Inspired by Kelley, Michie aims for 80
At his age, Boston has been goal
Jim Michie was 46, out of shape and in need of a change. He decided to start exercising, and soon enough he picked up running.
At his core, Michie touts himself a competitive person. Little by little, he increased the intensity of his new habit. He started running — and winning — 5K and 10K races, and he discovered that this was in his blood a bit.
But when someone suggested a marathon, Michie was skeptical.
“I go, ‘Marathon? That’s not good for your health.’” he said. “But somehow I got talked into it and did it.”
It evolved into a passion. Now 80 and healthy, Michie is primed to make next month’s Boston Marathon his 63rd marathon.
It will be the Salt Lake City native’s fourth Boston, the first coming back in 1992. It was there that he witnessed an 84-year-old Johnny Kelley run what was ultimately his last full marathon.
The local legend, a two-time Boston winner and seven-time runner-up, inspired Michie. Then 54, he set a personal goal: He was going to run Boston at age 80.
And thus, this one has a special meaning.
“I was so impressed with that, that he was able to do that,” Michie said of Kelley. “I’ve been kind of thinking about this goal and nurturing it along for 26 years, continuing to run marathons. It’s always been in the back of my mind.
“I want to be a John Kelley.” Since then, along with running Boston twice more, Michie’s traveled the world as he’s nurtured his love for marathoning. He’s run Paris, Edinburgh, Montreal and Chicago, just to name a few.
His long-term goal hasn’t been without setbacks, though. At one point, he had to get surgery on an Achilles tendon that was pulling away from his heel, a result, he said, of overtraining.
“I’m a crazy guy that way,” he joked.
But the biggest scare came about four years ago, as he felt his knee starting to give out. It worsened as he continued to run, and he decided he needed to have a replacement.
“I didn’t know what that would do to my running, or eliminate me from accomplishing the goal that I had for so long,” Michie said.
Luckily, it wasn’t as serious as he feared. Michie traveled to Chicago, where a doctor told him he could get by with a partial knee replacement.
“It’s taken me three years or so to get back my speed and get that knee working,” Michie said. “That’s been a little bit of a setback, but I did it, and right now I’m injury free.”
Last year, he ran the half marathon in Philadelphia and won his age group. The next goal was qualifying for Boston, which he did in January, finishing the Houston Marathon in 4 hours, 54 minutes — one minute inside the number.
That run came after the required date for the 2018 race, however, but Michie was able to find an open charity slot on the Meb Foundation team.
“I’ll have one of those team shirts, so I’m happy about that, and I’m happy that I can run this year,” Michie said. “And I’m happy that I did it by qualifying.”
Michie said he’ll have a “fanbase” of about 12 supporters making the trip next month, including his grandkids. It’s been a long, winding 26-year road to get to this point, and he’s finally ready to meet his goal.
“I hung in there,” Michie said. “It’s been all about that longterm goal to be a John Kelley.”