Jesse Davis
Men's Marathon
Qualifying Time: 2:17:30
Qualifying Race: 2023 CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental Marathon
Date of Birth
11/14/81
Age on Race Day
42
Current Residence
Omaha, NE
Hometown
Bloomington, IN
High School
Bloomington High School South
Current Affiliation
Indiana Elite Athletic Club/Personal Best Training
Profession
Run Speciality Training Manager at the Runners Forum
Marathon PB
2:17:30
First Trials qualification
No
Previous Trials
2012, 2016
Number of attempts to qualify
2
College(s)
Ball State University and the University of Southern Indiana
Career Highlights
3-time Olympic Trials Qualifier (2012, 2016, 2024); 5th, 2015 50K Road World Championships; 2017 100K USATF National Champion; 24th; 2018 100K Road World Championships; 2021 USATF Masters Club Cross Country Champion; 2022 USATF Masters 10K and Half Marathon Champion; 2006 Division II Indoor 800m All-American.
Family
My wife, Dr. Naomi Schmalz, has a PhD in Anatomy and Physiology. We both moved to Omaha, NE, in the fall of 2022 after she accepted an assistant professor position at Creighton University School of Medicine. We previously lived in Indianapolis, IN. The rest of my family, including my grandparents, Gary and Helen Davis, live in my hometown of Bloomington, IN.
Greatest Accomplishment
Making it to three of four Olympic Marathon Trials since 2012. Marrying my wife Naomi was very cool, too.
Interesting Story
After the 2016 Trials I felt like I was done with elite-level marathoning. I still loved running, but my interests were moving toward different distances. I kind of just had fun with running for several years, chasing whatever goals got me excited to run at the time. When I turned 40 in 2021, I started feeling the competitive drive again. I got into masters running and won the 2021 USATF Club Cross Country Championships. The next two years, my fitness grew and grew, so much so that I decided to give marathoning a serious go again. I trained hard and ended up running 2:20:55 last June at Grandma's Marathon. After that I started thinking that I could maybe PR in the marathon again, which is something I thought was long behind me. I put in an amazing summer of training and ended up breaking my marathon PR by 30 seconds one week before my 42nd birthday.
Favorite Book
The Red Rising Saga
Favorite Movie
Breaking Away
Favorite TV Show/Series
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Favorite Song
I typically listen to audiobooks when I run, but I listen to Unstoppable by Sia pre-race on repeat.
Favorite Post-race Indulgence
Bloody Mary
Favorite Breakfast
Bagel and lox
Favorite Motivational Quote
"Swerve me? The path to my fixed purpose is laid with iron rails, whereon my soul is grooved to run. Over unsounded gorges, through the rifled hearts of mountains, under torrents’ beds, unerringly I rush! Naught’s an obstacle, naught’s an angle to the iron way!" - Herman Melville, Moby Dick
Favorite Running Memory
My wife screaming her head off at the Monumental finish line after I qualified for the Trials in October. You had to be there, but it was intense.
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