Chocolate Milk and My Road to IRONMAN®
Morgan Davis (center) is a fourth-grade teacher at Clemson Elementary School in Clemson, S.C. and an IRONMAN® athlete. In September 2016, the Southeast Dairy United Dairy Industry Association, Inc. (SUDIA) awarded Davis with a $1,500 scholarship to assist her in competing in the IRONMAN® World Championship in Kona, Hawaii.
Ever since I was eight years old and watched the IRONMAN® World Championship on television, it has been my dream to compete. Despite believing the competitors were CRAZY, I wanted to be one of them.
I started swimming competitively at nine and ended my swimming career after four years as a NCAA Division I athlete at Virginia Tech. During my time there, my coach emphasized the importance of eating well and for recovery. The drink we always recovered with was chocolate milk. Having chocolate milk as soon as I got out of the pool was crucial to replace what my muscles lost during the workout. Recovering with chocolate milk provides athletes high-quality protein to rebuild muscles, contains the right mix of protein and carbs to replenish exhausted muscles, and provides fluids and electrolytes for rehydration. All of this helps athletes return to peak performance the next day.
After graduating college, I began competing in IRONMAN® competitions and most recently, pursued my dream of competing in the 2016 IRONMAN World Championship in Kona, Hawaii. I went from being a sprinter in swimming where my race lasted 24 seconds to an elite-level IRONMAN® triathlete where races can last more than 11 hours. It was a long road and paying attention to nutrition played a huge part in my success. I stuck to what I learned in college and finished every workout with chocolate milk, so I’d be ready for the next workout, which was never far away. I finished the IRONMAN® World Championship in 11 hours, 15 minutes and 35 seconds, and am ranked 30th in the world in my age division.
The road to Kona took dedication, passion, and several hours of training a day, sandwiched around being a fourth-grade teacher. After countless 5 a.m. morning workout sessions prior to the school day, I knew I could count on chocolate milk to help me power through a full day of teaching and another successful workout in the afternoon. Being consistent with my habits was the key to my success. I’m excited for what the future holds and look forward to exceeding my goals. Thank you dairy farmers of the Southeast for helping me power through!
Click here to learn more about my adventure to Kona.