By Davy Crockett
Ultrarunning legend, Mark Godale passed away suddenly June 13, 2022, at the age of 51. Mark was an elite ultrarunner, American record holder, and a National Champion. He was a dedicated runner at USATF events and World Championships. For his career, he was a talented art director from Ohio, but his life was always surrounded in running activities.
Mark ran in junior high, high school and at the University of Akron in Ohio, where he ran cross country and track. When he was a freshman in 1990, he egged on a friend to try a 10K, saying he would run a marathon the same day. Mark finished in a fast 3:17 for his first try.
By the time he graduated in 1994, he was regularly running sub-3-hour marathons, with a 2:47 at the Chicago Marathon, and 2:52 at Boston. He was speedy at the short distances too, eventually running a personal best in the 5K of 15:27.
Mark started running ultras at the age of 24 in 1994 with a first-place finish at Buckeye Trail 50K in Ohio with 5:12. He would finish that race eleven times over the years with five wins and a best time of 3:56. Mark took on his first 100-miler at the 1995 Mohican 100, on his birthday, in his home state of Ohio. He had never yet even run a 50-mile race. He and his brother Stephen were allowed to register for the race despite lacking qualifier requirements for a 50-mile finish. The brothers had been seen by race staff at Buckeye Trail 50K the previous year. “These two can really run. They even run up that long steep hill that nobody runs.” The race officials believed they had a “good chance” to finish.
It was warm on race day with temperatures in the high 80s. 87 runners started. Eric Clifton was the runner to watch, seeking to break the course record. Mark was the “dark horse” in the race. Early on, five miles into the race, Mark was running with elite runner John Geesler, just five minutes behind Eric. At 45 miles Mark and John were an hour behind Eric. Soon John started to slow and Mark took command of second place and finished there in 18:24, which was nearly ten minutes faster than the previous course record. Eric Clifton shattered the record in 16:48. Mark’s brother Stephen finished in 9th, with 21:15.
Mark certainly turned the heads of ultrarunners who were introduced for the first time to this new elite runner. In 1995 Mark continued to run various road races, placing high, including running a 1:12:28 half marathon at the Buckeye Half Championships. He was the overall winner in five smaller marathons during the next five years, his first, coming at the 1996 Carolina Marathon in South Carolina. That year he also took on his first 50-miler, running in the very competitive JFK 50. He ran very well, finishing in 9th, with 6:27, right behind elite trail 100-mile runners, Eric Clifton and Mike Morton.
Mark started racing in ultras more often in 1997, including the famed Western States 100. He finished in 67th, with 23:11. In later years he would go on and finish Western States seven times, his best finish time of 19:40 coming in 2010. Each year he would compete in one or two 100s.
Mark was color blind, so he had trouble at times seeing red streamers hanging from green trees. That once caused him to get lost during a 50K. In 1997 Mark ran in his first of many World 100K championships at Winschoten in the Netherlands. He finished in 58th, the 5th American finisher, with 7:47. In 1998 he finished in 2nd to Kevin Setnes at the 1998 100K National Championship at North Park, Pennsylvania. He also took home the silver medal at the 50-mile National Championship. In 1998, he ran on the USA 100K team competing in Japan. He would run on the US team for many years.
1999 was Mark’s break-out running year when he was named the USATF ultradistance runner of the year. He was also named ultrarunner of the year by Ultrarunning Magazine. He would regularly train about 140-miles per week. He started the year by placing second at GNC 50 Mile Run Challenge put on by Chris Gibson in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on a five-mile loop. He finished in 5:30 which was his lifetime best running 50 miles. He excelled at other 50-milers that year including a National Championship win at Helen Klein 50-miler, a fifth-place finish at massive JFK 50, and a second at Sunmart 50. In France, he ran in the 1999 100K World Championships, where he set his lifetime 100K best of 7:08, finishing in 32nd.
Just a week after finishing Western States 100, Mark ran a one-mile race in his hometown. A college kid ran right behind his shoulder the entire way and didn’t help with the pace. With a few yards to go, the kid kicked past him for the win. Mark finished in 4:49. The kid’s friend walked up to him and let him know that he just sprinted past a guy who ran a 100-miler the previous week.
