Todd Davis, a professor of English and Environmental Studies at Penn State Altoona, poses for a photo on a recent fishing trip. Courtesy photo

Let’s be honest, most of us formulate an image of an individual when provided a scant amount of information.

If provided with some descriptors of an individual, you would likely create a mental sketch based upon your life experiences. These are just a few of the characteristics of this month’s Fitness Track’s subject. He is a male college professor who has authored many books of poetry. It is not a great deal of information, but enough for you to develop a profile. Some additional information may help you. He is a professor of English and Environmental Studies. It is not a lot to go on, but if that is all you were told, you likely would be able to make some presumptions about this person.

Todd Davis, PhD, 60, grew up in Elkhart, Indiana. His father was not an athlete, but got involved in the running craze when he was 10.

“I jogged some with him, but I could only go about a mile or two. Then he would have me get on my bike and ride along with him. By the time I was 12, I completed a 10 mile road race with my dad. I continued to run,” Davis said, admitting that he was not built for running.

He attended Concord High School where, as a senior, he was captain of his football team. He played both offense as a fullback and defense as a linebacker. Football was not his only athletic venture. He also played guard on the basketball team. His athleticism led to college scholarship offers in both sports, however, he chose basketball over football due to his Christian convictions.

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“I actually had more offers in college to play college football than I did basketball. I didn’t like the violence that was at the center of football. I’m a Mennonite Christian and have been so for 30 plus years in my adult life. Because of its position on peace and social justice, that didn’t match up well with the football mentality that I had. It was one of those love-hate relationships, where I really didn’t want to be hitting someone until I got hit for the first time in the game, and then it felt good to hit back as hard as I could. I just didn’t want to continue to cultivate that mentality. The secondary reason was my love of the game of basketball. I think it’s a beautiful fluid game. I like that all five players have to be reading the court at the same time,” explained Davis, who graduated from Grace College in Indiana.

In seventh grade, his future wife, Shelly, moved into his school district and they’ve been together ever since. They were married after he graduated from college. She was an avid runner and basketball player. At one point in her career, she was the assistant women’s basketball coach at Northern Illinois University. During this time, Davis graduated with his PhD and never stopped training in spite of an intense academic schedule.

“I love to study. Northern Illinois University was the second largest campus in the entire state. It had many gyms on it. Noon ball had a lot of football and basketball coaches, some professors, and college students. We’d all get together at noon and play basketball for at least two hours. I played in two different men’s leagues there. I was in my 20s, so I always ran and did strength training two or three times a week,” Davis said.

Davis taught at Jefferson Community College in Watertown, New York, and Goshen College in Goshen, Indiana, prior to moving to this area to instruct at Penn State Altoona 23 years ago.

“I was hired in a joint appointment in both the English program and the Environmental Studies program. The Environmental Studies program is really what made Penn State Altoona attractive to me. I team teach the introductory course, environmental studies, Visions of Nature, with a biology professor, Dr Carolyn Mahan, who, over the two decades, has become a dear friend. I love collaborative teaching with somebody from a different discipline,” Davis said.

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One of the creative writing courses he instructs ensures that students get an opportunity to experience the outdoors.

“I designed a course called Creative Writing in the Natural World. We don’t even have a classroom. We meet at the Seminar Forest just across from the Penn State Altoona campus, and we’re in the woods the entire time. We have two all day, eight-hour field trips to the game lands above Bellwood and Tipton. That is why fitness is so important to me. I want to be able to go into the woods and go anywhere I want in the woods for as long as I can. I hope I can do it even when I’m in my 80s. As a teacher, I need to stay fit so that I can lead 18- to 22-year-old students into these fairly rugged spaces,” Davis said.

Davis’s father provided a role model for him to keep striving for physical fitness throughout his life. He provided the keys which Davis has followed to this day.

“In Colorado, at 12,000 feet above sea level, my dad and I were skiing very difficult runs together. He was in his late 50s or early 60 and he said, ‘Todd, you just have to humble yourself. But you don’t stop doing things, you just moderate them, and that’s how you continue to be independent and have a good, healthy life.’ I humble myself now and run very slowly. After the jog, I go to the Northern Blair County Rec Center, and I do about an hour and ten minute strength training routine on Monday, Wednesday and Friday,” said Davis, who rides his mountain bike on the other days, weather permitting.

Stefanie Daratany, director and general manager of Northern Blair County Recreation Center, recommended Davis for the Fitness Track.

“Todd is one of our long-time members. He’s here almost every day and is his own personal trainer. He has a program that he follows. He’s remarkable and we enjoy watching him on his health and fitness journey. He and his wife have helped us in the past with certain programs, and their dedication to fitness and wellness is something to be admired,” Daratany said.

At age 47, Davis was able to participate in a men’s basketball league team with his sons (Noah, then age 17, and Nathan, who was 14) at Northern Blair County Recreation Center. Davis was grateful to be able to enjoy this experience with his sons, who both developed their parents’ love of learning, the outdoors, and athletics.

Davis plans to add to his eight books of poetry with a new composition that will be released in 2027.

“I just signed that contract to write a book of personal essays on hunting and fishing, being a father and a son, and my need for wild spaces. When I say wild spaces, I mean natural spaces like the game lands here above Tipton,” Davis said.

Davis is a renaissance man and brings his love of the outdoors into his home.

“I used to build stone walls with my father, and so every single bed at our house is rimmed in native rock that I have gotten. When you know somebody is putting up a house and digging out foundation, I’ll get the stone. I built a fire pit with the stone. I do a lot of active physical work, and I wouldn’t be able to do that if I wasn’t doing the weight training,” said Davis, admitting he finds weight training boring, but necessary.

Davis has always tried to eat healthy food. He does not consume soda, coffee, or alcohol. Green tea is one of his beverages of choice. His red meat of choice is venison. He eats a variety of fruits and vegetables and uses natural sweeteners. When possible, he makes his Davis’s books, published by Michigan State University Press, can be purchased online at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. His web site is at www.todddavispoet.com

George Thomas Kattouf of Altoona is the developer of the website AgelessTimeless.com. He has been instructing martial arts for over four decades in the Altoona Area at the Academy of Martial Arts and encourages seniors to stay fit through martial arts training. If you or someone you know in Blair County is age 50 or older and would be a good candidate for the Fitness Track, email Kattouf at george@agelesstimeless.com. Tune in to the YouTube channel AgelessTimeless to learn more.