Interview
with Ari Lambie
by Ricky Quintana
This weekend, there were several extraordinary high school
performances, the
best of which was Allyson Felix’s (Los Angeles Baptist, Sepulveda, CA) 11.29
win in
the 100m and 22.52 in the 200m to break Marion Jones 200m high school
record at the California State High School Championships at Cerritos College
in Norwalk, CA. Though not a US Record, another performance served notice as
Ari Lambie( Bromfield, Harvard MA) won the mile at the
Massachusetts State
Meet in Norwell in 4:37.23 mile and ran a 2:06.2 anchor leg in the 4x800m
to lead her team to victory. Second place was 19 seconds behind.
Already
having broken the 18 year old US National indoor 1000m record, 4:47.44, set
by Margaret Scutro (Ridgewood, NJ) with her, 2:45.46, Lambie moved to number
three US High School All-Time and just two second off Polly
Plumer’s (University, Irvine, CA), 4:35.24 set in 1982. Earlier in the year
at the Penn Relays, she ran 4:42.21 to win the mile.
Lambie has been running remarkably during the second half of the school year
after ending her cross-country season in December with a disappointing 22nd
place at Footlocker National Cross Country
Championships in
an impressive win at Footlocker East Regional, the qualifying meet for
nationals, Lambie became ill days prior to the final. The Friday before the
scheduled race, Lambie cut short her prerace preparations to lie down and
recuperate. In Saturday’s Championship, she ran with the leaders, but the
three day sickness had taken its toll and she was left with no energy to
remain a threat for the national championship title. Showing remarkable
poise, she had this to say afterwards.
" I didn't feel 100% coming in. I didn't want to really tell anyone that.
I
thought that would get my spirits lower. I felt a little faint and queasy
doing strides, but I still wanted to give it my all and I think I did that.
I'm still faint. I gave it everything. That's what I came here to do.
I was throwing up two nights ago. I rested all yesterday. I think it's a bug
that I caught back east, but it just started two days ago so that's pretty
frustrating. I'm normally pretty lucky when it comes to injuries and health.
But, these are the things that you have to deal with.”
Now she stands at the top of the heap in the mile run entering the adidas
Outdoor Track and Field Championships (AOC) to be held at
is regarded as the best ever assembled as the top eleven sport
personal
bests of
last year’s top rated miler and AOC Champion, Megan Kaltenbach (Smoky Hill,
Aurora, CO), and this year’s other surprise miler, Sarah Bowman (Fauquier,
Warrington, VA) the Nike Indoor Mile Champion.
Sunday, the day after her two superb performances, Lambie reflected on her
season thus far and her plans for the remainder of the season.
RQ: What was your strategy going into the
Lambie: My strategy was to go and see how I felt. I knew I could probably
win the race so. That was my primary goal. Once I went out in 70 second and
felt strong, I switched my strategy to go for time; trying to hold it
through to
RQ: Can you go over your splits and your whole race itself?
Lambie: The race was called back actually. We had 21 girls on the starting
line and one fell. So we had a second start. On the start, I got out fast. I
got out in front. And went through in a steady 70 second quarter or 69, I’m
not sure. By then, it was just me and one other girl behind me, Lindsay
Donaldson. I pushed the pace a little on the second just to maintain and she
stayed with me pretty well and I went through in
through in
run a negative split, then I can run a
it on during that next quarter and put a gap on Donaldson and went through
in 69 for that quarter. I knew if I just hold on for the last lap, I could
do it. I did and I ran 66 or 67. That last straight away the crowd was all
behind me. Tom Carol, the announcer, was great. He was getting the crowd
behind me and that gave me energy.
RQ: It wasn’t as easy as reports say, was it?
Lambie: No, I don’t know how anyone can say
not challenging. I had to push myself to my limit in that race.
RQ: How have your goals changed during the course of the season?
Lambie: My goals have changed a lot ever since I broke the national record
indoors and then after my race at
seen before. I thought, well, a
set that goal way out in front of me knowing it wasn’t necessarily one I
could get, but it was my goal for the season.
