Running man

Cal Davidson Turner had a breakthrough. 

On the state’s biggest stage, the Cardinal Mooney High senior put forth his best performance on the track. 

For 2.5 laps of the 1,600-meter run, Davidson Turner went after it. He broke free from the pack and ran stride for stride with Windermere Prep senior Franco Martins, who was heavily favored to win the event. 

When Martins turned to look back 1,000 meters into the race, Davidson Turner was right on his heels. 

“I’ve never run out of guts,” Davidson Turner says. “I’ve always sort of tried to stay consistent and let things happen. I usually settle in and stay with the pack, but this time I let go.”

Martins eventually broke free down the stretch, but Davidson Turner’s decision to break away  from the pack early on ultimately propelled him onto the podium at the Class 1A Track and Field Championships May 1, at the University of North Florida, in Jacksonville. Davidson Turner finished third in the mile in 4 minutes, 27.09 seconds. It was the best race that Davidson Turner, who holds four school records, has ever run. 

“I made him work for that (win) instead of just running away with the race,” Davidson Turner says. “It was a breakthrough for me, and it came for me at the right time as I transition from high school to college running.” 

Davidson Turner, who will run for Seattle University next year, went on to finish sixth in the 3,200 in 9:53.52. 

In his final season with the Cougars, Davidson Turner won a pair of Sarasota County championships, a pair of district titles and a regional championship. 

It was a fitting end to a three-year high school career for Davidson Turner, who didn’t set out to be a runner. Instead, running found him in the most unlikely of circumstances. 

Davidson Turner played basketball before experiencing a leg injury in sixth grade. During his time away from the court, he realized he was no longer serious about basketball. But he still wanted to be an athlete and learned that Brookside Middle School was holding track tryouts. 

Davidson Turner ran a 7:14 mile. He was cut from the team and vowed to come back the following year. 

Davidson Turner ran his first half-marathon the day before track tryouts the next year. A few days later, he ran a time trial. His 6:14 mile was the second fastest on the team. 

Davidson Turner enrolled at Cardinal Mooney as a sophomore and immediately joined the cross-country team. In his third cross-country meet, Davidson Turner ran a 17:30 at the North Port Invitational, dropping nearly 90 seconds off his initial time. 

“At that moment, I realized I have something here,” Davidson Turner says. “I can do this. I can be a great runner. That’s when my training became more serious.” 

Over the next three years, Davidson Turner developed into the Cougars’ most decorated male runner, by setting school records in the 5K, 1,600, 3,000 and 3,200. 

Davidson Turner is now preparing to compete in his final two high school meets — the Trinity Meet May 8 and the Golden South Meet May 23. 

“I’m going to miss high school running,” Davidson Turner says. “It was a launch pad for going to college. The support I’ve received from the Cougar community has been really helpful. Whenever running seems like a job, my friends and teammates are always there to pick me up and make me laugh.” 

“It’s been an emotional ride to get to where I am. The support I’ve received from the Cougar community has been really helpful. Whenever running seems like a job, my friends and teammates are always there to pick me up and make me laugh.” 

– Cal Davidson Turner