“We are at an exciting juncture in the journey of the Dexter-Ann Arbor race,” illuminates Ann Arbor Track Club membership coordinator and board member, Laurel Park.
“Doug (Goodhue) has done a wonderful job; he handles situations very calmly, logically, always with the best interests of the Ann Arbor Track Club and race in mind. He really cares about the event.”
Park views Doug’s retirement as ‘the end of an era and start of a new,’ and is “convinced that the race can continue to be a premier event.”
Goodhue himself is committed to ensuring a successful transition, ready and willing to stay on as a consultant.
Few “can truly appreciate the complexity that goes into the execution of this race,” reveals AATC President, Mitch Garner. “In reality, there are three races, and each race presents its unique challenges. Doug eats, drinks and sleeps the Dexter-Ann Arbor Run; it is going to be a difficult task to replace him.”
Goodhue, 76, has been involved with the Dexter-Ann Arbor Run as a volunteer and competitor since the early 1990s. Among numerous responsibilities, from 2010 through 2012, he was the race director for the Run’s open and USATF Championship 10K event. In 2013, he served as the Run’s co-race director, and for the past five years, he has shouldered the enormous role of sole race director, with the never-ending support of his wife, Cindy Goodhue, and countless volunteers.
Even with “new ideas to keep the race fresh and exciting,” as witnessed by Ellen Nitz, an AATC member and Run volunteer of many years, Goodhue is most proud of all the money raised to support the Club’s youth program and numerous charities. And while he has experienced much personal satisfaction with each successful event, Doug and Cindy, understandably so, wish to spend more time with their four married daughters and ten grandchildren who reside both in and outside of Michigan.
A heartfelt sentiment shared by many, Garner asserts, “We can never thank Doug enough for all he has done to make the race successful” and aptly compares it to ‘a wedding every June for thousands of people.’
“You plan all year and hope everything goes well!”
As much as Doug will be missed, with the never ending commitments of so many valued Club members, volunteers, runners, sponsors, business partners, community members, past race directors and Goodhue himself, Park’s confidence in the continued success of the Dexter-Ann Arbor Run is one to ‘take to the bank.’
To this effect, we can all assuredly join in Garner’s continued expressions of gratitude –
“Thanks for everything, Doug. Now you can get some sleep!”
