That “run the bases” promotion is getting lapped. Instead of first to third, try first to 26th (point two).
The first-of-its kind New England 776 is coming to Polar Park in June as the baseball stadium adds another sport to its confines: distance running.
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The event is a spinoff from the World Marathon Challenge, which is seven marathons, in seven days on seven continents. Boston Marathon race director Dave McGillivray completed the 7-7-7 in 2018 and has worked with colleagues Ron Kramer and Josh Milne to produce a local version, which includes the six New England states, with Massachusetts going to bat twice – and baseball stadiums will be frequent hosts.
The NE 776 begins on Sunday, June 6 at Hadlock Field in Portland, Maine – home of the Sea Dogs, Double-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. The next day, the event strides over to Polar Park. As in the marathon in Portland, runners will tread on the warning track to complete 26.2 miles.
Kramer, lead vehicle coordinator for the Boston Marathon since 1989, wheel-measured the Polar Park warning track and discovered that it will take 111.6 laps to equal a marathon.
A third ballpark with bat fifth in the lineup: Delta Dental Stadium in Manchester, N.H.
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The idea of using baseball stadiums comes as no surprise for those who know McGillivray. After he ran from Medford, Oregon, to his hometown of Medford, Mass., over 80 days in 1978, McGillivray did a lap around the warning track at Fenway Park to put an exclamation point on his 3,452-mile feat.
McGillivray has also served as race director for the Fenway Park Marathon (116.1 laps), but ballparks actually weren’t the first option for NE 776 sites.
“We were focused mainly on State Parks but came up with some scheduling challenges,” he told the Telegram via email. “We even once considered all college campuses, but again scheduling was the challenge.
Dave McGillivray has run the Boston Marathon 54 times and completed the World Marathon Challenge (7 marathons, 7 days, 7 continents) in 2018.
“(The ballparks) are very excited to host a marathon. Some venues wanted to host one of the races but couldn’t do it on the only day we had available. In the end, it all still worked out great.”
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Other sites include the Ten Mile River Greenway (E. Providence, RI; marathon No. 3); Windsor Locks Canal State Park (Connecticut; marathon No. 4); Toonerville Rail Trail (Springfield, Vt.; marathon No. 6); and Hormel Stadium and Torbert Macdonald Park, the event’s final marathon (Saturday, June 12) that ends at the Dave McGillivray Track in Medford.
Total distance: 183.4 miles.
McGillivray’s other endurance feats include a 1980 East Coast Run (Winter Haven, Florida to Boston; 1,520 miles); eight Ironman triathlons; biking more than 1,000 miles through New England; and running 54 consecutive Boston Marathons.
The World Marathon Challenge ranks among his most difficult accomplishments.
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“It was a thrill and I know lots of running friends who would like to do it themselves but the entry fee is out of their reach and just all the logistics can be daunting,” McGillivray said. “So, I thought, why not do something similar right here at ‘home’. The response just in the past 24-hours since we announced it (Monday) has been incredible.”
Runners have the choice of taking on all marathons or one of the seven. A 2- to 5-person relay team option is also available. A $1,000 fundraising commitment is required for each marathon. Money raised through the NE 776 will benefit the Dave McGillivray Finish Strong Foundation.
“Both the ultra (marathon) crowd and the non-ultra crowd can participate,” McGillivray said. “There is something for everyone here.”
Additional event and registration information is available at www.newengland776.com.
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‒Contact Tim Dumas at tdumas@gannett.com. Follow him on Instagram at tdumas1 and X, formerly known as Twitter, @TDumas2112.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: One of Dave McGillivray’s 7 marathons, 7 days event coming to Polar Park
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
