Ari Lambie 4:42.21 - US#8 all time

photo by Errol Anderson

photo by Victah Sailor

Stanford-bound Bromfield MA sr Ari Lambie needs a new goal after smashing her season target (4:45) as well as the Penn Relays record. The race made Lambie the 8th fastest US miler ever, just behind Mary Decker's 4:42.0 in 1973. Lambie beat the late Kim Gallagher's 1979 Penn Relays record (4:49.2) by an incredible 7 seconds.

Lambie took control with a big surge near the end of lap 2 and won decisively over Nike Indoor champion Sarah Bowman of Virginia 4:48.89. Lambie said she will set her sights on faster times in the June post season meets (AOC Raleigh and the USA Junior Nationals at Stanford). Bowman, who has rarely been headed in a sparkling sophomore season, led until Lambie took over and rallied for second after slipping briefly behind Meghan Owen of Connecticut, who was third in 4:50.58.

Anatomy of the Race
(splits by Jim Spier)

After 1 lap, Bowman leads Owen and Lambie with the rest all close.

Lap 2 - Lambie and Owen swing wide around Bowman

At the bell, Lambie opens up, and Bowman and Owen battle for 2nd

Quotes
Ari Lambie	"It's an incredible competition. I've never won a meet this big. To run that time . . . I knew I could, but to actually prove I could means more than anything to me." [Her goal was 4:45] Does she need a new goal now? "I guess so, but I think I'll bask a little bit first." re going to Stanford next year with the Trotter twins, who won the DMR with Red Bank NJ just before Lambie's mile: "I think we represented Stanford pretty well." Plans for June meets: "I am definitely going to Raleigh (adidas Outdoor Championships), and I hope to go to Junior Nationals (at Stanford) too." She will run the mile and 1500.
Sarah Bowman	"I'm not used to these big meets. I felt like a horse. They keep pushing you in various places. 'Go here, go there.' " Was she surprised when Lambie passed her on the second lap? "Not really. I was expecting someone to go. But I guess I wasn't prepared for it because I didn't go with her and I really should have. I didn't finish like I was dying. I felt good, but mentally I let her go. It's something to learn from, I guess. "My problem is, I shouldn't have led that race. But I have such a long stride that if anyone is in front of me it messes me up. So it's like kind of a contradiction. Because it was windy, I should draft it. But then I lose my stride so I go slower anyway. It's hard to balance it." Sarah laughed when asked her plans for the rest of the season. "I don't know dates of any meets. I don't know the competition. My parents just take me. I go, I run." But she does know she is going to the adidas Outdoor Championships in Raleigh in June.
Sarah and Ari after the race

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