May 2009 Reader Athlete: Pam Clapp

By
Sky Barsch
Posted May 11th, 2009

Age: 37
Residence: Waterbury
Family: Husband, Roger; sons Adrian, 6, and Lewis, 4
Occupation: Executive assistant to chairman of Generon International
Primary sport: Running
VS: When did you start running and why?
PC: I started running out of desperation while I was a Peace Corps volunteer in Africa. It was the mid ‘90s and before leaving the U.S. my favorite exercise was step aerobics. Since there weren’t any gyms in the rain forest in the Central African Republic, I had to adjust and try something new. There was another volunteer in my village who suggested I run with him, and I haven’t stopped running since.
VS: What inspired you to sign up for the first KeyBank Vermont City Marathon in 2000?
PC: I had done a half marathon, and it just seemed like it would be the next step. I was ready for the challenge. There was a bunch of people who I was running with who were doing it, and I thought I’d try it.
VS: You did it again in 2001—what happened after that?
PC: In 2002, I had Adrian, and in 2004, Lewis. I didn’t do any marathons for a while. I did a couple of halves; I did a half when Lewis was 6 months old. I had a double baby jogger, which was helpful. It was really nice to have that. When I didn’t need it anymore, I donated it to Lewis’s school. I still see it—it goes around Waterbury with little babies in it.
VS: Your plan was to do another marathon at age 40, but here you are running this year on the day you turn 37. How did you come to meet your goal early?
PC: I’ve just sort of fallen in with a group of runners. On Saturdays I go on long runs, and I’ve been doing that since last July. It’s a lot of fun, and I look forward to it. We switch up the loops; sometimes we go in Waterbury Village, sometimes in Waterbury Center, and also Stowe.
VS: How do you feel about meeting your goal early?
PC: I feel pretty good! I read ChiRunning, which helped a lot.
VS: What’s it about? How did it help?
PC: The whole premise of the book is that running is good for you, that it actually doesn’t create a lot of wear and tear on your body. The book gives you pointers on how to run injury free and pain free. It’s about running from your core as supposed to pushing off of your toes. Some of the techniques are leaning forward, and when you get tired, picking up your feet and kicking them back as opposed to lifting them up. And keeping your posture straight, leaning, relaxing, and not swinging your arms across your body. I try to focus every 10 minutes or so, and think about my form.
VS: What kind of expectations are you setting for yourself?
PC: Well, I’d like to qualify for Boston and do Boston. To do that I’ll need to run 3:45. My best marathon was 3:49, but that was before they had the chip. So I don’t think it’s an unachievable goal. I did the Leaf Peeper Half Marathon last fall, and I ran 8-minute miles.
VS: What will you do to celebrate if you qualify for Boston?
PC: My husband and I will go to my favorite restaurant, Hen of the Wood, in Waterbury, and maybe we will bring the kids. We will start planning the arrangements for Boston 2010, and we will plan a family vacation around it. Perhaps watching me run the Boston Marathon will inspire Adrian and Lewis to set similar goals for themselves.
VS: What’s your favorite aspect of the Vermont City Marathon?
PC: I love the crowds. I grew up in Burlington, so it’s kind of fun to run around the town, all over, from the South End to the North End. It’s just really exciting. It’s nice the way they have it set up, and it’s easy for people to watch, too.
VS: Is there anything you’d change about the course or logistics?
PC: It would be great to create more space for the runners after they cross the finish line. It seems really congested, and it is difficult to find people.
VS: Who will be cheering you on this year?
PC: My kids. I think they’re pretty excited to see it, and all of my family. There’s a bunch of people from Waterbury doing it, and we’re all running for the March of Dimes, so there are probably 10 families who have runners from Waterbury. That will be a lot of fun. There will also be a lot of husbands and wives on different relay teams.
VS: What do you enjoy doing with your family?
PC: We ski; we have season passes at Bolton. This past fall we started to hike with the kids, which was great. The boys climbed Mount Elmore, and up to Sterling Pond and Taylor Lodge. This year we hope to do the Stowe Pinnacle and Camel’s Hump. I also enjoy cooking together.
VS: Is your husband a runner?
PC: Yes. When I met him he ran once a week. During our courtship he trained with me to do the full marathon, but then suffered an injury. Since then we have done numerous half marathons together. We always do the Leaf Peeper in Waterbury in the fall.
VS: Do the kids seem like they’ll be outdoorsy?
PC: They show interest. They like to ride their bikes quite a bit. We live in the village of Waterbury, so we have a lot of sidewalks. We have a long, paved driveway, so this is where all the kids gravitate to.
VS: You’re on the Waterbury selectboard. Is it everything you thought it would be?
PC: I tried not to have too many expectations. I’ve really enjoyed it and learned a lot. I’m glad the first year’s behind me. As of Town Meeting Day, I’m in my second term.
VS: What’s the accomplishment you are most proud of in your tenure on the selectboard?
PC: My first year on the selectboard I served on a fire study committee. On election night I remember feeling very happy when the voters approved a bond that the selectboard proposed to build two new fire stations. However, the bond vote has since been rescinded due to current economic circumstances. Nevertheless, I learned a lot during the process and am eager to keep going to find a viable solution.
— Sky Barsch