Mike Goolkasian of Ipswich would never deny that he's a little obsessive.
Let's start with this: Goolkasian runs 150 miles per month, or 1,800 miles a year.
When he first caught the long distance bug 20 years ago, he completed three marathons in a month's time.
He once did 40 marathons in 40 months.
When Goolkasian enthusiastically tells stories about his never ending running career, which now includes 127 marathons, he can draw quizzical looks. Some people would even say that the 44-year-old Goolkasian is a little soft, but he can laugh it off because he knows better.
"Well, everybody has their vices," said Goolkasian. "My vice is to stay healthy. I'll stop when it hurts."
Goolkasian has always felt good about what he's doing. He's going to feel even better on June 22 in Idaho when he truly nails down a spot in the 50 States Marathon Club, meaning he's done at least one 26.2 mile race in every state.
He won't be reaching the milestone in easy fashion. Goolkasian has chosen to do his next marathon as part of an Ironman triathlon, which also includes a 2.4 mile swim and a 112 mile bike ride. As far as he knows, no one in the Houston-based club has ever used an Ironman triathlon to cap the improbable feat of 50 marathons in 50 states.
"It's more (demanding) than just running a marathon, but I want to finish off with a bang," said Goolkasian. "The challenge of the Ironman really isn't the distance, it's getting ready for an event like that in June when you train around here. With the snow and rain we get, it's hard to get on the bike and do everything you need to do. But it's still going to be great."
Running Buddies
Goolkasian doesn't have running partners, he has accomplices. Dave Rein of Beverly and Bill Brown of Martha's Vineyard often accompany Goolkasian on road trips all over the country and they're just as passionate about long distance running as he is.
Rein, 59, who estimates he's done 70 marathons, is Goolkasian's mentor. The two men hit if off 22 years ago when they ran the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C., and they've been running together ever since.
"I keep him going — he has to chase me," Rein said of Goolkasian. "But for him to do (50 marathons in 50 states), it's very unusual. Most people could never do it. He's accomplished a lot in a short period of time."
Goolkasian's other close running buddy, Brown, will also reach the 50 marathons in 50 states this year when he does one in Alaska. The two men met 15 years ago when Goolkasian practically had to go swimming for a lost sneaker.
"It was at the Nitmuck Trail Marathon in Connecticut," recalled Goolkasian. "I stepped into a big mud puddle and all of a sudden one of my sneakers was gone. I put my arm in the water, about three feet deep, and Brown comes running up to me. He was laughing. He said something like, 'Anybody who's willing to do something like this is pretty cool.' We started running together after that."
Goolkasian's fastest marathon time was a 2:55, accomplished in 1993 in Burlington, Vt. His best Boston Marathon was 10 years ago, when he did it in 3:06.
But he's hardly a stickler about running for a particular time. In most cases, he could care less. For Goolkasian, it's all about the adventure of running in different locales and meeting people from all over the world.
An Olympian Embrace
His favorite marathon was the Grand Canyon, Ariz., run six years ago, when he was first in his age group and he got a hug and a medal from Billy Mills, who became the only American to ever to win an Olympic gold medal in the 10,000 meters at the Tokyo Games in 1964.
"We're running the south rim of the canyon on a perfect October day and Billy Mills is the master of ceremonies — it's hard to top something like that," said Goolkasian. "It was just an awesome experience.
"There are a lot of other places that were great to run. I love New Orleans and Memphis. I want to go back to both cities."
His worst marathon experience? That would be Cape May, N.J., a couple of years ago, when he ended up looking like a refugee from the Dust Bowl era.
"It's early April and we're running along the beach in 35 degree weather with a 45 mile-per-hour headwind," said Goolkasian. "The sand just kept coming at you. It's pot luck with the weather and it was a miserable experience. I (completed) the run. Not finishing a marathon is not an option.
"But most of the time, it's not like that at all. No matter where you go, you're meeting great people who have great stories. You hear of people overcoming sickness by running or they're doing it for a cause. This (marathon running) is their community. It's like a boot camp and there's a lot of group bonding. We're not running for prizes. It's a lifestyle for us."
Goolkasian, a vitamin broker who works from his home, will dedicate his Ironman event in Idaho next month to his friend Tim Chesko of Lockport, N.Y., who died of a heart attack this year at age 42. Chesko was the one who suggested that Goolkasian run his 50th state marathon as part of an Ironman. "We just ran the Disney Marathon (in Florida) together in January," he said of Chesko. "I'll have him in mind when I'm in Idaho. Tim was an unbelievable guy and a good buddy."
After he finishes up in Idaho, Goolkasian will turn his attention to even more distant places. He and Rein will run the ancient marathon course in Athens, Greece in November and, at some point, they plan to run the Great Wall of China Marathon.
"Mike and I dream about things like that," said Rein. "We feel we have goals that are reachable. God has given us this gift and we use it. We do something for our health and we meet other people who have the same concept."
Not all of them have the time or the opportunity to run 50 marathons in 50 states. Goolkasian feels fortunate to be in the club.
Meet Mike Goolkasian
Age: 44
Home town: Ipswich
School: Central Catholic in Lawrence; Bentley College in Waltham
Occupation: Vitamin broker
Marathons completed: 127
Next running goal: To finish the Ironman triathlon in Idaho next month, giving him 50 marathons in 50 states since 1988.
Quotable: "My longest run was the Lake Superior 55 miler six years ago. It's almost easier than a regular marathon because it's in the woods and softer on your legs. The hardest part was jumping into Lake Superior after the race. The water was like ice. It almost killed me." — Goolkasian
