They Came to Run. They Left With a Story.

My new friends from Maine were shipping aggressively this weekend!

Last weekend, the Mad River Valley once again welcomed runners, families, and visitors from near and far for the Mad Marathon. While the finish lines, medals, and personal accomplishments are what bring people here, the true impact of this event goes far beyond race day.

First and foremost, I want to recognize and thank Dori Ingalls  for her incredible commitment to the Mad Marathon and to our community. Building and sustaining an event of this magnitude takes vision, dedication, and countless hours of work. Dori recognized something special about the Mad River Valley — that our landscape, our people, our businesses, and our way of life create something worth traveling for.

She also identified a unique opportunity within the marathon world: runners seeking the “world’s most beautiful marathon,” people working toward completing marathons in all 50 states, and the growing phenomenon of marathon tourism. Rather than simply hosting a race, she created an experience that showcases everything that makes the Mad River Valley special.

And that impact was on full display last weekend.

While visiting the Waitsfield Farmers Market, I struck up a conversation with a couple from Maine who had traveled here for the race. Among their shopping bags were bottles of Mad River Distillers spirits, Vermont maple syrup, and other local treasures they had discovered along the way. They weren’t just talking about their race experience — they were talking about the food they had enjoyed, the people they met, and how much they loved the community.

Later, while at American Flatbread, I met another couple visiting from North Carolina who had come to the Valley for the marathon. They were enjoying a meal in a place that is uniquely ours — an experience they said they would remember and talk about long after they returned home.

That is the magic of events like the Mad Marathon.

The value is not just measured by the runners crossing the finish line. It is measured by the hotel rooms filled, the meals enjoyed, the local products purchased, the conversations started, and the memories created. It is measured by visitors leaving as ambassadors for our community because they experienced something authentic and meaningful.

The Mad Marathon leverages the very assets that make the Mad River Valley special: our beautiful landscape, our welcoming businesses, our local food and drink, and our community spirit. It brings people here who may have never otherwise discovered us — and it gives them a reason to return.

Events like this deserve our appreciation, our support, and our recognition. They are not just weekend activities; they are an important part of our community’s story and our local economy.

Thank you, Dori, for your vision and your commitment. Thank you to all the volunteers, organizers, businesses, and community members who help make this event possible.

And thank you to all the runners and visitors who chose to spend their weekend with us. We hope you’ll come back soon.

I would also suggest considering a slightly shorter, more personal version for the Chamber newsletter or LinkedIn — this one is positioned more as a community reflection/op-ed. It has the ingredients for a strong “why events matter” piece that reinforces a lot of the Chamber’s broader destination work.

Eric Friedman
Executive Director of the MRV Chamber of Commerce