Welcome back to Peak Into COS. This episode is brought to you
from the studio 809 Community podcast at the next us a
professional cooperative environment for small businesses
here in downtown Colorado Springs. Today, we are joined by
an extra special guest. You're extra special. Thank you,
Paralympian and Paris hopeful, Noelle Lambert. Welcome to well.
Hi, thank you so much for having me on.
I wore this shirt for you. I know. I love it. Yeah. Paris 24.
So we will get we'll get into that. But yes, I absolutely
wanted to just give you a little bit more incentive. Yes. More
motivation. So you have been, you really competed on the
highest athletic stage and take but take us back to the
listeners where it all began if you've been an athlete your
entire life.
Yes. So I actually grew up with three older brothers. So from a
very early age, you can tell kind of guess how my childhood
went? I was never sisters. Just you, and your brothers. Yeah,
three brothers. I was the youngest. You know, I was like
the last, you know, I was my mom. My mom wanted a girl. That
was the biggest thing. And she wanted a girly girl. And that
was not me.
You know, I was never really the type to be playing inside with
dolls. I always wanted to be out wrestling with my brothers in
the dirt, showing them who the real boss of the family was. So
that really is what drew me to fall in love with being an
athlete being competitive. And they were all great athletes. So
I always Yeah, and I always went to their sports games I always
wanted to be I tried to get on their teams half the time. And
just from a very early age. I knew that that was something I
wanted to do with my life
What was your first sport?
My first sport, it was soccer. And I was very passionate about
soccer. I was on all the different types of sports,
travel sports teams, and and then I started playing
basketball and I fell in love with basketball and then
lacrosse came around and lacrosse was just the one sport
that really spoke to me and I was able to pick it up really
quickly being an athlete and kind of playing basketball and
soccer. You know, they're not really that much similar in
sports, but you can take similarities between the other
two sports and bring it to lacrosse, and I knew that that
was probably going to be my best chance to play it in college.
And then I earned myself a division one scholarship to play
lacrosse at UMass Lowell at
UMass Lowell. So for people who don't know you grew up in the
Northeast in the New England and we're lacrosse is really really
a big popular sport. It was Yeah, it is. Yeah. It continues
to be so lacrosse got you a division one scholarship. Yeah.
So that mom of yours must have been just a little proud that
absolutely yeah, the dolls that you did not necessarily grew up
with you it saved your folks some some good money
it did it did and you know she fell in love with the sport as
well and so did my sort of my dad. My brothers never really
understood it. They were all football players baseball
players wrestlers. But you know heading into my freshman year I
was just I was extremely excited because it was a new newly
division one program so I knew right off the bat I'm gonna have
a great chance at starting and kind of get my getting my foot
footing into the into the ground and into the into the sport and
my freshman year I had a stand out rookie season started every
single game was one of the leading point scorers on the
team. And I was really excited for my for my athletic future at
UMass Lowell. And never did I think that that summer, my life
is going to change forever. So
let's talk about it. Let's talk about the accident. Yeah, I
was about a month before returning for my sophomore year
and a couple of my friends and I just decided we wanted to do one
last little vacation. Before we head back for pre season before
we you know, get killed on the lacrosse field. I preseason
training. And so we headed to Martha's Vineyard, which is an
island right off of Cape Cod. It's a beautiful island. And
when we got there, the only thing we wanted to do on a
beautiful Saturday morning was head to the beach. And so we
decided to rent mopeds because we had no form of
transportation. I had never personally been on a moped
before. But you know, I thought my stubborn self I thought How
hard could it be? And I was riding on I was driving one with
my teammate on the back. And you know, one minute we're having an
incredible time and the next minute I see a dump dump truck
heading in the opposite direction as me. And you know,
because of the weight distribution and just being kind
of on a beachy and Sandy road and just not having any
experience driving. I lost control of the moped and I
actually veered left and I sideswiped the dump truck. And
the next thing I remember is I was laying on the pavement and I
lifted up my legs and I saw that my left leg was completely gone.
