SE: Catching Up with Lauren Taubert of K-State Track & Field
Apr 15, 2021 | Track & Field, Sports Extra
By: Austin Siegel
Lauren Taubert is a fifth-year senior on the K-State Track & Field team and an All-American in the heptathlon, one of the most demanding events in her sport. The seven-leg event includes the 100-meter hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200-meter dash, long jump, javelin and 800-meter run.
Taubert competed in the heptathlon at the Jim Click Combined Events in Arizona last weekend, posting the fourth-highest score in the NCAA this season and a personal best with 5,831 points.
After the 2020 outdoor track season was wiped out due to COVID-19, Taubert returned to Manhattan, competing unattached in the winter before her final season of eligibility this spring.
She chatted with Austin Siegel of K-State Sports Extra about her super-senior season, road trips when the Wildcats can't leave their hotel and improving in each part of the heptathlon.
AS: The heptathlon can be such an elephant of an event, what has your focus been since your last time competing in San Antonio?
LT: I think going into this meet I felt a little different because I had high expectations for myself going into San Antonio. At this meet, I just tried to take it one event a time and focus more on the technical aspects of each event and what I needed to do to jump or run a certain time.
AS: When you have one of those events that you really want to prioritize, how do you make sure you're not slipping in something else?
LT: I think that just goes back to trusting your coaches, your training and the process. I've been with Coach Rovelto for about five years now and I definitely think he allows me to peak at the right time. Even in Arizona, I was disappointed with my 800m time, but after talking to him, he told me I wasn't in shape to run under 2:15 right now. He's almost always right when I ask him what time he thinks I should run. He told me I shouldn't be worried about that. I'll definitely do a lot more training before Big 12s and nationals to get down to the time that I want.
AS: I remember something TJ [Shankar] said about when you get to college, the things you can improve on are so big and dramatic, but once you're a senior, the improvement becomes a lot more marginal. How do you stay patient and find those benchmarks?
LT: This weekend, there were a lot of solid marks for me. I didn't PR or anything like that, but one thing that Coach and I did talk about was in the hep, now that I'm jumping higher, running and throwing further than I was my freshman year, it's tougher when you get down to the 800m to run faster in that. I think that's just about looking at the hep differently than I did my freshman year. Those marks I was doing my freshman year aren't going to be the same, but I've improved a lot in my other events and I'm happy with that right now. Even though I'm not improving as much, I know I can still PR in all of those events. I'm not at my peak yet.
AS: I know the indoor season was so strange anyway with COVID, but what's the biggest difference competing unattached in the winter before rejoining the team again in the spring?
LT: Just the environment and being a part of the team. Honestly, during the indoor season it was so different, and I really didn't expect that. I'm enjoying being back on the team and traveling together, just cheering each other on at meets and seeing everyone compete.
AS: It's a little different in every part of the country with fans at these events, but what was it like in Arizona?
LT: First of all, when we went to San Antonio, they didn't allow spectators, but my Dad still flew to San Antonio and watched from behind the fence because he never misses a hep. In Arizona, they did allow spectators, but it was just family members and there was a limit to how many people you can put on the list.
AS: Is your Dad super vocal or more laid back? What's his approach to watching you compete?
LT: Both my parents, every time I run the 800m they spread out around the track and cheer me on. I'll look over at them and they're always giving me a thumbs up. They're my number one fans, and I definitely do better when they're around.
AS: This is super out of left field, no pun intended, but I saw your brother just signed to play college baseball in the fall, do you feel ready to move into that role of being a fan again once your K-State career is over?
LT: I can't wait to watch him play and compete at the next level because he's worked so hard to get there. I still want to be in Kansas next year training but knowing that he's only three hours away, I'm definitely going to be at every game cheering him on, just like he's been for me.
AS: You've been part of plenty of road trips on this team, but it sounds like you couldn't even leave the hotel in Arizona. How do you stop yourself from going crazy with all that down time?
LT: Ariel [Okorie] and I definitely took a lot of walks outside, worked on homework and just tried to stay active throughout the day. Just sitting in the hotel room doing nothing, I don't think that's good for us the day before we compete. Just trying to keep going throughout the day, it's been hard, but we're getting through it.
AS: I can imagine navigating a COVID-19 season with track & field can be tough because you don't have the same team dynamic as other sports. Is Ariel someone that you've leaned on throughout this season?
LT: Ariel and I room together and train together, so we've gotten really close being around each other 24/7 this semester. Having the same routine as somebody close to you and someone that you're training with and have the same goals as, she's been a great training partner and I definitely think we've helped each other throughout the years.
AS: Of all the different legs of that heptathlon in Arizona, was there one that stood out where you executed your strategy really well?
LT: Definitely the shot put. I've been wanting to throw over 12.04m forever now and I've known that I should throwing over 12m because my marks in the weight room have been increasing. So, I was just waiting for that throw. My warmups in Arizona were terrible, I wasn't even throwing 10m, I was like, 'Coach, what am I doing?' before I was finally able to put everything together technically. On my last throw, I hit 12.08m which was a huge PR for me.
AS: What's your excitement level with Big 12s in Manhattan coming up next month, just as a way to cap off your career with a home meet?
LT: It's super special to have my last Big 12s at home. I'm excited to have my whole family come down and see Manhattan, watch me compete and see where I've been training these past few years. I just can't wait to have a chance to win a Big 12 title with the team.
Lauren Taubert is a fifth-year senior on the K-State Track & Field team and an All-American in the heptathlon, one of the most demanding events in her sport. The seven-leg event includes the 100-meter hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200-meter dash, long jump, javelin and 800-meter run.
