– Every Farmer has a Story with Philip Davenport –
Running the distance
Philip Davenport of Murfreesboro sprints from barnyards to marathons
Story and photos by Page Haynes
– Every Farmer has a Story with Philip Davenport –
Running the distance
Philip Davenport of Murfreesboro sprints from barnyards to marathons
Story and photos by Page Haynes
You could say hobby farmer Philip Davenport of Rutherford County is always on the run. Sometimes he’s headed to his job as Geographic Information System Quality Control Supervisor at Middle Tennessee Electric. Other times, he’s on his way to the barnyard. And sometimes, he just laces up his Brooks and hits the street, running in all kinds of conditions.
A second-generation cattle farmer and Rutherford Farmers Cooperative patron, Philip says his passion — besides farming — is long-distance running.
“I first became interested in running about 14 years ago when our son, Cliff, was born,” says Philip. “My wife, Eve, and I have five kids — Katie, 27, Emily, 24, Sydney, 19, Cliff, 14, and Carl, 9 — and that year I thought, ‘I’d better get in good shape to hang with these kids.’”
Philip says he began by joining coworkers on the treadmills at lunch.
“Running a mile was hard at first, but I kept trying,” he says. “Pretty soon, a coworker and I were running outdoors. It helped me get in better shape, relieve stress, and connect with nature.”
Since then, Philip has become an avid long-distance runner, competing in half-marathons, ultramarathons, and other extreme running events — mostly in West and Middle Tennessee. Since 2013, he’s run many half marathons (13.1 miles), including the Middle Half in Murfreesboro, Oak Barrel in Lynchburg, and the RC Cola Moon Pie 10-miler in Bell Buckle.
He has also participated in the Strolling Jim 40-miler ultramarathon (any race longer than 26.2 miles) in Wartrace five times. In 2022, he completed it in 6 hours, 53 minutes. Eve has “crewed” him each time, meeting him with a Coca-Cola, Fig Newtons, or a pack of peanut butter and crackers along the way.
Some of his ultramarathons have been cross-country trail runs, like the Caney Fork 40-miler near Fall Creek Falls and the Barkley Fall Classic 50k at Frozen Head State Park in Morgan County. Still, Philip prefers road races.
He completed the grueling 314-mile (500k) “Last Annual” Vol State race across Tennessee in 2021. It begins in Missouri with a ferry ride across the Mississippi and passes through Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alabama before finishing on Sand Mountain in Georgia. The race is demanding as participants endure heat, blisters, sleep deprivation, and fatigue.
“It’s a neat race because we run through a lot of town squares and back roads in Tennessee,” says Philip. “There are ‘road angels’ — homeowners who leave out coolers and snacks — along the way. One guy even offers a yard shower and toilet. Additionally, some fire departments and churches let us come in to rest.”
“Whether farming or running, when obstacles arise, you have to adapt and problem solve.” — Philip Davenport
Most runners travel at night using headlamps, stop at Dollar General stores, and briefly rest in hotels, he says. Runners must finish within 10 days — which means covering about 31 miles a day.
Despite specialized toe socks and insoles, runners often suffer foot issues. Philip has gotten blisters so bad that he ended up cutting off parts of his shoes to relieve them. Some runners’ shoes even look like sandals to allow room for anticipated blisters.
“Sometimes, he falls asleep while he’s running,” Eve says. “And after long races, he’ll keep repeating himself — it’s from temporary oxygen deprivation to the brain.”
In 2020, Philip organized a run across Tennessee along Highway 231 beginning at the Kentucky state line and finishing at the Alabama line for a total of 120 miles.
“We didn’t realize what we were getting into and ultimately quit in Murfreesboro, but we learned a lot,” he says. Although he and his two friends failed to complete the run that day, they picked the run back up later and finished.
In summer 2022, a torn labrum and stress fracture sidelined him.
“Not running was hard,” he says. But that spring, he and Eve walked a 10K together, something Eve had never done. Since then, he’s returned to racing — completing the Strolling Jim again and a 30-miler across Marshall County. He’s planning to run the Bloody 111 from Knoxville to Bristol on Labor Day weekend.
Philip’s determination, problem-solving skills, and ability to adapt in the face of obstacles show through in both his running and farming life. He and his brother, Mark, grew up farming with their dad, Billy. Today, Philip raises cattle, goats, and chickens on the family’s Five Arrow Farm (named for their five kids and Psalm 127:4-5), along with land owned by his mother, Pam, where he oversees his late father’s cattle operation.
“I wanted to keep the farms going and share the joy of these activities with our family,” he says.
The family grows a large garden and works together to tend crops, haul hay, and work and sell the animals. Their daughter, Sydney, plans to study agriculture at Middle Tennessee State University and start a cattle business. The boys are also interested in agriculture.
“Farming is meaningful and provides a way to bring the whole family together,” says Philip. “I continue farming to provide my children, and now grandchildren, the opportunity to have the experiences I had growing up and to learn to care for plants and animals.”
Ryan Anderson, right, recently joined Hawkins Farmers Cooperative after graduating from the Tennessee Farmers Cooperative Training Program, following the example set by his father Mike, who worked with farmers and cooperatives throughout his long career.
By Page Haynes,
Contact phaynes@ourcoop.com