When Adam Goode laces up his shoes and starts his first Boston Marathon on Monday, he’ll be running in memory of friend, college teammate and roommate Jim Hegedus.

Hegedus, who graduated from the University of Maine with Goode in 2005, had qualified for Boston last May at the New Jersey Marathon in Long Branch, N.J.

A week later, however, the 22-year old Hamilton, N.J., native died due to injuries sustained in an automobile accident.

Hegedus fell asleep at the wheel, collided with a tree, and died a couple days later, Goode said.

Former Bangor High School standout Goode earned his spot in the 22,000-runner Boston field at the Hyannis Marathon in Massachusetts in February, posting a time of 2 hours, 56 minutes, 14 seconds.

Running a marathon wasn’t always on Goode’s agenda, but after Hegedus’ death, he realized that life is short and dreams should be fulfilled.

“I’m not just running for him, but it’s something I wanted to do,” Goode said. “I’ve always run but after graduation, it wasn’t on my plate to run a marathon.

“It was eye-opening to have him pass away a week after qualifying,” he added. “I’ve been in really good shape for seven years now, and never given [a marathon] thought.”

For all the races Goode has run in his life, he says the marathon is the most rewarding.

“I already [have] experienced a lot of things in my life as Jim had,” Goode said. “It’s worthwhile to put a marathon on my resume especially since it’s something Jim thought [was] worthwhile to do.”

At the time of his death, Hegedus was student-teaching in New Jersey.

“He was pretty involved besides just running on his own,” Goode said.

Hegedus competed in cross country and track at UMaine, and was an assistant coach with the Bangor High outdoor track and field team in the spring of 2005.

A 5K race in his memory will be run in June in New Jersey.

Goode added that when his band, Jack’s Wild, was formed, Hegedus was the first drummer.

Goode, who runs many local road races and most recently won the Flat Top 5-kilometer race in Lamoine, switched gears a bit in his training regime in preparation for the Hyannis marathon.

“I just changed some of my training a bit, and basically really cut back on doing speedwork,” he said. “I shifted my focus to training a lot, just running a lot.”

He says it’s a change of pace from speed training, but added that he’s in tremendous shape.

“I’ve been injury-prone in the past, [but] I haven’t felt close to being injured,” Goode said. “Once you start doing longer stuff, you don’t eat one burger, you eat more burgers.”

He admitted the toughest part in preparing for a winter marathon is the unpredictable winter weather.

“The hardest part is the weather in the winter,” Goode said. “I like running, [but] I’m not sure if I want to do it when it’s the coldest day of the year.”

Temperatures for Monday’s race are expected to be more like late fall than spring, with highs expected to be only in the low 40s with strong winds and a chance of showers.

As usual, Maine will be well-represented at the race. Goode is one of 161 Mainers who will run in the 111th edition of one of running’s greatest traditions.

Among the local runners are Evan Graves of Presque Isle, a teacher and coach at Easton High School who was the top Maine finisher a year ago and won the Sub 5 overall points title last year.

Andy Beardsley of Surry, a running coach at Ellsworth High School, Mount Desert Island Marathon race director Gary Allen, and MDI High School running coach Kate Goupee will also participate.

Others include Chris Almy of Charleston, Jeanne Butterfield, Ryan King and Peter Lodge, all of Bangor, Jim Newett of Ellsworth and Austin Towsend, Jr. of Perry.

Lodge and Almy will join John Tjepkema of Orono, Jonathan Rice of Winterport and Rick Roussell, Sr. of Calais on the Maine Men’s Masters team.