DAVE MCGILLIVRAY RAN 42ND BOSTON MARATHON MONDAY NIGHT IN SUPPORT OF THE MARTIN W. RICHARD CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

Group raises $45K so far and still accepting donations

Dave McGillivray crossing the finish line of the Boston Marathon shortly after 11 p.m. on Marathon Monday.

BOSTON — The race director of the B.A.A. Boston Marathon, Dave McGillivray,  ran his 42nd Boston Marathon on Monday — starting at 7 p.m. after everyone else had finished and ending about four hours later — to benefit the Martin W. Richard Charitable Foundation.

McGillivray ran as part of Team MR8 to benefit the foundation, which was formed by the parents of the 8-year-old boy killed at the Boston Marathon bombings last year. His group raised more than $45,000 and is still accepting donations. To donate, visit the link set up at First Giving: http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/charityteams/team-mr8-boston-marathon-2014.

Dave McGillivray speaking at the Boston Marathon press conference.

McGillivray, president of DMSE Sports, was joined on his evening Boston Marathon run by Sean Ryan from Green Bay, Doug Kaplan from Chicago and others, including Josh Nemzer of the B.A.A., who ran 16 miles with them. The team was supported along the course by Bob McGillivray, Ron Kramer, and Bob Myette.

“The 2014 Boston Marathon was one for the ages - it was simply epic,” McGillivray said. “When we ran the course, it was dark and quiet – unlike earlier when I went through the course on the scooter the first time when there were about a million-plus spectators, there were only about 10 spectators along the entire course the second time through! Although I was tired when I started, it ended up being one of the easiest runs I’ve had in years. Now I’ll start training for the Ironman!”

Insignia in road marking Dave McGillivray's 42nd Boston Marathon.

McGillivray is referring to his plan to return to Kona, Hawaii in October to participate in the Ironman Triathlon World Championship for the ninth time – but for the first time in 25 years.

McGillivray learned he had coronary heart disease last fall and has spoken out about getting healthy and going in for heart tests, even if you think you are healthy and in shape. He has lost 27 pounds, dropped his cholesterol level by over 70 points and has been following a very, very strict and healthy diet, which he credits as having given him his health back and now feels he is in his best shape in 15 years. 

Dave McGillivray with Boston sports legends during a John Hancock function at the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel on Sunday night. From left to right, Dennis Eckersley (Red Sox), Steve Lyons (Red Sox), Bob Sweeney (Bruins), Dave Cowens (Celtics), Dave McGillivray (on chair!), Rob Gronkowski (Patriots) and, front row, Travis Roy (BU hockey) and running legends Joan Benoit Samuelson and Bill Rodgers.

McGillivray gained national prominence with his 1978 cross country run that took 80 days and raised almost $150,000 for the Jimmy Fund – the first money any runner ever raised for a cancer charity, according to Runner’s World. He has completed a number of similar feats of endurance since his groundbreaking cross country trek, including a second cross-country run in 2004 from San Francisco to Boston as part of TREK USA, a relay team event that raised more than $300,000 for five children’s charities. He has now logged more than 150,000 miles, eight Hawaii Ironman Triathlons and now has finished 131 marathons – including this past Monday’s Boston Marathon. 

McGillivray is a pioneer in what is now one of the most important aspects of the endurance sports industry – combining athletics with philanthropy. Nearly every DMSE Sports event combines fitness and fundraising, giving back to the Jimmy Fund and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Children’s Hospital, Lazarus House and many others charities and non-profit organizations in New England and across the country. He along with all the events he has directed have helped raised $100 million for charity over the years since starting DMSE Sports in 1981.

DMSE Sports is now a leader in sports event management, specializing in creating, marketing and producing mass participatory athletic events throughout the U.S. and abroad. In addition to the B.A.A. Boston Marathon, DMSE manages more than 25 major road races per year, including the TD Beach to Beacon in Maine, the New Balance Falmouth Road Race on Cape Cod, the Finish at the 50 at Patriot Place, Run for the Dream in Williamsburg, Va., the Bellin Run in Green Bay, Wis., the Feaster Five Thanksgiving Day Road Race and the Across the Bay 10K in Annapolis, Maryland, among others.

For more info, visit www.dmsesports.com.

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Here is the text of Dave McGillivray's post-Boston Marathon post on his Facebook page:

BOSTON STRONG -- GO MEB AND MARTIN!
This photo is at the TD Beach to Beacon race with my 9-year old daughter Elle and 7-year old son Luke with running icons Ryan Hall, Meb, and Joanie. My kids were sitting in the bleachers last year and saw it “all”. They were “profoundly impacted” like so many others. This year they decided not to go to the race, sad….however, Lukie was telling me he still watched it on TV and was cheering Meb on to win and is now psyched to return to the race again next year. See Meb, you even inspired my son Luke to “come back” to the Boston Marathon. Your win my friend was “epic” but what you just did for my son is what I will cherish the most. And, for those still asking, yes, I did finish my 42nd Boston in about 4:12 at 11:09pm at night…boy was it dark out the entire run! Even though I was a little tired, it was a pretty easy run for me and my buddies Sean Ryan, Doug Kaplan, Josh Nemzer and new friend Brent. I did it for the MR8 Foundation (Martin Richard – the little boy who was killed last year) and helped our team raise over $45,000. So, from the 10:00am gun, my time was 11 hours and 8 minutes…ha! Hey, last year my time was 11 days, 2 hours and 30-minutes…so, at least you can say I am improving!

Wow…what a day all around. Very proud of each and every runner who had the guts to come back to Boston…the heck with me, I’m a slug, all you folks are my heroes…honestly! This is as much America’s Marathon as it is the Boston Marathon and there were 36,000 human interest stories out there on Monday (plus about another billion who supported the race this year!). And, lucky me, I’m about the ONLY person who saw every single moment of this event being all around the start, along the entire course on the lead motor scooter and at the finish. I’m still shaking my head in amazement wondering if this was all just a dream. OK, enough…the 2015 Boston Marathon is only 363 days away…got to get back to work! See you all again next year!