2007 TD Banknorth Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race Now Full

Registration closes in record time for popular international road race in Cape Elizabeth, Maine

CAPE ELIZABETH, Maine - Registration for this year’s TD Banknorth Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race has officially closed, race organizers announced Friday. Runners who missed out may still have the opportunity to participate by raising funds for two local charities.

The special 10th running of the race filled much sooner than any other in the history of the popular international road race. The 2007 TD Banknorth Beach to Beacon 10K is set for Saturday, August 4 in coastal Cape Elizabeth, Maine.

Since the race began in 1998, the field size has grown from 3,000 to 5,500, following the most recent expansion last year. Even with the steady growth in the field size, the race fills faster and faster each year. This year, more than 4,700 runners signed up online in the first 10 days of registration.

“The popularity of this race continues to be overwhelming,” said David Weatherbie, president of the race sponsored by TD Banknorth. “We need to keep the field size at the 5,500 level for a number of reasons, mostly to keep the race safe and to provide a high quality experience for our runners. It’s a beautiful but narrow, winding course, so if you get too many runners on the course, it raises safety and logistical issues.”

The race begins near the Crescent Beach State Park entrance on Route 77 and ends 6.2 miles later in Fort Williams Park at the historic and stunning Portland Head Light, the most photographed lighthouse in America. The race, which draws the world’s top elite runners and New England’s finest, is considered one of the marquee events on the international road race circuit.

Those who missed out may still have an opportunity to participate, but they need to act quickly. Two charitable organizations, each a former race beneficiary, have a very limited amount of paid places available for anyone willing to do some fundraising. For more info, please contact: Riding To The Top (207) 892-2813, ext. 14, or the Cape Elizabeth Education Foundation at run@capeeducationfoundation.org or cdmac@mindspring.com.

The 2007 race beneficiary, STRIVE, a South Portland-based non-profit organization that serves developmentally disabled youth, already has filled its available fundraising spots. The same is true for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Maine.

TD Banknorth is the title sponsor of the race founded by Joan Benoit Samuelson, the Olympic gold medalist and Maine’s most recognizable athlete. The race director is Dave McGillivray of DMSE Sports, who also directs the BAA Boston Marathon.

In addition to TD Banknorth, other major corporate partners this year include Nike, Hannaford, Anthem, Poland Spring, Northeast Delta Dental and MaineHealth. For additional info about the race, visit www.beach2beacon.org or call the race hotline at (888) 480-6940.

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