When I contacted this week's East Nasty of the Week (ENOW), he responded with complete shock & said that he never figured he'd be an ENOW. I assured him that we do one sympathy ENOW a year, so you know, he didn't really deserve it. Kidding!

Nasties, it is my pleasure to introduce you to our newest ENOW, Whitney Hulette!

Whitney was born in Nashville and grew up in Brentwood. When he was younger, he was REAL energetic and hyper and his only focus was music and singing. He started classical voice lessons at age 6 and continued until he was 22. In high school, he played lacrosse, shot on the rifle team and performed in several plays and musicals (ahem, alongside Phil Zimmerman).

Whitney graduated from MTSU after the extended 6 year program with a degree in Recording Industry Management. He ran a recording studio, sang with the University's choir and traveling vocal group and was a member of Beta Theta Pi fraternity.

Whitney's present job is growing a beard & not responding to emails. He parenthetically adds that he sold his company a few years ago and spent a year and a half gutting & remodeling his house, 'Big Red'.

Whitney started running in 2011 because he had become, in his words, "a fat, lazy boss". His biggest accomplishment in running has been preparing for and finishing the Flying Monkey Marathon in August of 2013. Prior to that, the longest race he had run was 6 miles.

Whitney heard about East Nasty and started running with us when Phil Zimmerman, who has been his best friend since birth, introduced him to our group in the summer of 2012.

Lifelong friend and fellow ENOW, Phil Zimmerman, says, "I've known Whitney his entire life, and most of mine. He is the very definition of a loyal friend. Whether it is helping with a flooded basement, meeting my newborn daughter, or crewing for a trail race, Whitney is first to show up and ask what he can do. I am thrilled he has caught the running bug in the last two years, and watching him go from a non-runner to a Monkey finisher has been an amazing experience. Congrats on ENOW!!"

Phil, Andy & Whitney at Flying Monkey start

Whitney says, "East Nasty, since day one, has meant the world to me; it has been my family. There are several people in EN that I am closer to than some of my actual family members. This group helped me release my mind from dealing with a major life changing event."

Whitney's favorite memory is having all the people from East Nasty at the mile 19 water stop at Flying Monkey, cheering and giving encouragement (and beer), and the group of guys he trained and worked so hard with standing at the finish line and cheering him on. Then getting to have a shot and a celebratory beer with them, because, Whitney says, "Without that group of East Nasties, I could not have done it: Phil, Cheyenne, Zach, Andy, Jim, Duane and Duane's life-sized monkey tattoo poster board sign".

When Whitney's not playing Will It Beard, he loves singing, rock climbing, gardening, and now, training for Ironman Louisville.

Whitney, you're a good sport & you deserve this honor. Congrats & welcome to the ENOW club!