A chance to participate in—and finish—the Boston Marathon is a must on any serious runner’s bucket list.
A chance to participate in—and finish—the Boston Marathon is a must on any serious runner’s bucket list.
The course has changed little since the race was first run in 1897. It’s a badge of honor to simply qualify for it. It’s a chance to run on the hallowed ground that the best runners in the world have battled on for the last century.
For Dave McGillivray, the Boston Marathon has been a labor of love for much of his life. “I’ve done it for forty-four years in a row; it’s in my DNA,” he began. “I didn’t create the race, but as race director, I’m a caretaker for a period of time . . . though I’m really more a conductor than a director, as we have such a well-oiled, experienced team in place. I hope to pass it on to the next guy or gal without messing it up. The Boston Marathon is a magnet that draws the best runners from around the world; it’s not the Olympics, but it’s close. There are all those iconic spots along the route—Wellesley College, Heartbreak Hill, the Citgo sign. Once you see that sign and can smell the ocean, nothing can stop you. Some [finishes] might not be as pretty as others, but odds are you’ll get there. Ninety-nine percent do.”
Dave clearly recalls his first crack at the marathon. “I was seventeen and decided I wanted to do the race. But I was too young. I jumped in anyway. Before I started, I called up my grandfather, who lived near the course, and he said he would meet me at Coolidge Corner, mile twenty-four. I got as far as the hills in Newton and down I went; I’d never gone farther than eleven miles before. I was taken to Newton-Wellesley Hospital by ambulance. I called my grandfather and he asked, ‘Where have you been?’ I told him what happened and apologized for failing. He said, ‘You didn’t fail; you learned. You can’t go and set reckless goals. If you train hard, I’ll be there for you next year.’ Unfortunately, he died. I entered the next year (legally) and was really fit, but got sick the day before. My parents didn’t want me to run, but I did anyway. I got as far as Newton and found myself doing the survivor shuffle. I was ready to drop out at mile 21.5. I figured it was not meant to be—I shouldn’t be a marathoner. I looked around behind me and saw the cemetery where my grandfather lay. He said he’d be there, and he was. I got up and finished for Grandpa—my time was 4.5 hours.”
When asked about the most memorable stretches of the route, Dave paused. “Every part of the course has significance,” he started. “Take the three hills in Newton after mile 17.5. Some people think the first is Heartbreak. Then the second. It’s the third. The Evergreen Cemetery stretch between Boston College and Cleveland Circle—the ‘haunted mile’—is also tough. When you come out of Boston College, the crowds are ten deep, but then suddenly you’re in a void, with the cemetery on the right and the trolley line on the left. Many runners lose it here. You have to hang on until you get to Beacon Street. That gets people going. Running by Fenway Park at mile twenty-five is exciting; the park is as old and iconic as the race. We’ve worked it out with the Red Sox so that runners can come back to Fenway for a post-race party on the field.”
So many powerful, inspiring tales have sprung from the Boston Marathon over the years . . . and that’s without even mentioning the bravery and resilience of the runners who survived the 2013 bombing and returned to run again. One story from Dave’s thirty years as race director that has stuck with him is a bit smaller, perhaps, but no less a tribute to the power of sportsmanship and the human spirit. “Some years back, I had a call from a woman named Katie. She wanted to come by the office to chat. She rolled in in a wheelchair and went into our conference room. When I came in, my jaw dropped. She had dwarfism and was twenty-six inches tall. ‘I have a question, Mr. McGillivray. Can I run in the marathon?’ I paused for a moment and then said, ‘Yes, you can.’ But then she said she had a caveat: that her marathon is 26.2 feet.
“As race day grew closer, she trained like crazy in her walker. When the marathon came, I cordoned off a section 26.2 feet from the starting line. All the best runners in the world were there, everyone screaming. She finished in 7.5 minutes. When she crossed her finish line, I gave her a medal and a laurel wreath. Then the official race began.
“Since I became involved in [organizing] the race twenty-nine years ago, I haven’t been able to run with everyone else. That first year I couldn’t run, I was there at the finish line, elated for all the finishers but full of self-pity for me. Then I had an idea. I asked a state trooper if he would take me to the start. I took off from the start line at eight P.M. and finished dead last. I’ve been the last finisher twenty-nine years in a row, since 1988. Generally, it’s just me and a few friends at the finish line.
“That night, as I’m coming in at eleven o’clock, I can see one person in the distance. As I get closer, I can see that it’s Katie. When I crossed the finish line, she put a medal that she made and a laurel wreath that she made around my neck. She said, ‘Ha, I beat ya!’ Katie died a few years later, and I sense that she knew she didn’t have much time left when she first came to see me. She wanted one opportunity, and we gave her that.”
DAVE MCGILLIVRAY has been the race director of the Boston Marathon since 1988 and has completed the race forty-five consecutive years . . . and 145 marathons overall. He is the owner and president of Dave McGillivray Sports Enterprises Inc. (DMSE), which since 1982 has produced or consulted on almost one thousand mass-participatory athletic events nationally and internationally. Dave first received attention in 1978 when he ran a total of 3,452 miles in eighty days to raise money for the Jimmy Fund of Boston. Many millions of dollars have been raised for charity both through his personal efforts and by events DMSE has managed. For his inspiring work, Dave has been recognized with many honors, including Competitor magazine’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000; induction into the Running USA Hall of Champions in January of 2005; and the Jimmy Award, which honors celebrities who have committed themselves to the mission of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund. He is a much sought-after motivational speaker. Learn more about his many accomplishments at dmsesports.com.
If You Go
Getting There: Boston is served by most major carriers.
Best Time to Visit: The Boston Marathon is held on Patriots’ Day, which falls on the third Monday in April.
Race Information: The Boston Marathon has stringent entry requirements, including a qualifying time at a recognized marathon. Details about entry and other aspects of the race can be found at the Boston Athletic Association website (baa.org).
Accommodations: The Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau (888-SEE-BOSTON; bostonusa.com) lists lodging options throughout the city.