Courtesy Photo Tammy Rooney and her friend, Bronda Starling posing before a race. FORT WORTH - Tammy Rooney has been a committed fixture in the Bullard Independent girls athletic program for the longest of any coach currently on the BISD payroll.

It is also no secret to the town folk, as well as sports and tri-athlete enthusiasts stateside, that Rooney also has a true love for competition and been a successful tri-athlete for over 20 years.

Rooney has participated all over the USA with a tenure of marathons, triathlons, Fun Runs, 5K's, 3K's, and you name it, Rooney at some point has run it.

In all those years of sweat, tears, and always among the top in finishers, Rooney most recently won her division in a meet that goes way beyond just another duathlon (bike and run).

There was a deep personal connection that made the win a bit sweeter than her common top-place finishes.

Rooney recently won her age group in the Bronda's Run/Bike Duathlon, held by Ironhead Racing. Each competitor ran two miles, biked 15 miles, and then ran two more miles. Rooney is now scheduled in January to be awarded the Bronda Starling Most Competitive award. The award was won by Starling yearly, and was re-named in her honor after her death.

The two friends were members of the five-state USAT, and each year competitors are ranked and the year is capped-off with the awards banquet in January in Round Rock, Texas.

Starling was a yearly fixture as the winner of the most competitive runner.

Twenty years ago, Rooney became acquainted with another running enthusiast Bronda Starling.

The two began to run together, and ran yearly in the Thurston's Duathlons's and Tyler's, Azalea 10K race.

"She (Bronda) was quite an athlete doing duathlons, races and playing league softball in the Dallas area," said Rooney of her friend. "She also played a major part in the USAT (United States American Triathlon Association), in helping with the ranking department, traveling state-wide to races."

It was back in February of 2007 when doctors first found out she had a brain tumor. After a successful surgery, the tumor came back.

Bringing on chemo-treatments for the second tumor, Starling continued to train and competed in races of which sometimes took friends to help her through.

"One of her dreams was to make her 50th birthday and she succeeded," Rooney added, "and her husband Ron, and friends held a big party for her on January 15 of this year to celebrate her birthday, and I was so glad I got to attend."

The misery however continued for Starling, getting weaker as she fought through three more tumors. Facing her third surgery, Starling still had friends over for Super Bowl Sunday as Bronda fixed dinner for the event.

On July 8, Bronda finally had to give up the fight and passed away.

"I lost a true friend and most of all a great lady who was loved by many," Rooney said.

"She will always continue racing, she'll be at every race I compete in the rest of my life in my thought and prayers," said Rooney. "I feel lucky to have been a part of her life and I will never forget my friend Bronda."