It was completely severed on the scene. And you know, the first
thing I did think of it was sports, and it was lacrosse
because I didn't know who I was without being an athlete. I was
always active in some sort of way. And I was laying there
thinking that my life was over, you know, my athletic career
everything and I never thought that I would be able to walk
again.
You know, identity is something that a lot of people think about
and you know, whether you are a musician or you're, you're an
athlete. You are now a Paralympian, you know, and I
don't want to say like, who'd have thunk it, but there's a
whole lot of Paralympians that, who would have thunk that
because of your background in your love of sport from your
brothers and everybody else, that you've been able to
overcome this absolutely in a way that you wouldn't have
dreamt up. So So tell us a little bit about the journey. In
the Paralympics.
Yeah, well, it was crazy. When I was in the hospital. Actually,
it was the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, were going on TV. And so
I was in my hospital bed watching and they you know, they
were promoting the Paralympic games that were happening a
month later. And I was thinking to myself, why, why can't I do
the Paralympics? Why wouldn't this be a possibility but you
know, I had in the back of my head that I wanted to play
lacrosse. Again, I want it to be the first above knee amputee to
ever play collegiate lacrosse. And so I kind of wanted to focus
on that at first. And you know, with the incredible support for
my teammates and my coaches, I was actually able to work myself
back on the lacrosse field, my junior season, and then my
senior season was able to have a regular regular season like my
accident never even happened. And it was when I graduated that
I really took it into consideration of Okay, should I
start sprinting Should I start running. But there was a fun
fact about me, I actually hated running, I hated everything to
do with it. I never really understood this sport of track
and field, just because I'd never done it. Growing up, I was
always part of team sports, never an individual sport
before. So mentally, I knew that that was going to be very
difficult and challenging in itself. But I thought this would
be an incredible opportunity to represent my country if it was
something that I could be good at. And I saw the first track
meet that I saw was in Arizona, it was called the desert
challenge games. It was a Paralympic track event. Signed
myself up for it. I had one month to train for it. And I had
no idea what I was doing. I bought a pair
Did you have a coach?
No, no, I had a strength coach that I worked with when I lost
my leg. And so we're both kind of transitioning over from
lacrosse, to track learning in itself. And I was just basically
googling videos of amputees running. And that was what I was
using as my inspiration. And I showed up at that first track
meet. You know, I'm decked out in lacrosse gear, I don't look
like I belong whatsoever. I'm looking at all these incredible
other track athletes, I was actually competing against the
reigning national champion. So I was very nervous. And I really
wanted to go home. But it was my mother who's who's there right
by my side, saying, You didn't we didn't travel all this way
for nothing. I don't care. If you crawl across that finish
line, you will cross that finish line. And so I just went into it
just like I did in any other game in any other sport I played
just do the best that I could. And when I crossed the finish
line i i won and beat the reigning national champion. I
also had the qualifying times to be a part of the US Paralympic
track and field team.
What was the event?
No, well, it was the 100 meter 100 meter dash.
And I always credit that to you know, the two years prior to
that when I was playing against my teammates, in practice, and
when we had to do run tests, if I came in last place, I had to
do 10 burpees Yeah, sure. You know, I'm a very competitive
person. And if someone tells me I can't do something that
typically triggers something inside me Where I will die. So
it's like a brother. Yes, I will die trying to prove you wrong.
And so once I won that race, that's when I really started
taking it seriously. And I found a coach in Boston. And we just
went from there. Wow.
Love that story. And your mom was at your side? Oh,
yes, my was my mom and actually my prosthetic prosthetic guy
who's also a Paralympian Jason Lala in the Winter Paralympics.
And so he was just amazed at the fact that I showed up. And I did
one warm up lap, and I still won. Like I didn't really
understood what I understand what attract warmup was, so I
just did a lap and I was like, I'm good to go more warm. So it
was it was Arizona. Exactly, exactly. So it was really great
to have them by my side. It was you know, it wasn't really
shocking to everybody, like everybody who supported me all
my friends, teammates, coaches. My coaches were actually very
surprised because they know I hate running. And every
opportunity I got I tried to get out of any single run tests. But
you know, I'm a competitor. I've always been a competitor and so
it's always always been in my blood.
