GOING THE DISTANCE
Racers leave the start line at the Edmonton Marathon on Sunday. They included Roger MacMillan of Fort Saskatchewan who, at age 79, ran his 100th marathon.
What started as a way to get race Tshirts like the one his buddy always wore culminated in an emotional run down the main stretch of the Edmonton Marathon on Sunday as Roger MacMillan completed his 100th marathon at the age of 79.
“I reached my target so it’s great satisfaction,” MacMillan said following the race.
Not an athlete growing up, MacMillan started running 10-kilometre races as a way to get these running T-shirts. And then it grew into something much more.
He decided to graduate up to running marathons after retiring, completing his first 42.2-kilometre run in 2006 at the age of 68.
He said he decided around the 30-marathon mark that he wanted to set a target of running 100 marathons before he turns 80 — on Oct. 3 of this year — to push himself to keep going.
To reach his goal, MacMillan had to run an average of 10 marathons a year, and one year he even ran 14 marathons.
Eleven years and 99 marathons later, the Fort Saskatchewan native reached his 100-marathon mark while crossing the line with his grandchildren, great-grandchild and family dog in 5:44:34.
His family and friends gathered at the finish line with balloons, streamers, signs and caricature portraits of their favourite runner to cheer him on.
“So much pride,” his daughter Hayley MacMillan-Ord said. “My father has been an inspiration to not just me but to my kids and brother for so long. Being able to do this is a huge accomplishment.”
Coming all the way from Costa Rica, MacMillan- Ord planned the finish-line fan club as a surprise, gathering his family and friends from across the country to be there for the milestone race.
“I didn’t know they were coming,” MacMillan said. “They showed up at my door on Friday night.”
Even the person who drove him to his very first marathon, lifelong friend Martyn Day, was part of the surprise.
“I thought he was crazy to run one, but to run 100,” Day said. “He’s a fresh as a daisy.”
After the milestone, MacMillan was presented a certificate by race officials on behalf of Premier Rachel Notley to honour his achievement.
He made note that marathons aren’t races to him, but social events and a great way to meet people in the running community.
Following the race, MacMillan said he was headed home with his family to relax, watch a soccer game on TV and enjoy a pint of Guinness.
But there’s no rest for the marathon man. MacMillan said he has three more marathons planned for this year, the next one Sept. 10 in Regina.
“We all want to live a bit longer and hopefully it works,” he said.
RACE RESULTS
Elite athletes made quick work of the 25th Edmonton Marathon course with Hamilton native Evans Maiko, originally from Kenya, finishing in a time of 2:25:01, less than two minutes shy of the course record. Two Edmontonians finished in the sliver and bronze positions with 2016 winner Tom McGrath finishing second in 2:30:31 and Chris Stone coming in at 2:34:58.
On the women’s side, a new champion was crowned with Calgary native Melissa Kendrick crossing the finish line in a time of 2:57:21 and becoming the only woman to run under three hours.
In a highly-contested half-marathon, Daniel Kipkoech repeated as champion in a time of 1:05:22, holding off six-time champion Kip Kangogo, who finished in third in 1:07:10. Canadian Olympian Dylan Wykes didn’t finish the race.
Dehininet Jara from Ethiopia won the women’s race in a swift time of 1:14:09 while Thornhill, Ont. native Lioudmila Kortchaguina, the 2014 winner, finished in second with a time of 1:18:52.