Pam Boteler is the kind of person you want on your team: strong, passionate, and dedicated. Pam has been a member of OrganicAthlete for a long time, and I finally got around to asking her a few questions.

Photo credits (top to bottom): by Rick Miller

Your athletic resume is quite impressive. How did you get into sports and especially canoeing?

I’ve been a tomboy all my life - hated dresses and bows straight out of the womb. After kickball and dodge ball (favorite sports in early elementary school), I started playing basketball and soccer in 5th grade for the local Boys and Girls Club. In high school, I ran varsity cross-country, played basketball and ran outdoor track for 4 years. Then in 1986 moved on to Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania, running cross-country and playing basketball, earning Regional All-American and All-Conference honors in cross-country and helping our team win a national title in Basketball in 1989. We did not have a varsity track program at the time, but I ran outdoor track my senior year as it was the first year as an intramural sport. With little practice after basketball season, I amusingly ran at my personal bests from high school (from 9th grade believe it or not.….) for 800 meters (2:28) and 1500 meters (5:26). Not bad for a hoopster.… In 1999 I was honored to be inducted into the Elizabethtown Athletic Hall of Fame with my 1989 National Champion teammates, then in 2003, inducted as an individual for both cross-country and basketball.

After graduating college in 1990, I ran road races until injuries from poor training habits sidelined me. While working at the Naval Hospital in Bethesda, MD in 1992 (and playing pickup basketball in the base rec center with the men – my favorite past-time), I saw a sign for try-outs for the US Women’s National Swanboat Team to compete in Thailand in the World Championships. (Swanboats are similar to Dragonboats and are an incredible 45 feet long, made out of teak wood, and seating 20 paddlers – 10 left and 10 right). I had no idea what this was at the time, but, being a Religious Studies & Philosophy major, I was intrigued by a trip to the East, if I could make the team. At the prodding of the Recreation Director at the Navy gym, I tried out and made the team. My canoeing career had begun.

In 1992, as part of Team USA, we won a Silver medal at the World Championships and I continued to race Dragon Boats (similar boats, but indigenous to China) with the national team through 1995. I raced with Team USA again in Thailand in 2000 and helped the Mixed (Men and Women) Crew win the World Championship in the 1000 meter event and the Men’s Crew to win Silver.

In 1996, while training for Dragonboat, I was recruited to try sprint (Olympic-style) kayaking at my club – the Washington Canoe Club. I raced in sprint kayaks from 1996-1999.

At the time I never saw a woman in an Olympic style (high-kneel) canoe – even though our club has produced numerous canoe Olympians and medalists since its Olympic debut in 1924. In 1999 I saw a Canadian woman – Sheila Kuyper – paddling and she came to our club just to check out what we had. I was still doing kayak at the time but dabbled some in the sprint canoe just for fun and reprieve from kayak. I flipped/fell in the water repeatedly for the 6 weeks I had time to play (i.e., I was training for Nationals in the kayak and this was detracting from my training). I could barely get away from the dock and if I did, I didn’t get far before flipping and having to swim to shore to dump the boat and get back in. But – I kept getting back in. And I kept learning about the lack of women’s events in the Olympics and the fight for inclusion, led by Sheila Kuyper and Canada.

Things changed in 2000 – for the sport, and for me. Women were prohibited from racing at the National level in canoe in the US since the sports’ inception in the early 1900’s. In 2000, USA Canoe/Kayak changed its by-laws to allow women to race at the National Championships in canoe – but they only opened up 3 events – all the Men’s “Intermediate” events (i.e., the national team level canoeists race in the “Senior” division). Tired of kayaking and feeling the lure and challenge of Canoe, I decided in March of 2000 to hang up my kayak paddle and take up the single blade to race at this historic Nationals – to be one of the first.

I ended up being the only U.S. woman to enter the men’s events and finished 3rd in the Men’s Intermediate Singles (C1) 1000 meter and 500m events, and teaming with a Canadian woman (who remains a WomenCan counterpart), won Gold in the Men’s Intermediate Doubles Canoe (C2) 500m event. (photos available upon request :) ).

