     |
|
|
|
 |
Head-turning Handsome
by Bonnie Siegler
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
Whether he's running on a white sand beach in the Bahamas or on a road in the Hollywood Hills, people stop and stare at 6- foot-4-inch David James Elliott. As Commander Harmon Rabb on JAG, and currently as District Attorney James Conlon on CBS' hit drama Close To Home, Elliott is a familiar face. But today this actor, marathon runner, triathlon competitor and father is watching his 3-year-old son at a school recital, and later he'll cheer on his 13-year-old daughter Stephanie at a swim meet.
"I try to set an example for both my kids—staying fit means you'll be healthier in the long run," says the 46-year-old Elliott. "I subscribe to Floyd Landis' idea that 'He who trains hardest, longest, wins.'"
Elliott has been training long and hard ever since his high school days in Ontario, Canada. "I was a track and field guy growing up," he explains of his marathon beginnings. "I had a friend who would jog to keep in shape. He ran a marathon and that became my ultimate goal—just to run that long." Elliott still remembers when he ran five minutes straight for the first time. "I thought that was a miracle!" he recalls. In 1985, the budding actor set up his own marathon with the help of a friend, who rode along next to him. "He carried some drinks and food for me and I did it."
Since that time, Elliott has participated in more than 15 marathons, including the Boston Marathon, the Lake Tahoe Marathon and the City of Los Angeles Marathon. His triathlon competitions include the Long Beach Triathlon, the Nautica Malibu Triathlon, the San Diego Triathlon Challenge and the Ford Ironman¨World Championship in Hawaii.
Elliott doesn't prefer one competition to another because he feels that marathons and triathlons both require lengthy amounts of time. "I think the great thing about doing a triathlon, as opposed to a marathon, is that you have three disciplines to work on so your body gets a rest from pounding one area constantly. I really do enjoy all three."
When Elliott is not training for an event, he runs, swims, weight trains and does yoga, which he uses to help minimize injuries. "My routine is the same, but not as intense as training specifically for an event. I do Spinning¨ classes to get my heart rate up and I run six miles a day, but I still train six days a week."
Up until the month before an Ironman event, Elliott enjoys the training process but gets burnt out on it. "I just want to get this thing over with," he says. "But then on race day, it's awesome. All that energy in the air makes it all worth it." When the race is over though, he feels at a loss for something to do. "You're so used to having that one focus, and boom! It's over," he says.
Luckily, Elliott has his acting career and family to focus on, too. As a new addition to Close to Home, Elliott has rejoined the television ranks after a year's hiatus when JAG left the air. Most days when he returns home from the studio, Elliott cooks dinner for his kids and wife, Nanci Chambers, formerly Lieutenant Loren Singer on JAG.
Although his diet consists mainly of whole grains, vegetables, meat and fish, Elliott says his weakness is sweets. "Sugar—the moment I have that first piece of sugar, I've got to have more and more. Junk food isn't even an option for me and I'm trying to teach that to my kids too, but I'm into chocolate."
No one would ever guess that this strong and imposing handsome physique has a weakness, even if it's chocolate. But Elliott feels that looks are deceiving, though it's what Hollywood focuses on. "My buddy and I put on a show for the Stratford Shakespeare Company and I had bought a makeup kit that had everything in it to get us ready," he says. "Afterwards, the guy who ran the company came up to me and said, 'Hang on to that makeup kit because you were phenom-enal.' So you know what," he laughs, "It doesn't matter how good you are at anything, as long as you look good."
Insert on page 2:
Personal Marathon Tips: