Fun Facts About the TD Banknorth Beach to Beacon

Plus, everything you need to know about this year's race

As it enters its eighth year, the TD Banknorth Beach To Beacon 10K continues to be the largest race in Maine history. Here are a few fun facts about the race, courtesy of Andy Schachat:

- In its first year, 1998, the race drew 2,408 finishers and has grown ever since.
- The 1999 race was the first road race in Maine history to top 3,000 finishers as 3,248 crossed the line.
- In 2002, 4,109 runners finished – marking the first time a Maine road race topped 4,000.
- In 2004, that mark was eclipsed as 4,353 runners finished. That brought the seven-year total to 25,538!
- Speaking of which, when Bonnie Cassidy of Ellicott City, Maryland, finished the race last August, she was the 25,000th finisher in the race's history.
- In seven years, the runners have collectively traveled 158,335.6 miles.

-Hot race, cold cash: Prize money for the elite male and female champions is $10,000 this year. In all, nearly $60,000 will be awarded to place winners in the elite, masters and Maine categories. This year, a bonus also will be awarded for open course records.

-‘Beep-beep’: The 2004 race again boasted the year’s fastest time in a 10K road race in the world – duplicating a feat set in 2003 as well – when Kenya’s Gilbert Okari broke the tape in a blazing 27:35. In all, four men record sub 28’s last year, almost unheard of on the international road race circuit.

-This year, the 5,000 registered runners and elite athletes hail from 41 different U.S. states and at least 16 countries around the globe.

-A press conference will be held Friday, August 5, at Inn by the Sea with the elite athletes, race founder Joan Benoit Samuelson, TD Banknorth officials and race officials Dave Weatherbie, David McGillivray and Larry Barthlow.

-For info on road closings or other particulars, go to the race logo on this site and click on the logistics news release or other news items.

2005 Beneficiary

Each year, TD Banknorth, the title sponsor of the race, “shines a light” onto a worthy organization serving Maine youth. These organizations provide heartwarming human-interest stories.

This year’s race beneficiary is no different, especially given the tie in between the immigrant community served by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Portland and Auburn/Lewiston and the international flavor of the race. TD Banknorth, through the TD Banknorth Charitable Foundation, will provide a cash donation of $30,000. Additionally, the organization will benefit from fundraising activities and publicity valued at more than $40,000.

With four locations, the Boys & Girls Clubs serves young people from 36 different Maine communities. Known for its positive atmosphere, the organization offers a broad spectrum of opportunities for school-aged children primarily during after-school hours and school vacation weeks. Combining a safe and supportive environment, trained professional staff and a nationally recognized “curriculum”, the Clubs focus on developing skills in teamwork, personal health and safety, conflict resolution, resisting peer pressure, and citizenship and community service.

More than 300 youths in membership are from immigrant and refugee backgrounds. “We hope to be able to share some of the great diversity of runners and world backgrounds that this race brings to Maine with our diverse population of kids,” said Bob Clark, chief professional officer of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Portland and Auburn/Lewiston.

In addition to a feature on the beneficiary, media may also be interested in the fact that several youths who are members of the clubs are running in the TD Banknorth Beach to Beacon. Contact Bob Clark, info below, to get in touch with those runners.

Also of interest is the fact that Randy Judkins, a well known Maine character comedian and variety artist, will juggle as he runs along the course to raise money for the beneficiary. To donate to the club, visit them online at www.bgcmaine.org.

Returning World-class and Maine Runners

Year in and year out, the TD Banknorth Beach to Beach 10K Road Race attracts some of the world’s best road racers from around the globe. Another stellar elite field is expected for the 2005 race, including the 2004 champ – Kenyan Gilbert Okari, who will be seeking his third straight title. A press conference with these athletes will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at Inn by the Sea in Cape Elizabeth.

Maine runners also consider the race the jewel of the racing season. The winner of this showcase event wears the unofficial title as the state road race champion.

