Madison Lambros: Out of the Blizzard and onto the Beach

Tell us about what drew you to the University of San Diego. Were lower elevation and consistently warmer weather to train in any part of the decision picture?

Funny that you ask that question because right now, we are in the middle of a raging April snowstorm!

From the start, I was dreaming of a bigger city with better weather. I guess you could say that I was somewhat intent on going to the West Coast-- I visited UC San Diego, Cal State San Marcos, Cal State Long Beach, University of San Francisco and Hawaii, but I was not sure my dream would pan out.

So, I was a bit surprised when Coach Guarino contacted me out of the blue to see if I was interested in considering the University of San Diego. At the time, I had just visited several schools in California, but I did not think USD was an option, and I didn't even drive past the school when informally visiting San Diego over the summer. So, I was excited when he contacted me. Coach Guarino is positive and personable, and he encouraged me on attending USD, so I chose to explore this option.

The weather certainly was a positive factor, though it was not the sole reason for choosing USD. For me, USD was the perfect option - a school with strong moral fiber, smaller student population size, beautiful campus, top facilities, a metropolitan atmosphere, the beach, the team camaraderie, a knowledgeable/ compassionate coach, and ultimately, a strong academic program, which all led me to choosing USD.

So, running was a factor, but only part of it. Of course, running at sea level and having consistently nice weather will be amazing - as I am reminded of this by the weekend snow storm. And ultimately, competing in the West Coast Conference is something that I am eagerly anticipating. Having grown up in a small mountain community (Florissant Colorado - 9,000 feet elevation at my house) I have always enjoyed skiing, running at altitude and other mountain activities. So, leaving the mountains behind does come with some trepidation, however I am incredibly excited to expand my experience with this amazing opportunity at USD!

What do you plan to study at USD?

My grandfather has a natural ability with numbers, and maybe I take after him a bit. So, business with a potential emphasis in accounting sounds appealing right now.

As I glance over your athlete profile, I see some fairly steady improvement over the years of your high school career. What are some of the factors that have helped you to keep seeing the kind of improvements you've been able to enjoy?

This is an interesting question. Simplicity is probably the best answer. Simple in training and simple in life... Running's kind of simple if you make it that way, but it can be very complex if you have lots of thoughts circulating in your head!

Having both of my parents as my high school coaches could have been a complicating issue, but my parents simplified it for me, and we all agreed that my father is just dad (he never discusses training or racing with me) and mom is coach -- she only coaches at practice or otherwise we'd always be talking about only running, and it would have become complicated. Training wise, I have just gradually increased my volume load over the four years, tried to be consistent, and always did my best to keep the natural ups and downs in perspective. My hope is to continue and run all of my life and improve as long as possible.

If you had to choose between the two, would it be track or cross country?

Growing up in the mountains and exploring trails from a young age, cross country courses make me feel at home!

What has been the highlight of your high school career to this point in time?

My best memories from high school are most definitely all the trips we have taken -- NXR, Chandler, Woodbridge, Ouray and various snowshoeing adventures into 10^th Mountain Division huts! And doing well at State Cross Country in 2015 after battling health issues felt deeply satisfying, too.

There's one month remaining in your high school career. Do you have any goals for what's left of your high school career that you're willing to share?

I look forward to just enjoying the remaining journey - being with my teammates, working hard, and just having fun in general. I will let the results take care of themselves.