The Member Spotlight shines on Danny Wooton

By Lou Slaces, running reporter 

            Old Lou was running past some telephone poles recently when the story of Danny Wooton came to mind.  It seems that back in about 1989 the stress of being a mining engineer resulted in Danny starting to have chest pains and just feeling not nearly as good as he thought a 35 year old should at that stage. At the urging of his doctor to get some exercise to ease the stress, and accompanied by wife Angie, he and she decided they would see if they could walk a mile on a road past their house that had a bunch of telephone poles.  Surprised at the fact that they could do so, it wasn’t long before they decided they would up the tempo of their walk by walking to a telephone pole, jogging to the next, walking another and jogging another till they were done.  In what Old Lou considers world record time, they went from that stage to founding and directing a venerable race in our area, The Watermelon Run, in 1991 – less than 2 years later.  The metamorphosis from just making it from “pole to pole” to race director was to progress even farther to Danny becoming a Boston Qualifier under 3:20 by the time he reached 40 in 1994 ! 

 So what is the key to this kind of fast progression?  Danny mentioned three keys.  The first of which is to have a wife like Angie who also runs with him. (Angie has her own story which is quite interesting, but Ol Lou is saving that for later)  He explains that when he and she are out running, there really isn’t anything to do but talk to each other, and so a half hour to hour run really keeps the communication open between the two of them.  That “family run” also provided a common interest for their son ( now 29) and daughter ( now 26) who both ran in high school and continue to run some even  today with Mom and Dad. (By the way, now  Grandpa to a one year old, Danny has developed a new found respect for the Baby Carriage pushers in those races)   So the activity really turned into an excuse for family time, and running became an excuse for taking vacations to places they hadn’t been before.  That really keeps the interest level high ! 

Danny’s second key is having a friend who had been a runner and who helped him with a plan.  Luckily for Danny, a fellow he worked with helped him with a plan and explained the need to gradually work his mileage up, and with some good coaching tips, he made really great steady progress.  Danny says that having a few tips from those in the know is a key to doing well in this sport.

  That third tip from Danny?  In one word, “Persistence” .  Danny says the main tip he has for others that has kept him enjoying the sport and helped him to do what he has is just this:  “Just keep at it”.  He says that makes all the difference in the world.  And Ol Lou notes that when it comes to persistence, Danny is not just all talk.  He has managed to keep running through a collapsed lung -- the only noticeable drawback from which Danny claims is that he can’t quite go as fast as he used to.  (Note to readers, Ol Lou just didn’t have the heart to break it to Danny that maybe that over 40 thing might contribute somewhat to the lack of speed problem, too.).

So next time you go jogging past some telephone poles, remember Danny.  Ol Lou figures he is a lot like Danny.  He is pretty persistent and he has friends who can give him some running tips.  The thought crossed old Lou’s mind that if having a wife like Angie helped, maybe Ol Lou should get two wives like Angie.  I’ll keep the runner’s club advised on my progress towards that goal in the next edition. 

Danny’s best short joke:  (Unfortunately, reflects his mining engineer background):  Show me a piano falling down a mine shaft, and I’ll show you A Flat Minor