This episode of Airey Bros Radio was originally streamed LIVE on YouTube on November 3, 2025 and is now available on all podcast platforms. 🎙️We’re sitting down with Coach Colin Lamb, the new Director of Distance Running &amp; Associate Head Coach for Track &amp; Field at Lander University, to talk about building a Division II distance program the right way.<br /><br />Fresh off his July 2025 hire, Coach Lamb joins Airey Bros Radio to break down:<br /><ul><li>🏃‍♂️ His journey from Dayton student-athlete to SMU assistant and now Bearcat leader<br /><br /></li><li>📈 How he’s building Lander’s distance program and establishing a new culture in the Peach Belt Conference<br /><br /></li><li>🎓 Recruiting vision, training philosophy, and life in Greenwood, South Carolina<br /><br /></li><li>💸 Why Lander’s frozen tuition, in-state value, facilities, and support staff make it a serious option for distance runners<br /><br /></li><li>💪 Strength &amp; conditioning, athletic training, and what it takes to create a championship-caliber DII program<br /><br /></li></ul>If you’re a high school athlete, parent, or coach looking beyond the usual Power 4 schools, this episode gives a legit look at DII opportunities and what kind of kids can help Lander make noise nationally.<br />🔗 <a href="https://YouTube//www.youtube.com/@Aireybros" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Watch the original livestream replay on YouTube</a><br />🎧 <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/61TKhMCXCfmfZRYb22saFe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Listen &amp; subscribe to Airey Bros Radio: Spotify /</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@Aireybros" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">YouTube</a><br />☕ <a href="https://www.blacksheependurance.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fueled by Black Sheep Endurance Coaching – ultramarathon coaching, nutrition, and performance support</a><br /><a href="https://www.blacksheependurance.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"></a>💖 <a href="https://buymeacoffee.com/aireybros" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Value-for-Value / Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee</a><br /><br /><br /><br /><b>⏱️ ABR Time-Stamped Show Notes</b><br /><ul><li>0:00 – Cold open: how Airey Bros found Lander through wrestling &amp; wanted Coach Lamb on<br /><br /></li><li>0:27 – ABR intro, mission &amp; Black Sheep Endurance shoutout<br /><br /></li><li>1:04 – Introducing Coach Colin Lamb &amp; his new role at Lander University<br /><br /></li><li>2:30 – Socials &amp; where to send recruits (Lander XCTF + Coach Lamb IG)<br /><br /></li><li>3:20 – Origin story: outrunning classmates, youth club, early mileage<br /><br /></li><li>4:40 – Coaching roots with his dad &amp; youth coaching experiences<br /><br /></li><li>5:54 – Dayton → SMU: psychology degree, sport management master’s &amp; volunteer coaching<br /><br /></li><li>8:05 – Why Lander? Location, family, facilities &amp; AD Brian Reese’s vision<br /><br /></li><li>9:46 – Rebuilding a young program &amp; chasing Peach Belt / regional relevance<br /><br /></li><li>11:00 – In-state recruiting, freshman-heavy roster &amp; overlooked SC talent<br /><br /></li><li>13:14 – Culture reset after three coaches in four years<br /><br /></li><li>14:04 – What kind of student-athletes fit Lander (no-excuse grinders)<br /><br /></li><li>16:01 – Roster breakdown: SC-heavy squad with a few out-of-state additions<br /><br /></li><li>16:44 – State school value: lottery money, academic aid &amp; 11 years of frozen tuition<br /><br /></li><li>18:14 – DII homey feel vs SMU’s big-time model &amp; access to administration<br /><br /></li><li>19:04 – How SMU built a big recruiting class with a $90K price tag<br /><br /></li><li>20:25 – Family-centered recruiting &amp; explaining value and cost to parents<br /><br /></li><li>21:49 – Discovering hidden programs like Lander through shows like ABR<br /><br /></li><li>22:08 – High school recruiting vs transfer portal &amp; having a long-term plan<br /><br /></li><li>23:31 – Building a three-season program in XC, indoor &amp; outdoor track<br /><br /></li><li>24:32 – First XC season at Lander: progress, expectations &amp; measuring growth<br /><br /></li><li>26:03 – Selling recruits on being part of program history &amp; first-time achievements<br /><br /></li><li>27:05 – Weather, practice times &amp; why morning sessions win in the South<br /><br /></li><li>28:11 – Training grounds: gravel loops, farm XC course, paved path &amp; campus loop<br /><br /></li><li>30:00 – First All-Conference runner in 16 years &amp; a big school record<br /><br /></li><li>31:03 – Southeast Regional preview &amp; goals for men and women<br /><br /></li><li>32:28 – Who’s who in the region: Wingate, Catawba, Anderson, Flagler &amp; more<br /><br /></li><li>33:29 – Peach Belt breakdown &amp; DII competition across XC and track<br /><br /></li><li>34:02 – Double threshold talk: where Lander is at &amp; weighing risk vs reward<br /><br /></li><li>35:40 – Training philosophy: mileage, consistency &amp; getting 95% out of athletes<br /><br /></li><li>37:08 – Multi-sport kids, low mileage backgrounds &amp; finding “diamonds in the rough”<br /><br /></li><li>38:13 – Social media vs phone calls in modern recruiting<br /><br /></li><li>39:04 – Has he settled in yet? First months on the job &amp; constant travel<br /><br /></li><li>42:03 – A day in the life: CEO of a small business (budget, study hall, admin)<br /><br /></li><li>44:38 – Campus growth, enrollment boom &amp; long-term stability at Lander<br /><br /></li><li>45:49 – Campus vibe: pool, cabana, single rooms, Chick-fil-A &amp; Starbucks<br /><br /></li><li>48:03 – Strength &amp; conditioning, weight room setup &amp; support staff<br /><br /></li><li>49:01 – How they pair strength sessions with long runs &amp; workouts<br /><br /></li><li>51:11 – Training outdoors year-round &amp; minimal need for indoor track<br /><br /></li><li>52:21 – Notes app to-do lists, staying grounded &amp; not fixing everything in a day<br /><br /></li><li>54:02 – Music rotation: female pop stars, EDM, Two Friends &amp; early 2000s rap<br /><br /></li><li>56:33 – Guilty pleasures: McDonald’s cookie tote, pies, bakery runs &amp; pecan pie<br /><br /></li><li>59:35 – Final thoughts on building Lander XC/TF &amp; what’s ahead for the Bearcats<br /><br /></li><li>1:00:00 – ABR outro &amp; tease for the next episode</li></ul>