!).

ANYTHING ELSE WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT YOU? 

If I could be any animal, I'd be a humpback whale. I cry a lot during movies and holiday commercials....even cried when I rewatched Jurassic Park. My karaoke song is Sweet Child of Mine by Guns and Roses. I live for any chance to dress up in costume, so there better be a Halloween pub crawl/run in the works!