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Heart pushing legs
Farragut’s ex-UT All-American, 5K champ, motivated by son’s challenge
Alan Sloan - Thu, Mar, 15, 2007
Stewart Ellington could have easily run from his Farragut home to the site of Saturday’s inaugural Breakthrough Ribbon Run For Autism off Parkside Drive.
But this four-time All-American distance runner at The University of Tennessee (1992-96) put all his energy into winning the March 10 fund-raising run along Turkey Cove Lane.
There was plenty of motivation.
“We’ve thought our son had autism for about a year, then more and more we’ve learned he’s kinda got an Asperger Syndrome versus functioning autism spectrum,” Ellington said about his 3-year-old son, Grey, minutes after beating a few hundred fellow runners (15:08).
However, Ellington said the news about Grey “was a little bit validating, things always seemed a little harder in our house than others. When we learned it wasn’t just us or him, it was an actual disorder, then it made things a little bit easier.
“We’re starting to get a little help to get him some progress.”
The event included dozens of one-mile Fun-Run and Fun Walk participants. “It’s just great to see other people with the same disorder trying to do something about it, trying to advance a little bit,” Elllington said.
A nurse aesthesis working out of five clinics — mainly Parkwest Medical Center — Ellington has won other fund-raising distance running events since 2006: Dogwood Classic 5K, Fireball 5K, Autumnfest 8K and Farragut Fall 5K (Mayor Bob Leonard Park).
“I’ve just started running seriously again for about a year, I’m getting back into shape,” he said. “I’ve tried to quit the running thing four or five times, but it’s a good outlet for me.”
The Breakthrough course ran through The Cove, a subdivision still under construction with its Turkey Cove Lane entrance running adjacent to Regal Cinema’s Pinnacle 18 Theater.
Ellington’s best NCAA meet finish as a Vol was fourth in the 5K (indoor). “I had the number one time in the country in nineteen ninety-five (10,000 meters) for an American in college (29:04),” said Ellington, also a four-time academic All-American.
Wellington and wife, Tammy, also have a 1-year-old son, Reid.
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