A few weeks later, Mark ran Badwater 135, across Death Valley to Whitney Portal. He did outstanding, finishing in 29:58, in third place. Mark said, “I like the challenge of it, both physical and mental. And how many people can say they ran across Death Valley in the middle of July.”
In September 1999, Mark ran at the Olander Park 24 Hour run at Sylvania, Ohio, which was the 1999 US National Championship. That year it was highly competitive, perhaps the most competitive 24-hour race in the country during the 1990s. The weather was ideal on the flat, paved 1.1-mile road loop around the lake. 161 runners lined up at the start, but all eyes were on Yiannis Kouros, the World Record holder. He was introduced and said, “It is an honor to run in America once again. I wish all of you success and a good run.” Andy Jones, from Canada shot to the front in the early stages of the race but Kouros was soon in his familiar place in the lead. After three hours, Mark was still within a half mile of the leaders, running strong. By 12 hours, Mark had covered 86 miles, five behind Kouros, and Mark had opened a huge 5.5-mile lead on Kevin Setnes, the defending champion, and American Road 24-hour record holder.
Into the night, Mark pretty much kept pace several miles behind Kouros. Mark ran on and avoided walking, but just couldn’t reel Kouros in, who went on to be the overall winner. During the night, Mark reached 100-miles in a lifetime best of 14:15. As the morning arrived, Mark still was within five miles of the lead and was nearly ten miles ahead of Setnes. After 21 hours of running Mark had not even stopped to change his shoes. To keep track of laps, he hung a bundle of tags on his shorts, and he had to hand one in every lap to the timer. The tags eventually wore a hole in his shorts. Mark realized that he had a shot at breaking the 24-hour American record held by Setnes of 160.4 miles. He did drop his pace somewhat. He explained, “You almost relax. It’s almost like you fall asleep but instead of saying, ‘Wake me up when it’s over,’ it’s more like ‘Kill me when it’s over.’” The American 24-hour record was soon in the rearview mirror, but Mark kept the gas pedal pushed down and increased the 24-hour Road Record to 162.4 miles.
Mark had a rough recovery, suffering from severe dehydration and required an IV. He was asked what hurt and replied, “basically everything.” He went home as a new record holder and a few days later was again running through the rolling hills of northeast Ohio. One week later he ran 1:16 at the Buckeye Half Marathon. Mark finished 1999 by setting a course record at Huff 50K in 3:26.
One of Mark’s friends commented in 1999, “Most of us get to a point in a marathon or an ultramarathon where we say, ‘that’s it’ and we start to back down. Mark runs through the pain. He’s not superhuman, he does it with heart. He is one tough son of a gun”
In 2000, Mark ran his lifetime marathon best at Boston, finishing in 2:30, the 8th American to cross the finish line. 38th overall. Also that year he was on the silver medal team that ran at the World 100K Championship in the Netherlands.
In 2001 he claimed a very impressive victory at Sunmart 50 in Texas, over a large field of 193 runners. Each year he continued to run several marathons, all faster than three hours. In 2001, he won the Edmund Fitzgerald 100K near Duluth Minnesota with a time of 7:46. In 2003 Mark again concentrated on the very long distances. First, he went to South Africa and ran Comrades. He was the first American to finish that year with a time of 6:51 on this “downhill” year. A week later he ran Mohican Trail 100 again with his brother Stephen. For the first 12 miles they ran within minutes of each other in the lead but Mark gradually pulled away, winning in 16:54. Stephen placed second in 19:05, for a Godale 1-2 sweep. Then just two weeks later he finished Western States 100 in 22:26.
In 2005, Mark became a world champion when he won the Masters World Champion 100K held in Argentina with a finish time of 8:28.
In 2007 he won Burning River 100 in Willoughby Hills, Ohio, and set a course record of 16:07. He wrote, “I was fit for the first time in years and focused to run. Conditions were hot, but I ran strong and steady. It was great to have family, friends and even co-workers at the finish.” In 2010 Mark improved on that time with a 15:48 which in 2018 is still the 6th fastest time ever for that race. Also in 2007 he went to Greece and ran Spartathlon (153 miles) finishing in 16th in 30:31.
