Laura White

Laura discovered her love of running through the PAL Elementary School Cross Country program where she ran for the Charlotte Avenue squad. She joined the PAL Gate City Striders in 2015 at the age of 8. Since then, the PAL Striders have provided her opportunities to compete in five Junior Olympic National races sponsored by USA Track and Field all over the country in New Mexico, Alabama, Florida, Nevada and Wisconsin. These “Nationals” competitions pitted her against the best youth distance runners in the United States, where she made new friends — including a runner from Massachusetts with whom she’ll attend Nike Running Camp this summer — and experienced different communities (and cross country courses!) all over the US.

Running at the national level, Laura learned to push herself to perform in environmental elements beyond her comfort zone (freezing rain, snow, ice, heat and cold, wind and high altitude), and received valuable instruction by a dedicated coaching staff, including Kate Hasychak and 2019 PAL Coach of the Year Judy Boire.  Laura describes running as her “happy place,” because it provides a setting to achieve “personal bests” in an environment of teamwork and camaraderie.

Laura attended Pennichuck Middle School participating in cross country and spring track where she ran the 800m, the 1600m, and 4x400m relay. She was Pennichuck’s Athlete of the Year in 2021 and also received a statewide Scholar Leader Award.  She is a rising freshman at North High where she’ll run cross country as well as winter and spring track.

Laura has three brothers and a dog, memorizes dog breeds and aspires to a career in veterinary science or ethology.  She plays the piano, loves to study and speak French, and enjoys reading.  She is a licensed soccer referee (and never gets winded running the field), and hopes to continue to run for PAL/Gate City in the high school age divisions.