Eva Allbritton - Saturday Delivery

On Easter Sunday morning in 1970, the angels opened up the heavens and Eva was born in Americus, Georgia and proved to be a remarkable survivor.  She was placed in foster care initially until her birth father could take her into his household.  Her father was coping with the responsibility of raising four other children and the financial strain proved too great, so Eva was placed for adoption.  Hilda and Woodrow Cooper lovingly adopted Eva and relocated her to the small rural community of Darby, Florida.  Eva as a toddlerEvenings were hot, muggy, and filled with music as David and Howard Bellamy, better known later as the hit country duo the Bellamy Brothers, lived across the road.  One of their biggest hits that Bob Slowpants remembers was “If you had a Beautiful Body Would You Hold it Against Me”.  Tragedy struck when her adopted mother Hilda passed away when Eva was age ten.  Eva graduated from nearby Pasco High School in 1988.

Eva married in 1989 and began a short career in retail, working at McDonalds, Wal-Mart and the Movie Gallery respectively.  Eva moved from one sweltering locale to another landing in Eastman, Georgia (years before the city fathers erected signage indicating that this was the hometown of Dr. Bo Ryles). Eva took care of her adopted father Woodrow, who was suffering from emphysema and passed away in 1997. That year marked the turning point in Eva’s life as she landed a job with the U.S. Postal Service as a part time postal clerk in greater Eastman. In 2004 Eva transferred to north Georgia seeking a full time opening with the Post Office.  Although technically part time, Eva worked forty hours a week by doing what was necessary to succeed by reporting for work at 3 AM.  Divorce in 2006 resulted in Eva settling in Woodstock, Georgia.  She was promoted to a supervisor position and has supervised in the Post Offices in Canton, Kennesaw, Smyrna, Woodstock, Rome and Cedartown.  Eva has also served as the Officer In Charge (fill in Post Master) at the Post Offices in Tate, Cave Spring, Lindale, Cedartown and Silver Creek.   

Eva and her bestie Ron LandenSeveral of Eva’s co-workers were into running and that peeked her interest in exercising.  Eva began to train by running as far as she could, then walking, then running again.  Her first foray into the sport was a 5K in North Carolina.  Inspired by not finishing last, she sought races closer to home but was limited by her work schedule to evening or holiday races.  She participated in the July 4^th 2009 Woodstock Freedom Run 5K achieving PR of 30:32. Eva quickly became part of the running family via introductions to other regulars by Tim Bagley and Rhonda Trainor.        

In June 2010 Eva placed first in her age group at the No Time for Pain 5K in Sandy Springs.  The race raised funds for endometrioses, a disease that Eva had suffered from in her early twenties.   In 2012 Eva started to experience discomfort in her chest when she ran.  Medical opinion was that she did not have any need to be concerned.  The discomfort continued when running turning to terrible pain in November 2012 at the Tribble Mill Run for Shelter 5K.  A cardiologist battery of tests revealed that Eva had a 95% to 99% blockage of a heart artery.  After surgically having a stint implanted into the blocked artery, her race time begin to return to what Eva considered a normal range for her.  Her post operative accomplishment was placing as the top female master in the October 2014 Run to the Center in Jeffersonville GA.  

Eva with David Eckles and Troy GarlandEva’s work schedule has progressed to where she does not have to work every weekend.  This has allowed her to assist Tim Bagley with his timing responsibilities for Classic Race Services.  This has cut into her race participation. Eva reflects that she “has made some wonderful friendships and met some amazing people” and assisting Tim allows her to keep up with the racing family.  Her goal is to promote the Black Bag Race Series and to earn a 2014 Clover Glove jacket.       

Bob checking out from the back of the pack.  Watch for the New Year’s profile on Athens runner Booker Orsley and on running barrister Mary Beth Forwood.