Tell us about the role your mom has played in this journey for
you.
Yeah, absolutely. My mom is my best friend. She's, you know,
the reason why I do A lot of what I do and the reason why I
can do it. She's just been the type of person that I can lean
on for support and get that tough love when I need it. And,
you know, we have that type of relationship where we'll, we'll
bicker back and forth just because we're so comfortable
with one another. And I can honestly say that like, I
wouldn't be where I am today without her just because, I
mean, my both of my parents were extremely strong after my
accident, but, you know, seeing the strength that she had, and
was able to just take everything on. And she told me from the
beginning that I'd be able to play lacrosse again, I'd be able
to do whatever I wanted to, I thought that was always
incredible support. And she was kind of the first person that I
am first and only person that I opened up to in the beginning, I
never really let people in on if I was going through a difficult
day or a difficult time, she was kind of the only person and she
just gave me the love that I needed. And and I'm just always
so grateful for that.
I love that. That's for all you moms out there. Oh, yeah.
I mean, it's, I call
my mom seven times a day. So yeah, just update her on what
happened in the last hour of my life.
That's great. The power of family and getting you through
all this. So let's talk about your foundation. Born to Run. I
when I first heard the name, I thought, well, she must be a
Springsteen fan.
Funny story about that. I didn't even pick the name. No, no, it
was my uncle. Yeah, I mean, so during it was during my college
juniors, I was junior year of college and I had received two
different specialized prosthetics from two different
wonderful foundations because what a lot of people don't
realize is, if you're born an amputee or you become an amputee
insurance will only cover your everyday walking prosthetic, if
you want a running blade or any other type of specialized
prosthetic insurance will not cover it. In these types of
prosthetic legs can range anywhere from 10 to $30,000,
depending on what type of leg you want. And you know me as a
junior in college, I don't have that type of money. I didn't
want to bankrupt my parents every single time I wanted, you
know, different leg. And so that's when I learned about all
these incredible foundations and seeing the work that those
foundations do for other amputees. It really inspired me
and it motivated me and it made me realize that this is
something I needed to do. I needed to give back especially
after I returned to the lacrosse field, I wanted to give back all
the support that I received, and turn it into something really,
really great. And with the help of my incredible family. I mean,
we were just talking about my mom, she is the heart and soul
of the Foundation. She does all the hard work. I am just the
face. I don't I can't take credit for any of it. Sure. And
my uncle and my aunt were also a huge part of starting it. And so
we started the Born to Run foundation in 2019, I believe or
2018 officially and it is called the born. Yeah, the born run
foundation focused on donating specialized prosthetics to
amputees that just want to live a fun and fulfilling life and
don't have to worry about paying for a specialized prosthetic
with anything they want to do in their lives.
Would you give the URL address for listeners who want more
about it?
Absolutely, it's www dot the born to run foundation.org Okay.
But yeah, when we're choosing the name, I wanted to call to
Noelle Lambert Foundation. And my uncle just he convinced me
that this would be a great opportunity even if you don't
want to run because we don't just do running prosthetics. We
do any type of specialized prosthetic which is you know,
waterproof leg if you want, you know snowboarding leg, basically
anything that will help you live an active lifestyle. And he said
just because it's called Born to Run doesn't mean it has to do
with running. It's just born to do whatever you believe in. And
I thought that was great. But yeah, I would love if Bruce
Springsteen wants to shout out the foundation, that'd be
wonderful. You know, he wrote that song for us. I'm just
kidding. But no, it's been it's been really great because every
single time we make a donation it's a full circle moment for me
because I was that one MPG just sitting in my prosthetic office
waiting to receive a leg and once I did it was like okay, I
can I believe that I can do whatever I want to do and be
able to achieve so it's it's really special getting to meet
all of the new amputees we get to meet and kind of creating a
community with each other so that we can all kind of rely on
each other.
You push boundaries, don't you?
I love to you know, I love to say yes to a different
challenge. Yeah,
yeah, so
satisfying.
