McGillivray Marks 30 Years of Running, Fitness, Charity

Medford Native Behind Boston Marathon, Other Major Sports Events; Promotes Physical Fitness Among Youth

DMSE Sports, Inc., a New England-based leader in sports event management worldwide, will mark 30 years running with a gala event on Saturday, March 12 from 6:30 to 11 p.m. at the Quincy Marriott.

Registration for the DMSE 30th Anniversary Gala, which is open to the public, is online at www.30yearsrunning.org. Proceeds from the event – which will feature a silent auction, guest speakers, local celebrities, drawings and other activities – will benefit the DMSE Foundation’s new Running in Places program that combines physical fitness with greater Boston’s educational and historic locations for area public school children.

Founded by Dave McGillivray in 1981, DMSE’s first event, the Bay State Triathlon at Spot Pond in Medford, Mass., attracted 100 participants. Last month, McGillivray, long-time director of the BAA Boston Marathon, consulted on the 60,000-runner Singapore Marathon.

DMSE has produced or consulted on more than 900 events in all, including the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, the U.S. Women’s Olympic Marathon Trials, and the TD Bank Beach to Beacon 10K in Maine. DMSE works on more than 30 road races, marathons and other athletic events each year throughout the U.S. and around the globe.

Along the way, DMSE has helped raise millions of dollars for dozens of charitable causes and enabled countless recreational runners to reach their fitness goals.

“With all that history and all that has been accomplished we want to celebrate 30 years running for DMSE and all the people who have come together to make it what it is today,” McGillivray said. “We are inviting the athletes, volunteers, staff, consultants, media, sponsors, celebrities, family and friends to come and join us because this event is for them. We want to take a look back at where we came from, where we’ve been, where we are and where we’re headed and to give a big thank you to everybody. It’s been a great 30 years and we’re looking forward to 30 more.”

Toni Reavis, an Emmy Award-winning pioneer and leader in the field of running broadcasting, will serve as master of ceremonies. Runner’s World Magazine once described Reavis, who lives in San Diego and got his start in Boston, as “the most insightful – and funny – talking head in running.”

The Gala also will feature a wide range of silent auction items, so far including Celtics playoff tickets, dining at top Boston restaurants, luxury spa treatments, airline tickets to anywhere in the U.S., and a football signed by the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins. In addition, a number of local celebrities and notable athletes are expected to attend the event. Sponsors lined up so far include John Hancock and Ashworth Awards. Tickets are $75 per person for the dinner and evening, and all proceeds will benefit the Running in Places Program.

For additional information on attending the event, becoming a sponsor or to reserve a table for your organization, contact Billy Sheehan, managing director of the DMSE Foundation, at billythecoach@verizon.net or by phone at 978-689-0957

The Foundation has set up a Facebook page, where a new video of McGillivray talking about the 30-year anniversary is posted. The video is also posted at www.dmsefoundation.org.

The DMSE Foundation’s Running in Places program focuses on building healthy bodies and healthy minds by combining physical activity with visits to educational and historic locations. The motivational program, launched as a pilot program in 2010, is designed to help public school children learn the importance of physical fitness, self-esteem, peer respect and education.

Destinations are chosen for their combination of fitness resources and educational opportunities. For example, last fall the program coordinated a run along the Charles River Esplanade, and students enjoyed a visit to Boston’s Museum of Science.

The innovative program features supervised runs/walks of 1 to 2 miles designed to accommodate the full range of student fitness levels. The focus is on participation instead of competition, making all students winners. For more info, visit www.dmsefoundation.org/running-in-places.

Running in Places is part of the DMSE Children’s Fitness Foundation, formed by McGillivray in 2003 to support non-profit organizations that use running to promote physical fitness in children and help solve the epidemic of childhood obesity.

McGillivray, 56, a Medford, Mass., native has earned a reputation as one of the world’s finest race directors. He has devoted most of his life to challenging himself while at the same time helping others. His athletic exploits in the name of charity are legendary, from running 3,452 miles across the country in 80 days to completing the Boston Marathon blindfolded. Last fall, he was given the Ron Burton Community Service award at Gillette Stadium and this weekend (Jan. 15) McGillivray will be inducted into the U.S.A. Triathlon Hall of Fame in Colorado.

DMSE (Dave McGillivray Sports Enterprises) is a leader in sports event management, specializing in creating, marketing and producing mass participatory athletic events throughout the U.S. and abroad. “Team DMSE” is comprised of more than 60 experienced event management personnel who plan, coordinate, set up and execute events. Since 1981, DMSE has produced or consulted on more than 900 mass-participatory athletic events, including 23 Boston Marathons; 13 TD Bank Beach to Beacon 10Ks in Maine; the 2004 and 2008 USA Women’s Olympic Marathon Trials, the 1990 Triathlon World Championship, the 1998 Goodwill Games Triathlon, and the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.

– Information from DMSE