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"Making Tyler a FIT CITY one step, one bite and one health-conscious decision at a time" |
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When it comes to fitness, Philip Davin is a man on a mission – literally.
Davin, a money manager for EdwardJones, has lost more than 50 pounds by reducing his calorie intake and running. He is training to run in the Chevron Houston Marathon on Jan. 30.
He is also participating in the marathon to raise money for Living Water International, a faith-based mission that helps spread the gospel in conjunction with bringing fresh water to villages in developing countries.
He became acquainted with the organization through his congregation, Bethel Bible Church in Tyler.
Knowing that his participation in the marathon will help others motivates Davin to stick to his training schedule.
“I decided to make my running more than just about me,” he said. “I am running for a reason that I’m very excited about and it keeps me motivated to push myself further.
“I believe if others would tap into exercising for a reason that excites them, it would obviously make their exercising programs much more personally fulfilling, and thus more likely to succeed.”
Davin hopes to raise at least $3,500. He already has more than $1,000 in donations.
You can make a donation by going onto the Chevron Houston Marathon website, clicking on the “Run for a Reason” pull-down tab and then “Make a Donation.” Put Davin’s name in the “Search for a Fundraiser” box.
When Davin was younger, being overweight was not a problem. In 1998, he ran in the Dallas White Rock Marathon, clocking a time of 3:48.
But after he married and began a family and career, the time spent running and exercising diminished. With a sedentary lifestyle and poor eating habits, he packed on 50 pounds over 10 years.
About two years ago he topped the scales at 235. His physician told him to lose weight.
He and his wife joined Weight Watchers and he began running again. At first he could only jog for a few minutes before tiring.
“I began to build my mileage base again. Slowly over the last few years I lost the weight, and increased the miles and I am back in shape again.”
Although he is still busy, he makes time for exercising, often running several miles before the sun comes up.
“My health is much approved. One of my goals is to run a marathon in each of the remaining decades of my life.”