Going into this race, I thought it would be a good opportunity to try it. I
would not have to worry too much about the crowd. I’m just thrilled I could
accomplish it already at the state meet. Now, going into to nationals, I
want a national title. I don’t have one yet. Even if I don’t accomplish any
more this season, I have to be happy.
RQ:
had about 12 hours to reflect, but is there more in the tank?
Lambie: I don’t know. We’ll have to see. I’m certainly not going to worry
about time because I’ve already met my goal. I’ve gone past my
I’m just going to be concentrating on the win for now on.
RQ: Will you compete in the USATF Junior track and field championships in
Lambie: We’ll be flying out to Stanford to do that. I entered in both the
1500m and the 3000m, but I’m probably just going to do the 1500m.
RQ: How does it feel to be mentioned in the same breath as Polly Plummer and
Mary Decker? Are those some things that you’ve been aware of?
Lambie: Sure, this past season, I’ve become more aware of those names
because I see my name moving up towards them. It’s an honor to be compared
to those people, but I don’t consider myself. .. I feel I don’t have to beat
any of them. I’m just going to try to beat my own time.
RQ: You came back and ran a reported 2:06.2 in the 4 x800m relay, a title
that was very important to you. Did you do that before or after the mile?
Lambie: That was after the mile. That was an hour after. And I don’t know
how I did that. That was a PR by two seconds for me in the 800m. I was
behind by over 60 meters. I think about twelve seconds. I forget. I was in
fifth or sixth place when I got the baton. I knew I could get second, but I
never thought I could close on that big of a gap. I just got there and was
feeling great. I went through in 62 and had energy left so I just brought it
in as fast I could and the first place runner started getting closer and
closer to me. I thought, I can do this for my team and I ended up being a
RQ: How do you balance the team and what you are doing? How does that
relationship work between you and your team?
Lambie: The team is extremely important to me. They are my support; my coach
and my team. So I always want to perform for them and do what I can do to
contribute to the team. But this year, I am focusing on my individual races
more than ever before. I’m focusing on my own training and separating from
the team a little bit so I can get as far as I can go.
RQ: How have you and your coach worked out the season? Have you planned you
season for these late season meets?
Lambie: We’re focusing on AOC and then junior nationals this two week
period. He trained me for that. It’s difficult in central Mass because we
have duels meets that I have to go to. I have to go to them. I like them
because I can support my team. It does interfere with some of my training
schedule. What we do is my coach will create some workouts for me within the
meets. I’ve just been doing some real strength training up until now. Now
I’m doing some speed workouts to fine tune me for AOC. Our goal was to peak
for AOC’s.
RQ: Do you taper for it? I’ve read that you don’t do that much mileage. What
do you do training wise to focus in one these meets?
Lambie: I train about 35 miles a week during my longest weeks. Then I drop
it down with less intense workouts. But like you say, I can’t taper too much
because I won’t be running very much. We start to bring it down and work on
the speed.
RQ: Going into AOC’s, you haven’t won a national championship. You haven’t
had very good luck. How are you going to earn that first national
championship?
Lambie: Well, I need to remember my strengths. I’ve improved a lot since
last year and I need to remember I am the strongest one in the field. I’ve
learned from the experiences. Last year at AOC, it was a wonderful learning
experience for me. It was a tough race for me. I wasted a lot of energy
maneuvering in that race and it cost me, but I’ve learn from that. I’ve
learned from Millrose. We just have to hope that bad luck like Footlocker
doesn’t strike me.
RQ: You showed some great maturity at Footlocker.
Lambie: Thank you.
RQ: Some kinds would have just not have raced at all. Have you used that at
motivation or do you even look back at that race anymore?
Lambie: Yeah sure, I look back at it. It’s a little bittersweet knowing that
the national championship was within my grasp and then I just got unlucky.
I’m proud of having run that race and it reminds me that I do have some
inner strengths which are very valuable on the track.
RQ: Your good at the mile and you’ve run a
favorite event?
Lambie: My favorite event… hmmm, I’ll have to say the mile right now. But I
really value my versatility. I love running the 800 and I’m beginning to
enjoy the two mile a little more. Then, of course, cross-country is a good
challenge.
RQ: Going into the race at AOC, who do you think your main challengers will
be?
Lambie: I haven’t looked at it much. Sarah Bowman is in it, right?
