A great local runner died last week. With this post, I am reminding myself of the first time I met him.
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This race consists of a 5K out and back loop that runners have to traverse eight times for a marathon. It starts north of Toledo and crosses the Ohio/Michigan border so that each competitor crosses over 16 times during the race. The start is at 6:00 A.M. to mitigate the problem of running in mid-July heat, which is indeed stifling. There are around 60 of us runners, and the volunteers include several lap-counters. Sound like fun? It does to me.
The early-morning hour-long drive south from Farmington Hills is uneventful. As I pick up my bib (#13), I learn that a majority of the competitors are from Ohio. I meet my designated counter. I'll be sure to make eye contact with her each time I come around for a lap.
The race begins, and I fall in with the lead pack of about five. For someone who has never had the sensation, it's pretty cool sharing the lead, even though the field is so small.
I strike up a conversation with some of my competitors. Two of them are brothers from Aurora, Ohio. The two seem very young (maybe college-age) and quite different from one another. One has glasses and long beach-blonde hair and is outgoing and talkative. The other is quieter and more serious, yet not unfriendly. Their names are Steve and Mark Godale.
Our pack stays together past the halfway mark and the clock tells us that we're 90 minutes into the event. That's about when the 5K and 10K races begin. Now there are hundreds more runners on the course with us. They spread out quickly (and they're moving faster than we are), so it's not crowded. We manage to continue our pace without much trouble. Having decided that eye contact just isn't quite enough, I make sure to wave and sometimes yell hello to my lap counter each time I go by.
One guy begins to pull away. I don't think the rest of us slowed down; he has just picked it up. After a few minutes, Mark goes after him. Steve and I stay back and continue talking and doing our sub-seven-minute miles. The conversation helps the miles go by easier. One or two other runners join us at times, but we're doing most of the talking and keeping the pace steady. I wish I could go for the win, but I just don't think I can run any faster without paying an impossible price.
The 5K and 10K speedsters are finishing up; it's back to just us marathoners and a few other stragglers. I see all of the other runners twice on each 5K circuit, so it's easy to figure out who's in what place. I watch Mark catch the other guy, and take the lead for good. Several minutes behind now, Steve and I continue our comfortable pace and conversation. I am hopeful that I can break three hours today, despite the heat and humidity. Steve seems non-plussed by the whole thing; he loves to run but refuses to become overly concerned about any one aspect of it. I'm impressed with his (and his brother's) maturity. Not to mention talent, of course.
He and I finish together with a time of 2:58. It's a P.R. for me by a minute; my third sub-three. I also tied for third place. I'm thrilled!
Mark and the other guy had finished several minutes earlier. I notice that there is now a heated argument. The second-place guy is trying to claim victory, accusing Mark of missing a lap. Mark is denying it, but he's not saying a whole lot; he's mostly turning red and fuming. Steve and I argue vehemently that Mark did indeed complete the entire run and did not miss any laps at all. Thank goodness common sense wins the day, and Mark is rightfully declared the victor.
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I believe this is one of Mark's earliest marathon wins. He went on to much bigger and better things like becoming a national champion and an American record holder. I moved back to the Cleveland area in 2000, becoming much more familiar with both Mark and Steve. I was shocked and saddened when I learned that Mark passed away on June 13, 2022. Here is a brief summary of some of his running accomplishments. For more depth and detail about his ultrarunning, click here as well.
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