In 2001, USACK opened up all the Men’s events to women, calling them “Open”, so I raced against the men again, winning Gold in the Men’s C4 (4 person) 1000m event with men from Seattle, WA, and finished 5th in several C2 events racing with a man from New York. I also raced in the singles events and will never forget lining up (and getting washed out) by the top male canoeist in the country. Ironically, I scored enough points at that Nationals to be ranked 8th in Men’s Canoe. USACK named the top 4 canoeists to the national “A” team, and were supposed to take the next 4 canoeists to make the “B” team. But because this was the National “Men’s” Canoe team, they skipped over me at #8 and took the #9 man. Yes I made some phone calls to USACK to inquire why. It was an awkward spot for them and for me even asking, but honestly, this was a battle not worth fighting. It wasn’t the war. We needed women-only events and fighting for a personal ranking was not why I was on the water and it was not a strategy to win the war. But this was definitely more leverage for getting rules changed permanently.

I also raced internationally in 2001 in World Cup #1, held in Gainesville, GA (the first and only World Cup to be hosted in the U.S.). I was the only U.S. paddler and only non-Canadian. This was an historic event internationally for women as we stepped up our international battle for inclusion. I also competed at the first ever Pan American Championships to include women’s canoe – in the Yucatan, Mexico, winning 3 silver and 1 bronze medal.

This is when I began to use more of my voice off the water to be a force for change not only in the U.S., but internationally.

The time had come for USACK to change the by-laws for good to establish a “League of Our Own.” In 2002, women’s canoe was established in all events and age categories. The U.S. became on the third country in the world to establish women’s canoe at the national level (Canada was first, in 1995, and Brazil second, in 2000).

My journey picked up speed from there.

Tell us about your involvement in women's sports and trying to get women's canoeing in the Olympics.

Once I learned that one of the reasons women were prohibited from racing in canoes internationally (“high kneel” style that is) was that it would damage our reproductive organs and cause lopsided female development, well – I was hooked. While I’ve never had kids, I am here to say that it has had no affect whatsoever on any of my organs nor has it caused lopsided development. Lastly, one of the fastest women in the world in 2003 was a mother.

Unfortunately – that myth is still alive and well. I learned recently that some European coaches in Calgary are telling parents to not let their daughters paddle canoes because it will “stretch the uterus, causing infertility.” They are also not encouraging the young women to paddle or giving them opportunities to get in the boats. A parent came to me asking for information to help them make an informed decision, because their daughter loves the canoe and wants to race. I responded to her AND sent this information to CanoeKayak Canada for them to determine if these are certified coaches and to get a message out to the paddling community that this is not true. USA Canoe/Kayak has agreed to do the same.

I’ve come to the conclusion that this myth is being propagated because they fear that female canoeists will give birth to MORE female canoeists, thus overrunning the sport. I can only think this would be a positive outcome for growth in the sport in general: i.e., where there are more girls, there will be more boys.

In a nutshell – this, along with battling more generic barriers to Olympic inclusion, such as event and athlete quotas, have occupied my time for more than 6 years now. In 2002 my international involvement in the Olympic endeavor – and exposure - kicked into high gear, both on and off the water. I started my website – www.justcanoeit.com – to use the power of the internet and bring our global message of change and inclusion to the world. Through the years I’ve been contacted by women and men from around the world and have been able to make connections and share information that would be not be possible without the power of the internet. I was also featured in Sports Illustrated for Women that year, which had a distribution to a population of people that I couldn’t buy to reach. Our sport is obscure in the Americas and this exposure was priceless.

