Going the Distance with Denice Davis

story by cindy reid

photography by susan deloach

Denice Davis is truly an inspiration. Not only is she the Wellness Director at the YMCA and the mother of three sons, Denice has run ten prestigious marathons, including four Boston Marathons and three New York City Marathons. Even more impressive is the fact that her marathon career came after taking up competitive running while in her thirties.

Always Athletic

Originally from New Jersey, Denice says, “I was an athletic kid. I loved skiing and was a competitive downhill skier. I was also a cheerleader and did a lot of town recreation stuff. But I wasn’t really a tomboy because I enjoyed dresses and makeup!” She continues, “When I was 22 years old, I moved to Boulder Colorado, where I did a lot of recreational skiing. After that I moved to Martha’s Vineyard where I lived for eleven years. That’s where I started running.”

While in Martha’s Vineyard she says “I picked up running and jogging, although they were always part of my exercise program, and I started personal training, but none of it was competitive.” After  eleven years in Martha’s Vineyard, Denice made the move to Beaufort. She says, “I had visited the area previously and fell in love with it. I needed to be by the water and within two months we were here.” Denice and her children settled in on Lady’s Island, and she started working at the YMCA as an instructor and personal trainer, eventually filling the position of Wellness Director.

First Marathon

When asked about what motivated her to become a marathon runner in her thirties, Denice says, “I started competitive training after the birth of my third son. My friends from the YMCA – they lit the fire again! I did a couple of smaller races and did well, and then I did a half marathon in Columbia, SC and I placed third in my age group. Once I did that, that was it!” For the non runners, a half marathon is 13.1 miles and a full marathon is 26.2 miles.

She continues, “In 2011, I had a friend who challenged me to sign up for the Marine Corps Marathon which is  known as the ‘People’s Marathon’ and is held in Washington, DC. I said I didn’t know if I could do it, and my friend, who was by then deployed, said ‘ if I am training in Afghanistan,  you can train in Beaufort!’ I am always one for a challenge so I started training. “

She continues, “We went with our families to Washington, DC. The ‘People’s Marathon’ is one of the top ten marathons and the environment is extremely patriotic. I was running my first marathon with a Marine, at a big national race, so it was totally  ‘go big or go home’!”

Denice competed in the ‘People’s Marathon’ two years in a row, and did so well she qualified for the Boston Marathon in 2013. As she says, “Only ten percent of marathon runners worldwide who apply for the Boston Marathon are accepted, so it is a big deal to be accepted.”

Boston Marathon

At her first Boston Marathon in 2013, Denice joined thousands of other runners competing in the prestigious event. She says, “They had 24,000 runners, which is the average size. The Boston Marathon is very exciting, and I did really well, better than the two marathons I had previously run. I ran my ‘personal best’ marathon time, which was 3 hours, 27 minutes.”

That was the good part. She pauses before continuing. “I had finished the race and was a block away from the finish line . I had friends waiting on Boylston Street and family visiting at Martha’s Vineyard. I made a last minute decision to leave downtown Boston for Martha’s Vineyard, so I hopped in a cab.”

She says, “I had just shut the cab door when everything shook. It was the distinct sensation of an explosion. I went from this incredible endorphin high, from running the race, to a bomb exploding. Boston was prepared and did an incredible job, but I felt totally helpless in that no phones were working, I had no control over the situation, and I was very worried as where my friends were and if they were okay.”

She stops for a moment.  “It definitely jarred me. My kids were upset. I didn’t want to scare my children. I believe it was God’s will that I survived and I became extremely thankful seeing what the victims went through. But I refused to give in to fear and I ran it again the next year. It was a completely positive emotional experience, celebrating the resilience and rebirth of the Boston Marathon.”

This past April Denice ran her fourth Boston Marathon, completing it in 3 hours and 21 minutes, making it  her fastest overall marathon.

NYC Marathon & Beyond

Always up for a new challenge , Denice says “In 2013, I ran the New York City Marathon for the first time. I’ve run NYC times. It is a much more challenging marathon course than Boston. Plus there is a field of 50,000, which is twice as many as Boston.” Impressively Denice, finished in the top 10% all three times. Denice’s future plans include  running the Space Coast Marathon in Coco Beach, Florida  this November,  followed by her  fifth Boston Marathon in April 2017.

Wellness

As Wellness Director of the YMCA,  Denice oversees the Fitness Department, which encompasses all group exercises and  personal training. She has developed a program that individualizes wellness plans for members, providing them with the  opportunity to make positive change in their  health and fitness.  Denice says, “It is a benefit for all members, consisting of four appointments over twelve weeks. It is a personalized guide to the introduction of fitness, which can sometimes be intimating . We can reach out to a larger population, of all different types.” Denice says, “It is a tangible program designed for individual members. They keep a diary and have to be accountable- and eight out of ten are! Our members are proud of their accomplishments, and we can crack the code and get you to a better place.”

She continues, “I am a fan of healthy, which is not necessarily skinny. When people deprive themselves they are setting themselves up for failure. We want to create the building blocks of wellness and a healthy lifestyle.”

Family Time

While marathon running may be a solitary pursuit, for this family running is a family affair. With the strong example and support of their mother, Denice’s children, Max, 14, Jackson, 12, and Ben,7, all race competitively as well. Proud mother Denice says, “My youngest Ben just ran a 5K , Jackson is doing great and  Max is on the cross county track team at Beaufort High School.” Denice’s significant other Lorick Fanning has also become a training partner for Denice. He rides his bike along side of her while she runs her long training run. This has pushed Denice to run faster during her training and she has achieved faster marathon times.

Denice says her family loves being outside and taking advantage of Beaufort’s many beautiful waterways. She says,  “We enjoy being on the boat, and being athletic and active. I am a very family orientated person and would rather be on the water spending time with my family than anything else.”

She smiles and says, “ I am happiest in my life being here. Beaufort is home.”