BOSTON MARATHON RACE DIRECTOR WRITES CHILDREN'S BOOK ABOUT HIS FIRST ATTEMPT AT RUNNING THE FAMOUS MARATHON

PR NEWSWIRE | RUNNING JOURNAL

Dave McGillivray's "Dream Big: A True Story of Courage and Determination" is based on his autobiography "The Last Pick"

BOSTON — Boston Marathon Race Director Dave McGillivray has run the marathon 45 times, directed it for 30 years and run across the country for charity. This year, he's also written a children's book.

"Dream Big: A True Story of Courage and Determination" is a nonfiction picture book based on his 2006 autobiography "The Last Pick," in which McGillivray shares his unique, true story about reaching deep and showing extreme determination in the face of doubt, disappointment and loss.

Dream Big (www.DreamBigWithDave.org) was launched last night at a reception in Boston featuring McGillivray and co-author Nan Feehrer, Scott Middlemiss of the Joseph Middlemiss Big Heart Foundation, Boston Police Commissioner Bill Evans, hockey legend Ray Bourque, Boston Athletic Association CEO Tom Grilk, Boston Transportation Department Commissioner Gina Fiandaca, Bryan Lyons of Team Hoyt and Bill Galatis, owner of Tresca Restaurant, host of the event, attended by more than 120 friends and supporters.

Now for sale online via Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and at select book stores, Dream Big also will be given free to children at 12 schools throughout Massachusetts as a gift from the Joseph Middlemiss Big Heart Foundation when McGillivray speaks at their school. More info at https://www.jmbigheart.org/.

McGillivray is a pioneer in what is now one of the most important aspects of the endurance sports industry – combining athletics with philanthropy. He and the races he has managed through DMSE Sports have raised millions for charity, including through his legendary feats of endurance. He ran from Medford, Oregon to Medford, Mass., in 1978, and ran up the East Coast of the U.S.

A renowned race director, motivational speaker, philanthropist and endurance athlete, McGillivray recently conquered the World Marathon Challenge, completing seven marathons on seven continents in seven days last month on behalf of the Martin Richard Foundation, created in memory of the 8-year-old victim of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings.

The last page of the book includes a challenge for its young readers, called The Dream Big Marathon, which encourages them to be fit physically, mentally and emotionally by running 26 miles, reading 26 books and performing 26 acts of kindness in 26 weeks. A child who completes the "marathon" will receive a Dream Big Marathon Race Medal, while supplies last. Details at www.DreamBigWithDave.org.

The book jacket also contains blurbs from actors Matt Damon and Sean Astin, the star of Rudy; legendary distance runners Meb Keflezighi, Joan Benoit Samuelson and Bill Rodgers; Celtics great Dave Cowens; long-distance swimmer Diana Nyad, astronaut Suni Williams; Boston Mayor Marty Walsh; author Peter H. Reynolds; and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, head coach Bill Belichick and star Rob Gronkowski.