ery ▁black sm ith ' s ▁shop . ▁He ▁was ▁then ▁offered ▁employ ment ▁with ▁the ▁British ▁Canadian ▁Cooper ative ▁Store . ▁For ▁them , ▁Mil es ▁delivered ▁gro cer ies ▁to ▁local ▁customers ▁and ▁country ▁stores ▁by ▁horse ▁and ▁w agon . ▁To ▁stay ▁in ▁shape ▁he ▁would ▁run ▁behind ▁the ▁w agon ▁we aring ▁heavy ▁bo ots . ▁ ▁Boston ▁Mar ath ons ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 6 ▁Mil es ' s ▁neighb ours ▁raised ▁a ▁few ▁hundred ▁dollars ▁to ▁send ▁him ▁to ▁the ▁Boston ▁Mar athon ▁by ▁train . ▁This ▁would ▁be ▁Mil es ' s ▁debut ▁mar athon , ▁having ▁never ▁run ▁a ▁race ▁longer ▁than ▁ 1 0 ▁miles . ▁The ▁field ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 6 ▁Boston ▁Mar athon ▁included ▁four - time ▁winner ▁Clar ence ▁De Mar ▁and ▁ 1 9 2 4 ▁Olympic ▁champion ▁Al bin ▁St en ro os , ▁whom ▁Mil es ▁id ol ized . ▁Mil es ▁arrived ▁at ▁the ▁mar athon ▁as ▁an ▁unknown , ▁compet ing ▁in ▁a ▁hand made ▁sing let ▁ad orn ed ▁with ▁a ▁map le ▁leaf ▁and ▁the ▁letters ▁" NS " ▁for ▁Nova ▁Scot ia ▁and ▁a ▁pair ▁of ▁ 9 8 - cent ▁s ne akers . ▁St en ro os ▁attempted ▁to ▁break ▁away ▁after ▁the ▁first ▁few ▁miles , ▁leaving ▁De Mar ▁behind . ▁Mil es ▁stayed ▁with ▁him ▁until ▁Heart break ▁Hill , ▁at ▁which ▁point ▁he ▁passed ▁him . ▁Mil es ▁completed ▁the ▁race ▁in ▁a ▁time