Bellin Run Celebrates Boston Marathon Connections

April 18, 2016

There will be plenty to celebrate as the Bellin Run marks its milestone 40th anniversary in June — four decades of community wellness, four decades of camaraderie and four decades of our efforts to make greater Green Bay a healthier place to live and thrive.

And today, as tens of thousands take to the streets for the 120th running of the Boston Marathon, we pause to celebrate our shared history with the iconic race.

The Bellin/Boston connections are many. Several past winners of Beantown’s signature race have competed in the Bellin Run, starting with “Boston Billy” Rodgers, who won both the 1978 Boston Marathon and the second annual Bellin Run the same year. Other legendary champions, including Uta Pippig, Joan Benoit Samuelson, and most recently, 2014 Boston champ Meb Keflezighi, have run in Green Bay’s signature 10K race. Known in the running world simply as “Meb,” Keflezighi has become a Bellin favorite known for staying at the finish line to offer runners high fives long after he has crossed. Fresh off qualifying for his fourth Olympic games, he served as the Bellin Run Kids for Running and Corporate Challenge kickoff speaker earlier this year.

Through the years, contingents of Bellin runners have traveled from Green Bay to traverse the historic route from Hopkinton to Boston. Scores of volunteers from Bellin Health and the Bellin Run have made the trek to assist with the marathon and learn from the best road race organizers in the business.

We’ve also come to know Boston race director Dave McGillivray, one of Runner’s World magazine’s “50 Most Influential People in Running,” as a friend — and now, a partner. He serves as our operational race director for the Bellin Run. McGillivray became race director in 2008 and his company, DMSE Sports, assists us with our planning and operations. The Bellin Run is proud to have one of the most respected organizers of running events in the world on our team.

In 2014, the Bellin Run joined the Cellcom Green Bay Marathon, Downtown Green Bay, Inc. and the city of Green Bay for the Run as One Boston Marathon Tribute Run. Held at the same time as the 118th running of the Boston Marathon, the event was a local show of solidarity in the wake of the 2013 finish line bombings that shook not only the running community, but the nation and indeed the world.

Here’s to all those participating in, organizing and cheering for today’s Boston Marathon. Here’s to the power of Boston Strong. From Bellin to Boston, make it a great race.