Running A Way Of Life For Manchester University Coach
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Mark Adkins-
He might be jogging alone or be joined by his wife, Jessi, on a joint run through the Wabash County town. To he, his wife and many others who have a love affair with clicking out the miles on the pavement, dirt roads, grass fields and courses of the world on two legs, running isn’t just a hobby … it’s a lifestyle.
That lifestyle is part of a story that has led the Manchester University cross country head coach to a self-stated “tremendous opportunity.”
“I sometimes joke to people that I had turn into a distance runner because I wasn’t good at anything else,” Lambert said with his usual broad smile. “I tried baseball, soccer … and it might not look like it but I was even a middle school football player.
“A track coach had me try the 800 meters in 8th grade,” he added. “As I started into it, the times started dropping, and at least for me, it seemed easier when it came to running. I got hooked from there, but it also helped that Chesterton (Lambert’s home town) had a good program and good coaches to work with.”
From that simple beginning, Lambert turned into a high school standout that competed with state qualifying cross country and track and field squads at Chesterton, as well as being invited to the New Balance National Track and Field Championships following his senior year.
Those accolades were followed closely by an NCAA Division III collegiate career at Wabash College that saw him acquire eight straight 800-meter titles indoors and outdoors in the North Coast Athletic Conference and qualifying for six successive indoor and outdoor national championship meets in which he earned two All-American honors.
“It’s hard to believe but none of those opportunities nearly came about,” Lambert admitted. “There was a time when I hated running the 800 in high school. It’s ironic when you think about it because of what I was later able to accomplish, but there was a time when I just didn’t want to run it.
“That changed due to working with coaches like Tim Ray, Mike Liss and Don Reed (at Chesterton). They kept after me, knowing what I could do. I was also fortunate to be able to run with such successful teams, as among the positives we had was placing second in the state my senior year in the 4x400, which led to the New Balance chance. We finished 11th there … it was a great experience.”
The theme of mentoring within coaching, like running, was something that stuck with Lambert out of high school. It led him to two more relationships which set the base for his Manchester University option.
“(Former Wabash College cross country and track and field coach Rob Johnson) actually recruited my mom more than me,” Lambert said. “To this day, he always asks about her and she asks about him. It shows how comfortable our relationship was, which was very important to our family.
“Honestly, when I got to Wabash, I just planned on running track and field. Coach Johnson sort of tricked me into cross country, saying I would only have to compete in the initial alumni meet. I didn’t miss a meet after that, though. I’m glad I stayed with it because it led me to working with Roger Busch, who took over for Johnson later as the coach of both teams. He wasn’t just a coach, which is something he shared with Rob. They both became mentors and friends … really opening my eyes to the lifestyle you have to lead to be an elite athlete.”
Lambert’s post-collegiate road led him north to work with another individual he sees as a mentor and friend, current Manchester University Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Brian Cashdollar.
“I tell people that (Brian) isn’t only my boss … he’s my friend,” said Lambert. “He has shown me so much about not just molding student-athletes into top notch runners but also turning them into well-rounded people. That’s the same kind of pattern I’m taking into this … there needs to be something else after your competitive running days are over. You can keep that lifestyle, but the overall person needs to be ready for whatever awaits them after college.
“Coaching can build great people. Coach Johnson used to tell me ‘Not all teachers are coaches, but all coaches are teachers.’ I look back at my life and, coming to the point where I was figuring out what I wanted to pursue, I remembered how many coaches influenced the person I was. I wanted to take that career path and be that person for other people, as it lets me help individuals figure out what they want to be and who they are, which is more important than running fast and so forth.”
Now sitting in a head coach role, Lambert is excited by what lies ahead.
“I remember the day Brian and I talked about (the head coaching possibility),” he said. “I was very emotional about it. I came here in 2009, and I’ve been able to build a relationship with him, which has been awesome. As I said, I’ve never felt like he’s my boss. He let me have some say in things before the transition happened, and now it’s incredibly humbling that he believed I could do this and that the university feels like I’m ready for this.”