International Flavor

Each year, families from Cape Elizabeth and surrounding areas invite elite athletes from Kenya, Ethiopia, Mexico, Japan and elsewhere around the globe into their homes. The home stays serve as a sort of cultural exchange for the athletes and the host families as they swap recipes and stories. Sheila Abourjaily has hosted athletes for years, and in January she went to Kenya to visit the runners she has hosted in past years and can talk about her experiences in Africa.

Corporate Challenge

Bragging rights will again be at stake among some of the region’s most recognizable companies at this year’s TD Banknorth Beach to Beacon. Now in its fourth year, the race’s Corporate Challenge has become a popular feature as teams compete for a Corporate Challenge Cup.

The teams are scored using net times and will be adjusted by age and gender under the WAVA (World Association of Veteran Athletes) system. The top four runners count toward the overall score, and there is no limit to the number of runners who can be entered on a team. Awards for the Corporate Challenge will be presented to the individuals who score for the top three teams in any of the three classifications: men only, women only, and mixed. The winning team in each class receives a Corporate Challenge Cup for display at their respective organizations. Corporations as well as business partnerships such as LLCs are eligible to participate.

Joan Benoit Samuelson

Founder of the race with lead sponsor TD Banknorth, Joan Benoit Samuelson remains one of Maine most famous athletes and familiar faces. She has continued to amaze and enlighten – and win road races! – as an inspiration and a role model for girls and women around the globe. For a copy of her amazing bio, go to the race logo and the Media Kit on this site.

Randy Judkins to Juggle to the Finish Line for the Boys & Girls Clubs

Randy Judkins, a well-known Maine character comedian and variety artist, will juggle this year as he runs along the course to raise money for the beneficiary. Judkins, who runs the race each year, is trying to raise $3,000 for the Boys & Girls Clubs by juggling three balls throughout the entire 6.2-mile course. More info on how to donate is posted on his website at www.randyjudkins.com and on the Boys & Girls Clubs website at www.bgcmaine.org.

Judkins is the founder of the Maine Hysterical Society and has appeared on Good Morning America, CBS This Morning and numerous local newscasts. He offers presentations on humor, change, stress and teamwork for professional groups in more than 20 U.S. states and has instructed at the Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Clown College in Florida and at the Julliard School in New York City.

Medical Tent

Just like other aspects of the race, the medical care provided athletes at the TD Banknorth Beach to Beacon 10K is second to none. Teams of medical personnel roam the race course looking for runners in trouble, but the nerve center is the medical tent located just beyond the finish line. There, as many as 100 of the region’s most talented doctors, nurses, surgeons, EMTs, paramedics, physical therapists and pediatricians volunteer their time for the event each year. Following the race, the tent is bustling with activity, like something right out of the old TV sitcom M*A*S*H. The medical operation is equipped to treat a variety of disorders, ranging from heat exhaustion to orthopedic problems to heart trouble.

Helping Wheelchair Athletes

This year, the race’s wheelchair athletes are being offered a free place to stay at Village Crossings, a rehabilitation and assisted living community on Scott Dyer Road in Cape Elizabeth. The facility is handicapped equipped and will provide an exciting change for the residents there with the athlete guests from other states. Seven of these great athletes will be staying as the guests of Village Crossings at Cape Elizabeth, Maine's premier assisted housing residence. On Friday, August 5th from 4 to 5:30 p.m., there will be an opportunity to meet them personally and informally at Village Crossings at Cape Elizabeth, 78 Scott Dyer Road, Cape Elizabeth, about 400 yards beyond Pond Cove School on the left; turn left at the Village Crossings sign follow the long driveway. FMI, contact David Rogers, Village Crossing, 799-7332, vcmarketer@maine.rr.com.