I also traveled to Spain in 2002 with my Canadian WomenCan counterparts to lobby International Canoe Federation (ICF) officials at their biannual Congress at the World Championships. Our lobby was successful: i.e., even though we did not get the required number of votes to officially “recognize” women’s canoe in all ICF disciplines (sprint, slalom, marathon, wildwater, etc.), we got a significant and encouraging number of votes in a highly contentious election year. Many who supported us behind closed doors were reluctant to show support publicly during elections, or at least that is what appeared to be true. We succeeded in getting official “recognition” in January 2007 - i.e., this "recognition" does not give women events (even though we asked for that again), but it lays the foundation for being able to formally add women's events to World Cups, World Championships (which will be the case in 2009), and ultimately, in time, the Olympics.

The ICF Congress also passed our motion to modify the non-discrimination clause in the formal statutes to add the word "gender" to all sections where needed. It was added to ensure that there will be no discrimination based on gender - and not just race or political status. Yes, it took over 80 years to get “gender” added to non-discrimination statutes! I wrote a report immediately after this Congress to get the word out www.justcanoeit.com/Content/whatisthelatest.asp. It can be found under 2007 News and Events.

In 2003, I played a role in getting women’s canoe events as “exhibition” at the World Championships, hosted in the U.S. for the first time ever. I was also a competitor in that event as part of Team USA, finishing as the top American and placing 5th in the 1000 meter singles event and winning the “B” 500 meter final.

In 2004 I met personally with then Executive Director of the Women’s Sports Foundation (WSF), Donna Lopiano. Because the WSF has been so involved and influential in equal opportunity issues with the Olympics, not just collegiate and lower school and community sports, it was important that we were on their radar screen, and in all of their marketing and lobby documents. We wanted to be on their one-page cheat sheet for issues to address at major conference and with major international organizations and officials.

I have not only been lobbying for sprint canoe, but have been highlighting the same plight for women in Olympic slalom canoe and continue to work very closely with women and officials in the slalom community.

More recently, I worked with a woman in Nova Scotia, Canada to enhance a new Facebook group called “Women in Canoe – International”. The group is an easy place to share important information with athletes around the world and make connections.

One significant outcome of these connections was connecting women in England with women canoeists in France. The English paddlers traveled to France July 10-13, 2008 to compete at the French Nationals and as a result of this successful event, the French Canoe Federation announced that women’s canoe will be an official event at their National Championships in 2009 – the 2nd European nation to do this. This is significant as we need 35 countries across 3 continents with women’s canoe at the national level in order to be considered for Olympic inclusion.

Currently I am playing a significant role with my Canadian counterparts in the establishment of women’s canoe as exhibition at the 2009 World Championships and in the planning of the first-ever Pre-World’s development camp to include women’s canoe. And it will include FUNDED – by the ICF - slots for women’s canoe. This is ground-breaking. In addition, we are planning a first ever European development camp, potentially in Hungary (the “Mecca” of Olympic Canoe/Kayak), in June 2009.

2012 is our target for exhibition events and 2016 the target for full inclusion. We need 35 countries on 3 continents to be considered for Olympic inclusion, and 9 countries across 2 continents for the 2009 World Championships. We feel confident we will meet our 2009 target.

How did you discover a raw vegan diet?

Over the past several years I had picked up quite a bit of material by Dr. Doug Graham and was intrigued by the concepts and his philosophy. But I wasn’t quite there yet and was still on my own personal journey from still eating meat to focusing on more of a plant-based diet. Along the way I discovered Robert Cohen’s Yahoo group NotMilk colums on dairy, vegan diets, animal rights, etc. I credit Mr. Cohen’s material, validated by the likes of Harvey Diamond, Dr. Frank Oski, Dr. John McDougall, Dr. Gary Null, and others, with getting me off dairy and educating me about the “science” that is in main stream media. In August 2007, Mr. Cohen wrote an article about me and my efforts for equal opportunities for women in Olympic Canoeing. A few hours after the article posted, Dr. Graham emailed me complimenting me on my website and my efforts, and said if I ever needed anything to let him know. I about fell off my chair. Mr. Cohen validated that he MEANT it and encouraged me to email him back. Dr. Graham has been a man of his word and we have been in touch almost daily since. My journey to physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health hit the speed dial. Me and 811rv (low-fat raw vegan) began. I knew I found someone, and a “how” that could help me take my
training – and my life - to a new dimension.