Lambert takes the next step in his career, having his opportunity to mold young student-athletes into well-rounded people and continue the lifestyle of running that he and so many others enjoy.[[In-content Ad]]
He might be jogging alone or be joined by his wife, Jessi, on a joint run through the Wabash County town. To he, his wife and many others who have a love affair with clicking out the miles on the pavement, dirt roads, grass fields and courses of the world on two legs, running isn’t just a hobby … it’s a lifestyle.
That lifestyle is part of a story that has led the Manchester University cross country head coach to a self-stated “tremendous opportunity.”
“I sometimes joke to people that I had turn into a distance runner because I wasn’t good at anything else,” Lambert said with his usual broad smile. “I tried baseball, soccer … and it might not look like it but I was even a middle school football player.
“A track coach had me try the 800 meters in 8th grade,” he added. “As I started into it, the times started dropping, and at least for me, it seemed easier when it came to running. I got hooked from there, but it also helped that Chesterton (Lambert’s home town) had a good program and good coaches to work with.”
From that simple beginning, Lambert turned into a high school standout that competed with state qualifying cross country and track and field squads at Chesterton, as well as being invited to the New Balance National Track and Field Championships following his senior year.
Those accolades were followed closely by an NCAA Division III collegiate career at Wabash College that saw him acquire eight straight 800-meter titles indoors and outdoors in the North Coast Athletic Conference and qualifying for six successive indoor and outdoor national championship meets in which he earned two All-American honors.
“It’s hard to believe but none of those opportunities nearly came about,” Lambert admitted. “There was a time when I hated running the 800 in high school. It’s ironic when you think about it because of what I was later able to accomplish, but there was a time when I just didn’t want to run it.
“That changed due to working with coaches like Tim Ray, Mike Liss and Don Reed (at Chesterton). They kept after me, knowing what I could do. I was also fortunate to be able to run with such successful teams, as among the positives we had was placing second in the state my senior year in the 4x400, which led to the New Balance chance. We finished 11th there … it was a great experience.”
The theme of mentoring within coaching, like running, was something that stuck with Lambert out of high school. It led him to two more relationships which set the base for his Manchester University option.
“(Former Wabash College cross country and track and field coach Rob Johnson) actually recruited my mom more than me,” Lambert said. “To this day, he always asks about her and she asks about him. It shows how comfortable our relationship was, which was very important to our family.
“Honestly, when I got to Wabash, I just planned on running track and field. Coach Johnson sort of tricked me into cross country, saying I would only have to compete in the initial alumni meet. I didn’t miss a meet after that, though. I’m glad I stayed with it because it led me to working with Roger Busch, who took over for Johnson later as the coach of both teams. He wasn’t just a coach, which is something he shared with Rob. They both became mentors and friends … really opening my eyes to the lifestyle you have to lead to be an elite athlete.”
Lambert’s post-collegiate road led him north to work with another individual he sees as a mentor and friend, current Manchester University Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Brian Cashdollar.
“I tell people that (Brian) isn’t only my boss … he’s my friend,” said Lambert. “He has shown me so much about not just molding student-athletes into top notch runners but also turning them into well-rounded people. That’s the same kind of pattern I’m taking into this … there needs to be something else after your competitive running days are over. You can keep that lifestyle, but the overall person needs to be ready for whatever awaits them after college.
“Coaching can build great people. Coach Johnson used to tell me ‘Not all teachers are coaches, but all coaches are teachers.’ I look back at my life and, coming to the point where I was figuring out what I wanted to pursue, I remembered how many coaches influenced the person I was. I wanted to take that career path and be that person for other people, as it lets me help individuals figure out what they want to be and who they are, which is more important than running fast and so forth.”
Now sitting in a head coach role, Lambert is excited by what lies ahead.
“I remember the day Brian and I talked about (the head coaching possibility),” he said. “I was very emotional about it. I came here in 2009, and I’ve been able to build a relationship with him, which has been awesome. As I said, I’ve never felt like he’s my boss. He let me have some say in things before the transition happened, and now it’s incredibly humbling that he believed I could do this and that the university feels like I’m ready for this.”
Lambert takes the next step in his career, having his opportunity to mold young student-athletes into well-rounded people and continue the lifestyle of running that he and so many others enjoy.[[In-content Ad]]
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