Words by Emily Richardson
Photos Credited
This Article Is Sponsored By
Run Minnesota
If you’ve ever spent time running with a local club, training for a race, or spectating at an event in the Twin Cities, there’s a good chance you’ve crossed paths with Danny Docherty. An elite runner and native of St. Paul, his racing and coaching life is deeply rooted in Minnesota.
Whether working as Program Director at Run Minnesota, training and racing with Team USA Minnesota (now Minnesota Distance Elite), or coaching with Highland Groveland Recreation Association, just to name a few – Danny has influenced many local athletes, students and organizations through his work and mentorship.
At 34 years old, his list of running accolades is long – but you may never know it by chatting with him.
When asked about one of his favorite running memories, Danny doesn’t tout his third-place finish at the 2019 Twin Cities Marathon (TCM) or his two-time qualification for the Olympic Trials in the Marathon. Instead, he recalls supporting his mom during a marathon she was running.
“It was a windy day at the Virginia Beach Marathon and I jumped in the race to help block the wind for her. She was unable to finish the race that day but I think it showed me that it is always worth the attempt to go for big goals, even when things don’t work out the way we want them to.”
The need for grit in the face of unexpected challenges has played a big role in Danny’s running career, and has led him to some of his proudest racing accomplishments.
“[The 2019 Twin Cities Marathon] seems like a time when it all came together for me. I wouldn’t necessarily rate it as my best performance in my career, but it was a race where I had doubts about whether I would finish at all.
“I fell off the lead pack around 15 miles and ran the next 10 miles basically solo. I experienced some cramps after 20 miles and had to really battle coming up Summit Avenue. By staying with the race and never quitting, I was able to finish in third place in what is still my marathon personal best of 2:15:55.”
Danny credits much of his success that day to all his friends and family who came out to bike along the course and cheer him on from the side lines.
“I think that support is what made me not want to give in and it is special when you feel like it is bigger than just you and a race. There is so much support that happens along the way in the training and encouragement throughout a career.”
Danny’s journey to the TCM finish line in 2019 shares themes with his much longer running journey over the past 30 years – a strong support system to help him celebrate his achievements and lift him up during challenges.
His path to the sport began when he was very young, biking and running around his childhood neighborhood of Summit Hill with friends during the summer.
Then in 8th grade, he ran his first one-mile race competitively, going neck-and-neck with his classmate all the way to the finish line. “From that moment, I realized how fun the competition of the sport could be.”
During Danny’s sophomore year at Cretin-Derham Hall (CDH) in St. Paul, he joined the Track and Field Team led by his coach Chris Babcock, and also ran cross country.
In addition to running, he was also involved in basketball, soccer and baseball. He attributes some of those experiences to helping him become a more successful runner.
“In high school, our club soccer coach JJ really challenged us. That was the hardest I had trained in my life. He would have us run loops around Como Lake for 5-6 miles while dribbling the ball. It really paid off in the coming seasons of both soccer and running. His influence came at the right time in my life.”
The influence of Coach JJ paired well with Coach Babcock’s approach to running. The CDH distance program emphasized giving it your all and helping others get better.
“We went through some challenging workouts as a team. I still remember the 10x400m workout at the Macalester College track on a rainy Saturday morning. It was the hardest workout of my life up to that point. But when you are completing the work with 30 teammates, it becomes slightly easier and more fun. Coach Babcock found a way to combine fun and hard work into one.”
In 2006, Danny qualified for the MN State Meet in the 3200m and his soccer team won their league. Then during his senior year, he went on to become an All-State performer in the 1600m and 3200m, finishing 5th and 4th respectively.
“Running is a sport that asks, ‘What can you give?’ The effort and results are completely dependent on what I put into it. I appreciate that equal exchange. I also liked the simplicity of the competition as a high schooler. I eventually created the goal of earning an athletic scholarship to attend college and compete at the next level. Running gave me a drive that was above and beyond the drive I had in other areas of life.”
Following high school, he attended Loyola University in Chicago where he ran Cross-Country and Track and Field at the Division I level while studying English and Psychology.
While in college, he qualified for the NCAA West Prelims in the 10,000 meter, and received All-Conference Honors in Cross Country and Track. Currently, Danny ranks as the #6 All-Time performer in the 10,0000 meter at Loyola.
Amid many accomplishments, Danny’s time in college also brought injuries.
“I had a soft tissue injury in my knee that kept me out of my junior year of Track. I trained solo for most of this time in a pool, either swimming or aqua jogging. I remember shifting my perspective and learned to see improvement in my swimming times that helped me see I was still getting better even without running miles. This helped me become resilient and aware that being healthy requires discipline and precise choices in life.
[It] also helped shift my perspective to maximize the time when I was healthy…to give everything I had to each race. I didn’t know when I would get another opportunity to race so I figured I needed to put it all on the line today and just be grateful I was able to run.”
