Empowering Victory: NSW’s Most Positive Road Runner Inspires Health and Triumph Through Willpower, Community, and Positive mindset
When you label your mind unconquerable by outside factors, you can begin to conquer the world.
Once weary of the toll that laborious hours of the building were taking on his body, brain and outside life, Graham Davis;
Started running at age 47.
Completed his first-ever marathon at 48.
Learnt how to swim at 60 so he could compete in triathlons.
Beat bowel cancer at 61.
Competes in marathons and triathlons worldwide.
Continues to hold onto the crown of the fastest runner of his age bracket at a magnificent 71.
Smiles until his cheeks touch his ears, warming all in his surrounding into a state of kama muta.
This year on July 23rd, Graham ran the Sydney Harbour 10k with a mighty time of 48:28, defending his title as the fastest runner in his age group, and used the opportunity to raise vital funds for the ACRF, Australian Cancer Research Foundation, whose work helped to save his life.
Just 4 months earlier, on March 5th 2023, he completed the Tokyo marathon in 4.41.07 and has qualified to be invited to compete in the World Marathon Age Group Championships being run in conjunction with this year’s Chicago Marathon 2023 and Boston 2024, which he is also competing in for gold.
Graham’s commitment and unbounded enthusiasm to living joyously are incontrovertible, declaring his personal company to be a zestful drive for anyone feeling rough bumps in life’s unpredictable road.
“A positive attitude gives you power over your circumstances instead of your circumstances having power over you.”- Zig Ziglar.
A few days before Graham was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2013, he completed an IronMan race, considered one of the world’s most harrowing one-day sporting events. By this time, he was no stranger to going the distance, but something about this particular day was just off.
“I had a bad day.” he remembers. “It was wet and cold and I came off the bike. I thought that they wouldn’t let me run because I wasn’t that well.”
Having been born in the UK, Graham grimaced at the thought of being beaten by a drizzly day and drew the strength to compete and finish the planet’s roughest triathlon.
The call came shortly after from the doctors who had found the cancer early thanks to Graham’s initiative to attend a routine health check-up. A habit that saved his life and could save thousands and thousands more.
Having displayed zero symptoms that would have prompted a doctor’s visit at maybe a later stage in the development of the cancer. If it wasn’t for him consciously taking care of himself, it could have been a very different story.
He later endured surgery to remove part of his colon and chemotherapy and motivated himself to push through the side effects, unwilling to let his circumstances dampen his attitude or crumble those around him.
Flicking his arm and laughing he continues, “I just kept saying tick them off. Each steroid injection was another one just ticked off. I felt like lance Armstrong by the end of it because they were having fun trying to find new veins to inject all the time. I said good stuff, let’s go.”
With strength, he kicked cancer to the curb by February 2014. Ten years on, the jovial go-getter continues to urge the public not to be afraid of a routine check-up at the GP and to believe in the power of a positive mindset.
“Cancer does not discriminate, and even as a fitness minded individual, we are not immune to this horrible disease, which is why research is so important”, says Graham campaigning for the ACRF.
“The most important thing anyone can do is get regular check ups. If something not right, get checked, Of everything is alright, still get checked. Early detection is so important. Always stay positive and enjoy life, you only get one chance.”
Entering into remission, Graham was carrying an extra 16kg of weight around. His response to that… sign up for six major world marathons to shake it all away.
Putting some of his success down to the fact that he started running ‘late’ so his knees aren’t worn out and tired, he sure put them to the test, having run in New York, Tokyo, Berlin, London and more.
“I do it all for the bling! The run is just something that happens for four or five hours around all the fun.” He jokes whilst holding up his array of well-earned medals.
“The goal is to get the all big six world Abbots medal!” A prestigious award for marathon runners who finish all six major world runs.
His recent times to beat are:
19/06/22. Bay to Bay 12km.
Time – 1.01.10 1st Age 70-79
16/07/22. NSW Road Relays Mingara athletics. Silver medal 70+
24/07/22. Sydney Harbour 10km
Time- 49.01. 1st Age 70-79
4/09/22. Stratford Big 10km(Uk)
Time 48.59. 3rd Age 65-74
25/09/22. Berlin Marathon
Time 4.12.43. 24th Age 70-79
This was his qualifying time for Chicago 2023 & Boston 2024.
2/10/22. London Marathon
Time 4.30.27.
5/03/23. Tokyo Marathon
Time 4.41.07
11/05/23 UltraTrail 11, Blue Mts
Time. 1.51.12. 1st Age 70-74
18/06/23. Bay to Bay 12km
Time. 1.01.29. 1st Age 70-79
“Out of all the places I’ve run over the years, New York is just something else on another level. The whole city comes alive! There are 40,000 runners, millions on the street. You get to run through all the different boroughs, and each crowd has a different energy; the whole place is insane.” Graham’s infectious smile fills the room as he anticipates what the surrounding will be like for the upcoming Chicago marathon he’s competing in later this year.
The Terrigal Trotters, a running group in NSW who are just celebrating their 40th birthday, has proved to be an extended family of support and relentless motivation since he joined in 2000. At the time, the group was an outlet for Graham, who was.
When Graham’s head was drooping to the floor with a lack of faith in his ability to race after his chemo, it was the Trotters who served to inspirit his woes and get him back on track, bringing attention to the psychological value and power of having good quality friendships as we walk through our days.
“Out of all the places I’ve run over the years, New York is just something else on another level. The whole city comes alive! There are 40,000 runners, millions on the street. You get to run through all the different boroughs, and each crowd has a different energy; the whole place is insane.” Graham’s infectious smile fills the room as he anticipates what the surrounding will be like for the upcoming Chicago marathon he’s competing in later this year.
The Terrigal Trotters, a running group in NSW who are just celebrating their 40th birthday, has proved to be an extended family of support and relentless motivation since he joined in 2000. At the time, the group was an outlet for Graham, who was.
When Graham’s head was drooping to the floor with a lack of faith in his ability to race after his chemo, it was the Trotters who served to inspirit his woes and get him back on track, bringing attention to the psychological value and power of having good quality friendships as we walk through our days.
Being involved with the group offered Graham a healthy routine, health-conscious and positive friends and vigour that could be applied to improve the quality of his day to day. The group meets every Saturday at 5:55am for a scenic social, taking advantage of bush and beach trails ranging from 5 to 10 to 15 km.
“It’s just a positive way to start the day”, exclaims Graham with a grin so excited it looks like it could run off on its own 10k.
“It’s really good to run together with people. This is a social, you know, run, talk, solve all of your problems, solve the world’s problems. There is no age barrier, just group of runners who want to have a laugh.”
Whilst having an upwards outlook on life isn’t the cure to all of our problems, this attitude puts us in a better position to face them and see futures we want to reach for rather than run away from. Our thoughts have a profound impact on our lives. A single good thought turns into good intention, turns into good action, and therefore is repeatable by onlookers and, in turn, creates a kinder and more livable space for everybody. On the contrary, one negative thought can hold us back from our ambitions. It’s an active choice.
Graham will be flying out to compete in the Chicago Marathon later this year and Boston Marathon in 2024 to claim his Abbots Six medal for competing in all six major world marathons.
What’s your marathon time? And what have you drawn from this article? Let me know in the comments section by clicking here.
TTFN