WASTING TIME IS NOT AN OPTION FOR STAMPS
Published on July 17, 2001
© 2001- The Press Democrat
BYLINE: Bob Padecky
PAGE: C1
COLUMN: Bob Padecky
A rolling stone gathers no moss and neither does 22-year-old Julia Stamps: sky-diver, snow skier, water skier, scuba diver, surfer, hunter, fisherwoman, rock climber, Congressional intern, four-time All-American runner, owner of a bachelor's degree in sociology from Stanford and a few units away from earning her master's degree in the same discipline, traveler to New Zealand in December to work with local governments, contemplating either Stanford Law School or her doctorate in sociology while planning to climb Mount Kilimanjaro sometime next spring.
And in her spare time, she's learning open heart surgery. OK, OK, the Santa Rosa native is not learning open heart surgery, although it is a shame because Julia does have four minutes on Tuesday and six minutes on Friday when she isn't doing anything.
``I don't know where she gets her energy,'' said her mom, Valerie. ``It isn't from Dan or me.'' That's because Valerie and Dan Stamps sleep and don't have a nuclear reactor as a power source.
Oh, and by the way, Julia is recovering from a broken leg, which will prevent her from competitive running for two years.
``She is doing things to fill the void,'' said mom, making what may be the mother of all understatements.
The void began March 12 when she suffered a compound fracture of her left foot in a skateboarding accident. ``It was like taking a broom handle and snapping it in half,'' her mom said.
Her running career -- Stamps was touted once as being America's next Mary Decker -- is in mothballs. Her last competitive race was November 1999. It will be, she said, 2003 before she can race again. Did Stamps, a running junkie if there ever was one, climb into bed and pull the covers of depression over her, knowing it would be close to four years between races?
``If you fall off the horse,'' Stamps said, ``get back up.''
Her left leg still in a halo cast that has four screws and 15 pins secured to her limb, Stamps announced to her parents she wanted to work for a congressman during the summer. ``Dan rolls his eyes,'' said Valerie, ``and says, `That's sweet, honey.' A month later, it's done.''
Jim Ryun, the former celebrated U.S. miler, is now a Republican representing a Kansas House district. He and his two sons, also runners, had met Stamps and become friends with her as she traveled to track meets nationwide. Ryun befriends athletes who have brains. Julia Stamps is now in Congress, been to the White House, met President Bush last Friday.
``How is your leg?'' Bush asked after noticing her cast.
Stamps has gathered information for Ryun on Native American water rights and stem-cell research. She gladly accepts her role as political ``gofer'' with an occasional perk: Stamps was given a special pass to sit on the White House lawn and enjoy the Capitol's Fourth of July fireworks display.
``Am I as satisfied (as running)?'' Stamps said from Washington. ``I feel enjoyment. I want to return to running. I'll only do that if I can compete at the same level or beyond. Otherwise, I'll become a recreational runner. I always knew there was a world out there besides running. Now I'm experiencing it. Wow, it's pretty incredible.''
In some ways Julia Stamps is running as fast as she always has. Her mother describes an e-mail she received this week from her daughter about her trip abroad later this year. ``Mom,'' she writes, ``I just want to run my itinerary by you.' One week in Honolulu. Two weeks in Christchurch (New Zealand). Four weeks in Westport (N.Z.). Three days in Fiji. Three days in the Cook Islands. Two weeks in Tanzania. One week in Berlin. One week in Barcelona. One week in Milan. Sometime soon I'm going to make an appointment to get my teeth cleaned.''
No word yet on where that might happen. Most likely, though, it will be after Fiji but before Barcelona.