Taubert competed in the heptathlon at the Jim Click Combined Events in Arizona last weekend, posting the fourth-highest score in the NCAA this season and a personal best with 5,831 points.
RECAP | Taubert Wins Heptathlon at Jim Click Combined Events
— K-State Track (@KStateTFXC) April 9, 2021
"I'm happy with how this weekend turned out I had an overall PR and I showed some improvements in my throws. I still have a lot I can improve on," said Taubert.
More at https://t.co/XPDHIl0k7i pic.twitter.com/G0meKbPGtZ
After the 2020 outdoor track season was wiped out due to COVID-19, Taubert returned to Manhattan, competing unattached in the winter before her final season of eligibility this spring.
She chatted with Austin Siegel of K-State Sports Extra about her super-senior season, road trips when the Wildcats can't leave their hotel and improving in each part of the heptathlon.
AS: The heptathlon can be such an elephant of an event, what has your focus been since your last time competing in San Antonio?
LT: I think going into this meet I felt a little different because I had high expectations for myself going into San Antonio. At this meet, I just tried to take it one event a time and focus more on the technical aspects of each event and what I needed to do to jump or run a certain time.
AS: When you have one of those events that you really want to prioritize, how do you make sure you're not slipping in something else?
LT: I think that just goes back to trusting your coaches, your training and the process. I've been with Coach Rovelto for about five years now and I definitely think he allows me to peak at the right time. Even in Arizona, I was disappointed with my 800m time, but after talking to him, he told me I wasn't in shape to run under 2:15 right now. He's almost always right when I ask him what time he thinks I should run. He told me I shouldn't be worried about that. I'll definitely do a lot more training before Big 12s and nationals to get down to the time that I want.
AS: I remember something TJ [Shankar] said about when you get to college, the things you can improve on are so big and dramatic, but once you're a senior, the improvement becomes a lot more marginal. How do you stay patient and find those benchmarks?
LT: This weekend, there were a lot of solid marks for me. I didn't PR or anything like that, but one thing that Coach and I did talk about was in the hep, now that I'm jumping higher, running and throwing further than I was my freshman year, it's tougher when you get down to the 800m to run faster in that. I think that's just about looking at the hep differently than I did my freshman year. Those marks I was doing my freshman year aren't going to be the same, but I've improved a lot in my other events and I'm happy with that right now. Even though I'm not improving as much, I know I can still PR in all of those events. I'm not at my peak yet.
AS: I know the indoor season was so strange anyway with COVID, but what's the biggest difference competing unattached in the winter before rejoining the team again in the spring?
LT: Just the environment and being a part of the team. Honestly, during the indoor season it was so different, and I really didn't expect that. I'm enjoying being back on the team and traveling together, just cheering each other on at meets and seeing everyone compete.
AS: It's a little different in every part of the country with fans at these events, but what was it like in Arizona?
LT: First of all, when we went to San Antonio, they didn't allow spectators, but my Dad still flew to San Antonio and watched from behind the fence because he never misses a hep. In Arizona, they did allow spectators, but it was just family members and there was a limit to how many people you can put on the list.
AS: Is your Dad super vocal or more laid back? What's his approach to watching you compete?
LT: Both my parents, every time I run the 800m they spread out around the track and cheer me on. I'll look over at them and they're always giving me a thumbs up. They're my number one fans, and I definitely do better when they're around.
AS: This is super out of left field, no pun intended, but I saw your brother just signed to play college baseball in the fall, do you feel ready to move into that role of being a fan again once your K-State career is over?
LT: I can't wait to watch him play and compete at the next level because he's worked so hard to get there. I still want to be in Kansas next year training but knowing that he's only three hours away, I'm definitely going to be at every game cheering him on, just like he's been for me.
AS: You've been part of plenty of road trips on this team, but it sounds like you couldn't even leave the hotel in Arizona. How do you stop yourself from going crazy with all that down time?
LT: Ariel [Okorie] and I definitely took a lot of walks outside, worked on homework and just tried to stay active throughout the day. Just sitting in the hotel room doing nothing, I don't think that's good for us the day before we compete. Just trying to keep going throughout the day, it's been hard, but we're getting through it.
AS: I can imagine navigating a COVID-19 season with track & field can be tough because you don't have the same team dynamic as other sports. Is Ariel someone that you've leaned on throughout this season?
LT: Ariel and I room together and train together, so we've gotten really close being around each other 24/7 this semester. Having the same routine as somebody close to you and someone that you're training with and have the same goals as, she's been a great training partner and I definitely think we've helped each other throughout the years.
AS: Of all the different legs of that heptathlon in Arizona, was there one that stood out where you executed your strategy really well?
LT: Definitely the shot put. I've been wanting to throw over 12.04m forever now and I've known that I should throwing over 12m because my marks in the weight room have been increasing. So, I was just waiting for that throw. My warmups in Arizona were terrible, I wasn't even throwing 10m, I was like, 'Coach, what am I doing?' before I was finally able to put everything together technically. On my last throw, I hit 12.08m which was a huge PR for me.
AS: What's your excitement level with Big 12s in Manhattan coming up next month, just as a way to cap off your career with a home meet?
LT: It's super special to have my last Big 12s at home. I'm excited to have my whole family come down and see Manhattan, watch me compete and see where I've been training these past few years. I just can't wait to have a chance to win a Big 12 title with the team.
Players Mentioned
/ Track & Field
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