Ameris Bank Jacksonville Marathon - Jacksonville, FL - December 15, 2018
After DNF'ing two weeks prior at California International Marathon, Holly Davis stood at the starting line of yet another marathon. What would the day bring? How would the race go down? The answers to these questions unfolded over the 26.2 mile course.
Finish Time: 2:49:39
Place: 1st Overall Female
Holly, 23, won convincingly by 1:59 over the next female finisher. We had a chance to recently catch up with the former UCF runner who now splits time between Florida and North Carolina.
Jacksonville was a personal best by how much?
It was a personal best by over 5 minutes. I ran the 2017 TCS New York City Marathon in 2:54:52.
Your marathon goal was to PR and qualify for the Olympic Trials. Break it down for us.
My primary goal is to qualify for the Olympic Trials by running 2:44:xx and in doing so, that would be a PR. I am pleased that I ran 2:49:39 at Jax, but that time does not get me to the Olympic Trials, so I am not satisfied just yet. At times, it seems like a terrifying undertaking because it is such a lofty goal, but I firmly believe that if your goals do not scare you, then they aren’t big enough.
How often do you train?
I train every single day, and rest days absolutely count as training. Training also includes core, strength and conditioning, massage therapy, adequate sleep, and nutrition.
Do you prefer to train alone or with others? Any good running partners?
I prefer a good mixture of solo runs and partnered runs. I think that running alone is important for strengthening yourself mentally because only you can tell yourself to keep going when the going gets tough. It is also important to train with other people because you need to give your mind a break. There is also an incredible bond that forms from grinding out hundreds of miles with someone. My primary training partners are Kayla Atkinson, Jen Absher, Esther Adkins, a stellar group called The Asheville Running Collective, and of course the phenomenal Viera Pizza Race Team.
What keeps you motivated?
Growth - I want to be the best that I can be in both running and life. I believe that God graciously blessed me with the talent and the drive to excel in running and therefore, I need to utilize it. I want to see just how far and how I fast I can run.
Goals - I set aggressive, yet attainable goals for myself. Goal races help to shape my training and they give me a reason to train, particularly on the days when I struggle to do so.
Competition - Competition with others and within yourself helps to you to grow and work harder to achieve your goals. This is the reason that I choose to surround myself with women that are not only fiercely driven and competitive, but that are also of the mindset that we need to build one another up rather than tearing one another down. Shalane Flanagan said it best, “It’s not so lonely at the top if you bring others along.”
CIM didn't go well for you. How did you walk away from the DNF and gather yourself back to compete 2 weeks later?
It took a few days to process everything that happened at CIM. Once I figured out what caused me to become nauseous, throw up at Mile 18 (pro-tip: do not put 100+ grams of sugar into your body within 13-miles), and therefore DNF, I chastised myself for making such an avoidable mistake. When you train for over three months for a race where, if you don’t meet your goal you do not get to go out and try again the next weekend, it’s difficult to come to terms with the fact that it did not go as planned.
Thankfully, my coach, Bill Vanos, immediately shifted my focus to what I could do to salvage the three months of intense training that I had completed, and we agreed that I should give it another shot at the Jacksonville Marathon two weeks later. My friend, Cheryl Sobering, had suggested the race and her husband, Marcus, graciously offered to register and pace me for as far as he could go.
In some ways, the DNF at CIM helped to take off quite a bit of the pressure for Jacksonville. I was on pace for 2:44 through Mile 16 and then I got to experience “The Wall” for the first time. Going into Jax, I knew that I had a shot to win it and that is part of what kept me going the last six to eight miles when my legs hurt. Additionally, I had support from my boyfriend, Spencer Chipman, the entire way and I knew that my friend, Kayla Atkinson, was racing the half-marathon and that she was most likely going to win. With that in mind, I hung on for dear life and crossed the finish-line as the first place woman with a new PR of 2:49:39. It was a bittersweet victory just two weeks after a disappointing DNF at CIM.
What did it feel like to cross the finish line in Jacksonville?
It was a truly joyous moment for multiple reasons. First, all of the hard work, sacrifices, tears, and preparation had finally culminated in a massive PR and my first marathon win. Secondly, to win the second marathon that I have ever run felt amazing. Lastly, moments after crossing the finish-line, I found out that Marcus ran a PR of 2:46, Kayla won the half-marathon, and Cheryl ran a PR in the half-marathon. The fact that my incredible friends had such stellar races was the icing on the cake.
Who inspired you and supported you on this journey?
Spencer Chipman has been unwaveringly supportive from the very beginning. He leads by example in both the little things and the big things, he picks up the pieces when I come apart, and he reminds me that it is a good thing that I am strong, independent, and outspoken. Thank you infinitely, Spence.
Alison Sukolsky is the reason that I began this journey over three years ago. She understands the joy, the heartbreak, and everything in between. Simply put, she gets it. Thank you for your friendship, wisdom, and encouragement, Alison.
Jen Absher is a rare ray of sunshine. She is consistently positive, uplifting, and generous. She sets big goals and does not back down. Thank you for every run, dinner, and lots of laughter, Jen.
Bill Vanos, Shane & Brittany Streufert, Marcus & Cheryl Sobering, Nathan & Megan Adams, Betsy Hughes, and Michele Birdwell thank you for going above and beyond with your support, encouragement, and friendship. You are my inspiration. You are who I thought of during the tough miles of the marathon. Thank you forevermore.
And thank you from the bottom of my heart to the innumerable friends and family that have cheered me on during this journey. At the end of the day, running is just running. However, the amazing people that are in my life because of it have my heart. Thank you.
What's next on the plan?
I’m excited to say that training has officially begun for the next big race which is the Gate River 15K in March. The game plan for the marathon is being kept under wraps for the time being. The reason for this is I believe that I put too much pressure on myself leading up to CIM and it was not healthy for me mentally. However, I will say that I am planning to go for it one more time!
