I'd favor Bob West's advice a bit more than Steve's (sorry Steve!). Staying high (8-10K') for as many days as possible prior to Whitney is the key. If you've done rigorous conditioning in the months leading up to the Whitney trip, that should be sufficient for conditioning, and give your body a rest in the week before the big one. Let your body adjust to the altitude, and huge difference in climate between the very humid Alabama air and the exceptionally dry air of the Eastern Sierra. Drink lots of water, especially.