You're not only known as a Paralympian, but people
certainly would know your name from just a little TV show
called survivor. tell people how that came about. Yeah,
it's crazy. It fell into my lap. If I'm being honest with you, so
growing up my mother is the biggest diehard survivor fan she
has never missed a season never missed an episode. So I've been
watching from a very young age just because it's been around my
entire life. And, you know, she would always tell me like you
have to apply, you have to apply to the show, even when I had two
legs. And then she would say, you know, actually, when you're,
when you're hungry and you're tired, you're a nightmare to be
around. So maybe you shouldn't do this.
Just what you wanted to hear.
And then when I lost my leg, and we would watch, she would be
like you need to apply. And I had never seen an above knee
amputee on that show before. So I would tell myself, why would I
even try if I'm not going to get the chance. I mean, they've had
two below knee amputees on but me being an above knee amputee,
it's an entirely different thing. I need multiple different
legs, just even do the show. Because I need a running blade.
I can't run in my everyday leg. So when I was actually at the
Tokyo Paralympic Games, I received a direct message on
Instagram from the head casting director. And I think he reached
out to a couple of us Paralympians, and I was kind of
the only one that took it seriously. But he asked if I've
ever thought about applying. And I thought, this has to be fake.
Just because you thought okay, you thought you were has to be a
scam, just with the connection of you know, me being a fan. And
like my mom being a diehard fan, I took a screenshot I sent it to
my mom. And I won't say what she said, Because I won't swear, but
she was ecstatic. And so I, I FaceTime this guy.
And it was in Tokyo?
Yes, yeah, it was Tokyo. I got him in touch. First, I got him
in touch with my agent. And then she said, he seems legit. Here's
his number, let's call them. And he just said, listen, just
because I'm reaching out to you doesn't automatically mean
you're on the show, you start to go through the application
process. So let's just let's do that. And he said, also, are you
a fan of the show? And I said, Yes, I've, I've seen every
single season never miss an episode. Because of my mother.
And he loved it. Yes. The casting process was pretty long
and grueling. I had to do 10 to 15 different interviews, I had
to go through a psych round, we had to go through a medical
round. And I didn't find out I was going on until maybe, you
know, six, seven months after he reached out to me. And yeah, I
mean, but you're not doing things like you can do an
interview and you won't hear from them from for a month, just
because they kind of drag it out. But they choose the cast
between February and March. So I remember I was you know, at
home, it was a blizzard outside. It was about March of 2022.
Yeah, COVID. So we're all surviving. I
I was next to my fiance and head casting director texted me he's
like, Hey, can you give me a quick call and I'm like,
alright, because the whole time I was thinking, I'm gonna go
through this casting process, and they're gonna realize how
difficult it's going to be to actually bring me on with you
know, being an amputee. They're gonna give me a call, like last
minute last second be like, we decided to go with someone else.
So I was like, Alright, this is the moment that they're going to
do it. Because I feel like if I'm getting casted for Survivor,
it'd be a bigger deal. It'd be like Jeff Probst calling me say
you're on survivor. Like, I feel like yeah, to do nonchalant. And
so he calls me and he's like, Oh, what are you up to? And I'm
like, Oh, nothing just locked in my house. There's a blizzard
outside. And you said, Well, do you want to leave the blizzard
and go to Fiji? Because you're on season 43 of survivor? And I
was like, I have to call you back. Yeah, right. I looked over
at my fiance. And I told him I was like, I don't know if I want
to do this. I don't think I can do this. You know, I instantly
started to doubt myself. But I won't.
Why did you doubt yourself?
You know, I tend to do that. With every single new adventure
that I try. There's always a little bit of doubt. Okay, but I
think that just gives me more motivation as to why I need to
do it. And I was also telling myself, you know, if I don't do
this, then who is going to who is going to show the positive
representation for the amputee community? Now this is my chance
to show the world how incredible amputees are and that try to get
rid of that stigma of just because we look different, or
just because we're disabled doesn't mean we're broken. Sure.
