At Therapeutic Associates, we pride ourselves on the incredible talents of our team — both inside and outside the clinic. Our physical therapists don’t just help others move — they challenge their own limits too. Meet Denzil Jennings, a PT who takes his passion for movement to the extreme, conquering ultra-marathons of 100 miles or more. His journey from a casual 5K runner to an elite endurance athlete is nothing short of inspiring.
In this Q&A, we dive into Denzil’s personal story, what drives him to keep going on those grueling long runs, the lessons he’s learned along the way and how he balances his love for running with his dedication to helping patients reclaim their mobility.
Ultramarathon Running — Background and Inspiration
Q: What first inspired you to take on ultra marathons, and how did you know it was something you wanted to pursue?
When I began running it was just to finish a 5k. I eventually worked up to the marathon, which I never thought was something possible for me. If you do one thing that you thought was impossible, it opens the door to try other seemingly impossible things. Before I started running, I liked hiking and backpacking, so I was used to being on a trail moving for a large part of a day.
When I read about people running 100 miles and taking a day or more to do so, my reaction wasn’t that it sounded crazy. My reaction was, “How cool would it be to be on the trail and moving through nature for an entire day?” I had no idea if I’d ever make it to the 100-mile distance, but I was very curious. I just took each distance one at a time.
Q: What’s your journey been like from your first running race to your current level of achievement in ultra marathons?
Like I said, I began this just trying to run a 5k. I was surrounded by a very supportive community that kept encouraging me to keep pushing the distance.
My second 5k was a trail race called the Thin Mint Sprint on the local Girl Scout camp property in Central Illinois. When I finished, I was covered in mud and smiling from ear to ear. The friends that I went with told me that they were training for the Pikes Peak Marathon and were going to trail run every Sunday if I wanted to join.
Once I moved from the sidewalks and roads to the trails, my long run distance grew pretty quickly. Even a bad trail run turns into a hike in the woods, and that’s still pretty great.
At the beginning of 2014 I wasn’t able to run a mile without stopping. By December I ran my first marathon.
In May of 2015 I ran my first 50k, and in July of 2015 I ran my first 50 mile ultra.
In September of 2016 I finished my first 100 mile ultra. I’ve run at least one 100 mile race a year since then, aside from 2020. This year I ran two 100s six weeks apart.
Q: Can you share a bit about your very first ultra marathon experience? What made it memorable?
My first ultra was the Mary’s Peak 50K in Blodgett, OR. Mary’s Peak is the highest mountain in the coastal range at just over 4000 feet. The first part of the course has you run to the top of it, and on a clear day you can see the ocean. Being from Illinois, we don’t have 4000-foot climbs or ocean views from the summit. It was pretty spectacular.
Q: Was there a defining moment when you knew you wanted to take on the challenge of extreme mountain terrain?
There wasn’t really a defining moment, just a natural progression of pursuing more challenging races. I’m really motivated by the adventure element of trail running, so most of the races I sign up for are in beautiful places I want to explore.
Training and Preparing for an Ultra Marathon
Q: What does a typical week of training look like for you?
I’m not a high mileage runner. I average around 40 miles per week and will peak at 50 to 60 miles per week. My weekday morning runs are on the Springwater, and I try and make sure my weekend long run is on trails with similar terrain to whatever race I’m training for.
Q: How do you balance training for these intense events with your role as a physical therapist?
That’s been a bit of a work in progress. I’ve had to focus more on running consistency versus running a certain effort or on specific terrain. Sometimes a tempo run turns into an easy run. Sometimes my planned long run in the Gorge turns into a road run because I needed to sleep in a bit.
Q: Are there any specific recovery techniques you swear by after a long run?
Pizza, cheeseburgers and fries, and burritos. Also going home and hitting the foam roller right away keeps the muscles loose and happy.
Q: How do you prepare mentally for a 100-mile race, especially across challenging terrain?
How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.
