DEDICATED ATHLETE-Lauren Kahn, 16, a sophomore at Simi Valley High School, has spent the past seven months training to run in Sunday's L.A. Marathon. Although she's participated in only two marathons in her lifetime, Kahn's goal is to finish the 26.2 mile course in four hours or less. Over 25,000 athletes are expected to participate in Sunday's race. Lauren Kahn is always looking for a new challenge.

Kahn, a 16-year-old Simi Valley High School sophomore, will run in Sunday's 21st annual L.A. Marathon. It will be the third marathon Kahn has participated in this year, but none have been as grueling as the 26.2 mile course she'll try to conquer in downtown Los Angeles.

"I like to try new things," Kahn said.

Her goal is to finish the race in four hours or less, which means Kahn will have to average sub 7minute miles.

"It's a good goal, and it keeps me in shape," Kahn said. "I'm confident I can pull it off, but it won't be easy."

Kahn's been preparing for the L.A. Marathon since last September. During the week, she runs between 25-30 miles, mostly on her treadmill. Every Saturday, rain or shine, Kahn's parents drive her to Ventura where she trains with the Ventura County Roadrunners.

Kahn's Saturday runs with the Roadrunners through the hills of Ventura or along the Pacific Coast Highway can last upwards of 20 miles.

"My parents take me to Ventura on Saturday's to train and will wait three or fours hours for me to finish," Kahn said. "They're very supportive of my goals."

Kahn's mother, Sari, said she's been able to do a lot of shopping while waiting for her daughter to finish running on Saturdays. Thamight not make dad too happy, buboth parents remain extremely accommodating nonetheless.

"We get up at 5:30 (a.m.) every Saturday," Sari Kahn said"My husband and I have spen$8,000 since she's been in Ventura training. . . .I got a new bedroom set and a bed out of it."

The younger Kahn, who's also a cheerleader at SVHS, has put several things on hold since deciding she wanted to train for the marathon, including getting her driver's license and finding a part-time job.

"I just wanted to stay focused on training and be very dedicated," Kahn said. "Driving is not really that important to me right now."

After all, if she really needs to get around town, Kahn could always run, she said. "I could run to the mall."

Knowing her body must be in top physical condition for such an enduring race, Kahn has eliminated most junk foods in favor of a healthy diet. She does, however, still enjoy the occasional In-N-Out burger.

"You have to eat right," she said. "You can't go out with friends every Friday night and eat french fries. I do enjoy it sometimes. I don't deprive myself."

Kahn said she'll load up on carbohydrates prior to Sunday's marathon-breads and pasta with a light marinara sauce. Ideally, she'd like to gain between two and four pounds in the days leading up to the race, weight she expects to shed while running.

"You want to make sure your muscles have all the carbs they need, so when you're doing the marathon, they don't deplete," Kahn said. "You want to be full of energy through the whole race."

Upwards of 25,000 people are expected to compete in Sunday's L.A. Marathon. Runners have a chip in their shoes to track their times, Kahn said. With that many people running such a long distance, Sari Kahn said she'll be concerned about her daughter's safety throughout the day.

To help combat those fears, the Kahn's will have family members situated along different spots on the course to track Lauren's progress.

"It's amazing. I don't think the average person know how far 26 miles is on foot," Sari Kahn said. "We took a car ride 26 miles and it was practically to Santa Monica from Simi Valley."

Once the marathon is complete, Kahn expects to embark on yet another life-altering goal. It might be training for marathon, or it could be focusing on what she hopes to be a career in hair design. Either way, Kahn said she'll give 100 percent effort to get her next dream accomplished.

"There are a lot of things I want to do," Kahn said. "But I might take a day off first."