Welcome!  My name is Wendi Culver. I have been running for 40 years! Thanks to having a marathon running dad/coach and a saint of a mom who never missed an event, I had the opportunity to begin my athletic journey at the age of 5 running in fun runs, 5ks and 10ks.  My family went to running events all over Mississippi for as long as I can remember, and would step over to Mobile, AL each year for my mom’s hometown event, the Azalea Trail Run. I remember one of my earliest podiums at the age of 8, winning my age group at the Azalea Trail Run 10k and I look back never knowing a time without running.
     In middle school, I recall being checked out of class as a 7th grader to run the 1 mile at high school track events. I continued long distance running all through school along with playing basketball, softball, and cheerleading.
    My first marathon was in 2001 in Dublin, Ireland, and I've been running marathons ever since. For years, I ran without a watch (literally), with most of my marathons being over 4 hours. I ran because I loved to run and didn’t want a watch telling me HOW I was doing.
     Running has always been my favorite time to be alone with God to pray, reflect, and just be outside. In 2018, after a very difficult season of loss, running became a form of therapy. It was a time to recover, push through heartache, weep, laugh, and even rejoice. Some days, all at once! After a few months,  I decided to sign up for a 5k race with my dad and son and ended up winning the women’s division. My dad told me it was time to put the watch back on and see what I could do. Running solo most of the time, a neighborhood friend, Greg Oliver, invited me to run with the 6:00 a.m. Brookwood O’Henry’s (BOH) Saturday crew. I remember showing up so nervous, the parking lot was full of runners. Two of the first guys I met were Cary Morgan and Brooke Dodson. Since that day, I have met some of my closest friends/training partners running from that very parking lot and haven't been able to escape the Birmingham Running Community since.
     In February 2019, I ran my now hometown marathon, the Mercedes Marathon, paced by my great friend Micah Morgan, obtaining my first of many Boston Qualifying times. Since then, I have proudly worn the Cadence jersey, coached by the one and only Cary Morgan, whom I not only call my coach, but dear friend.  I was set to run Boston 2020 and then the pandemic hit. When the race was cancelled and all travel stopped, I planned the most epic virtual Boston race involving as many local runners as possible, family, and friends . In 2021, I was 1st overall female at the Tupelo Marathon qualifying me for both the 2022 and 2023 Boston Marathons. In 2022, I was able to finally line up in Hopkinton and I think I may have wept, while smiling, the entire 26.2 miles to Boston. I hope to continue running as long as the Lord allows, continue to BQ, and make it to Boston as many times as I can.
     I love running and consider my ability to run a true gift from God. While I love being on the roads as much as any runner, I love people even more. I get most excited when I see friends reach their goals of running (or any goals really) which is why I am so excited about coaching the sport I love most. I coached high school church league basketball and many seasons of my son’s t-ball and baseball teams in the past. I have paced many races, even some runners to their own Boston Qualifiers. I love leading, mentoring, coaching and am super excited to add Cadence Coaching to the next chapter of my journey.  I am a full time Federal Employee of nearly 20 years, where I direct and lead hundreds of employees. I am also super involved in my church community where my husband is pastor. Any spare time I have, not on the roads running, I am with family and friends, enjoying the outdoors, hunting, fishing, camping, and even learning to white water kayak.
     I graduated from the Mississippi University for Women and received my master’s degree in Counseling from Mississippi State University. Even though I was born and raised in Mississippi, Alabama is home. My husband, Chris, and I have been married for over 20 years now and they have the most amazing son, named Gibson. Chris and Gibson are my biggest cheerleaders.