Chris Womack

At age 26, I had the world by the tail. As a new Ph.D., I had my first academic appointment, a new house and a new marriage. Three years later, all of those things were gone. The job didn't work out like I wanted and I took a research position. My wife decided she didn't want to be married anymore and didn't come with me. So, by age 30 I had learned that I wasn't in control. A hard lesson for a control freak. I had grown up going to church, but it didn't have much meaning for me. I decided to start going again during this rough period. The pastor at the church I started attending was a really great guy and seemed to be genuinely interested in me, rather than recruiting another member of the congregation. After attending a weekly bible study at his house, I decided to give over control of my life to Jesus. It was actually an easy decision as I was pretty sure he'd do a better job of it than I would. Since then, I have felt a lot more fulfilled in the last 10 years than I did in my first 30 years. I've got a new wife and wonderful stepson, a career I love and a much better attitude.

My Life

Friends describe me

humorous

My hobbies

running, reading, watching my stepson play high school football.

Fantasy dinner guests

Jesus (Have to have that one, right?), Thomas Jefferson, Arthur Lydiard, Bill Cosby

Best advice I ever received

Hard to say, a lot of things my dad told me over the years have proved true...

My undergrad alma mater

James Madison University

My worst subject in school

Geology. I could have done better, but I took this freshman year and didn't concentrate on it much.

In college I drove

72 Plymouth Valiant. Ugly green color. It was beautiful.

If I weren't a professor, I would

be an engineer.

Favorite books

Once a Runner, Running with the Buffaloes, Screwtape Letters, Blue Like Jazz, The Junction Boys, The Great Divorce, The Bible

Favorite movies

Wedding Crashers, Old School, Good Will Hunting, Dogtown and Z-boys, Juno

Favorite city

Harrisonburg, VA

Favorite coffee

Whatever's coming out of my coffee maker, not picky...

Nobody knows I

have grown to like my wife's little yappy dog.

My latest accomplishment

qualified for the Boston Marathon.