The story of a Marathon Maine-iac

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WHAT’S NEXT, 51? — David Goodrich of Houlton completed his 50th marathon on Sunday in MDI. Goodrich celebrated the feat among family and friends.  Goodrich’s next marathon is in April in California.
Goodrich completes his 50th marathon
By Oliver Goodrich
    I remember watching Dad run his first marathon — the Maine Marathon in Portland — about 10 years ago. I thought he was crazy. I thought it was his “mid-life crisis.” I thought it was a phase that would pass — and the sooner, the better.
    But he did it again. And again.
    So for the next several years, I would drive up from my place in Massachusetts a couple times a year to watch him run a half, or a full or a relay. The more races I watched him run, the more I noticed about running culture.
    I noticed how friendly people were. My dad started making a lot of friends, and I started seeing a lot of these folks from one race to the next. They were always very welcoming, the kind of people who would ask you genuine questions about yourself — even after they had just finished running for four or five hours.
    And I noticed how positive everyone was — if you’ve ever been to a marathon, you know what I’m talking about. Marathon spectators are some of the most outgoing, encouraging, optimistic people you will ever meet. Their enthusiasm for racing — and for life — is contagious. And the runners … you’d have to have the right blend of craziness and optimism to go out and run 26.2 miles!
CELEBRATES — David Goodrich, right, and his brother Bill  celebrate Goodrich’s 50th running of a marathon.
    Every time I went to one of these races, I would leave a little high on life. During those drives back home, I’d often fantasize about what it would feel like to finish a marathon, to experience the thrill of accomplishing a goal that such a small percent of people have ever done, to know that you could push yourself to such an extreme.
    After years of wondering what it would feel like, I finally decided to take the plunge and experience it for myself. In 2009, one of my best friends was diagnosed with breast cancer. I decided to train to run a marathon as a show of support for her and to raise money to support breast cancer research. As soon as I announced my plans to my dad, he joined forces with me without missing a beat. We fundraised together, and we ran the San Antonio Rock N’ Roll Marathon together in November of 2009.
    We’ve done several races together since. And in the time and the miles we’ve shared since that first marathon, I’ve learned a lot about my father.
    I’ve learned about the power of positive thinking. People say that if you put your mind to it, you can do anything. But when you put your mind to running a marathon, it’s likely that at some point (usually around mile 19 or 20) you are going to doubt yourself. Best to keep your thoughts positive, and keep putting one foot in front of the other.
    I’ve learned how much fun he is. I could tell you lots of stories I’ve heard about my dad being the life of the post-marathon party — but I’ve learned to respect my elders … and more importantly, what happens on Great Cranberry Island stays on Great Cranberry Island.
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SHOW OF SUPPORT — Dave Goodrich reads through the many supportive messages he received before running his 50th marathon in MDI on Sunday.
    I’ve learned that his motto — “slow and steady” — is true, not just for races, but for life in general. I remember the moment during our first race together when, as we neared the Alamo in San Antonio, he tugged on my sleeve and told me to slow down. As I glanced over, I realized he was pulling out his camera so that he could take photo of us as we passed this historic spot. “You gotta be kidding me?!” I thought. “How could he be thinking about anything other than finishing this race?”
     As I’ve run more with my dad, I’ve slowly learned that marathons aren’t about the finish line. They’re about the countless miles of early morning runs, scenic trails, self-discipline, and conversations with running buddies along the way. If you don’t enjoy the journey, you’re not likely to enjoy the finish line.
    And I’ve learned that you can find a community almost anywhere. We’re both part of the “Marathon Maniacs” running club, a national group of runners that has something of an addiction to marathons. It’s rare that I go to a race now when I don’t see another member of the “insane asylum.” It’s even more rare that I meet a fellow Maniac that doesn’t know my father. He’s made friends all over the country— and all over the world.
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‘LET’S DO THIS’ — As a family friend and member of Military Street Baptist Church, Dave Goodrich and Aaron Henderson had talked recently about eventually running a marathon together and this weekend, they were able to do so, as Goodrich ran with this tribute to Henderson the entire 26.2 miles.
    As he approached his 50th marathon, I knew that one of the things he’d be looking forward to the most is sharing the 26.2 miles of the MDI marathon course with many of the friends that he has made over the last decade. And as he runs along, I would be surprised if he didn’t make a few more during this race. He has a knack for making friends along the way.
    Keep on enjoying the journey, Dad! Hope your 50th run is as much fun as each of the ones before it, and can’t wait to celebrate when you’ve run 50 more!
    Editor’s note: David Goodrich of Houlton has just completed his 50th marathon at Mount Desert Island last weekend. His son, Oliver, wrote this story about a “Maine-iac” he calls his father and his understanding of him.
    Goodrich has run marathons in Vermont, New York, Maine, Florida, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Washington, Virginia, California, Pennsylvania, Oregon,  Texas, Illinois and New Brunswick.
    When Goodrich finished the MDI marathon on Sunday, it was his 27th marathon in Maine and his 50th overall.