Born in Noel, Nova Scotia in 1898, Silas McLellan was once referred to as “the silent farmer from Hants County”. McLellan discovered the sport of road running shortly after his return from serving overseas during WWI. A neighbour, Victor MacAulay, a five-time winner of the Halifax Herald Modified Marathon, brought McLellan to the 1923 marathon where the fleet-footed McLellan placed third. The following year he placed second.

In 1930, McLellan won the Herald’s full marathon and did the same in 1931. His best appearance at the Boston Marathon was when he placed ninth in 1930. McLellan qualified for the Canadian marathon team at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics where he placed 26th.

He was also a member of the Canadian marathon team at the British Empire Games in Hamilton, Ontario. He possessed great stamina and rarely was a “no-show” at the finish line. He ran his last race at the age of 48. Silas McLellan is an Original member of the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame.