Long Island native Lauren Harris is intensifying her focus on racewalking with the aim of securing a spot on the U.S. team for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. At 27, Harris is balancing a career as a math teacher at Center Moriches High School alongside her athletic ambitions, targeting key qualifying events scheduled for December.
Harris, who ranks 34th globally and holds multiple American records across distances ranging from 5,000 meters to the half marathon, has experienced a fluctuating commitment to racewalking throughout her athletic journey. After excelling as a Sachem East athlete and a collegiate competitor at Marist, she struggled with dedication during and after her college years, at times prioritizing other interests over training.
Maria Michta-Coffey, a two-time Olympian and wife of Harris’s coach Joseph Coffey, has recognized Harris’s talent from early on. Despite Harris’s intermittent engagement, Michta-Coffey noted her potential and willingness to mentor the younger athlete. However, Harris’s pattern of inconsistency, including skipped practices and broken training commitments, delayed her progress.
In 2021, Harris took a nearly three-year hiatus from competitive racewalking to focus on launching her teaching career, a move motivated by financial necessity, as racewalking alone offered limited economic support. During this period, her coaches expressed disappointment over unrealized potential, as Harris’s talent seemed overshadowed by wavering prioritization.
Despite stepping back, Harris remained connected to the sport by coaching young runners and walkers and volunteering alongside her high school coach, Daniel Schaub. This involvement rekindled her passion, particularly after watching the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she found renewed motivation to reengage with competitive racewalking.
Since returning to full-time training in late 2024, Harris has committed herself intensively, balancing teaching duties with rigorous workouts near her Lindenhurst home. Her efforts quickly translated into world-class results, placing 27th at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo and improving to 13th at the 2026 World Championships in Brazil. She described this period as marked by newfound intrinsic motivation and a strengthened competitive mindset.
Harris’s resurgence has garnered widespread support from her local community, school, sponsors, and family. Her parents, Gina and Todd Harris, play an active role in her preparation—Gina managing logistical support such as meals, and Todd accompanying her on training runs by bicycle through challenging conditions, underscoring their commitment to her journey.
With her eyes firmly set on the 2028 Olympics, Harris is determined to maintain momentum leading into the qualifying season and beyond, embracing both the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead as she pursues her Olympic dream.