02 Feb 2005 PTCRC HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE BILL WERLING
Bill Werling is as close to an institution in the club as you can get. He has been a Vice-President of the club three different years, received the RRCA Volunteer award in both 1998 and 2000, and was the club Volunteer of the Year in 2003. He has been the stalwart of the Summer Track series for 16 years, and he is always the first man to report to duty at any club event.
Bill went to college on a baseball scholarship, graduated in 1965, served in Vietnam as an officer, and served in the Army Reserve for 30 years, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. He began running in 1977 to lose weight and thought that running a 10K was an impossible dream. He ran his first Peachtree Road Race in 1978 and hasn’t missed one since. Bill has now run 18 marathons and countless other races. His 1994 Mardi Gras Marathon was his most memorable because the course went through the French Quarter in New Orleans, where he had grown up. His 82-year-old mother walked four blocks to see him run by. It was the last time she saw Bill run, but he made his mother proud by qualifying for Boston that day.
Bill joined the PTC Running Club in 1988 and is an inaugural member of the 1,000 Mile Club. He is now working on his 18th 1,000 mile year (along with Joe Maloy). In retirement, Bill is now a coach at Our Lady of Mercy High School for their cross country and track teams.
People love to give Bill a hard time, but the reality is Bill has worked harder, volunteered for more assignments, and has served the club as much as any other long-time member. Bill’s quirky New Orleans sense of humor has served him well, and if you really want someone to make the long runs go by quicker, just spend a few hours with Bill on the trails of PTC. Thanks for all you do Bill.