Sally Whitney is running strong at 75 despite a traumatic brain injury (submitted photo).
Sally Whitney, a resident at Holiday Madison Meadows, would not have guessed that her future held 400 5K race finishes and an induction into the Arizona Runners Hall of Fame, because at 10 years old, she suffered a traumatic brain injury that left her partially paralyzed.
The senior living community that Whitney has called home for more than 10 years said that in the decades following her injury, she continued to do physical therapy and worked hard to stay fit. When she was experimenting with the 1980s trend of going to a fitness gym, she was handed a flyer for a local race and decided to give it a try.
In the Phoenix running community, Whitney found encouragement and acceptance as she jogged and walked her way to the finish line, even if she was usually the last to cross.
“Somebody must be last, and I did it in style, with a six-man motorcycle police escort. Talk about being spoiled,” Whitney said, referencing the sweeper crew that follows the final athlete in a race to ensure everyone reaches the finish and receives aid if needed.
She was inducted into the Arizona Runners Hall of Fame in 2013, alongside three former Olympians.
“When I gave my acceptance speech, all I could say was I don’t know what I am doing here, I am just doing the best I can with what I got,” the septuagenarian said. “I was chosen because I don’t quit.”
Now at the age of 75, Whitney is still doing the best she can with what she’s got. In addition to staying physically active by swimming and walking, she says having a social outlet has been critical for her as well, both of which she says are readily available at Holiday Madison Meadows, located at 7211 N 7th. St.
