Beth Davis

Swimming Instructor – Competitive Swimmers – Adults Learning to Swim – Triathletes – Young Competitive Swimmers – Getting Children Started

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    • Beth’s Bio
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    • Getting Children Started
      • Stroke Development for Children
      • Overcoming Fear of Water for Children
    • Learning to Swim as an Adult
      • Stroke Development for Adults
      • Overcoming Fear of Water for Adults
      • Shoney’s Story
      • Adult Swimmers’ Stories
    • Competitive Swimmers / Triathletes
      • Using Film to Enhance Your Stroke
      • Open Water Swimming
    • Teaching Families
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    • Boulder
    • Louisville available only for children
    • Outdoor: Boulder Elks Pool and Patio
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Beth’s Bio


beth-tetonsI have lifelong experience in competitive athletics (swimming, triathlons, cycling, and running), outdoor education and leadership, and coaching. I have been a championship sprint and distance swimmer, professional triathlete in all distances, and successful ultra runner. I have taught outdoor skills such as survival, safety, rock climbing, and canoeing. I have coached individual athletes and groups of all ages and abilities in swimming, running, and triathlons.

My mission is to offer a sacred space for adults and children to learn by encouraging mastery through body awareness and focus and, by doing so, bring more depth and meaning into people’s lives.

 


young_competitive_swimmer

Davis, at 9 (fourth from left), with teammates and coaches on Idle Hour Swim Team, Lexington, KY

1963 – First year swimming on summer league swim team (age 6)

 


1966 – Recruited to year-round swim team, GLSA (age 9)

 


1967 – Junior Olympic champion in 50- and 100-yd free (age 10)

 


1973 – Southeast regional champion 50- and 100-yd free, 50 fly – started teaching swimming at the University of Kentucky (age 16)

 


1975 – Collegiate champion 50- and 100-yd free – founded St. Mary’s Junior College swim team in North Carolina (age 18)

 


1976 – Graduated from high school (age 19)

 


1978 – Graduated from St. Mary’s Junior College, A.A degree (age 21)

 


1980 – Joined the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, N.C. swim team – graduated from UNC, B.A., History (age 22)

 


1982 – Completed New York City Marathon (age 25)

Beth Davis, foreground right, running in the New York City Marathon, 1982 – her first marathon.

Davis, foreground right, New York City Marathon, 1982

 


Beth as professional triathlete, sponsored by Saucony.

Professional triathlete, sponsored by Saucony

1983 – Began triathlon competitions and received sponsorship (age 26)


Left: Beth Davis, third place  female overall, New Zealand  Ironman, March, 1985.

1985 –

Third overall at NZ Ironman and completed Hawaii Ironman (third woman out of the water) – acquired professional status (age 28)

Beth Davis racing the bike leg of the Hawaii Ironman, 1985

Racing the bike leg of the Hawaii Ironman, 1985

 


Beth riding in the hail during Rocky  Mountain News Bicycle Classic, in Littleton, Colorado, 1985.

Riding in the hail during Rocky
Mountain News Bicycle Classic,
Littleton, Colorado, 1985

1986 – Began racing as a category 3 cyclist (age 29)

 


Making fire the old-fashioned way at Tom  Brown's Survival School.

Making fire the old-fashioned way at Tom
Brown’s Tracking & Nature Awareness School

1988 – Attended Tom Brown’s Tracking & Nature Awareness School (age 31)


Beth coaching at poolside.

Coaching at poolside

1990-94 – Masters swim coach at the Boulder YMCA, City of Boulder and CU (age 33–35)

 


Beth coaching young members of the Boulder Blitz Youth  Running Club, before the Regional Cross Country Meet in Albuquerque, NM.

Davis coaching the Boulder Blitz Youth Running Club before their regional meet, Albuquerque, NM

1991– Started coaching Boulder Blitz Youth Running Club; Outdoor Education instructor for City of Boulder and CU; completed Instructor Training Course with Outward Bound (age 34)


1993– Started teaching private swim lessons; began ultrarunning (age 36)

 


1994– Started Beth Davis Adventure Swim Programs – now SwimBoulder (age 37)

 


Beth running the TexasTrail 50K Race.

Running the Texas Trail 50K

1996–98

Finished 9th, 12th, 14th overall female at Texas Trail 50k ultra (age 39-41)


1997-01 – Pacer at Leadville Trail 100-mile race (age 39-43)

 


1998 – Started the Women’s Triathlon Club (age 40)

 


In July 2001, Beth created and directed the Rocky Mountain Kids Triathlon Clinic, coordinating with 3 other women athletes to prepare children to compete in a local kids' triathlon.

