Lauren Allen qualifies for 2015 Boston Marathon

By Caitlin Ryan
The Highland County Press

What started out as a way to relieve stress during college has evolved into a successful hobby, as a local woman has raced her way to several recent victories and a spot in one of the most widely known and historic marathons in the country.

Lauren Allen of New Vienna has been accepted as a participant in the 2015 Boston Marathon, after qualifying at the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon in November 2013.

"Last November, I ran the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon, and I ran it in three hours and 30 minutes, so that was a qualifying time," Allen said. "I had to register a couple weeks ago for Boston and had to be accepted into it."

The Boston Marathon will be held April 20, 2015. According to the Boston Marathon website, the 30,000 approved applicants were accepted based on the fastest qualifying times in each age and gender group.

Allen's time of 3:30:36.5 in the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon was approximately four and a half minutes better than the required qualifying time for the women's 18-34 age group. Due to the large number of applicants, entrants were only accepted for those with a qualification time of 3:33.58 for Allen's bracket.

Allen finished seventh in her age group in the event and 607th overall out of the 3,521 male and female runners.

Allen said that she took up running as a hobby in college to relieve stress. Allen attended Southern State Community College through the Post-Secondary Enrollment Option program in high school and earned a bachelor's degree from Bellarmine University and a master's in counseling at Cincinnati Christian University.

After a friend ran a half marathon, Allen decided to try running competitively. She eventually began running in half marathons and marathons, but within the past year, she has delved into bigger challenges with triathlons.

Allen said that she and her family enjoy biking together, and she participated on the Highland County swim team in Hillsboro in junior high school.

"I've biked before, but not in any races, and I had that experience with swimming," Allen said. "This summer, I just kind of put all three together to see what happens."

"What happened" for Allen this summer was remarkable success in a number of 5K, marathon and triathlon events in the United States and Canada.

Allen finished first in the women's division of the Multisport Canada Niagara Falls Barrelman half iron distance bike/run on Sunday, Sept. 21 at Niagara Falls. She completed the race with a time of 4:47:05.8, close to 45 minutes under than the average time.

In an even larger race held on Sept. 7, the Nation's Triathlon in Washington D.C., Allen finished fourth in her division and 16th out of the 748 women racing in the event.

"I was really upset on that one because I thought I had a flat tire, so I stopped mid-race to check on it and it wasn't even flat," Allen said. "If I hadn't stopped and checked my tire, I would have gotten first."

Allen said that she has run into various problems that have slowed her down in many races.

"My shoe comes untied, or in Niagara Falls, a storm had just blown through," she said. "There's always something that goes crazy, but it's just part of the experience."

The Nation's Triathlon benefits the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and according to the triathlon's website, the event "has helped LLS invest almost $1 billion for therapies that are changing lives today" since its inception in 1988. Allen also won first place overall female at a fun run and party 5K in Mason to benefit the University Hospital cancer wing.

"The Mason 5K and DC race were special to me especially," Allen said. "The DC race proceeds went to benefit lymphoma cancer research, which my dad has, so it was special to place in the top five on such a meaningful race."

Allen also raced closer to home in triathlons at Caesar's Creek and Buck Creek State Park, where she finished first in her age group and as the overall female champion. She most recently completed the Adams County 5K on Sept. 27, where she finished first among the 84 female participants and fourth overall with a time of 19:29.5. She is scheduled to run in another 5K before the Boston Marathon, and she plans to run in the next Flying Pig as well. She said she's open to competing in other events, "if something else comes up."

Allen trains every day, both at home, where she runs and bikes, and at the Highland County YMCA, where she swims and does weight training.

"I definitely do something every day," Allen said. "It can be up to an hour and half and sometimes even up to three hours."

Now that Allen is out of school and working at FRS Counseling in Hillsboro, she said that running is still "a good way to de-stress."

"With my counseling job, I'm inside all day," Allen said. "I love being outdoors, and I just like staying active.

"The racing is a really fun way to meet new people and talk to people who are interested in the same things you are. I think that's why I'm really enjoying it so much, besides just being so competitive. The people really are great."