In 2008 Mark had a great start to the year by running a personal best of 3:16:16 in the 50K at the USA National Championship at Caumsett Park in Huntington, NY where he placed 4th. He averaged 6:19 miles. But during the summer when Western States 100 was cancelled due to smoke from fires, he decided to do a training run there and injured his hamstring, hampering him for the rest of the year, and caused him to pull out of Burning River 100. He ran 4,957 miles that year.
Mark would train year-round. He wrote, “In my opinion, one of the biggest mistakes an athlete can make is taking down time in the winter. I think many give excuses for why they can’t run. Some of the excuses I hear is its cold outside or its dark after work.” Many times, Mark would run in the dark early morning and also in the dark after work. In 2009 Mark again ran at Burning River 100. He had trained hard with 100+ miles per week leading up to the race. He had finished Western States 100 just a month earlier in 22:29 but still felt pretty fresh. During Burning River, he took a nasty fall and thought he broke his shoulder but continued on. He really struggled the last 60 miles but finished in a very impressive 16:16 for the win.
As he entered his 40s in 2010 his speed didn’t leave him. He still burned up the course at Burning River each year and reached 111 miles at NorthCoast 24-hours in 2011 which may have been his last 100+ miler.
In March 2012 Mark damaged his knee, ran Boston with a knee brace and then at the age of 42, underwent osteotomy and microfracture surgery in May. He spent 15 weeks on crutches, and then slowed down and ran fewer races. His knee problem no longer let him compete on trails or run courses with lots of turns.
Mark’s running career was truly impressive with many podium finishes and wins in USA National Championships. On his USATF bio page, he included: “Running is not a punishment, but a lifestyle choice. I am thankful each and every day to be able to run. There are so many people that don’t have the opportunity to run because of physical ailments, I think of all the positives I have and not dwell on the negatives. Every day I step out the door is a great day to run! I believe more people need to pick up good habits.”
Mark continued to enjoy limited running, coaching others, helping at races, pacing runners, and taking photos at races. During his running career he ran about 1,000 races, including more than 25 100s. He has finished 29 consecutive Boston marathons including a 3:30 finish in 2017 on his damaged knee. In 2022, after finishing his 29th Boston Marathon he wrote: “This year’s Boston Marathon was probably my hardest marathon I have done. Hurt ever step from the start. My fastest marathon time is at Boston and also my slowest.”
Mark would have turned 52 tomorrow. His birthday request was a fundraiser for the Cleveland Animal Protective League.
Mark’s Personal Records from his USATF page
- 400m: 52 [Florida State Relays, Split for 800m]
- 800m 1:58 [Florida State Relays]
- 5 km: 15:27 Bally Total Fitness B-Fit 5K Run, Chicago
- 5.45 Miles: 25:37 [Hood to Coast Relay, First Leg]
- 1/2 Marathon: 1:12 [Youngstown Road Runners Distance Classic 1/2 Marathon]
- Marathon: 2:30 [Boston Marathon]
- 50 km: 3:16 [USA 50 km Championship]
- 50 Miles: 5:30 [50 Mile GNC Challenge, Pittsburgh]
- 100 km: 7:08 [100 km World Championship, France]
- 100 Miles: 14:15 [USA 24 Hour Championship, Split for 24-Hours]
- American Record to 24-Hours: 162.4 Miles [USA 24 Hour Championship]
Scott Jurek wrote: “Mark encouraged me to “master all the distances on all terrain.” He truly loved the run no matter where it took him. He found me on the AT, in the middle of a rainy night in New England, when I needed a friend the most. He could barely walk (bone on bone arthritis) and we stumbled our way up and down the trail til 2:00AM. Those days with Mark were one of many adventures we’ve had around the world and I can’t believe there won’t be more.
There was nothing mainstream about Godale, but he was a lot of things to a lot of people. He was a son, brother, artist, and most of all, a devoted father. He made an impact on so many lives, he inspired us all to do the impossible. We had more miles to log and the next time I’m stumbling in the woods I know he will be right there with me. Run in peace, my friend.”