Ben Does Life 5K Returns to Vienna

Ben Davis is much smaller these days, having dropped 120 pounds in two years. But his ambitions are bigger than ever.

Friday evening, Davis, 26, returned to Vienna to host the second annual Ben Does Life 5K as part of his 25 city and town cross-country tour to promote exercise and healthy living.

It was Davis' second time in Vienna. And though fewer people gathered by the caboose on the W+OD trail for the run Friday—compared to a record 88 last year—the movement has by-and-large gained support in its second-go-round.

Davis has already stopped in cities including St. Louis, Chicago and Philadelphia, and will travel to Washington D.C. and Charlotte before venturing west. Davis stays with host families and sells “Do Life” running shirts, shorts and paraphernalia to cover travel expenses.

“The big thing for us is bringing people together,” Davis said. “Any time you’re starting a journey—a weight loss or health journey—it’s easier if you have that support system there. It helps to have a community of any size around you.”

Davis has drawn pride from the impact his annual events have had in fostering relationships between like-minded people concerned with healthy living. In Chicago, for example, Davis returned this year to find a more tight-knit group than the one he had left.

“They already knew each other from last year’s event; they were already hanging out and they had told us that they kept running together even after we left,” Davis said. “We’re finding that’s the case in most cities.”

Through the inspiration of his grandmother, Davis went from “morbidly obese and depressed to finding health and happiness,” according to his blog. Davis now competes in marathons and Ironman competitions and has found purpose in sharing his experiences and struggles with others through his blog at bendoeslife.com and as a motivational speaker. Davis authored a book about his challenges and mission entitled, “Do Life,” which will be released January 2013.

“I knew exactly what I needed to do: eat right and move more,” Davis said. “It became a lot more than that. It became a search for happiness. It wasn’t just the pounds I was losing but really finding a reason to smile or laugh when I hadn’t in a long time.”

That message resonated with Vienna native Laura Goyer and her children, who have been following Davis’ blog as a source of inspiration and motivation for two years. Last year,

“I just really believe in what Ben is doing,” said Goyer, who hosted the Davis’ again this year. “We’ve just followed the blog as a family for the past two years and I think it’s a great lesson for your kids—to see someone other than their family members share intimate details about their lives and that they have good days and bad days and that’s kind of just how life is.”

Goyer’s children excitedly played tag in the grassy area in front of the caboose Friday while Davis teetered on a skateboard on the W+OD trail. The group impatiently awaited more visitors so they could begin their run. When it was finally time to begin the 5K, one of the children shouted, "I could run a 6k!"

The small group set off with Davis in the middle of the pack. Each person went at their own pace —running, jogging and even skateboarding—and not all made it the full 3.1 miles. Nearly everyone had a smile in their face, however, appreciating every moment of the journey before retiring to the Town Green to enjoy the finale of the “Vienna Idol” and sell more “Do Life” merchandise.

“Anything good that you do, whether you touch one person or 10 people, has the potential to have a ripple effect,” Goyer said.