Podcasts Sports Running Ali on the Run Show 535. Beyond the Run with Dave McGillivray

535. Beyond the Run with Dave McGillivray

Published: July 1, 2022, 9 a.m.

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"I\\u2019m like, \'Oh this isn\\u2019t good! I\\u2019m locked inside of my own porta-john, 15 minutes before the start of the most prestigious marathon in the world, that I\\u2019ve been working on with everyone else for a year!\' And I\\u2019m in a porta-john, and no one can hear me. And if I shake it too much, it\\u2019s gonna fall over, and that\\u2019s not good! Helicopters are circling above us, so you can\\u2019t hear very well, so no one\\u2019s hearing that I\\u2019m locked in the porta-john. So I had a choice\\u2026"

Dave McGillivray is best known as the longtime race director for the Boston Marathon. (And every year, after fulfilling his race director duties, Dave returns to the start line in Hopkinton, MA, where he runs the marathon himself.) Dave is the president and founder of his own company, DMSE Sports, which is an event management business in Boston that has produced, directed, and consulted on more than 1,600 events around the world. Dave has run more than 165 marathons, he\'s an Ironman triathlete, and he\'s a World Marathon Challenge finisher. In this conversation, we go beyond Dave\'s personal and professional accolades \\u2014 less about the logistics, and more on what drives him and what he gets out of doing all of this. We talk about what it really took to pull off directing two Boston Marathons in a six-month span. (If you remember, the 2021 Boston Marathon took place on October 11 because of the pandemic.) Dave shares some of his favorite Boston Marathon memories (including an unforgettable porta-potty story), and answers the question we\'re all asking: "Is racing back?"

SPONSOR:\\xa0New Balance\\xa0\\u2014 Click here\\xa0to learn more about how New Balance is supporting conversations around mental wellness in running. (And check out my current favorite bra,\\xa0pullover, and\\xa0crop top.)

What you\\u2019ll get on this episode:

  • What\\u2019s making Dave happy right now (4:05)
  • Dave\\u2019s Boston Marathon porta-potty story (10:50)
  • What were the greatest challenges in pulling off two Boston Marathons in a six-month span? (14:00)
  • On being a local celebrity on race weekends, and how Dave takes care of himself during extraordinarily busy times (24:35)
  • All about Dave\\u2019s 50th running of the Boston Marathon (33:30)
  • Dave\\u2019s most memorable Boston Marathon moments (44:30)
  • Is racing back? (1:02:00)
  • What hasn\\u2019t Dave done? (1:06:00)

For more, check out:

Dave McGillivray on Episode 424 of the Ali on the Run Show

\\u201cThe Future of Running\\u201d Live Show

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SUPPORT the Ali on the Run Show!\\xa0If you\\u2019re enjoying the show, please\\xa0subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Spread the run love. And if you liked this episode, share it with your friends!

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