The most important thing I do during the race is never EVER think about how much further I have to go. You aren’t running 100 miles; you’re just running the mile you’re in. You also know it’s going to be hard, and sometimes it’s not going to be very fun. Part of the challenge and reward of ultra running is learning to embrace the adversity and overcome it.
Q: What physical and mental practices are essential for you in the lead-up to a race?
Physically, it’s consistent training, and getting in several long runs in the 4–6-hour range.
About 6 weeks out I’ll run a 50-mile training race, or a 12-hour self-supported adventure.
Mentally, you visualize all the things that can go wrong and how you’ll overcome them. Scenarios like being nauseas and not able to eat, weather conditions, wanting to quit, etc.
The long training runs are also mental training. You’ll face similar adversity on some of the long training efforts, giving you the opportunity to troubleshoot and overcome obstacles.
Motivation and Mindset
Q: What motivates you to keep pushing forward during a race, especially during the most challenging moments?
There is an immense amount of self-satisfaction and fulfillment you gain seeing something of this magnitude through to the finish. You kind of feel like your own superhero, and that’s pretty empowering.
Q: Are there any mantras or mental strategies you use to stay focused during long runs?
My most recent mantra is “you only get to live this day once.”
It reminds me to be present and enjoy the beautiful area that I’m running through. It is also a reminder that I spent 6 months training for this event, and this is celebration of that effort. Don’t force it or rush it, embrace it.
Q: What have been some of the toughest moments in your ultra-running experience, and how did you overcome them?
I’ve had two DNFs (did not finishes), both due to injury.
One was due to a fall at night when my trekking poles got wedged between a rock. One pole snapped, and the one that didn’t pulled my shoulder into an awkward position. I still had 40 miles to go in a 100 miler with rugged terrain, and couldn’t move my arm, so I chose to stop so I didn’t risk further injury.
The second time was due to developing sharp pain in my right hip with 25 miles to go in a 100 miler and again, I chose to stop. Both times it was the right call because I’ll never risk significant injury, but it’s still very mentally challenging to have to quit something you’ve spent a lot of time and emotional energy to train for and attempt. But, 100 miles is a long way, and success isn’t guaranteed.
I still had an adventure in a beautiful place, and made lasting memories, and that’s what this is really all about.
Q: Do you find that running helps you in other aspects of life, such as in your role as a physical therapist?
Absolutely. Running has shown me the value of patience, consistency and long-term goal setting. It has also shown me that the human body is capable of so much more than most of us give it credit for. People are capable and deserving of the opportunity to rise to the occasion. Anything is possible with a big enough why and people that believe in you. You never know what part of a journey someone is on, and you might be the person that helps start someone’s journey.
Ultra Running — Challenges and Triumphs
Q: What has been the most physically challenging race you’ve done?
Crazy Mountain 100. It’s 100 miles with 23,000 feet of climbing and 22,000 feet of descent through the Crazy Mountain range of Montana, and you spend most of your time between 8,500 and 10,000 feet.
Q: Have you had any unexpected obstacles or setbacks in training or races? How did you handle them?
I’ve had a few races now where I’ve come close to a time cutoff late in the race, and that’s pretty stressful. The closest one was at Crazy Mountain at the mile 78 aid station. I had 6 minutes to spare. I had just run through the night and needed to switch into daytime layers and restock on nutrition and fluids. It felt more like a NASCAR pit stop with that little time, but I got in and out and back on course.
Q: What’s one lesson you’ve learned from a race that didn’t go as planned?
That failure is part of the process. And, when you chase big scary impossible goals, failure is almost all but guaranteed eventually.
Q: Is there a race or accomplishment that stands out as a major personal triumph for you?
Being able to complete two 100-mile races 6 weeks apart was a huge personal triumph. Moving up to the more mountainous 100 milers in 2021 resulted in my first DNF (Did not finish). I was able to finish that race in 2022, but then had another DNF in 2023 at a different race. I had started to question whether I had any business at these more challenging races. Being able to finish two mountain 100s in close proximity gave me the confidence that I do belong at these more challenging events.