Since college, Danny has gone on to become the USATF Minnesota Runner of the Year in 2019, 2022 and 2023, and the winner of the 5K, 10K and 10 Mile races during TCM Weekend in 2021.
Most recently, Danny qualified for the 2024 Olympic Marathon Trials (he also qualified for the 2020 Trials on 3 separate occasions) – where he finished 64th in the Men’s Field with a time of 2:20:41.
Nadir Yusuf – Male Athlete of the Year in Track at Minnesota State University Moorhead between 2019-2021 – trained for the Trials alongside Danny in Orlando. They met at the 2021 Medtronic TC 10 Mile Race, where Nadir locked in a second-place finish following Danny’s first-place time.
The two of them spent weeks together heat training in Orlando to prepare for the February 2 race featuring the top 300+ runners from across the country vying for a spot on the Summer Olympics team.
Nadir – who finished 25th with a time of 2:16:15 – often trains alone, but was grateful to have Danny as his training partner, especially during the long runs. “We shared lots of words of encouragement and spent our workouts and easy, long runs just blabbering with each other. It really made my Olympic Trials experience what it was. I’m very thankful for everything he’s done for me. Running brings you to good people,” he said.
In addition to racing, Danny’s road to coaching started when he got his USATF Level 1 Coaching Certification after college, which opened the door to a variety of opportunities.
First, he became an assistant coach at his alma mater Cretin-Derham Hall, where he coached the Raiders alongside his high school coach Chris Babcock.
“I find a lot of joy through the experience of coaching. It’s a great way to connect with people and help them grow through a team experience. I enjoy how each season and team is a little different and there is a sort of chemistry that develops each season and makes a specific team tick. I enjoy the process of finding that energy and then helping it grow throughout a season.”
Danny’s love for coaching has helped him make a home with a variety of other organizations throughout the Twin Cities.
In his role with Run Minnesota, Danny has worked since 2022 as Program Director and Coach for the organization’s Training Program, where he supports people of all ages and abilities in preparing for distances from the 5K all the way up to the marathon.
Run Minnesota member Mari Ruddy trained with Danny for the 2023 Grandma’s Marathon – her second race of that length – which she ran 10 minutes faster than her first marathon 12 years earlier. As someone with Type 1 Diabetes who’s going through her third round of breast cancer, she appreciates the care Danny provides in helping her navigate the challenges of the sport.
“Danny consistently makes himself and his knowledge available to every runner in the program. He’s attentive, kind and he always makes me feel that my questions are worth listening to and responding to with attention and thoroughness…even for the ‘slower’ runners like me.” – Mari Ruddy
In addition to working with Run Minnesota, Danny is Director of Track and Baseball Operations with Groveland Park Recreation Association and Assistant Coach for Track and Cross Country at Visitation and DeLaSalle High Schools respectively. He also has an independent coaching business, Docherty Coaching, where he helps athletes and coaches grow in the sport.
Today, Danny holds Level 2 coaching certifications from USATF (Youth Specialization), USTFCCCA (Endurance Specialist) and the Lydiard Foundation.
Outside of coaching and racing, Danny finds camaraderie and joy running with El Jefe Running Club in St. Paul.
“I met members of El Jefe in various walks of life. [We] go for runs, meet for coffee and share the love of the sport. It’s a community I greatly cherish. We are a team because we all know each other well and can celebrate if it’s a good day or pick each other up on a not-so-good day.”
This love of running isn’t just a part of Danny’s life; it’s woven into his family. His mom, Bev Docherty, was also an elite runner for many years.
The marathon he jumped in to help shield her from the wind? Bev was racing that day in Virginia Beach to qualify for the Olympic Marathon Trials.
In addition to qualifying for and completing 6 Olympic Trials, she’s also a two-time U.S. Masters National Champion in the Marathon, a 2003 Inductee to the Minnesota Track and Field Hall of Fame, and has spent 28 years teaching and coaching at the K-12 level.
“I look back [at that Virginia Beach marathon] now and it may have been a passing of the racing torch [from my mom to me],” Danny says.
Looking ahead, Danny is preparing for the 2024 City of Lakes Half Marathon and Twin Cities Marathon. But he’s also prioritizing time for other things that are important to him, like getting outside to kayak and camp and spending time with family and friends, including some of his teammates who have lifted him up throughout his running career.
“When I reflect on the times when I’ve made the most gains in my running, it is always because I had a specific team, teammate, or collective team goal to get the most out of our efforts in the sport. I think teamwork transcends the finite energy of an individual effort into the shared vision of a community.
The running community can offer something to everyone who joins. It can take time to find that group or team that will help you get the most out of yourself, but I believe the search and discovery process is worth it in the end.”