</s> ▁John ▁" John ny " ▁C . ▁Mil es , ▁ ▁( Oct ober ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 1 9 0 5 ▁– ▁June ▁ 1 5 , ▁ 2 0 0 3 ) ▁was ▁a ▁Canadian ▁mar athon ▁runner . ▁He ▁won ▁the ▁Boston ▁Mar athon ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 6 ▁and ▁ 1 9 2 9 . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Born ▁in ▁Hal if ax , ▁West ▁York shire , ▁as ▁a ▁child ▁he ▁moved ▁with ▁his ▁family ▁to ▁Florence , ▁Nova ▁Scot ia , ▁a ▁coal ▁town ▁located ▁near ▁Sydney ▁M ines ▁on ▁Cape ▁Bre ton ▁Island . ▁When ▁his ▁father ▁en list ed ▁in ▁the ▁armed ▁forces ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 6 , ▁at ▁age ▁ 1 1 ▁he ▁helped ▁to ▁support ▁his ▁family ▁by ▁working ▁in ▁the ▁coal ▁mines ▁during ▁the ▁evening ▁shift ▁and ▁continu ing ▁at ▁school ▁during ▁day time . ▁As ▁a ▁te en ager ▁he ▁was ▁co ached ▁by ▁ ▁his ▁father ▁and ▁won ▁local ▁races . ▁He ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁Canadian ▁five - mile ▁( 8   km ) ▁championship ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁held ▁in ▁Hal if ax ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 5 . ▁He ▁also ▁won ▁the ▁Hal if ax ▁Her ald ▁ ▁competition ▁in ▁the ▁same ▁year . ▁As ▁a ▁young ▁man , ▁Mil es ▁worked ▁various ▁temporary ▁jobs , ▁including ▁a ▁st int ▁in ▁northern ▁Ontario . ▁When ▁he ▁won ▁the ▁Hal if ax ▁races , ▁he ▁was ▁employed ▁ ▁in ▁a ▁col li