Alignment with Core Values
Q: How does your pursuit of ultra marathons align with your core values as a physical therapist and as a part of Therapeutic Associates PT?
Humans are best adapted to movement and exploration in our natural world. We also thrive in small communities. These are all things that benefit us greatly both physically and mentally. Ultrarunning is my time in nature, it’s my movement practice and it’s my community. Prioritizing my physical and mental well-being helps me show up best for my patients, to help them on their movement journey.
Q: Which of Therapeutic Associates’ core values resonate most with you, and how do you see them reflected in your running?
“Promoting health and well-being” and “compassion for others” resonate the most with me.
Training for an ultra marathon is a daily movement practice. It’s moving your body, preventing injury, properly fueling and recovering. These are all things that promote and embody health and well being.
Ultra running is also a sport of compassion. It’s us against the course, not runner against runner. There are stories of the first place runner (heading back on an out-and-back course), stopping to check on and assist an injured runner, sacrificing his own race for the well-being of a stranger.
Ultras are also 100% volunteer supported. There are usually aid stations every 5 to 10 miles with multiple volunteers waiting to fill your bottle, give you food, pop your blisters, give you words of encouragement. It takes a lot of compassion to spend your day supporting the endeavors of others.
Q: What does perseverance mean to you, both in running and in your professional life?
There is a phrase used in ultra running, “relentless forward progress.” It really just means keep moving, and that any progress is forward progress even if it’s slow. No one said running was easy, and no one said being a Doctor of anything was easy. Choosing to keep moving forward, even when it’s hard, is perseverance.
Q: In what ways do you feel that running has shaped or enhanced your role as a therapist?
I wouldn’t even be a physical therapist if it weren’t for running. My own movement and wellness journey is what lead me to this career.
Reflections and Advice from an Ultramarathoner
Q: What’s one thing you wish you knew before you started this journey?
Honestly nothing, part of the beauty is exploring the unknown.
Q: Who or what has been a strong source of support for you on this journey?
My wife, Megan. When we married in 2013, I was not a runner, so she’s known me before and after running. She’s supported all of the time it takes to train, and she’s crewed me at all of my 100 milers. She’s never once complained about me taking the time it takes to train and race.
Q: How has ultra running changed you personally? Has it shifted your perspective on life or work?
When you accomplish something that is perceived as impossible, then you realize you can do the impossible given enough time and hard work. I’ve learned that I’m capable of accomplishing anything.
Q: What advice would you give to someone interested in taking on their own endurance or ultra-running goals?
Consistency is key, so keep it fun so you’ll want to keep getting out there day after day. Also, know your why. When things get difficult, and they will, knowing your why will help you overcome the challenge and persevere through the difficult moments.
Q: How has your experience with ultra marathons influenced the advice you give to your patients?
I will only ever tell a patient they should completely stop doing an activity as a last resort. Our bodies are extremely resilient, and there are a lot of things we can recover from while staying in motion and pursuing what we love.
Q: Is there a lesson from running you feel applies to anyone facing a difficult challenge, whether physical or otherwise?
Undertaking difficult physical challenges helps prepare us for other challenges in life. Learning to find comfort in discomfort and learning that you can do hard things carries over into all aspects of life.
Denzil’s story is a true reflection of what it means to go above and beyond, not just as a physical therapist, but as someone who continually challenges himself to reach new heights. His journey is a reminder that the path to greatness, whether in the clinic or on the trail, is paved with perseverance, self-belief, and the willingness to embrace the challenges that come with it.
We’re incredibly proud to have Denzil as part of our team at Therapeutic Associates, and we can’t wait to see what he accomplishes next.
Physical Therapy for Runners
Inspired by Denzil’s story? Whether you’re looking to prevent injuries, improve endurance, or recover from a race, our physical therapists are here to help. Find a clinic near you and take the next step in your running journey.