Volunteer Effort

The volunteer effort necessary to make TD Banknorth Beach to Beacon 10K a premier event is often taken for granted. It shouldn’t be. Coordinating more than 800 volunteers is a monumental task that requires patience, perseverance and a certain amount of guile. Volunteer Director Maya Cohen of Cape Elizabeth brings a personal touch to her management of the volunteers. Her program is structured to include a host of coordinators who oversee volunteers in different areas, including water stations, parking, security, course set up and breakdown, and directing traffic.

TD Banknorth and other sponsors

Without the help of primary sponsor TD Banknorth and other major corporate partners, including Nike, Hannaford, Poland Spring, US Airways, Harvard Pilgrim HealthCare, WCSH TV-6, and Northeast Delta Dental, the race would not be the first-class event it is today. TD Banknorth’s Bill Ryan met with Olympic Gold Medallist Joan Benoit Samuelson eight years ago to create this premier running event in her home state. Bank officials such as David Ott run in the race and Mike McNamara, president of TD Banknorth in Maine, rides the media truck with his lovely wife, Pat. Under McNamara's direction, the bank also assigns staff to work on the race to make sure it is the top notch race it is.

Kids Fun Run

A children’s 1K race – touted as the Kids Fun Run – will again complement the TD Banknorth Beach to Beacon. The race, which has received little media attention in the past, continues to grow. Open to kids ages 12 and under, the event will be held in Fort Williams Park following the 10K at a new time this year - 9:15 a.m. The kid’s race will again boast a field size of more than 500 youngsters.

Town of Cape Elizabeth

The Town of Cape Elizabeth really comes through for this event. Town officials serve on the 50-plus-member Organizing Committee and are involved from the time they begin meeting in January to the day in early August when 5,000 runners and more than 10,000 spectators line the streets of this coastal town. From mile markers getting placed by a Public Works crew in early July, to police and traffic flow, to using town buildings for registration, the town is involved in making the event a success each year. For more information on road closings or parking issues, call the Cape Elizabeth Town Hall at 207-767-3323.

T-Shirt Contest Winners

The T-shirts provided to adult and child runners, volunteers and staff for the 2005 TD Banknorth Beach to Beacon were both designed by Cape Elizabeth students as part of an annual contest. This year’s winners are: 1st Place Winning Design for Kids Fun Run is by Brooke Riddle, 2nd Grade – Brooke’s design will appear on more than 500 t-shirts for the 1K Kids Fun Run; and 1st Place Winning Design for the TD Banknorth Beach to Beacon is by Corinne Earnshaw, 12th Grade; Corinne’s design will appear on more than 5,000 adult t-shirts for the 10K race and more than 1,000 volunteer t-shirts for race day. The designs themselves will be unveiled on race day.

Technological Advances

The use of advanced technology is yet another aspect of the TD Banknorth Beach to Beacon that makes it a premiere event. Computer chips made by ChampionChip attached to each runner's shoes determine each finisher's exact time for the race. The chips are processed by Granite State Race Services to compile a list of finishers and their times. In addition, because of a history of razor-thin finishes, organizers will again use a finish line camera – unusual for a road race of its size. Lynx System Developers, Inc., based in Woburn, Mass., is providing a FinishLynx, the world's most popular and versatile digital photofinish and timing system. FinishLynx is warming up for the Peoples Beach to Beacon by working the U.S. Olympic Trials before arriving in Cape Elizabeth. A FinishLynx line-scan camera only sees a very narrow piece of the world: the finish line. It looks at the finish line many times a second and stores each of these images. In case of a close finish, the images become a vital tool for the race judge to use in determining the winner.

Where to see results on race day

The results of the TD Banknorth Beach to Beacon are usually posted by the early afternoon of the race day on a number of websites, including the race's site at beach2beacon.org, and also on Mainetoday.com, coolrunnings.com, and other sites. The Maine Sunday Telegram also runs the times in the Sunday paper, along with news stories and features. And, a news release will also be posted on this site Saturday afternoon highlighting the winners and their times.