Working in Clark County: Dave Caldwell, sport psychology consultant and track coach

Dave Caldwell teaches not only the mechanics of running, but also offers the necessary “whole body and mind” training needed to grow kids into successful athletes through his business, Whisper Running. “These kids want to work hard, and to be treated like runners, not just to hang out at practice,” he says. “Running training is a real science, both psychologically and physically. Like any other sport, running needs off-season training in order to maximize one’s potential during season.”

Business name: Whisper Running, 360-989-0935, www.whisperrunning.com

Age: 42.

Residence: Fisher’s Landing. Practices held all over the Vancouver area.

Educational/professional background: I attended Eastern Washington University, where I earned a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and a master’s in sport and exercise psychology, all the while coaching at Spokane Community College to fill my résumé. Within a year, SCC offered me some teaching duties, and even an opportunity to create a sport psychology class. In 2002, I moved with my college sweetheart to the Vancouver area and had brief coaching stints at Mt. Hood Community College, and then Clark College. Running has always been a way for me to reconnect with myself, collect my thoughts, decompress, and relieve stress. I’ve also been very fortunate to have had some very good coaches in my past who impressed upon me the power of the mind on physical performance. In high school, I was a state qualifier in the 400-meter dash, and I still compete to this day, having run a 5:00.64 at Hayward Field on May 5. I’ve also qualified for the Boston Marathon seven times and have run it twice.

How you got started in your business: I began coaching privately when I took on a seventh-grade cross-country runner from Portland in November 2014. He was a middle-of-the-pack runner in every race when we began working together. The following cross-country season, fall of 2015, he finished third at the district meet, and by the end of his eighth-grade year, he set the school records in the 400- and 800-meter dashes, winning districts in both, and I soon began working with a few of his teammates. In the meantime, my daughter was also running middle school cross-country. I was really impressed by her head coach’s knowledge and enthusiasm, as well as his ability to juggle more than 100 middle school runners (all girls). However, as I began to look around the conference, I noticed a severe need for offseason training. In October 2016, Whisper Running was formed.

Personal/business philosophy: My Whisper Running slogan is “A full-mind approach to achieving your running potential” and I stand by that through the integration of sport psych principles and my training theory.

Most rewarding part of job: The first is when the kids work so hard for so long, having set personal records right off the bat, and they continue to improve through year. The next is when they form bonds with runners from other schools and see each other at meets and invitationals. I always ask that they take pictures together, because as a parent and coach, I know how fast time goes by, and I want the kids to have those moments locked into their memories for life!

Most challenging part of job: The most challenging part of my job is to make sure I don’t spread myself too thin. Working for myself in a field that I am passionate about is great, but I learned quickly not to take on too many clients at one time to ensure the quality of what I can provide is sustainable. After all, I run with the kids at almost every practice. I only have so many steps in the day, and even coach gets tired.

Something surprising about your work: From the perspective of my clients, when they first join, they are always surprised to hear that I will be running with them. If sport psych wasn’t involved, I would probably take more of a “guide on the side” approach. However, I want them to experience the discomfort of running faster than what they are accustomed to, which can only happen when they are hanging onto speed or distance just out of their comfort zone, yet still within reach of attainment.

Why “Whisper”: A lot of it has to do with quieting the mind and letting the body do what it is trained to do, listening to the rhythms of your toes on the ground, quieting the body. It’s a non-threatening name, and it just sounds good and rolls off the tongue. It envelops a lot of things.

Best feature of my Clark County community: The community parks and trails. Vancouver is nestled between Camas and Portland, and between the three, there are a number of beautiful places and trails to run. From a business standpoint, using local and free resources like SCORE (a group of retired executives who serve as small business consultants) has been a huge help.

What would make your community a better place: Continue voting “YES” for parks and trails in the local communities. Parks and trails offer a place to unwind from the daily grind and they are great alternatives to otherwise less healthy habits. Also, supporting your local running clubs like Clark County Running Club, and of course, Whisper Running.

Favorite travel destination and type: My wife and I love to travel and explore the world, but we typically like to include some sort of race within our travels. We usually travel to a destination to take part in a half or full marathon, and then we stick around that community to take in the culture and landscapes. The best way to get a true sense of the culture and landscape are on your feet, where you can feel the roads, see the people, smell the aromas, and create dialogue with other runners from those communities. The latest was the Dopey Challenge at Walt Disney World, and before that was the Rock and Roll Marathon in Washington, D.C.

Favorite restaurant/pub/coffee shop/store: Fleet Feet would be too obvious, and true, but Camas Antiques is one of my favorites.

Hobbies: Being with my family, running, and training kids. The saying, “If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life,” is something I try to live by.

Most enjoyable book/play/movie/arts event in past 12 months: Book, “Change or Die.” Play, any theatrical, but especially Cirque du Soleil. TV, Psych re-runs.

On your playlist: When Isaac and Suke from AM1080 aren’t on, it’s Dave Matthews or Bob Marley.

Something you’d like to do this year/within five years: Open an indoor running facility that has community resources, similar to the Armory Track in New York. Our community needs something resourceful for kids in need of healthy hobbies, tutoring, financial aid recourses, college information, safe places to play, etc. I would love to open up a facility that can meet all of these needs.

One word to describe yourself: Insightful.

Person you’d most like to meet: Another middle-of-the-pack runner.