KALISPELL — From state champion to the world stage, Lauren Bissen will soon be on a plane to Italy, where she will be one of eight Americans representing Team USA in a nearly three-mile race that gains 630 feet of elevation at Gagliano del Capo, June 21.
Kalispell Glacier's Bissen has been one of the top distance runners in the state for the past two years, so when she heard about the U18 Mountain Running Cup from a fellow competitor, she jumped at the opportunity to participate.
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“When I found out that I made it on the team, I was so excited, and I was very honored because I view this as a huge opportunity,” Bissen said. “I'm really excited to go out there.”
Trail running combines Bissen’s two favorite activities, running and being out in nature.
She says one of the things she is most excited for is to take in all the views from halfway around the world.
“One of the best parts about trail running, I think, is all the hard work you put in to see a really cool view or to just be immersed in nature,” Bissen said. “So I like it for these aspects.”
While running on a track or a cross-country course is very different from trail running, Bissen’s coach and fellow trail runner Sam Avery says she has the skills to excel in this race.
“Lauren's one of those athletes that she's just she's very strong. I would describe her as just being completely solid,” Avery said. “She can go out and hit a pace that you tell her so easily. She's mentally super strong. She's one of those athletes that could easily take her fast running skills on track into the mountains.”
While trail running may not be a huge sport in the U.S, European countries take the sport very seriously, and Bissen will get to experience that first hand.
“It's going to be such a cool experience for her to just see the level that they perform at,” Avery said. “They have real fans there; trail runners are like football players there, people know them.”
Even with a big spotlight on her, Bissen hopes to represent her hometown and her country by performing the best she can.
“It's an amazing opportunity, and I've had so many people inspire me and help me along the way,” Bissen said. “I'm just really excited to go out there and give it my best.”
