On April 15th, legendary Boston Marathon race director Dave McGillivray will run his 52nd consecutive Boston Marathon, this time with a twist: He’ll be joined by his daughter, Elle, who is running her first Boston Marathon, and his son, Max, running his second.

Dave McGillivray is a well-known figure in the running and endurance sports community, and he’s primarily recognized for his role as the race director of the Boston Marathon. He took on the role of race director in the late 1980s and has been a key figure in the event’s organization since. This will be McGillivray’s 37th year organizing the start of the race in Hopkinton.

Typically McGillivray will start the race in Hopkinton, and then ride in to Boston on the back of a scooter, escorting the men’s field. After the race has mostly finished, he’d return to Hopkinton and run the marathon himself, often finishing around 9:30 PM. But this year he’ll be running during the day, the first time he’s done so since 1987, when the Marathon hosted just 6,600 participants. This year more than 30,000 runners will join.

McGillivray has completed numerous marathons and ultra-marathons, and he is known for his feats of endurance, including running across the United States to benefit the Jimmy Fund and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. This time he will be running to benefit the Dave McGillivray Finish Strong Foundation, which seeks to inspire and empower youth across the country to increase physical activity, expand literacy, build community and improve self-esteem. 

“I cannot wait to be running alongside my dad for my first Boston Marathon! This race has had a huge impact on my life and I’m super excited to run along the course I’ve watched thousands of runners complete, all while raising money for a great cause,” said Elle.

“Any amount of support is appreciated,” added McGillivray.

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