Local runner, Prince Whatley has found himself running for a new reason in the past couple of years. Prince, who maintains a daily running streak of over 4 years and has run 41 marathons, has a 12-year old daughter, Katie, who was diagnosed with Leukemia on November 3, 2006, just a few days after her eleventh birthday. Prince was scheduled to run a 50-kilometer race (31 miles) in Peachtree City GA that same weekend and ended up with new plans, spending the weekend instead at Children’s Hospital. Prince had always seen “those runners in the purple shirts” at races (Team In Training) and never thought much of it. However, after spending a good bit of time using the resources made available by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and reading many of their publications as he researched his daughter’s illness, he took a second look at one of those Team In Training post cards that he used to just throw away. “I’d always thought Team In Training was just for brand new runners. As a parent, you feel pretty helpless when your child has serious health issues. I saw this as a way to do something positive.” Prince first looked into Team In Training thinking he might be able to help the program out. “I went to the first meeting and realized the first logical step would be to sign up as a team member and raise funds.”
Prince ran the Walt Disney World Marathon on January 13 in Orlando in January 2008 as his first Team In Training event. He took his family with him, Katie (one of the Team’s honored patients), his wife Holly and his older daughter Alice, now 15. They stayed a few extra days after the race and visited the parks. Since then both Prince and Katie have become more involved with Team In Training. Prince is now the Saturday long run coach, and Katie continues to be an honored teammate each season. Katie is now in the maintenance phase of her chemotherapy treatment, which is scheduled to end February 2009. “I used to be a little skeptical of linking fundraising efforts to races, but this experience has opened my eyes. The Team In Training program is a great deal for everyone involved.” Team In Training is geared toward the first time marathoner (they also do half marathons, triathlons and 100-mile bike rides). If you sign up as a participant, Team In Training provides you with coaches, clinics, a long-run group, and they pay your way to the race. In exchange for all of this, the participant has to raise at least four times the cost of getting to the race, which includes airfare, hotel and race entry. Prince ran the inaugural Hueytown 5K/10K in 2005, over a year before his daughter’s diagnosis, coming in second in the 10K to Ellis Porch. In 2008 he returned and again came in second place, this time in the 5K. On this occasion he brought several of his Team In Training participants and had an information booth set up in the race registration area. He had intended to bring Katie to “run the tent” but she couldn’t make it due to an unexpected hospital stay with a high fever. Prince says, “I definitely recommend Team in Training to anyone who has ever thought of running a marathon, anyone affected by blood cancer, and experienced runners too.”
Anyone interested in joining Team in Training can contact the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society office in Birmingham at 989-0098 and ask for Cindy Walton. Team in Training’s website is www.teamintraining.org.
The Hueytown 10K/5K is not only for elite runners. Lamonte Taylor once weighed more than 300lbs! In an effort to lose weight he started jogging at the YMCA in Bessemer. He found running to be an effective tool in losing weight. After losing quite a few pounds (and with very little prodding from our race director), Lomonte agreed to run his first 5K. He did more than just run the Hueytown race, he ran off more than 107lbs in 8 months! Look for Lomonte in this year's field of inspirational runners.
Paul Wilson was born & raised in Hueytown and graduated from Hueytown High School in 1983. At the age of 41, on May 19th, 2006, Paul suffered a heart attack and on May 22nd his heart surgeon Dr. Riggins from Princeton preformed 5 bypasses. Paul was advised by each of his doctors that his recovery was left up to him. He could sit down & get depressed or he could make the best out of life. And everyone that knows Paul knows that he is determined to not let anything defeat him.
He was released from the hospital 3 days later and 1 ½ week after surgery he started walking every morning 1 mile around his neighborhood where he has several supporters. 15 weeks after his surgery he has built his walking and running up to 5 miles a day.
By the approval and release from his cardiologist, Dr. Thomas H. Cawthon, Jr., he is training to run the Hueytown 5k/10k race. As his dear friend, Phil Robertson told him this race is not for him to win or lose it is to prove he can do it not only to himself but to his well supporting family, friends, church and community.
God has truly blessed Paul & created a miracle in his life. So when you feel you can’t possibly accomplish the task in your path put your trust in God as Paul has and remember all things are possible thru Christ Jesus who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)
On September 29th 2007, Paul will be running in his second Hueytown 5K. He is inviting everyone to run the race with him or come and show your support for each of the runners.