What was your transition like?

Some of it easy, some of it very hard. But I was so ready to begin after talking with him for 2 months (and spending a good part of 2007 very sick – physically, mentally and emotionally). I jumped in full-steam. When he told me I was going to spend 7 days on “Banana Island”, I naively asked “Where is Banana Island?” I think he gently said: “Right in your own home.” I laughed to myself and said “Okaaaaaay.” This was my introduction. I am proud to say I made it through 7 days of Banana Island (yes that’s bananas only for 7 days) with only one minor interruption on Day 4, when my second batch of bananas was not ripe enough (as he predicted). I ate grapes to get by, with his permission, and felt like I was cheating! I did consumed 25-30 bananas a day (trying to get in 2700-3000 calories to meet my training needs), mostly in smoothie form as I was not comfortable eating that many at a time. I slowly added in some greens after that week (including celery), then slowly more fruits/vegetables after that, limiting variety to keep things simple and un-stimulating (since that was a problem for me). I was not perfect after that beginning, nor am I perfect now, but I was and am a far cry from where I was before.

What benefits have you noticed?

I have been able to overcome many hurdles, realizing results and epiphanies that can only be achieved on 100% low fat raw vegan. Physically, I feel finer tuned, lighter, more flexible and leaner than when I am eating cooked food and I have considerably less digestive stress, though sometimes some fruits/vegetables still cause some digestive issues, of which I am working through. I have a “reservoir” of energy, power and strength that I’ve been able to tap into on many occasions when I’ve gotten things “right” for me. It’s an awesome feeling. Mentally I am more focused and I feel my vision - not just my physical vision, but my creative vision – has become more finely tuned. Emotionally, I have been able to significantly overcome decades of depression, I feel directly tied to my upbringing on the SAD. I am much more “even keeled” and balanced (no canoe pun intended). I feel there is more of a light coming out from within me. My spirit feels more at home within me. I am more comfortable with “me” socially and with me by myself, and with this “emotional poise” and mental clarity, I feel like I’ve become a better person all-around.

You worked with Dr. Doug Graham in fine-tuning your diet. What were some key tips that he pointed out to you?

1. More sleep – 10-12 hours per day. Yes, I consider this part of my diet (along with sunshine, fresh air, water, etc.). I had been getting 8 hours regularly. I kept a daily workout log with graphs to track my training and my sleep. I was able to slowly work more toward 9 hours per day and occasionally 10 on weekends but have not reached a regular 9 average. This is something I need to work more on. Doesn’t lend for much of a social life with a full-time job and trying to train, but high performance on and off the water is what I want and I am willing to go for it. My choice to take on so many writing projects outside of work, however.

2. Ensure adequate caloric intake, primarily from fruit. Vegetables/greens fill you up (volume) but calorically leave you deficient. www.nutridiary.com is a great way to get a gauge on various foods.

3. Reduce “overt” fat. I have slowly learned that many raw foodists actually eat a very high fat diet, sometimes moreso than the Standard American Diet (SAD). Many raw foodists include a lot of oils and salts, and eat a lot of nuts/seeds, avocados, olives, etc.

4. Fruit is your fuel. You will never need supplements again. Supplements are not substitutes for nature’s raw power.

5. You’re only as strong – or good – as your weakest link.

I continue to read a lot and he has helped me tremendously with unconditional, yet nudging, encouragement and support. And he has connected me with other athletes and individuals he’s worked with. As the old saying goes: “When the student is ready, a teacher will appear.” That’s what happened in August 2007. But, it’s been up to me to do the work.

“Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself.” ~ Chinese Proverb.

How do you deal with other athletes who think what you're doing is crazy?

