Laura O'Hara

Personal Bests
1500 - 4:27
3K Steeple - 10:07
3K (indoor) - 9:27
5K (track)- 16:33
10K (road) - 35:51
13.1 - 1:17:13
26.2 - 2:50:01

Laura (Turner) O'Hara began running because her mother, Holly, participated in (and frequently won) road races as early as she can remember. Cross country and track also seemed like natural sports for a girl who was always the first one to the soccer ball, but unsure of what to do after that. Laura ran high school cross country and track in Bermuda and Rhode Island. She was a 7-time Rhode Island state champion and 2 time Footlocker XC finalist.

At Stanford University, Laura ran for the Cardinal's top-ranked cross country and track teams. Taking advantage of her trademark bouncy stride, she specialized in the 3000 meter steeplechase when it became a women's NCAA D1 event, running in the NCAA and USATF national finals in 2001 and 2002. She was an a Cross Country Academic All-American in 2001 and an Outdoor Track and Field All American in 2002. After taking time off from competitive running after college to pursue a career as a historian with the House of Representatives, a painful 41 minute 10K in 2004 convinced her to take it up again.  Laura placed 4th in the 2005 Philadelphia Marathon, 5th at the 2009 Pittsburgh Marathon, 47th at the 2010 Boston Marathon, and was the first American at the 2010 Wilson Bridge Half Marathon.  Laura is the GRC Women's Team Director.