By Scott L. Miley, Herald Bulletin Special Projects Editor
October 25, 2008 12:14 am
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“Be clean.”
“See it inside your head before you do it.”
Doran Davis is receiving friendly guidance from two personal trainers as he bench presses 135 pounds at White River Club.
Weighing 169 pounds at 52 years of age, Davis is pretty pleased with being able to near his goals of bench pressing 150 pounds and dead lifting 220 pounds.
But he seems even more excited about going to his fourth state championship for Special Olympics.
Events will be held today at Hamilton Southeastern High School in Hamilton County for swimming and weightlifting.
Joining him from Madison County are weightlifters Justin Fridley and Brent Baker both coached by Jay Richards and Ted Miller at Anderson University facilities.
Swimmers are Niles Lumpkin, Paul Necco, Mitch Pavey, Shawn Richards, Tim Scott and Mike York. They trained at Anderson University’s pool. Their coaches are Samantha Bean, Sue York, Karen Lumpkin and Missinda Moss.
Athletes in Special Olympics are encouraged to stay with their fitness programs and improving their nutritional habits. Swimmers meet two nights a week for a workout and treadmill exercises as well as in- pool exercises.
The local four weightlifters also routinely train.
“The guys we have doing that are so excited about being able to be physical and to do a sport that involves body building and muscular development,” said Paul Gray, professor of kinesiology at Anderson University and the Madison County coordinator of Special Olympics.
Gray said, “Doran is a good example of that. He had dropped out of Special Olympics as far as being an athlete, he was helping us more as a volunteer. When weightlifting became a sport and he saw people competing, he thought, ‘Wow, I lift a lot of boxes at work so maybe this is a sport for me.”
Finished with one day’s workout, Davis’ certified trainers - David Boivin and Tory Buchan - congratulate him. They also noted that Davis had lost 17 pounds since starting the program.
“I do what you told me coach,” said Davis.
Davis, who works in environmental services at Saint John’s Health Systems, has been doing pretty much what Boivin and Buchan has been telling him for months.
The trainers first saw him working out at the club on Scatterfield Road. Davis had visited at a friend’s request.
“We saw Doran working out here a few times and Dave and I were a little concerned about his form and technique. And we kind of made friends with Doran and decided to help out,” said Buchan. Both trainers are working with Davis without charge.
Davis said he keeps coming back to White River Club to affirm two goals.
“Courage and patience,” said Davis, whose dyslexia is among his disabilities. He has particular difficulty in typing on a computer. “The courage of working out.”
Recognizing he is 52, Davis and his trainers plan to start working in a different direction, maybe taking him into swimming or bowling.
“We just want to keep healthy as long as we can,” said Boivin.
But in searching for the right sport, the trainers make Davis a promise: “It won’t be checkers.”
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