Does that mean I was excited? Absolutely not. I was scared to
death leading up to it, but
How did you break the news to your mom?
we tried to face that so I FaceTime but I tried to video
it. But you know, she believed from the beginning, right when a
guy DMd the head casting director she knew so when I
officially that was her plan starting to plan my game
strategy for the whole game. She was like, alright, you can't
tell anyone. Your Paralympian can't tell anyone. Your
motivational speaker can't tell anyone about the foundation. I
ended up saying that I had my own foundation because they let
me wear a Born to Run foundation sweatshirt. And I was like,
Alright, great free marketing. But she was ecstatic. But she
was calling me every single day. It was getting to the point
where I was like, Alright, these calls aren't helping. Mom, it's
Fiji. It's her and my fiance both were just like, just don't
get voted off first and you'll be good to go. But my mom was
like, I don't care if you win. I just want you to make the jury
use. Nobody remembers the people that don't make the jury and I'm
like that's not true. She's like, No, it's true. Like and
she was like and I want to see you like covered and felt dirty.
And then when you're on the jury just look beautiful and like
you're glowing and I was just like All right, great, the
important things, but it was all in all the greatest experience
of my entire life. I mean, you go out there and you don't
realize that you're going to kind of come home with a family,
I didn't realize that I was going to be friend, all these
incredible people that I probably would have never met in
my life. And I really did come back with you know, 17 great new
friends. And I always look back on the experience, and I'm
grateful for those friendships. That was kind of the best part
about the whole experience. But another great part was just, I
didn't go out there. And people like the show how the show
edited me was incredible. You know, they showed my competitive
side, but they also didn't edit me as somebody with a
disability. They edited me with somebody. Yeah, this is I have
this disability, but we're not going to focus on this. We're
going to focus on the game of Survivor. Yeah. And your person.
Exactly. Yeah. And, you know, obviously, I didn't have the I
didn't have a perfect game. I mean, I got blindsided. But it
was just, I could have never imagined doing anything more
than that. It was it was so great. I tell people, you know,
I didn't get the million dollars, but I got the million
dollar experience, which was awesome. That's great. But yeah,
it was the I say also best and worst experience of my life
because you push yourself to the limits. Everything is real. I
swear to God, a lot of people like ask me if it was staged,
but you don't get a toothbrush. You don't get a bed. You don't
get a toilet. You have no communication with the outside
world. I mean, I remember when the Boston Celtics I'm a huge
Celtics fan I'm a huge Boston anything fan. Sure Celtics were
in the playoffs and nobody would tell me if they were if they
would. were eliminated. I kept asking production and nobody
would answer me. Right. They're very strict out there. So they
want it. They want you to see it. It's you're stranded on an
island. Yeah. And they want it to be as real as possible, like,
and they just want to have be like, yeah, we're filming you.
But we're not going to help you do anything. And so
So as we're sitting here today, you're just relishing the fact
that the Celtics are in game three. Yeah.
It's awesome. So what I did get home, it was game seven of the
Eastern Conference Finals in 2022. So I was able to watch
game seven. And I remember when I landed in LA, and I finally
got my phone back. I like I was running up to a guy with a
Golden State Warriors t shirt. And I screamed in his face
asking if the Celtics were still in the playoffs, and he had no
idea what I was. But I got my phone and it was crazy. Like
both my mom and fiance were texting me like daily updates
every day. And my mom was just sending highlights of each game.
I'm like, I'm not actually going to go back and watch.
Yeah, it's about the scores. Yeah. Well, we are doing this
podcast from downtown. Olympic city, USA. Yes, Colorado
Springs. And you know, you and mark and Ollie have been in town
for all of a day. Yeah. All right. So I know you you've
packed a lot in but what are some of the first impressions
that you have of Olympic city, USA? Oh, I
think it's gorgeous. Both me and my fiance Are you know, talking
about potentially getting a home here because it's just it's,
it's amazing downtown area, there's so many different things
that you can do. If you're a fan of you know, just seeing
beautiful things. 24/7 This is the place to be I mean, we went
to a Garden of the Gods last night just getting out of the
car we love to see just incredible views and everywhere
you turn and use continue to walk 10 feet and there was the
turn the corner or something else that was incredible. And so
I just think it's it's it's only been 24 hours and no I don't
want to leave just because there's still so many things
that we can we can get done here. But I mean, it's just it's
a beautiful it's a beautiful town. Keep in
the guard of the gods. Yeah. And then tell listeners what you got
to do at the training center. Yeah, Olympic Training Center.