Davis created and directed the Rocky Mountain Kids Triathlon Clinic, coordinating with three other women athletes to prepare children for a local kids’ triathlon

2001 – Created and directed the Rocky Mountain Kids Triathlon Clinic (age 43)

 


2003 – Started dryland training class for competitive swimmers (age 45)

 


2005 – 1st place female Boulder Stroke and Stride, 750 meter swim/5k run; 1st place female Danielesque Trail half-marathon (age 47)


Newton's 24 hours of Triathlon

Newton’s 24 Hours of Triathlon

2007 – 1st place 2-person relay, Newton’s 24 Hours of Triathlon; 19 triathlons in total (age 49)

 


Self-guided sport and deep water soloing climbing trip in Mallorca, Spain in April/May

Self-guided sport and deep-water solo
climbing trip in Mallorca, Spain

2008 – 1st place 2-person relay, Boulder Peak Olympic Distance Triathlon (age 50)

 


Old Town Square with other writers from the States

Old Town Square with other writers from the States

2009 – Awarded the John Woods Scholarship to attend the summer writing program at the Charles University in Prague. Worked on a manuscript focused on the transformative power of athletics (age 51)


2010 – 3rd place relay finish in Trans-Tahoe Relay Swim, age category Women Total Age 240+ (ages: 59, 52, 46, 44, 34, 26).

Trans-Tahoe Relay Swim Team

Trans-Tahoe Relay Swim Team


 


Certifications
  • CPR
  • Water Safety Instructor
  • Lifeguard Training
  • Mountain Oriented First Aid
  • USA Track and Field Level One coaching certificate
  • American Swimming Coaching Association Level One coaching certificate

Life Altering Experiences …

Stories from Courageous Adults Learning to Swim

My inspiration for asking my adult students to write about their swimming experiences came from reading an article in the Wall Street Journal. The journalist had interviewed me for the piece on adults … [Read More...]

ROKA Sports Partnership

roka-logo2SwimBoulder, Inc. has partnered with ROKA  to bring all of you the best quality swim gear at a discounted price. Contact me to learn more about this benefit.

What Beth's Clients Are Saying

Beth Davis is an amazing coach. She worked with me to create a plan that pushed my limits while supporting and fitting it into my everyday life. She believed in me when I had no idea of my strengths and limitations. Best of all, she consistently pushed me to look within. I highly recommend Beth for her personalized approach, her consistent support, and her superior knowledge as a coach and athlete.

— Erin Blakemore
Beth Davis
2023-09-26T23:03:42+00:00
Beth Davis is an amazing coach. She worked with me to create a plan that pushed my limits while supporting and fitting it into my everyday life. She believed in me when I had no idea of my strengths and limitations. Best of all, she consistently pushed me to look within. I highly recommend Beth for her personalized approach, her consistent support, and her superior knowledge as a coach and athlete. — Erin Blakemore
https://swimboulder.com/testimonials/beth-davis-is-an-amazing-coach
I came to Beth when I was 11 years old. At that point I liked swimming, but had had little success in competition. One year later I qualified for summer league finals for the first time. In high school, I qualified for State and earned a spot on an All-American relay. Through Beth’s help, I was recruited by Division III schools and ended up swimming for Claremont McKenna College, where I had success in numerous conference finals. Without her help, I would not be the swimmer or person I am today.

— Nathan Lenssen
Beth Davis
2023-09-26T23:05:17+00:00
I came to Beth when I was 11 years old. At that point I liked swimming, but had had little success in competition. One year later I qualified for summer league finals for the first time. In high school, I qualified for State and earned a spot on an All-American relay. Through Beth’s help, I was recruited by Division III schools and ended up swimming for Claremont McKenna College, where I had success in numerous conference finals. Without her help, I would not be the swimmer or person I am today. — Nathan Lenssen
https://swimboulder.com/testimonials/when-i-was-11-years-old
When I started working with Beth I was the typical 9-year-old who didn't want to focus on anything for more than 10 seconds. I went from only being a breaststroker (and a slow one at that) to a well-rounded swimmer, getting relay spots in freestyle and excelling at butterfly, posting State times in all three strokes in my time at Fairview High School. Beth was very positive about my personal development as well and helped give me confidence that was hard to find elsewhere.

— Michael Lenssen
Beth Davis
2023-09-26T23:05:45+00:00
When I started working with Beth I was the typical 9-year-old who didn't want to focus on anything for more than 10 seconds. I went from only being a breaststroker (and a slow one at that) to a well-rounded swimmer, getting relay spots in freestyle and excelling at butterfly, posting State times in all three strokes in my time at Fairview High School. Beth was very positive about my personal development as well and helped give me confidence that was hard to find elsewhere. — Michael Lenssen
https://swimboulder.com/testimonials/didnt-want-to-focus
When I was 5 years old, I fell out of a boat in the middle of Broadmoor Lake. Since then I have had a continuing fear of water. Beth Davis has helped me ease that fear, to begin to trust myself in the water, through amazing patience and understanding. She has zillions of exercises for me to try in the water; if one is too hard, she comes up with another that's easier.

Beth is a topnotch swimming instructor. She is knowledgeable, dedicated, and kind.

— Jane Carlson, age 72
Beth Davis
2023-09-26T23:06:15+00:00
When I was 5 years old, I fell out of a boat in the middle of Broadmoor Lake. Since then I have had a continuing fear of water. Beth Davis has helped me ease that fear, to begin to trust myself in the water, through amazing patience and understanding. She has zillions of exercises for me to try in the water; if one is too hard, she comes up with another that's easier. Beth is a topnotch swimming instructor. She is knowledgeable, dedicated, and kind. — Jane Carlson, age 72
https://swimboulder.com/testimonials/fell-out-of-a-boat
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Contact Beth Davis • 303.554.8857 • [email protected]