Alabama Baptist pastor Daniel Ellis runs about 115 miles a week — more miles than many people drive their cars.
“I enjoy running, because it’s relaxing to me. I just put one foot in front of the other and go,” said Ellis, pastor of Poplar Springs Baptist Church, Brookwood, in Pleasant Grove Baptist Association.
But his running is not simply exercise. He loves to compete in races and is training for the Olympic trials.
Ellis plans to test his desire to reach the Olympics Nov. 3, when he runs in the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials — Men’s Marathon in New York. He qualified for the race in February at the AT&T Austin Marathon in Texas, with a time of 2 hours, 21 minutes, 52 seconds.
“This is pretty much a dream come true,” said Ellis, a student at Samford University’s Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham. “It’s like playing with all-stars in the all-star game.”
Ellis is one of more than 170 men eligible to enter the trials. Only the top three of those will go on to compete with the 2008 U.S. Olympic team.
“The magic mark is [2 hours, 20 minutes] for the average qualifier,” said Jim Estes, senior manager of long distance running and marketing for USA Track & Field. “But to win a spot on the team, you need to run in the [2 hours, 12 minutes] or faster range.”
Ellis said his goal is to complete the 26.2-mile course in 2 hours, 17 minutes.
The Oklahoma native trains with his wife, Bekah — the closest thing to a coach he has. The two met at Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee, where they ran together, winning top honors at the 2006 NAIA championships. He took first place in the men’s marathon, and she finished third in the women’s marathon. The couple rises before 5 a.m. to put in a 13-mile run or track session before school and work. A few days a week, the Ellises double up their workouts and take an eight-mile afternoon run. On weekends, they take a 23-mile run.
Each week, they add more miles to their routine to build endurance, and training on Birmingham’s hills helps the runners build speed and strength.
“He’s worked really hard for this. It’s a big honor to make the trials,” Bekah Ellis said. “The other runners may have more foot speed, but Daniel’s a lot tougher and stronger.”
She will run with 38,000 others in the ING New York City Marathon Nov. 4 and hopes to clock in at 2 hours, 50 minutes — three minutes shy of the women’s standard for the 2008 Olympic trials. Her dream is to run in the trials for the 2012 Olympics.
Daniel Ellis said making the 2008 Olympic team is a long shot but he’s glad to be in the trials.
Poplar Springs Baptist Deacon Wayne Stanley said he is proud of his pastor. “Everyone in our church is pulling for him 100 percent,” Stanley said. “He’s a fine young man who lives for the Lord.”
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