Dave Martula

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When it comes to having any event, we know the key is to have great support people. The volunteer is the person that makes it happen and is the most important part. Many volunteers work tirelessly to make sure events goes off at the highest level possible and these efforts are often not seen or not under appreciated. The Western Mass Runners Hall of Fame has established the Brian Goddu Volunteer Award to recognize those who make an impact in the running community in western Mass, even when it is quiet and behind the scenes. We are pleased to recognize the 2021 Brian Goddu Volunteer award for 2021, Dave Martula.

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Dave is a longtime member of Sugarloaf Mountain AC. He has been on the board for 30 years, and the club treasurer for 16 years. In that time, he has been involved with all the Sugarloaf events, helping on the finish line, registration, presenting the awards, clean up, storage of the club equipment, water stops, writing the checks, hosting club meetings and anything else needed. If there is a Sugarloaf event going on, Dave is there supporting it.

The one event that Dave worked the hardest on for many years was the Amherst 10 Miler, commonly referred to still as the DH Jones Ten Miler, after a long-term sponsor of the race. Dave served as race director for 20 years, including the years that it was a feature race as part of the New England Grand Prix series. Until 2018, the Amherst 10 miler was the signature Sugarloaf Mountain AC event. This event required the race director to work with different towns on traffic control, check the railroad schedule, get the schools open on Sunday morning, hope the dirt roads weren’t too snowy or icy, and all the other crazy details required for a first-class event. The race being held in February also had some major weather challenges and stresses over the years.

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Dave has also been the race director at the Summit Run at Mount Holyoke (Skinner) for 10 years. Recently, he has also volunteered as captain at the first Aid Station at the Vermont 100-mile race. A long while ago, he would substitute for Don & Sue Grant at their long-standing Tuesday night Northampton XC race when they vacationed during the August weeks.

Dave attended Hopkins Academy and Amherst College, the latter class of 1966.

Dave began running at age 21 after college. He taught French and coached soccer at a private school in California for six years. While out there, he ran the Bay to Breakers when the running crowd numbered only 4,000. He then moved back to New England and joined his father in the insurance business. Since 1991, Dave has worked as a financial planner in Hadley.

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When not volunteering, Dave is a darn good runner. He has run all distances up to 100-mile races. He has run nearly 40 marathons including 13 Boston's, along with Big Sur 7 times, Dallas, Hartford, New York, Philly among others. He has run the Vermont 100 three times, the last time at the age of 67, and the Umstead 100 once.

Dave’s recent running PR’s include a 3:19 marathon at age 63 and a 7:51 in a 50 miler in his mid-60’s. In 2015 at age 70 he ran a 3:51 Boston Marathon to be the first New England 70-year-old.

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We thank Dave for his contributions to the Western Mass running community and congratulate him on being the 2022 Brian E. Goddu Volunteer Award recipient.