Lambert, other freshmen talent power women's cross country

What makes an athlete excel?

Some would argue size, or training, or natural ability. And indeed, while such qualities invariably help, they don't entirely explain the incredible success that freshman cross-country runner Meredith Lambert has found at Princeton University.

True, she has a lot of natural talent. But explaining how Lambert outruns the competition in terms of the other traditional measures of athletic potential is a more difficult task. At 5'3", it's not that she has longer legs than her opponents, or more muscular capability. And since her high school track team barely had enough members to compete, it would seem she didn't have extensive training available to help her get to where she is now. So what is it, then?

Mental toughness and preparation.

"Cross-country is such a mental sport," said Lambert. "You really have to prepare and strategize. Normally, before running a race, I run through the whole thing in my head."

Coming from the Tatnall School in Delaware, Lambert had already won a state championship. In fact, she'd already won three, in the same year, for the 800m, 1600m, and 3000m. Like many of the athletes at Princeton, she was the best at what she did in her local environment. Yet as freshmen, surrounded by peers who are often just as talented as they, it is normal for the rookies to take some time to acquaint themselves with the style and system of college running. Somehow, Lambert has managed to avoid the traditional freshman acclimation period.

"I didn't think it was really that hard," said Lambert. "My track coach in high school prepared me really well. Also, our workouts are pretty similar. It's great having such a strong group of girls to train with, everyone gets along really well."

Lambert first started running as a middle-schooler in recreational leagues. She continued training outside of school even in high school, where she ran cross-country all four years. Lambert's high school was a tiny private school with around fifty students in each graduating class. Such a situation often led to sports teams that lacked depth. Occasionally Lambert would have to run as an individual in meets, since the Tatnall School wasn't always able to field the requisite number of runners.

Yet despite such an atypical set of circumstances to come from, Lambert's running has only improved in the month or two she's been here. She credits some of it to similarities between Tatnall and Princeton workouts, and also some to a more rigorously documented training system. Over the summer Lambert began documenting her regimen, and the subsequent advances ensured the system's continuing existence.

In the season's first two races, she finished second on the team both times, right behind perennial top finisher junior Emily Kroshus. Indeed, in her very first race as a Tiger at the Princeton Battlefield, Lambert finished a scant four seconds behind Kroshus, setting a personal record in the process.

Such performances can only bode well for the Tigers, who are looking to improve the number of girls able to run at the sport's highest tier. Lambert and fellow freshman Cack Ferrell, as well as junior Krystel Adler, have all made huge strides in helping the team towards that goal.

"All the factors add up," said Lambert. "You still make mental mistakes though. At [H-Y-P's, the most recent meet], I did really badly. I came out really hard on the first uphill part, and it took a lot out of me."