Sideline Stories: Bob Dunfey, Race Director, Gorham Savings Bank Maine Marathon, Half Marathon & Relay

At the age of 39, I began running for fitness inspired after discovering I had gained almost 25 pounds without even noticing it. My usual fitness activities of cycling and rowing formerly kept my weight at a steady 173.  Stepping on the scale in anticipation of a meeting with my term life insurance associate who always asked, “are you in good health and how much do you weigh?” I was looking at 195! I was stunned.

The very next day I began running, though just a few days before the meeting, in an attempt to dump the pounds as quickly as possible. At the meeting, I shared my weight with my agent and my jumpstart into running to try to shed the pounds. A marathoner, he responded, “Run the Boston Marathon as a bandit,” (an unofficial runner), a 26.2 mile race just 3 weeks away. I told him I had no interest in running a marathon and, if I did, I knew I’d need to train for at least 4 months. His response was, “Just run to finish.”

When I shared this idea with my sister, Eileen, a very accomplished marathoner already registered for the Boston Marathon, she reacted with excitement and, she too encouraged me to run as a bandit. Crossing that historic finish line running a 4:27, I was extremely sore though inspired to enter the Sugarloaf Marathon the following month.

My time improved by 30 minutes! Hitting my stride, within a few years I was regularly winning awards and finishing marathons under 3 hours, a time which only 2% of marathoners can claim.

My passion for marathons inspired me to become involved in a Maine Track Club event, the Gorham Savings Bank Maine Marathon, Half Marathon & Relay held in Portland every October. I find great reward volunteering as the Race Director for an event supporting various nonprofit organizations. 2021 beneficiaries were Shawnee Peak Adaptive Ski Program, Port Resources, Pihcintu Girls Chorus, Spurwink, Team Long Run, Teens to Trails, and Wayside Food Programs. $460,000 was raised for over 50 charities in 2021. This race gives back and encourages others to cross that finish line! Beginning this year, I will also be a volunteer race director of Portland Trails to Ales 5 Miler in June. 

I never imagined one day I would say I have run 31 consecutive Boston Marathons. Number 32 is coming up this April!