‘It’s nice to make the unthinkable into a reality’ – Portsmouth’s Ultra Xtreme runner Julia Davis

A little more than five years ago, Julia Davis' running interest was minimal to say the least.
Julia Davis on her way to winning the women's race in the Coast Ultra Xtreme 80-mile event in Cornwall.Julia Davis on her way to winning the women's race in the Coast Ultra Xtreme 80-mile event in Cornwall.
Julia Davis on her way to winning the women's race in the Coast Ultra Xtreme 80-mile event in Cornwall.

Now the Southsea-based athlete is basking in the glory of becoming the first woman to finish in the Coast Ultra Xtreme event on her multi-day competition debut.

The 34-year-old's running rise has been a rapid one from very little miles in the legs in 2015 to the 80 across gruelling terrain she completed in three successive days on the Cornish coast recently.

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Davis' original reason for taking up the sport materialised as a way of raising money for charity after her grandad was placed in a hospice.

After managing to secure a spot at the London Marathon and generate funds for the hospice, she caught the 'running bug' - and has clocked up the miles ever since.

Originally starting out competing in road marathons, Davis turned her attention to tackling longer distance events.

She is now a regular on the ultra events scene, displaying her potential by finishing fourth overall at the Coast Ultra Xtreme competition in a time of 13 hours, nine minutes and 45 seconds.

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'I ran the London Marathon to raise money for a hospice and then from there I caught the running bug and enjoyed it,' said Davis.

‘I just kind of like to see where the line is and what your capability is.

‘I just really enjoy it, to be honest.

‘I did my first ultra event just over two years ago as I kind of just got bored of running on a road.

‘I guess it was just the intrigue of ‘can I run a bit further?’

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'I think you kind of have this perception of what’s possible, but the more you kind of try you more you realise how much you can do.

‘It’s kind of nice when you make those things that are kind of unthinkable into a reality.'

Davis had bucked the family running trend for much of her life before following in the footsteps of her three sisters Eleanor, Lydia and Megan and father Martin five years ago.

They all ran from a young age with her interest coming in her late 20s, though Julia is the only family member who has chosen to take the ultra route.

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'My dad and my sisters have run since they were little but I was never really that interested,' she said.

‘My sister has run for England and stuff like that.

‘I started off doing road marathons but trail running is more my thing.

‘No, they’re more marathon runners, half marathon and 10k, that sort of thing (her three sisters and father).

‘I went the other way, so not as fast but a bit further.'

Davis, who features in the endurance sports TV 'The Ultra Mindset' documentary which was screened earlier this week, averages around 70-80 miles per week.

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Last month's Cornish race was her first since February with the ultra event calendar decimated because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Davis remains determined to see how far she can go in the sport - and is excited to see what 2021 will bring.

‘I just want to race a bit more, improve my skills on trails and just take up any opportunity I can to take on different events,’ she explained.

‘The goal is just to enjoy myself and see as many places as I can, but I like running fast as well so hopefully they can go hand in hand.

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‘My actual first ultra race was in America. I went to New York on holiday and there was a trail race in one of the national parks just outside New York.

‘I ran in Cape Town as well, doing a 65 kilometre race which went up and down Table Mountain. That was absolutely amazing so I’d love to go back to Cape Town.'

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