Athlete or non-athlete, friends, family, dates, you name it - it’s been a mix of genuine interest or “intrigue” or outright desire to argue and get defensive, or, goodness forbid, feel judged, even without saying a word. I love being around people that have a genuine desire to search, to dig deep within themselves, continuing to test assumptions and get more in tune with their bodies. Our bodies speak to us daily. Mine has for decades, and decades of ignoring it led to too many years of being sick and tired. Change doesn’t happen until it’s more painful not to change. As my body transitions even more, going back to old foods, even some “good” cooked foods, is can be pretty painful and uncomfortable at times and really brings me down.

811rv is teaching me to heed my body more and get away from the racket in my head and the social yearnings of my tongue and to “fit in”. It’s much easier to do this than to give in and give up because I feel “different.” I’d rather be different and healthy/vibrant, then fit in and still feel sick and tired. I have found many people pester with questions (mostly during meals), primarily to satisfy their own need to justify their way of eating and living. I have no need or desire to argue or to even justify what I am doing. It’s not worth it – and not worth losing a friendship. I am learning simple strategies to diffuse situations and just simply say “That food does not make my tummy happy, and when my tummy is not happy, I am not happy.” Or “That just doesn’t work for me any more. I am really trying to focus on what my body wants/needs and this seems to be working. My progress and results, and improvements in so many areas of my life tell me I am on the right track. I encourage you to do the same and I want to support you in any way that I can.” Or something to that extent….

Have other athletes or teammates been interested in your lifestyle?

Yes and I enjoy sharing my experiences and hearing theirs. I am getting more opportunities to do public speaking about health and “high performance” in general, along with the canoe/gender equity issues. I am not an Olympic or Professional athlete, but I put in as much time as I can to training, competition, and lifestyle improvements. Working with Dr. Graham and a professional trainer near my home, Kevin Maselka (Elite Physique), along with following my paddling coach’s training program, it is definitely a different path than the “normal” athlete. But, people see a 40 year old still competing with, and beating, people ½ my age and more. Many wonder “What is she doing?”

This is one of the reasons I am so glad to be associated with OrganicAthlete and finally able to meet some of the OA Pro-Activist athletes. It can be pretty lonely out here and staying connected with others succeeding on a similar path has been incredibly rewarding and energizing. Never doubt the impact of OA or your ability to influence. It’s an honor to be associated with you all.

What words of encouragement or advice would you give to women just starting out in sports and trying to live a raw vegan lifestyle?

Either part of this question: enjoy the journey and have the courage to test yourself every day. Little and big steps – they all count, as long as they are moving forward. A quote by Haywood Hale Broun: “Sports do not build character. They reveal it.” Sports are one avenue to dial into and reveal our inner power – our inner voice. Too many women speak with their bodies in the wrong way, in my humble opinion. And they are focused on aesthetics – a skinny or ripped body, rather than a powerful, strong, agile and graceful body and mind. As Plato said: “You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” To any woman out there – we are all athletes! Even thinking this way will change the way you walk, talk, eat, sleep, engage other people, etc. in any area of your life. Our bodies were made to move and breathe. You don’t have to do a sporting event to reveal your powerful inner you.

I encourage a low-fat raw vegan diet (preferably organic, but local conventional is a good bet too!) and a lifestyle that incorporates plenty of sunshine, fresh air, good water, sleep, rest, nurturing relationships, smiles and hugs, positive self-talk, etc. Even if you cannot be “all-raw” with your diet, try very hard to keep it low fat and avoid the overt oils, salts, and sugars that really keep our taste buds over-activated and our bodies struggling for balance and vitality. Learn to tune into your body and be able to distinguish between true physical hunger, and emotional and mental hunger. The latter two are our downfalls. I know this to be very true for myself.

There is no courage in “trying” – there is courage, and plenty of reward, in doing. “It is surprising what a man [or woman] can do when he has to, and how little most men will do when they don't have to.” (Walter Linn). Don’t wait for a health crisis to make extraordinary change. Extraordinary health and extraordinary performance takes extraordinary effort. Be different. Be extraordinary!