IPSWICH, Mass.—They call Michael Goolkasian the “marathon maniac,” and it’s easy to see why.
How else would you describe someone who’s completed 164 marathons, including 1 in each of the 50 states? What else could you say about a guy who’s competed in more than 350 races throughout a storied career dating back three-plus decades?
The coup de grace has to be his nine Iron Man Triathlons—the ultimate endurance challenge—consisting of a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride, and finally a 26.2-mile marathon run, raced in that order without a break.
Most Iron Man events are superhuman feats of brawn and have a strict time limit of 17 hours, starting at 7 a.m. and finishing at midnight. His final marathon state happened to be Idaho and it was an Iron Man.
Each of the nine times Goolkasian has answered the Iron Man call, he’s gone the distance. The word “quit” is not in his lexicon. And don’t get the idea he’s some sort of laggard who’s out for a lark. Quite the contrary, matter of fact.
He placed first in the Montreal Iron Man competition and in Arizona’s Grand Canyon Marathon. What’s more, he’s done 4 ultra-marathons of distances up to 100 kilometers.
A recent presentation at the St. James Armenian Church Men’s Club in Watertown acknowledged his efforts. His subject was most appropriate—“Health and Healthy Lifestyles”—and he’s become a true ambassador for people of his kind.
He credits his success to a good work ethic, a solid core of training partners, and proper nutrition and supplementation. Anyone who makes a steady diet out of eclectic herbs, natural vitality magnesium, and power supplements has to keep his game finely tuned.
“I experience more energy while training and notice quicker recovery time,” says the Ipswich resident, who relies on Natural Vitality products for his stamina. “Glory lasts longer than pain and you get through it, not to mention the beauty of each course you travel.”
Must be a method to his mania, if you want to call it that. Goolkasian completed the Disney Marathon last January, then followed that up 3 months later by running the Boston Marathon for the 22nd time.
This feat might pale in comparison to another he accomplished: Goolkasian was among an elite class of 370 athletes who ran separate marathons back-to-back 3,000 miles apart on 2 different coasts. He completed Boston on Patriots’ Day. Eight days later, he was in California running the Big Sur Marathon in Carmel.
His best marathon time was a respectable 2-hour, 55-minute run in Burlington, Vt.
As a modern age Forrest Gump, he’s aiming for a Seven Continents Marathon Award. Let’s just say he belongs to a special class that supports, encourages, and fosters the lifestyle of those who love marathons and are addicted to running.
On target are marathons in South Africa, Asia, and another in logistically the toughest and coldest continent—Antarctica. He also plans to do one in Iceland and another along the Great Wall of China.
A look at his stats gives you an idea of his tremendous love and dedication for the sport. Goolkasian was recently inducted as a “Gold Maniac,” that is, someone who has run 12 marathons in 12 states in 1 year.
The next level was an “Iridium Maniac,” appropriately named after a very hard and extremely corrosion resistant medal.
As he approaches the golden years of his life (50), there seems to be no letup in his swagger, no bump in his road. The road less traveled turns into a personal roadmap for this Armenian-American dynamo, known throughout the circuit as a true bicentennial man.
As this marathon maniac’s credo suggests: To qualify does not require specific times, just that you finish your races and have fun. Although Goolkasian’s times are impressive, the real “victory” is enjoying the lifestyle.
“The glory days are over, the speed is gone,” he admits. “Just being able to get out there and doing it is part of my life. It’s all about the camaraderie—the people I can sit and enjoy a couple beers with after a race who have reached some pretty remarkable achievements.”
Who is Michael Goolkasian? And how did he become such a methodical running machine?
He grew up in nearby Methuen and attended Lawrence Central Catholic High School, where he played hockey and now coaches. His parents belonged to the former Holy Cross Armenian Apostolic Church, which has since combined with St. Gregory the Illuminator Church in Haverhill to form the Armenian Church at Hye Pointe.
He recalls attending Armenian school there and later taking language classes at St. James in Watertown. Hockey was his sport, filtering through the youth system. His father’s death forced him to abandon high school as a junior to help support his family. But not education. For that, he persevered.
Goolkasian enrolled at Northern Essex Community College, and from there proceeded to Bentley College where he took up running.
“I was just an extra, a heavy kid looking for some direction,” he remembered. “I gravitated toward running because it was flexible and I could do it anywhere at any time. It gave me the confidence to hit the road, slow or fast. My attitude was to keep going, and I never stopped.”
Goolkasian lettered in cross country at Bentley and ran for the Falcons as a sophomore, junior, and senior while attending classes, working full-time, and serving on the school’s Newspaper Committee.
Big with family, Goolkasian’s biggest fans are his 98-year-old aunt Ann, and another aunt Germaine, along with his cousin Michelle. A godchild named Emily collects all his medals.
Hard to believe that such a skittish runner at the outset would develop into such an over-achiever, but it’s true! He claims to be the first of his kind to culminate all his finishes at the Iron Man extravaganzas. It’s the absolute extreme in perseverance, which makes him somewhat of a poster child for his genre.
His most memorable run? That has to be the Grand Canyon Marathon where he toured the South Rim. He placed first in his age class. The race got dissolved. He now holds the record. Up next will be the Montreal Marathon, another in Vermont City, and then a 50-miler along the Stone Cat Trail held locally.
“The Fifty States Marathon Club started a few years back,” Goolkasian says. “Some guys have run 800 to 900 marathons. When you’re in this group, you’re just another weenie. People think I’m crazy but then you meet some of these other guys.”
His weekly training regimen includes 11 miles swimming, 190 miles on the bike, and 33 miles of roadwork. His favorite quote is but three words: “Livin’ the dream.”
“I’ve met many great people, including Bill Rodgers [winner of 22 marathons] and the Hoyts [wheelchair icons],” he confirms. “But some of the best people are the unsung heroes of road-running who are family men and work full-time jobs. They’re my inspiration. I lost a good friend while training for the Iron Man in 2008 and think of him during every run.”
Goolkasian’s ultimate goal—his ultimate run—is in Istanbul where his grandfather was born. Of all his thrills, he looks to the Stockholm Marathon this year and another in Athens, the birthplace of the marathon, topping his list.
A year ago, he was in Haiti with a church youth group on yet another mission: building homes and working inside a clinic. Goolkasian is also a guidance coach for the Big Brother Association, a role equal in stature as endurance running.
While in Haiti, he ran every day in the heat and by week’s end, was joined by nine Haitian boys leading the way.
“I have a deep respect for those staging races to benefit charities and communities,” he notes. “Some of the most gratifying moments are at the end of a race when you see someone finish after everyone else is gone. My motto is simple: Never give up. You can always walk and get it done.”
Tom Vartabedian
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