Blues marathon runner Reed Nunnelee giving cancer 'a kick in the face'

On Saturday, Reed Nunnelee of Brandon finally made good on a promise between friends to break the 3-hour mark marathon mark.

Nunnelee, 28, was the first Mississippian to cross the finish line in the Mississippi Blues Marathon, 22nd overall, in 2 hours, 59 minutes, 54 seconds.

But for the former Mississippi College baseball player and father of two, those numbers now have an added significance.

“Any run now is a good run,” Nunnelee said.

In the fall of 2011, Nunnelee was diagnosed with cancer. After a successful operation to remove the tumor, his journey toward a full recovery began.

He was in no shape to run the Blues a year ago, missing the marathon that had become a yearly tradition for him and a few close friends.

But as he continued to recover and train with friend Michael Wright, he took aim again at the 3-hour barrier.

“I was back with vengeance this year,” Nunnelee said. “I knew it was going to be close. My brother was riding his bike beside me and another one of my buddies was riding beside me, too. They were just encouraging me to spill my guts that last 5K.

“That was all I had,” Nunnelee said. “I’ve been thinking about breaking three hours for a couple of years now. To give cancer a good kick in the face felt good.”

A Tupelo native, Nunnelee met his wife Kemily at Mississippi College. Kemily and their children, son Thomas, 3, and daughter Harper, 1 1/2, were there to see Nunnelee cross the finish line. And while his mind was blank during the run — “I was in a nauseous trance,” he said — the moment wasn’t lost on Nunnelee.

“It’s just weird, you think about cancer and you think it’s an old man’s disease,” Nunnelee said. “Here I am, 26 or 27 and I find out I have cancer. It makes you think about your priorities.

“It just puts things in perspective,” Nunnelee said. “Like I said, any run now is a good run. I’m just thankful for the fact that I’m so blessed to get out there and run.”