RQ: Yes.
Lambie: Is Nicole Blood?
RQ: Yes. It’s Nicole, Megan, you, Sarah, Katie Harrington…..
Lambie: Yeah, I think Bowman will actually be my biggest competitor.
Kaltenbach, I don’t know what she can do. Obviously, she has a low
her from last year. But, I think Bowman, who has shown steady improvement,
only a sophomore, shows a lot of potential so I’ll have to watch out for
her.
RQ: Last year, you came in to AOC’s and it sounds like your strategy wasn’t
what you wanted it to be. What will your strategy be this year? Lead,
maintain pace, or just go for the win.. what exactly are you going to try
and do?
Lambie: I’m just going to run my own race. I will try to run the time I want
to run and get into good position. I need to talk to my coach a little more
and we’ll figure out what we want to go for.
RQ: Sarah Bowman and you ran before at Penn Relays and there were pictures
of you talking afterwards. What did you talk about?
Lambie: We congratulated each other. She said to me” I should have gone with
you.” So she’s obviously is going to be chasing me and she knows she can
stay with me. She’s a challenger. We have some mutual respect.
RQ: How would you describe your demeanor as a competitor?
Lambie: I think I’m very competitive, but mainly with myself. I set goals
for myself and if I don’t meet them, I’m very upset. I try to get over it
fast. There are always things ahead to look at. If I don’t win AOC, it’s not
the end of the world. I have four years of college ahead of me. Whoever can
beat me, good for them.
RQ: You are going out to
that choice made based on you attending Stanford next fall?
Lambie: It’s purely coincidental. I would go to junior nationals no matter
where they are.
RQ: What were some of the things that weighed in your decision to attend
Stanford?
Lambie: The academic strength right next to the athletic strength is what
really drew me. I also respected the coaches very much. I thought they dealt
with their athletes very well compared to some programs around the country.
I feel that I can communicate with the coaches very well and help me to
improve to my full potential. That was very important to me.
RQ: Did you talk with any of the women in the program?
Lambie: I roomed with a freshman. I talked to some of the sophomores and the
seniors like Alicia Craig and Sara Bei who are just wonderful girls and
incredible athletes. They also have this real good team camaraderie which I
really just enjoyed being a part of for a weekend so I’m looking forward to
that.
RQ: Are there any other schools that you considered strongly, or were there
any other schools?
Lambie: It was a very difficult decision for me because of the financial
offers, some of the coaches I met, and always the other factors like the
academic and social side that played a part. I looked UNC seriously and
enjoyed all those schools.
RQ: What do you think your best racing strategy?
Lambie: I’ve experimented a lot this season. I’ve been working on my kick a
lot recently because it hasn’t been as strong. It’s improved a lot so I know
I always have that in reserve. But I think that running a steady pace and
getting into my zone is important to me. Feeling strong at the halfway
point… I think recently running negative splits is my
strategy.
RQ: What kind of speed do you have?
Lambie: What kind of speed?... I have
know. I think I can bring it in fast if I need to. I just really haven’t
been tested yet.
RQ: Do you have Sarah Bowman’s 57 speed?
Lambie: I haven’t run the 400m this year. I had 58 speed
last year. I think
I’m right there if not faster this year. We’ll see. If it comes down to the
last 300m, we’ll see who has it.
RQ: You sound pretty excited about the whole event.
Lambie: I am [laughing]. It’s going to be a good experience.
RQ: This is the best field ever; eleven girls under
under
Lambie: Yeah I do. I haven’t had that much exposure to them because we’re
kind of stuck in
more experience racing in high competition. Because I’m not used to it,
I’m
not necessarily going to the best competitor there. A lot of those other
girls have a lot more experience racing at that high level. I’m looking
forward to learning from those races and getting a chance to try it.
RQ: You are going into this race as a very strong favorite. You will
probably have a lot of attention focused on you. How are you going to deal
with that?
Lambie: I’m going to talk to my coach. I think he’ll help me prepare for
that. I’ve never been in that position before so I’m not used to it. I have
a pretty good grasp of what I want to do and who I am as a runner. I have to
try and focus on why I’m there and not let those outside expectations and
pressures get to me.