By Gloria Austin
Staff Writer
More than 38,000 people, including two Aroostook County runners, paced themselves along the streets of the five boroughs to the finish line of the New York City Marathon in Central Park on Nov. 4.
Contributed photograph
IN NEW YORK – Dave Bates, left, and Dave Goodrich stand at the finish line of the New York City Olympic Trials. The duo competed for the first time, in the NYC world-class Marathon event on Nov. 4.
David Goodrich and David Bates, both of Houlton, were among the runners competing in the world-class event. Though their times were not close to rivaling the winners — Martin Lel, 29, of Kenya, 2 hours, 9 minutes and 4 seconds and Abderrahim Goumri, 31, of Morocco, 2:09:16 — the County boys survived the marathon clocking in just over five and half hours.
Goodrich and Bates entered the New York City Marathon lottery, along with nearly 100,000 others, whose names were entered into a random draw.
“The odds were definitely against us,” said Goodrich. “We decided the only way that we would run, was if both of our names were selected. That way, we both could share the experience.”
Goodrich said that decision actually stacked the odds against them even more.
“We had made up our minds that if we didn’t get selected this year, perhaps next year,” he explained. The runners knew that in three years, both of their names would appear on the marathon list because if a runner’s name isn’t chosen in that timeframe, his/her name is granted direct entry into the marathon.
Contributed photograph AUTOGRAPH – Dave Goodrich, left, of Houlton gets an autograph from Dean Karnazes, who ran 50 marathons in 50 days in 50 states.
“We knew that sometime in the next few years, we were going to be able to run New York City,” said Goodrich.
Goodrich’s name would be the first drawn and after a few days, Bates’ name appeared as well. The two were heading to New York, where elite runners along with everyday men and women would take the stage.
“As I’ve run more marathons and had the chance to talk to marathoners, there are certain marathons that seem pretty popular among runners and New York City is one of those,” Goodrich said. “It is the largest marathon in the world. I worked in the city one summer 30 years ago and thought that it might be exciting to run the New York City Marathon.”
For Bates, the New Yorker seemed like the perfect fit to highlight his marathon year.
“I always thought since New York was the largest marathon in the world and one of my favorite cities to visit, it seemed to be the most natural marathon to conquer,” he said. “My uncle Bill [Cogswell] living in Manhattan was ideal … it was great to have him there and a part of this event with us.”
With so many people in the city, a relative who knows his way around proved beneficial, as Cogswell knew how to get around using buses and subways. Without that connection, it may have proven challenging.
And, to know the Olympic trials were being held a day prior to the marathon was a bonus.
“To see and experience the best of the best was just amazing,” said Bates.
Each of the local runners set a goal for the New Yorker in their mind and continued their workouts around the area and by participating in other marathons. But, rarely they found themselves training together.
“Well, to be honest I haven’t really trained for a marathon since my first one in 2005,” Bates admitted. “I was quite diligent back then with my long, 20-mile training runs, watching my diet, cutting back on the sweets. However, I did increase my mileage.”
Bates kept a map of the NYC marathon course in front of him at the office just to keep the goal visible.
“I kept reading what I could to keep encouraged like training tips from Runner’s World and the NYC Web site had daily training tips for the past few weeks,” he said.
For Goodrich, keeping in shape running marathons helped him.
“This was my fourth marathon in a 36-day stretch,” he said, “so I just tried to rest from running one the week before. Dave and I continued to encourage one another along the way, either in some of our training runs or when we bumped into each other.”
Arriving in New York City, the runners’ big day came with lots of fanfare. World renowned runners, celebrities, groups running for worthy causes, families and normal everyday runners, came together on common ground on the streets of New York.
The day before the New York City Marathon, Ryan Shay, 28, an Olympic hopeful collapsed and died during the United States Olympic Men’s Marathon Trials. Life’s frailty was amplified in that tragic moment, but when the runners began their trek, all eyes were on the finish and the reason they were runners.
“I was relieved the day had finally arrived and the weather looked to be perfect,” said Goodrich. “But, I was a little nervous, maybe more than usual.”
But that nervousness gave way to a rush of excitement, as Goodrich was ready to live and breathe the whole experience and to form his own opinion.
“I wanted to know what it would really be like,” Goodrich said. “Or would it be like the stories I’ve hard from friends who have run it? There was one point in the morning when we were traveling to the start, via the subway and Staten Island Ferry, when I was a little frightened that we wouldn’t get to the starting line in time because of all the people trying to do the same thing.”
Close to 40,000 people were heading to the same locale on Staten Island. Goodrich and Bates thought they might have to walk or run the last two miles just to get to the starting line, as people were piling up waiting for the buses.
