Pamela Willmon

How long have you been a HARRA member? : About 5 years; Currently a member of the VVIP committee for HARRA.

Are you a member of a running club? : Yes – the Al Lawrence Running Club

Volunteering experience:

Tell us about you:  I am 64 years old, married to Donald, also a HARRA volunteer with the AED team, and have two daughters, Terri (an international flight attendant based in New York) and Kelli (a veterinarian practicing in Houston).  Kelli is married and has blessed us with a grandson while a second grandchild is expected in November.

I was introduced to running about 15 years ago more out of curiosity than anything else.   Two of my co-workers were always talking about their various running experiences and seemed to get so much enjoyment from the sport that I decided to check it out for myself.   My first effort was disastrous and almost ended my running career before it began.   Wearing a pair of “keds” I took off at full speed and before I’d gone 100 yards was panting and gasping and literally seeing my life flash before my eyes.  Went home vowing never to try that again!  My co-workers set me straight and the rest is history.  To this day I consider myself a jogger rather than a runner but regardless of ability (or lack thereof), running is an activity which has become an essential part of my workout routine.  As a sideline Donald and I enjoy social bike riding and making an annual trip to Colorado to hike the trails of the Rocky Mountain National Park.

Through friendships developed as a result of jogging, I discovered a whole new dimension to the sport.   By association I suddenly found myself participating in fun runs, marathons and trail runs.  I’ve also had the opportunity to climb Mount Whitney, hike the Grand Canyon as well as raft the Grand Canyon.

Volunteering experience:   I must admit that volunteering was something which never crossed my mind before I became involved.  I gave no thought to what went on behind the scenes and was simply someone who showed up, ran the race, enjoyed the post-race party and went home.  When two friends asked me to lend a hand at one of the HARRA races it was a real eye-opening experience for me.  I couldn’t believe the months of planning and preparation which went into putting on an event.  From that point on I developed a real appreciation for the hard work done by the organizers and volunteers and have offered my services whenever possible.  My volunteering began with working water stations and chip lines, and has progressed to my being on planning committees for both the Bellaire Trolley Run and the Bayou City Classic 10K and a member of the AED team.  I would encourage every runner to offer their services, as volunteering is an essential ingredient at a race.