What 26.2 miles taught one longtime nurse about caring for patients

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Julius Dayandante knows endurance looks different inside a hospital.

Last month, the AdventHealth Daytona Beach nurse crossed the finish line at the Boston Marathon after months of training and recovery runs. But he said some of the lessons that carried him through 26.2 miles were learned during nearly three decades caring for patients and working alongside fellow nurses.

“A marathon will humble you. You cannot rush it. Nursing is the same way,” Dayandante said. “You learn to stay calm, take care of the next step in front of you and keep moving forward, even when the day gets hard.”

Dayandante, 56, works in the progressive care unit (PCU) at AdventHealth Daytona Beach and has been with the organization since 1999, an unusually long tenure in a profession facing burnout and turnover nationwide.

Born in the Philippines, he came to the United States in 1994 and first worked as a medical technician while pursuing his nursing license.

Dayandante said he has remained at AdventHealth Daytona Beach because of the relationships he has built with patients and coworkers, along with a culture that makes difficult shifts feel manageable.

“The teamwork on our unit means a lot,” he said. “You learn you are never carrying the hard days alone.”

His path to marathon running began after a 2005 hospitalization for atrial fibrillation.

“I was a couch potato,” Dayandante said with a laugh. “I remembered I used to run in college and thought, maybe I should try that again. One mile turned into another, and eventually, it became part of my life. I fell in love with it.”

That decision eventually led him to the Boston Marathon, one of the world’s most competitive races.

Dayandante qualified after running his first marathon in 2024, and he finished this year’s Boston Marathon in 3 hours and 18 minutes.

Coworkers say the discipline that carried him through Boston is evident in the way he cares for patients.

“Julius brings the same focus and consistency to nursing that he brings to running,” said Bobby Lester, his supervisor at AdventHealth Daytona Beach. “He takes time with patients, he supports his teammates and he never cuts corners. Patients remember him because he makes them feel cared for.”

Laarni Garrett, nurse manager of the PCU Medical Unit, said Dayandante represents the kind of leadership younger nurses often look for.

“He checks in on teammates, he stays patient under pressure and he brings consistency to the unit,” Garrett said. “Nurses notice that, especially newer team members learning how to navigate stressful situations.”

Dayandante said support from leaders and coworkers helped him manage marathon training alongside long hospital shifts and recovery time while preparing for Boston.

“When I needed time off for training runs, races or recovery, my leaders worked with me to adjust my schedule so I could do it without feeling like I was letting my team down,” he said. “That kind of support means a lot. It’s one of the main reasons I’ve stayed here so long.”

Now, he is training for the Chicago Marathon in October as he works toward earning the Abbott World Marathon Majors Six Star medal.

Even after 27 years in nursing, he said the work continues to shape him.

“Running taught me endurance. Nursing taught me perspective,” Dayandante said. “When you spend years caring for people during painful or uncertain times, you stop taking life for granted. I’m proud to be part of the AdventHealth care team, and I’m thankful for the love and support of my wife and son. Most of all, I’m grateful to God for the gift of life and the countless blessings He continues to bestow upon me.”