So you
know, me being in the in the middle of my season, I you know,
I couldn't miss a workout. So Colorado College actually, let
me use their beautiful track facility this morning. So I we
got there at 8am I did a nice track workout. And then we
headed to the Olympic and Paralympic Training Center. And
that was incredible in itself. I mean, just getting to meet I did
get to tour the facility after I trained in it, but just having
access to that and everything was was amazing. And you know,
gives you real motivation, just being around all that type of
greatness and just motivates you and kind of lights a fire. It's
like how can you not want to crush a workout when you're in
this type of facility. And so that was incredible. And then
after the fact we got to tour the rest of it. And you know, me
being an elite athlete, I see all the resources that all these
other athletes are getting on site here and I'm like, Alright,
I want to move here. I know, you know, I'm in a great training
facility in Chula Vista. But you know, this is on another level
and it's it's it's really amazing and I definitely advise
all the listeners to take a tour of it because you get to see
some incredible things and you will even run into you know a
Olympic and Paralympic athletes training in their kind of
environment and getting to kind of see how that how that works.
Now,
while you're here, are you going to have a chance to go over to
the Olympic and Paralympic museum?
I am sure we have that on our schedule tomorrow, which I'm
very excited for. Yeah, I think that'll be extremely. I've never
been to Colorado Springs either. So when this idea and this
opportunity came about, I was really excited, because I've
heard so many incredible things I have, you know, some former
teammates and on the snowboard side, they train here every day.
So I get to see pictures and videos of it all the time. I've
been to Colorado and you know, in the mountains and Vail to
snowboard, but I've never been here. And so this has been
really, really great. And I'm just you know, I'm excited. We
also have the, the cog railway that we are gonna do that
tomorrow. Very,
I'm just gonna warn you about that we have a little phrase
here that says, today's tourist is tomorrow's talent, okay. And
what that really does mean is that people come here on
vacation and they look around. And I wonder if there's jobs
here. There's a lot of people who first come now they might
have gotten stationed here, you know, but it is a place where a
lot of people come and they just fall. Yeah, I mean, so I'm here
for 24 hours, and we love it so
well, um, one of the things that I want to just take a little bit
of a break and talk about some very, very exciting things are
coming up for Olympic city USA this summer. The Paris Games are
rapidly approaching, you can feel the Olympic and Paralympic
spirit in the air. To kick it off, Sports Corp and the US
Olympic and Paralympic museum are hosting the downtown
Summerfest on Saturday, July 27. This free community event
celebration includes an official torch relay, lots of athlete
meet and greets and demonstrations, live music and
coverage of the game. So maybe you'll come back but actually we
know where you want to be. Yeah. The let's tell listeners a
little bit now I know that you are you are in training for both
the 100 meter dash as well as what the long jump. Yes. Okay.
So the trials are coming up what in July? Yeah. And then if you
make it when you make when I make when you make it your dates
to be over in Paris will be when will you compete? So
as of right now, you know, obviously the schedule can
change but long jump competition is September 5, and the 100
meter is September 7 in the morning and at night. Paris
times. Yeah. Okay. Yeah, a little fast forward.
Just just a little teaser for those of you who are listening
to, to be sure and tune in So, alright, we're gonna, I'm gonna
have some fun. Okay, I love that. Just a few questions to
ask. And I read that you were asked once to describe yourself
in three words. And the three words that you used were
tenacious, outgoing, and determined. Okay. So now, I'm
going to ask you just 24 hours, but in three words, how would
you describe Colorado Springs in just Oh, wow. Three words.
I would say. I want to say like, like winning, because you have
that presence. So word for like, beautiful scenery. Like that's
two words. Mmm hmm. Majestic,
majestic purple mountain
and friendly. Everyone is very friendly. Very welcoming. And
very beautiful. Yeah. Not great with that.
