Doak-Davis returns to Fifth Season road race

CEDAR RAPIDS - Few competitive running careers are as successful as Nan Doak-Davis.

The Hedrick,  Iowa, native's resume includes multiple national titles, a marathon victory and top finishes against the best runners in the world.The inaugural Fifth Season 8K race in 1986 is among those triumphs, and will be celebrate Sunday. as Doak-Davis will be one of the past champions in the field for the 25th Annual Alliant Fifth Season 8K race. The event begins at 7:30 a.m. on the Third Ave. Bridge downtown.

"It'll be a good time," said Doak-Davis, who will celebrate her wedding anniversary on July 5 with husband Barry Davis, the former Cedar Rapids Prairie three-time state champ and four-time University of Iowa All-American wrestler who is the head coach at the University of Wisconsin. "It's nice to participate and help celebrate."

In the 1980s, Doak-Davis awed people with her ability and was a well-known for her running exploits. Race organizers are thrilled with her return for the anniversary of her historic win in the local race.

"It means a lot to us to have her back," said Bill Bails, who will retire as the Elite Athlete Coordinator, serving the role for the last eight years. "She was an icon when she was in college and her post-collegiate running career."

Doak-Davis' accomplishments sets her apart from any other Iowa female distance runner. She was a nine-time All-American in cross country and track for the University of Iowa from 1980 to 1985. She became the Hawkeyes first NCAA Champion in the 10,000 when she won the event in 1985. It paved the way for her to become the first female athlete in the University of Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame with her 1999 induction.

She continued her running success, capturing three USA Track anf Field national titles from 1986-89. She won 10,000-meter championships in 1986 and 1989 and the 5,000 crown in 1987. In 1989, Doak-Davis added a national Women's Marathon championship with a win at the 1989 California International Marathon.

In her prime as a runner, she also left her mark on the local race during its early years. She won the inaugural race, completing the course in 26 minutes, 47 seconds and beating the field by 29 seconds. Doak-Davis became the race's first two-time women's champion, returning to win the 1989 event in a time of 25:57, which still stands second all-time.

“It was a time in my life that was new and fresh and exciting,” said Doak-Davis, noting that she hasn't run seriously in a few years. “Things were going in a positive direction. It was the beginning of my road running career.”

Doak-Davis, an Iowa Association of Track Coaches Hall of Famer, couldn't recall how many of the races she participated in last time she competed in the event. She did reflect on the hospitality of the people putting on the race.

"It was exciting," Doak-Davis said of winning the first race. "I liked the people. The people were great."

Doak-Davis said she's glad the event has survived all these years. It's a testament to the countless people who organize and volunteer to put on the event.

“It provides a great experience for a lot of people, near and far, that come,” Doak-Davis said. “It gives Cedar Rapids a chance to bring people in and experience Midwest hospitality, which is fantastic.”

Doak-Davis isn't the only memorable name returning for the race 25-year milestone. Four-time women's champion Kris Ihle-Helledy and two-time men's winner Keith Brantley will run Sunday. It marks a rare occasion when both the women's and men's record holder competed at the same time. Brantley set the men's mark in 1988 with a time of 22:38, while Ihle-Helledy beat the time of Doak-Davis by two seconds in 1997.

“They're both going to be back aty the race,” Bails said of the record holders. “I don't think that's happened forever.”

Bonnie Sons, who is a two-time winner, and last year's champ Rachel Marchand will also be in the field.

“I think it's captured the imagination of a lot of people,” Bails said. “Twenty-five years of anything is pretty good.”

It's not just the elite athletes. The race is expected to have about 1,700 entrants in both the 8K and 5K races, according to race director Mike Regan. The youth events, which includes a mile run and two fun runs, have more than 300 kids entered.

“They're real similar to last year,” Regan said. “It's really typical.”

Numbers received a big boost recently. Regan said some of that may have been with the break of recent inclement weather. He's happy with the expected participation levels.

“There were a tremendous amount of sign ups this last week,” Regan said. “It looks like we'll have a real good turnout again.”