Beeman hits Boston Marathon milestone

Published 9:00 am Sunday, April 16, 2017

TIFTON — Easter weekend in 2017 will be nothing more strenuous than hiding eggs for children for many people.

Not so for Tift County High marketing teacher, Mike Beeman.

Monday, Beeman will run in the Boston Marathon.

Competing in Boston is a lofty goal for many individuals, but for Beeman this is not just any Boston Marathon, but the 40th consecutive one he runs.

There is a Quarter Century Club for those who have run 25 straight Boston Marathons, a pretty impressive feat, but he has moved into even more elite territory.

Beeman said he is currently No. 7 in terms of streaks — “Six people ahead,” he said.

The leader is Ben Beach, who will run his 50th this year.

The passion for Boston Marathons came from the sidelines, when he was a senior at Merrimack College (Mass.) in 1977. Beeman’s friend, Dave McGillivray, ran the Marathon and watching him was so thrilling Beeman vowed to never be a mere spectator again.

“It was so exciting,” he said.

McGillivray, who is scheduled to run his 45th straight Marathon Monday, has had a very impressive career himself. The race director of the Boston Marathon since 1988, has organized many charity runs, including running the Marathon blindfolded.

In 1978, Beeman was in the Boston Marathon, starting his own incredible run.

Having a streak this long didn’t enter Beeman’s mind for years.

“You don’t think like that,” he said.

Beeman considers himself “very blessed” and is “very gracious” to be at his 40th. He credits his faith as driving him. “God is No. 1,” he said.

The streak has meant that Beeman has been there for many of the Marathon’s big events.

He called the 1982 Marathon, dubbed the “Duel in the Sun” to be “a good year.” That race saw Dick Beardsley and Alberto Salazar both finish faster than the course record. Running neck-and-neck over the last several miles, Salazar won in 2:08:51 to Beardsley’s 2:08:53.

A 2015 post by Beeman on RunJunkEes mentioned he finished just behind Rosie Ruiz in 1980. Ruiz, believed upon crossing the finish line to be the women’s winner, was later found to have not run the entire course.

There was also the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. Beeman told The Gazette days later he didn’t see the explosion, but was there for the aftermath. He completed 25.9 miles when runners were stopped.

Beeman lived in New Hampshire until 2003, when he moved here. Perhaps surprisingly, travel has never been an issue.

He said he only has to use one of the personal days he is allotted by the school system every year.

The passion for running has rubbed off in both states.

When he goes to Boston, Beeman meets a crowd.

“It’s a reunion of people,” he said. “People I taught in the ‘70s.”

Beeman gets similar encouragement in Tifton.

“Down here, people are supportive,” he said.

Former Tift County student, Matt Baxter, ran the Boston Marathon with him in 2011.

Beeman is being joined this year by daughter, Melanie, and son, Jarod. Melanie will be running in the Boston Athletic Association 5K.

Though weather in the Deep South has long been held as being miserable for all inhabitants, Beeman actually finds it helpful.

“It actually prepares me better,” he said. In Boston, “It can be hot, it can be miserable.”

Cold weather, though, can definitely be a plus. Beeman said he knows he will do well if he is shivering at the start line.

Monday, however, is predicted to be somewhere in between. The Boston Globe is predicting weather in the 60s for most of the course.

To prepare for the Boston Marathon, Beeman has been averaging running 70 miles per week recently. That’s in addition to teaching and helping out with both the Tift County High track and cross country programs. He also threw one of the ceremonial first pitches at Tift’s baseball Senior Night last Monday before leading the crowd in a rendition of Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline.”

Staying in the Marathon, though, is more than just showing up.

In his earliest years, men had to complete a sanctioned marathon in under 2:50 to qualify for Boston. For the same age group now, the qualifying time has been pushed back to 3:05. As a member of the Quarter Century Club, all Beeman has to do is finish the race to qualify for the next year.

“It’s gotten easier for me,” he said.

For those who want to keep up with Beeman in Boston, he has been assigned bib No. 15527 and will be in Wave 2, giving him a start time of 10:25 a.m. The Boston Marathon’s website (www.baa.org/races/boston-marathon.aspx) will post results. The site also has information about watching the event.