Dear Moxie Festival organizers,

I thought I would write to share my first experience at the Moxie 5K and where it has taken me since.

In July 2009, on a routine “summah” visit to my hometown of Brunswick, my wife and I decided on a whim to sign up for the Moxie 5K race. We woke up early that morning, hopped in the car and sped off to Lisbon Falls hoping we could still sign up at the last minute. At the registration table, we were delighted to receive (literally) the last two bright orange Moxie t-shirts that were left. I guess it was meant to be!

We quickly removed our high-tech, micro-fiber, wicking fabric, runners’ shirts, exchanging them proudly for our new, 100% cotton, Moxie Beefy-Ts. Waiting for the starting gun, we looked around at the crowd of runners; old, young, and everywhere in between. Unlike other races we have been in, there was no jockeying for a better start position, no anxious anticipation of the starting gun; instead there was casual conversation, joking and laughing, pats on the back, and a general feeling of collective fun.

To make a long story short, we ran and we finished; not knowing or really caring about our time or place in the race. While driving back to Brunswick, I recall thinking how this day marked a moment of great enjoyment and humble pride in the warmth and simplicity of life in Maine.

A short time after returning to Ecuador (where we have been living for the past 10 years), I found myself wearing my Moxie shirt often, feeling even more prideful of my Maine heritage and our iconic beverage. I even brought back a few bottles of the good stuff to share with friends, trying to convince them that while Moxie may be a peculiar drink and an acquired taste, it is more than that. There is a certain intangible quality to Moxie; inside each bottle of bitter-sweet elixir are years of tradition, countless stories, and myriad moments that represent the essence of Maine. This is when I began my own Moxie tradition: my shirt would accompany me, like a bright orange security blanket, on some of my most exciting travel adventures.

And now, with my prized Moxie shirt somewhat battered and a bit faded in color (but not in spirit), we are on our way back to Maine for another summah visit. As always our trip will include all the usual “musts” such as lobstah and steamahs, I-talian sandwiches from the corner store, Frosty’s Donuts, Fat Boy Drive-in, chili dogs on The Mall, Wicked Joe’s every morning, camping on Casco Bay, candle pin bowling, maybe a Sea Dogs game, and definitely fireworks on the fourth … and, now, we officially add our newest “must” to the list: the Moxie 5K!

See you at the starting line!

Sincerely,

Tim Long

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