Beach to Beacon blends work, fun for director McGillivray back to guide popular 10K event

Dave McGillivray has accomplished a great deal in his illustrious running and race directing career.

For starters, he ran 3,452 miles across the country from one Medford to another – Oregon to Massachusetts – to raise money for the Jimmy Fund, a run which ended to a standing ovation from 32,000 Red Sox fans at Fenway Park.

He has also competed in eight Ironman Triathlons, arguably the most grueling sporting event contested.

And he’s directed Maine’s premier road racing event – the TD Banknorth Beach to Beacon 10 kilometer road race – for seven years.

McGillivray, 49, will be on hand again Saturday to direct the 8th annual 6.2-mile race from Crescent Beach to the Portland Head Light, which begins at 8 a.m. in Cape Elizabeth.

One of the reasons McGillivray and his crew from Dave McGillivray Sports Enterprises, which was founded in 1981, enjoy coming back to the Pine Tree State every August is the relaxing atmosphere of Cape Elizabeth.

“For my organization, its like a combination of hard work but in a fun venue,” he said Tuesday night. “It’s a venue where you feel that you’re welcome, a lot of team members bring up their family members. It doesn’t happen anywhere else.”

McGillivray also enjoys the fact that the recreational runner can toe the line in the same race as some of the best runners in the world.

“You can’t play at Fenway [Park in Boston] with the Red Sox or at Gillette [Stadium in Foxboro] with the Patriots, but you can line up with [the likes of] Joan Benoit Samuelson,” he said.

One of his more prestigious honors includes Race Director of the Year award in 2000, which was sponsored by Running Times magazine and awarded by Phil Stewart, the president of Road Race Management, Inc.

He also formed the first sanctioned running club inside a maximum security institution, running in the Walpole Prison Yard marathon. McGillivray conducted and ran in several distance races inside the yard, including winning a marathon against inmates.

He’s also been involved in directing the Boston Marathon as a technical director since 1988, and directs the Feaster Five 5-miler and 5K, arguably New England’s largest Thanksgiving Day road race, held every turkey day in Andover, Mass.

Other accomplishments include the Wrentham State School 24-hour run in 1980, during which he covered 120 miles in 24 hours through 31 communities in southeastern Massachusetts, raising $10,000 for mentally handicapped students at the Wrentham State School for the Mentally Retarded.

The run ended inside Foxboro Stadium at halftime of a New England Patriots game.

McGillivray resides in North Andover, Mass., with wife Katie and sons Ryan (13) and Max (9).

Taye vs. Giddings, one more time

Before former South Portland standout Eric Giddings and brothers Ayalew and Sintayheu Taye of Portland head off to Stanford University and Cushing Academy (Mass.), respectively, they’ll showcase their talents in Maine one last time.

All three runners are entered for Saturday’s Beach to Beacon, and all three should contend for the title of top Maine finisher. Giddings shocked the field just two years ago to win the Maine title.

All three runners will face strong competition from some of Maine’s top road runners, including defending champ Ethan Hemphill of Freeport, who won the LL Bean 10K in his hometown earlier this summer.

“Its gotta be incredibly exciting to be a top runner from your area and to have an event of this magnitude in your backyard,” McGillivray said.

For these Maine athletes, this is their stage to perform. It’s like the “Cheers” road race for them. Everyone knows your name.”

Others expecting to battle are Judson Cake of Bar Harbor, Andy Spaulding of Freeport and former UMaine standout Michael Lansing of Fryeburg.

Reigning women’s champ Susannah Beck of Sedgwick is back in the race. Challengers include Suzanne Hussey of Alfred, Majorie Graff of South Portland, Emily LeVan of Wiscasset and Kristin Barry of Scarborough.