DAVILA READY FOR BOSTON: ROUND 3

By Chris Lotsbom

(c) 2011 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved. Used with permission.

BOSTON (15-Apr) -- Desiree Davila considers herself a marathoner, pure and simple.

"I'm a pure marathoner," she said today in an interview.  "If you look at my half-marathon times compared to anyone else in this room, I'm not in the same ballpark as them."  

The 27-year-old Davila, who lives in Rochester Hills, Mich., may not have the best half-marathon credentials, but she does have several quality marathons under her belt, including her 2:26:20 personal best from Chicago last October.  Davila, who will be running in the 115th Boston Marathon on Monday, is hoping to become the first American to top the podium here since Lisa Larsen-Weidenbach won in 1985.

Davila has taken a unique journey to becoming the fourth fastest marathoner in American history.  After graduating from Arizona State, she joined the Hansons-Brooks Distance Project in Rochester Hills.  There she would be coached by brothers Keith and Kevin Hanson, making her marathon debut at the 2007 Boston Marathon.  Running through a nor'easter which produced heavy winds and driving rain, Davila finished 18th in 2:44:56.  Returning to Boston a year later, Davila placed a disappointing 13th at the Olympic Trials Marathon.

"That was a little rough one, probably my biggest learning experience in a marathon," she said.

Since then, Davila has been on fire.  After running 2:27:53 at the 2009 IAAF World Championships in Berlin, Davila embarked on a year to remember in 2010.  In that one year, she set personal bests in the mile, 3000m (indoors), 5000m, 10,000m, and marathon.

"We are always trying to accomplish something for overall development, not a one-and-done kind of thing," coach Kevin Hanson said in an interview.  "Sometimes, you get a solid track runner, and they swing for the fences and they fail, which they are bound to do.  They comeback and say, 'I guess I am not a marathoner.'" He added: "Desi is still on her upswing."  

Despite being disappointed by her first two marathons, she continued to train and work hard, learning from her previous races.  From her fourth-place finish in Chicago, she learned to trust the training and work which she had put in.

"Probably the biggest thing about that race was that I didn't feel the training went well leading into it," she explained.  "It's gone much, much better this time, so it gives me a lot of confidence that I am ready to run quick."    

Hanson is also confident she can do well at Boston.  Judging from her recent workouts, she is ready.

One particular workout stood out for both Hanson and Davila: their Boston course simulation, which is a unique test of fitness four weeks before marathon race day.  Hanson describes it as "Boston on steroids," simulating the hills with larger versions on a course that is 26 kilometers.  Hanson it can be a big confidence-builder for his athletes.  Doing the run alone, Davila built up the mental fortitude needed to succeed in Boston.  

"There's a good possibility that could happen on race day," she said.  "If you can do it on your own, your pretty much set."  

Though she feels she is ready, Davila hesitates to give a prediction for Monday's race.  

"Be competitive. If you're there at twenty miles, and you're in the group still, I'm not going to rule myself out.  I'll give it a shot."

PHOTO: Desiree Davila speaking to the press before the 2011 Boston Marathon (photo by Jane Monti).