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Raquel a.k.a Rocki Lambdin is a graduate of UC Davis, and former member of the UC Davis Cross Country/Track & Field teams. During her tenure as a student-athlete, Rocki enjoyed a slew of success ranging from a 5th place finish at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships to multiple Big West Championship individual and team titles. Rocki took the time out of her busy schedule to discuss what she's been up to since graduation. Her current career incudes titles such as professional runner, model, soon to be graduate student, and dog mom. By the way, she is currently training to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics next summer. 

Following graduation, what did you want to do with your career? 

Post-graduation, I wanted to pursue a career in middle-distance running. If you asked me this question prior to June of 2015, it would've been straight to graduate school for me. In June of 2015, I qualified and competed at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the 1500 meters. 

That's when I realized I wasn't done with my career in track. Fortunately, I had a quarter left of school and I used that time to make preparations to continue my training through the Olympic year. I knew that if I stopped running after I graduated I would always wonder "what if..."

 
The "what ifs" plague every student-athlete... Were you concerned about the transition from college to life afterward? 

I was more excited than concerned about the transition. I loved my time at Davis and was sad to leave the life I had built there, but I was ready to start something new.

I was a little naïve to believe that the transition was going to be easy. In reality, it is a long drawn out process with lots of ups and downs. The prospect of creating a new environment centered around my life's passions and ambitions was exciting, so any concern I had was directed towards my excitement.

 

 
Since graduation, is your career anything like you thought it would've been? 
Nope! In the beginning, I thought that I'd be living off a running sponsor and taking classes to stay sharp for grad school. However, I didn't produce immediate PR's in races and lost a lot of the financial support that I thought I'd have. Fortunately, I saved up enough money and got a job as a kayak and snorkel instructor to make ends meet until the end of the season.

 

I qualified for the Olympic trials in 2016 which led to some breakthroughs; though, I realized that I was going to need a more supportive source of income if I wanted to keep my running career alive. 

 

And that's how I discovered modeling. Currently, I am training (luckily with Adidas as a gear sponsor) and modeling for an agency in LA to support myself. I took the MCAT last winter in preparation for medical school. I plan on starting the application process after this season. Currently, I am working part-time at Scripps Hospital in the lab to gain some experience.

How has a life as a model/professional runner been? 

It's been great, a lot of ups and downs. I am beyond grateful for the opportunities I have had and am proud of the work I have put in to get where I am at because it has not been easy! I started off having no idea what it takes to be a pro runner, but, fortunately, I have had some wonderful mentors, coaches, and teammates that have guided me through the process. 

 

I started this journey in a new city where I didn't know anyone and I wasn't sure how to make my professional dreams a reality. Little by little, I made important relationships/friendships, found small sponsors, gotten a job that works with my training, and built an environment that is best suited for my individual goals. I found a team of amazing people all pursuing the same passion.

Modeling was a similar experience in that I had no idea what to do at the beginning but I kept putting myself out there and gaining as much experience and advice as I could. It's a never-ending process of learning and improving, but that's what makes it so interesting.

 

Do you find any struggles in the work-life balance?

Yes, I do, and I think a lot of people feel that way regardless of job title. It's just important to stay focused on your goals and learn from your mistakes, as cliché as that sounds. 

 

If so, in what areas?

One big obstacle that I've faced has been finding time to recover between work and training. Modeling jobs have me on my feet and working out for 8-10 hours straight, and the first year I did that I was getting sick a lot. One shoot I did was for a spring clothing line for a running company but we shot it in the high desert in winter. I was running around in shorts in 20-degree temperatures.

I eventually found a balance where I take on more jobs in the fall and less in the racing months. When I am working, I take a lot of precautions to keep my immune system high (clean eating, vitamins and supplements, lots of sleep, etc.) 

Has four years of being a student-athlete better prepared you for the World of Work? 

Being a student-athlete has given me so many universally useful tools and skills that have helped in these kinds of situations that translate into other areas of my life. Some of the big ones are life balance (being able to do two very different jobs with equal commitment), knowing my body (I'm not doing my best work in anything if I am not fueling/recovering/hydrating well enough), and paying attention to details (knowing the significance of micro-improvements on the outcome of a goal).

 

What has been a highlight from working as a model? What kind of modeling do you specialize in? 

I specialize in fitness modeling, but I do a lot of other work as well (for example, this weekend I represented Coors at a music festival). Most of the jobs I get hired for are running related, I've been lucky to work in some incredible places.

Some of the highlights include Tokyo, Utah salt flats, Antelope Canyon, Monument Valley, etc. Its hard work but I can't complain when I get to do what I love (run) in some of the most beautiful places I have ever been to. 

 
What do your next five years look like? Is this the time that you pursue a career in medicine? 

I'm mostly focused on this next year with the Olympics coming up, so I don't have much after that mapped out yet. However, I am going to be applying for medical schools starting in Fall 2020, which is a long process. Hopefully I will be in medical school within that time frame! 

Do you have hopes of qualifying for Tokyo 2020? 

Definitely. Tokyo 2020 has been the goal since the day that I graduated, and all of my training and preparation was with this in mind. I have improved and learned a lot, and I know that I can make the USA team, it's just a matter of committing to my training and leaving it all out there on the track come race day.

 

Favorite memory during your time as an Aggie?

There are too many memories to count! There are a few standout moments, though I'm honestly not sure I can pick a favorite. One was getting to represent Davis on the national stage in 2015 and bringing home a first-team All American title.

Another was when my cross country team won conference earlier that year - we were the smallest team in the Big West and we were not expected to do anything after a rocky start to that season, but we raced fiercely and like one unit we came out with a score that was the best in Davis history.

And, honestly, some of the best memories are the friendships and relationships I built there.

Any advice for current student-athletes considering a career outside of the norm, such as professional running and modeling? 

If you want to pursue an "unconventional" career, the best time to start preparing is now, even if that just means writing down a goal. 

 

Most of these kinds of jobs are going to take a lot of investment and time upfront, and the sooner you can get started, the better off you will be (and less stress later on). Take advantage of your time in school there are a lot of networking opportunities, resources, and mentors within the university that are there to help you prepare for a career and it is worth taking advantage of!

Reach out to people that have done similar things that can guide you along. I would not have made it to this point if I hadn't built bonds with people that pushed/helped me along. Finally, don't get stuck on the finish line or end goal, because the journey there is going to be where you spend the majority of your time, so enjoy it!
 

Thanks for the time Rocki, good luck with your Olympic pursuit, Med School, and all future endeavors!
Of course! Happy to be of assistance to the EVO Program, and my alma mater!