“As Dave and I were heading to the subway Sunday morning we saw a caravan of buses passing by us with runners heading to the starting line. A lot of our time was hurry up and wait. We finally made it … an hour-and-a-half before the race started, with more than 30,000 runners getting there before us. Now we could relax, well, sort of.”
With that dilemma behind, another confronted them … getting to the trucks where they could drop their bags of personal items that they would receive at the finish. People were crammed together with the same idea, again, and there wasn’t any extra space to get to and from the vehicles.
“It reminded me of pictures I’d seen of Times Square on New Year’s Eve,” Goodrich said. “I thought for a moment that someone might get trampled. That wasn’t fun.”
Making their way from Staten Island to Brooklyn and Queens, across the Queensboro Bridge into Manhattan and to the Bronx and through Central Park, runners were encouraged by a half million spectators.
“It’s hard to describe,” Goodrich said. “There were people everywhere.”
Runners were shoulder to shoulder as far as the eye could see on the roadway to the spectators lining the course.
“All of the people cheering and shouting out encouragement was incredible,” said Goodrich. “I’d never experienced anything like it before. Everyone was very supportive.”
“My senses were on overload,” Bates said. “There were so many people hollering and screaming all along the course. It was a stereo of encouragement the whole way.”
Bates discovered solitude from the blaring noise crossing the bridges, but it was brief, as it was back to amplified cheering.
“It was absolutely incredible the amount of encouragers along the way and that isn’t even mentioning the runners involved,” Bates added. “We were helping each other out with pats on the back or hollering out ‘You’re looking good,’ ‘Keep up the good work,’ or ‘You can do it.’”
But the marathon was more than just about running. Goodrich and Bates both observed the diversity of the people, the languages and cultures represented both with the runners as well as the fans as they made their way through the various neighborhoods and boroughs of the city.
“It came from the music playing, to live bands or church choirs performing along the way,” Goodrich said. “I can only say that it was pretty amazing and unbelievable.”
Bates added, “It was very interesting going through the five boroughs of New York, each one so very unique. Going through the Jewish Orthodox community seemed like we were in another world with their stately appearance and stillness that surrounded them.”
After crossing the finish line, hearing his name announced over the loud speaker, Goodrich said he felt overwhelmed.
“I was tired, relieved and truly satisfied,” he said.
Bates agreed.
“It was wonderful, but I was glad it was over,” he said. “I was done in, my tank was empty.”
At mile 19, Bates said he hit a wall.
“I had an emotional moment at that time, with a few tears, but then I was able to regain my composure and picked up the pace after talking with my wife on my cell phone,” he said. “Overall, I was very happy with my race and the whole experience.”
The last miles of the marathon proved to be the most difficult for Goodrich, as the rolling hills in Central Park took their toll. Even though struggling, Goodrich overcame exhaustion and, getting his second wind, ran in the footsteps where other great runners had left their impression — a rare feat for all who finished the race.
“It was pretty neat to run down the last half mile chute that was set up towards the finish line on the same section where we had watched the runners in the Olympic Trials just the day before,” he said.
Looking back, Goodrich had accomplished what he set out to do — complete the marathon and finish within the proximity of the last three marathon times he had run in the fall.
“But, a sore ankle and knee, as well as a friend getting sick along the way, caused me to be slower than I thought I would be,” he said. “But, it was all right because I finished.”
Bates also had a particular goal in mind.
“Since this was my 10th marathon, my goal was to beat my personal best, which I ran last month in Portland,” he said. “But, I came up short on that goal, but I still felt OK with my time.”
Goodrich isn’t jumping back into the full swing of running … just yet.
“I’m getting some well earned rest and recovery, “he said. “I am also setting some goals for the coming year to which marathons may be next. Dave and I have talked and it would be neat to try to do another ‘big’ marathon together sometime next year. But, we haven’t decided yet.”
Bates is resting for a couple of weeks and then is looking forward to gearing up for another year.
“I want to get ready for the Aroostook Musterds’ series of county races and will hit a couple New Brunswick marathons next year in Fredericton and St. John, hopefully,” he said.
Goodrich is a member of the Aroostook Musterds Running Club and is also a member, along with Bates, of the Maineiacs.
The one thing that has stayed constant in Bates’ running and can translate into any exercise is the feeling of accomplishment.
“I have always noticed when running or doing any exercise, you’re always glad you went out and did it,” he said. “ I have never said ‘Oh, I wish I hadn’t gone out and run today.’”
Contributed photograph
A SEA OF PEOPLE – Before runners lined up for the New York City Marathon, everyone takes some time to talk and prepare for the world-class event. Two County runners enjoyed the experience of running through the streets of New York.
