Featured Runner: Roger Macmillan

Roger Macmillan(MM1211)-RUNNING LATE!
How I Got Started Into Running
I was 51 years old, working in an engineering office in Fort Mac. One of my best friends—a workmate—came to work each day wearing a running T-shirt. I liked them and wanted one!
He told me, “You have to enter a 10K race and you’ll get one.” So I did. It was in Edmonton.
I started training… sort of! I ran a couple of kilometres two or three times a week.
“I’ll be OK,” I told my wife.
I finished—but it took me 53 minutes. Still, I had my T-shirt, and I was hooked.
Over the next 15 years, I ran numerous 5-milers, 10Ks, and about 50 half marathons.
But my dream was to run a marathon—though I didn’t think I could do it.
Then I bought a copy of Jeff Galloway’s book “The Marathon: You Can Do It.” That was the inspiration I needed.
I began training in earnest in January 2006 and entered the Vancouver Marathon, which was in May. I was 68 years and 8 months old. I finished the race in just over 4 hours and 44 minutes—and felt great at the finish line.
That was the only marathon I ran that year. The next one came in 2007: Victoria—a beautiful course partly run along the ocean. Again, I felt great at the finish. Wow! Now I’ve done two!
The next year, I cranked up the output. I ran four, including my first attempt at Yakima. But, disappointingly, I DNF’d—having caught a dose of bronchitis the day before the race. I started and didn’t feel too bad at first, but my condition worsened, so around halfway, I had to drop out.
Despite that, Yakima turned out to be my all-time favourite. I went on to complete it 12 consecutive years starting in 2009.
That first Yakima in 2008 also introduced me to the Marathon Maniacs, many of whom ran this race every year. Shortly after, I joined this amazing group, becoming member MM1211, and bought several club shirts, hats, and other goodies. I was so proud to wear them at every marathon after that.
At every race, we recognized and acknowledged each other—often meeting up for a beer or a meal.
Over the years, I met and kept in touch with many Maniac friends, including two of mine (and everyone’s favourites): Bob and Lenore Dolphin. They were co-race directors of the Yakima Marathon, and I had the pleasure of joining them for quite a few after-race meals in Yakima and Tacoma.
I never had aspirations to complete all 50 states, provinces, continents, or countries. I tended to repeat the same ones each year simply because I was familiar with how to get there, where to stay, and how to get to and from the start and finish.
Some of my favourites included:
Edmonton, Red Deer, Regina, Loch Ness, Dublin, New York, Tacoma, and Manitoba, to name just a few.
My best time was at the Queen City Marathon in Regina, at age 71 or 72:
4:33:18.
In the end, I completed 115 marathons—and loved every single one.
—
Roger Macmillan
Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta
MM1211