Inaugural Run Medford Road Race set for Sunday, September 18, 2022 and announcement of the Dave McGillivray Finish Strong Foundation, Inc.
Medford, MA (May 19, 2022) – Former Medford, MA, resident Dave McGillivray, race director of the Boston Marathon and president/founder of DMSE Sports, will be coming back to his roots to celebrate and memorialize his connection to his hometown. Run Medford, a 5K and 8K race and weekend running celebration, will be an event geared toward giving back to the community that supported and influenced McGillivray’s childhood.
“Even though I left Medford over 30 years ago, Medford is still my hometown and where it all started for me,” McGillivray said. “I want to give back to the community that gave so much to me during those early years.”
McGillivray graduated from Medford High School in 1972 as class valedictorian. In 1978 he ran from Medford, OR, to Medford, MA, in support of the Jimmy Fund, an organization whose community-based fundraising events directly benefit the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. He then opened up Dave McGillivray Running and Sports Center in Medford, and soon transitioned to his event management business, Dave McGillivray Sports Enterprises.
McGillivray’s goal is to create a community-based and involved mass-participatory event that will have a significant and positive impact on the City of Medford, its businesses, churches, residents, non-profits, student athletes, and people in need.
“I am incredibly excited for this new event and I am thankful to Dave for once again making a commitment to his hometown,” stated Medford Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn. “Dave has done so much for the Medford community and we could not be more thrilled to work with him on this latest project that will provide support for many individuals and groups in our city. I look forward to participating in these events myself, but more importantly, I am so excited to introduce my young runners through the Girls on the Run program to the incredible opportunity to run alongside Dave McGillivray and other amazing athletes. I can’t wait to make this new program a reality in Medford.”
McGillivray also is launching his new charitable foundation, the Dave McGillivray Finish Strong Foundation, Inc. The Foundation inspires and empowers youth across New England and beyond to increase physical activity, expand literacy and build community and self-esteem through running, reading, and performing acts of kindness. Run Medford will be hosted and presented by the DMFS Foundation and will offer races for all ages, including a 5K, 8K, high school mile, celebrity mile, and other unique events. The event will be held on Sunday, September 18, and will start and finish at Medford City Hall.
Event-day timeline:
11:00am – Kid’s Fun Runs
11:30am – Para-athletes mile
12:00pm – High school mile
12:30pm – Mayor’s Celebrity / VIP mile
1:00pm – Start of 5K and 8K
Additional highlights include:
· Full weekend of speakers, clinics, and fitness expo
· Beer garden and post-race celebration
· Team categories, including Medford Police Department team, Medford Fire Department team, MHS Class of ‘72 team (50th reunion), and others.
About DMSE Sports
DMSE Sports is a full-service event-management organization, providing a full range of event and race production, management, and consulting services to support events of all sizes. Dave McGillivray and his team at DMSE Sports are responsible for the technical and logistical aspects of more than 30 races and walks per year. From overseeing organizing committees to working with local officials and handling registration, credentialing, lead vehicles, and course set up, DMSE Sports does it all. The firm has produced more than 1,000 events since opening its doors in 1981 and serves clients throughout the United States.
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