Because I do want you to know when you take the cog tomorrow
to the top of Pikes Peak. Yeah.
Do you know what song was inspired from the top of Pikes
Peak now? America the Beautiful, really when you use the word
majestic? Yeah, talk about purple mountain. Yeah, you've
you've already seen incredibly scenery. But tomorrow, you'll
get to you'll get to go up. Amazing. So this morning, tell
us one thing about your tour of the training center that really
stood out for you that you'll just tell people about
Yeah, I think you know, one of the rooms in the Sports
Performance Training Center it you can determine altitudes and
the temperature. I think that's incredible, especially you know,
for athletes training for the different competitions and all
these different altitudes. I mean, having access to that must
be incredible. You know, I'm going to be having trials in
Miramar, Florida in the dead of July. So the humidity and it's
going to be like 100 20 degrees. So I'd be doing all my workouts
in that room just to get ready.
That's what cyclists do. There's a lot of people that come for
just that reason. Yeah,
I would say that room and then another room that I just didn't
expect. It was the shooting room. I don't know the
terminology, I already forget it. But it was, it was it was
one of the and they had like, three or four athletes in there.
And the targets, it was like a period. That's how small that's
how was the target, and they hit it every single time. They're
like, that was really cool. That was something I didn't expect to
kind of see. And that was great.
That's, that's awesome. I guess the thing I would maybe ask you
to share in the with with listeners, is you've just
described what it's going to be like in Miramar, Florida. To to
let's just use the 100 meter dash, okay. When you get into
the blocks, what is your mind go?
My mind for the 100 meter, you know, changes, it's been
changing. Prior to this year, I, when I would get into the box,
I'd be scared. And I would kind of have that moment of like, why
am I doing this to myself, but then the gun would go off and
I'd get my competitive. Now just you know, being in a different
environment in California being in a different training group
having a different coach. It's like I'm hungrier. And so like
I'm in the blocks, and I know what I need to work on and
accomplish in that one race. So it's almost like I'm ready to
go. And it's just lighting a fire within me. And that's just
kind of what I think about. You know, I just competed at the
Prefontaine classic in Eugene, Oregon. And I think that one I
was getting a little too excited, but a stadium that that
was the first my first experience competing. and not
and not only in that stadium, but that many people in the
stands, you know, Tokyo, we had nobody because of COVID. And you
know, we don't I typically compete at college meets all
season and open trackmeets so we don't have tons of fans. There
were 1000s of people in the stands. So I was getting a
little jittery, a little too excited. That's some holy grail.
All started Yeah. But then once the gun I mean, I had to kind of
bring it in. And it was great. I'm glad I was able to kind of
experience that before Paris because it's going to be sold
out in Paris. And so that'll be really exciting. But just kind
of having that adrenaline I just I hadn't had it. Yeah, at least
in a while. Just because Tokyo was just Tokyo was just a weird
environment to begin with. It was because you're at the
highest stage the highest level the be at, but I don't have my
family
But yeah, you can hear a pin drop.
Yeah, it was crazy. Luckily, the stands in that stadium. They
were different colors. So it kind of messed with your
eyesight a little bit. So it looked like they were okay.
Okay, so it wasn't too bad. But yeah.
Well, Noel, thank you for being with us. Tell listeners, let's
give the URL again for the foundation on how they can
follow you and everything else. Because absolutely,
yeah, thank you. Ah, it's www dot the born to run
foundation.org And you can follow any of us, you know,
Paralympians. We would love all the support with watching I'm
sure it'll be on NBC XFINITY or peacock I think is promoting it.
So please, please, please tune in. It's August 28 to September
8, if you want to leave being inspired, watch the Paralympic
games because you see incredible athletes do incredible things,
not just with disabilities, but as just a whole of being a
person. But yeah, you can follow along there. You can follow me
on my social media at Noelle Lambert, and any of you survivor
fans out there. Thanks for supporting.
Well, thanks for being a guest. Yes,
thank you so much for having me and very excited for the next
couple of days in Colorado Springs.
Enjoy yourself. Thank you