PUBLISHED 12/07/2007
(In the video above, Dave McGillivray is introduced by Amby Burfoot, Runner's World Editor at Large and 1968 Boston Marathon winner.)
Dave McGillivray lives by two simple rules: plan for everything and stay positive.
Yet McGillivray's life is anything but simple. He's an endurance-running machine, a tireless philanthropist, and one of the best race directors the world has ever seen. That reputation was put to the test in April, when a nor'easter threatened McGillivray's main event, the Boston Marathon.
The man who has immersed himself in all race details--from security to porta-potties--for the past 20 years suddenly was faced with a whole new set of worries. Namely: can the race go on?
On race eve McGillivray was in constant contact with the National Weather Service, the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, and authorities in the eight towns the course passes through. But by the next morning, mother nature was ready to cooperate, and the race went on flawlessly.
When it was over, McGillivray, more sleep-deprived than usual, upheld a 36-year custom by running the 26.2 miles from Hopkinton to Boston. Though Boston is his Super Bowl, McGillivray has helped execute more than 750 racing events, some of which have raised funds for his Children's Ftness Foundation, which helps fight the obesity epidemic. On August 22, the father of four ran his age (53) in miles, a birthday tradition he started when he was 12.
Somehow, between all his endeavors, McGillivray has managed to complete 121 marathons and eight Hawaii Ironman triathlons. "I participate in races to build my own confidence and self-esteem," he says, "and I direct them so others can have the same opportunity."
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