Racing for state: Priceville senior wins state track title

By Aubrey Weddington 

For the Enquirer  

Feb. 4, Priceville High School senior Adam “Woody” Taylor ran 800 meters in less time than the average television commercial at the Alabama Indoor State Track Meet in Birmingham, winning the state title with his time of 1:56. The two-day meet consisted of qualifying runners from high schools across the state.  

800 meters is equivalent to one-half of a mile, or four laps around the indoor track at the Birmingham Crossplex. Taylor claimed the state title in the 4A-5A division. His personal record of 1:55, which he ran Jan. 27 at the Last Chance Invitational, placed him 23rd in the country for the 800-meter run amongst high school athletes.  

Taylor began running both cross country and track in the sixth grade, but he did not run his first open 800-meter race until his junior year of high school. His first open 800 time was a 2:06 during last outdoor track season, and he decreased his time to a 1:57 by outdoor state this past May, placing fourth in the state.  

This indoor season included only four meets in which he managed to lower his time from a 2:00 to a 1:55. He will begin this outdoor track season seeded as first in the state for the 800-meter run.  

After this season,Taylor will continue running cross country and track at the University of Alabama at Huntsville.