Elementary principal also avid athlete
Mon, 07/28/2008
Dressed in a sleek, black jogging suit and a pair of Nike shoes, Arbor Heights Principal Dr. Carol Coram is ready to run.
And bike. And swim.
Coram is planning to participate in the Danskin Women's Triathlon on Sunday, Aug. 17, which begins in the open waters of Lake Washington and ends in Genesee Park.
Before her foray into triathlons, Coram ran track. As a high-school student she ran for a club in New York City.
Her love for track and field is evident throughout her spacious elementary school office, as photos of herself at various events throughout her life are proudly displayed.
It has even helped her make some famous friends. Two framed photos show her with actor Bill Cosby.
"He's a groupie when it comes to track and field," she said with a chuckle. "I see him at major track meets."
Sprinting was Coram's specialty, particularly the 400-meter relay. Coram and her relay team qualified for national level competition and became third best in the nation for their event.
Later on, the sprinter "hung up the spikes" as her interest turned toward distance running. From here, she began training for marathons.
The principal said that by day she would coop herself up in the library studying while she was in college. By night, she'd be out running.
Her passion for marathons would soon transition to triathlons.
At first, she did not do full triathlons. The former track athlete would only do the running portion while two colleagues would complete the biking and swimming portions.
Then one day she said to herself, "I'd just like to try and do the whole thing by myself."
"I was always a strong swimmer and I at least knew how to ride a bike," she said.
However, she knew that swimming in a triathlon was a completely different story, especially "with a couple thousand of your best friends sloshing around you," she said jokingly.
In order to prepare, she trained with a swim coach at the Washington Athletic Club. The 2006 Danskin Triathlon was her first time going solo and she hasn't stopped since, adding more events onto her calendar.
"I ran eight [triathlons] last year," she said. And she is not stopping there.
One particular triathlon that is special to her is the Subaru U.S. Women's Triathlon that will be held in Federal Way in September.
The triathlon raises funds for ovarian cancer research. "This is the one where I go and solicit funds," Coram said.
The reason is because her close friend June died of ovarian cancer several years ago.
"She was the closest thing to a sister I ever had in my life," said the principal, who grew up an only child. A fond look crosses her face as she remembers the times she had.
"Oddly enough, the Subaru Triathlon takes place a few days from June's birthday," she added. After several phone calls to friends, people contributed to Coram's cause.
And every year, she picks up the phone to call June's mother to let her know how much money she has raised in June's name.
As an educator, Coram also shares her passion with her students at Arbor Heights. The principal organizes a running club in which students put mileage in for the Seattle Kids Marathon held every November.
The students log in miles on a regular basis until they reach 25, Coram said. Then the remaining 1.2 miles, which completes the standard marathon distance of 26.2 miles, is run from Fifth Avenue and Harrison Street to the finish line at Seattle Center's Memorial Stadium.
Coram said "association with kids is what keeps me going [at my job]."
"As long as I have daily contact with them, it makes it worthwhile," she said.
For more information or to register for the Danskin Triathlon, visit www.danskin.com/triathlon.html.
Judy Vue is a student in the University of Washington Department of Communication News Laboratory.