Kevin, right, and Nancy MacIsaac stand at the 2024 Boston Marathon start line in Hopkinton, Mass. ContributedArticle contentFourteen years ago, if you had told me I’d one day run the Boston Marathon – four times – I would’ve laughed and pointed to my boots caked in red Island soil. Back then, I was a 51-year-old farmer, father of four, and busy running a family business. Running? That was for other people.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentBut when I retired from farming, I found myself staring at the wide-open road ahead, literally. I needed something to keep me fit, something to lower my blood pressure and something just for me. So, on a whim, I dug out a dusty old pair of sneakers and signed up for the P.E.I. Marathon’s 10K race.Article contentArticle contentArticle contentNo training, no plan, just the stubbornness that comes from years in the fields. I finished 11th out of 321 runners with a time of 44:40.Article contentAnd just like that, I was hooked.Article contentThe 10ish CrewArticle contentEager for more, I set my sights on longer distances – a half-marathon, maybe even a full one someday. But how? I didn’t know a soul in the running community.Article contentThat changed when I joined The Running Room’s weekly run group in Charlottetown. Every Wednesday at 6 p.m., no matter the weather, a group of us hit the pavement. We called ourselves the “10ish Crew” because we usually ran about 10 km – give or take. Speed didn’t matter.Article contentWhat mattered was the laughter, the shared struggle, the mid-run pep talks and post-run high-fives. It was the kind of community that makes you believe in yourself.Article contentI also joined the P.E.I. Roadrunners Club, jumping into weekend races whenever I could. Those early races weren’t just training – they were celebrations. Every finish line felt like a small victory.Article contentArticle contentArticle contentThe big oneArticle contentFive years into running, I finally took on the ultimate challenge: the full 42.2 km marathon. In 2017, at the age of 58, I crossed the finish line at the P.E.I. Marathon in four hours and 30 seconds. It was a moment of pure grit, and a reminder that age is just a number.Article contentBut the marathon bug had bitten hard. Next up? A new dream: the Boston Marathon.Article contentChasing BostonArticle contentQualifying for Boston is no easy feat. It’s one of the toughest races in the world to get into. But with determination and the support of a passionate training group, I shaved down my time and qualified at the Fredericton Marathon with a time of three hours and 20 minutes.Article contentI’ve now run Boston four years in a row. Standing shoulder-to-shoulder with 24,000 other runners, feeling the electricity of the crowd, pushing through the final miles – there’s nothing like it.Article contentThe next goalArticle contentNow I’m chasing an even bigger dream: completing the six original World Marathon Majors – Boston, Chicago, Berlin, New York, London and Tokyo.
P.E.I. MARATHON: From farmer to runner
