Lauren Fleshman

Lauren Fleshman Biography

Decorated runner who was the U.S. 5000 meters champion in 2006 and 2010, and competed at the IAAF World Championships in Athletics in 2003, 2005, and 2011. She’s also competed in marathons and has debuted 2011 at the ING New York City Marathon, finishing 12th. Lauren Fleshman (born September 26, 1981) is a former American track and field athlete. She was the U.S. 5000 meters champion in 2006 and 2010, and has competed at the IAAF World Championships in Athletics in 2003, 2005, and 2011. In the 5000 meter final of the 2011 IAAF World Championships she finished 7th place, equaling what was at the time the highest ever finish by an American woman in that event (in 2013 Molly Huddle finished 6th)..

She’s been married to triathlete Jesse Thomas and they’ve had a son and a daughter.

After graduating from Canyon High School in Los Angeles suburb of Santa Clarita, California, Fleshman attended Stanford University, where she graduated in 2003. At Stanford, Fleshman was a 15-time All-American and five-time NCAA champion. She won consecutive NCAA outdoor national titles in the 5,000 meters in 2001, 2002 and 2003, and won the 2002 NCAA indoor 3000-meters. She also finished in the top five at the NCAA Cross Country Championship three times. In the 1500 meters, Fleshman was Pac-10 runner-up three times, and the 2001 Pac-10 cross-country champion.