November 12, 2025

Major U.S. Marine Corps (ret.) runs 7th Marine Corps Marathon just shy of 75th birthday

REGIONAL
Story and photo by Carolee McGrath

Major Kevin Davis, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps for 40 years, completed his seventh Marine Corps Marathon, Oct. 26 in Washington, D.C.

WILBRAHAM — Just a few weeks before his 75^th birthday, Major Kevin Davis, who served 40 years in the United State Marine Corps, decided he would show everyone what Marines of any age are made of. On Sunday, Oct. 26 he completed his seventh Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C.

“It was a beast. It was my seventh and final. I’ve been promising my wife and family and friends that I wouldn’t run anymore, but this one was really special,” said Davis, a eucharistic minister at St. Cecilia Parish in Wilbraham.

This was the 50^th running of the Marine Corps Marathon and the 250^th birthday of the U.S. Marine Corps. More than 40,000 runners registered for the 2025 marathon, a record-breaking number.

“It felt really good. The weather was perfect. The crowds were just energizing, motivating. Little kids were holding their ‘power up’ signs, the cowbells. Everyone was cheering for you, pushing you on,” he said.

Davis, who is a member of the Knights of Columbus St. Cecilia’s Council 10195, trained for months to be ready for the 26.2 mile course, which winds through the nation’s capital. Young Marine officers man every water stop along the route.

“That’s really the moment when you stand in front of a 2^nd lieutenant and he puts the medal on you and then you stand in front of the Iwo Jima Memorial and have your picture taken. That’s a combination of months of training and hard work,” he said.

Davis, or “The Major,” as his friends call him, had help in his training. Longtime friend and former neighbor, Brian Bowler, made the trip to Washington with him. On Oct. 26, Bowler completed his sixth Marine Corps Marathon in under four hours. Bowler is also a member of St. Cecilia Parish.

“Running the Marine Corps Marathon is one of the most inspiring and humbling experiences of my life because you have all of these young Marines that are there, every water stop along the way, giving you water, cheering you on, giving you high-fives, thanking you for running. All the while, we should be thanking them for everything they signed up for,” said Bowler.

St. Cecilia Parish had a third runner complete the Marine Corps Marathon this year, as well.

“It was a friend, a fellow Knight who introduced us during our meeting before the event,” said Todd Lisowski, who met Davis just weeks before the marathon at a Knights of Columbus meeting. This was Lisowski’s first marathon. He also finished under 4 hours.

“It was kind of cool to connect in that way not having an idea beforehand but making that connection before the event. So that was nice and just the meaning it had for him,” he said.

All three men said faith played a big part of their success over the long trek. Davis said if it was God’s will, he would make it to the finish line before the cut-off time.

“And it was God’s will. Once I passed the last gauntlet, I knew I had it in the books,” Davis said.

“The Marine Corps is central in my life, one of my central tenets: family, God, country, Corps.” said Davis.

A video version of this story will be on an upcoming edition of “Real to Reel” which temporarily airs Sunday mornings at 6:30 a.m. on WWLP-22 NEWS.