Online Registration for TD Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race Fills in Record Four Minutes and 15 Seconds; Lottery Phase Underway

18th running of road race founded by Olympic gold medalist Joan Benoit Samuelson set for Aug. 1 in Cape Elizabeth, Maine

CAPE ELIZABETH, Maine (March 13, 2015) – The TD Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race registered 4,000 runners in a record-setting four minutes 15 seconds (4:15) on Friday morning, and those still looking for a spot at the start line began entering the lottery.

Runners now have until midnight on March 22 to register for one of the 1,950 remaining bibs available through the lottery, which will be drawn on March 24.  Runners can sign up for the lottery at the race website, www.beach2beacon.org.

This year marks the 18th edition of the now classic American summer road race founded by Olympic gold medalist Joan Benoit Samuelson and set for Saturday, Aug. 1 in her hometown Cape Elizabeth, Maine.

In large part due to its reputation as a world-class event with small town charm, the TD Beach to Beacon’s popularity continues to grow. Runners don’t want to miss out, which creates high anticipation and excitement about the registration process each March.

“It's great how every year registration fills faster than the last, and we thank all who woke up early to register for this year's race as well as the folks over at RacePartner for making the process as smooth as possible for participants," said volunteer Race President Mike Stone. "Good luck to all who registered and we look forward to seeing everyone at the start line on Aug. 1."

This year’s record time of 4:15 shaved 17 seconds off the old record of 4:32, set in 2014. (The race filled in 4:58 in 2013). On Thursday, Cape Elizabeth residents, given a 24-hour window to fill 600 online slots, reached the cap in less than nine minutes (8:53).

The quickest – and first – registrant was Eric Soelberg of Freeport, Maine, who completed his registration form in 47.09 seconds, a little shy of the all-time speed record of 45.27 seconds that he set in 2013.

Those who got into the race received an e-mail confirmation from race organizers and those who did not were re-directed to the bib lottery registration process. By 10:30 a.m. on Friday, 1,641 runners had entered the lottery. Each lottery entrant is charged $5. Runners who get into the race via the lottery will be notified by e-mail and their names will be posted on the race website on March 24.

Registration also is underway for the TD Beach to Beacon’s 124 legacy runners who have taken part in all 17 past races.

In addition, the race’s 2015 beneficiary – Good Shepherd Food Bank - as well as past beneficiaries will make bib numbers available to runners in exchange for fundraising and/or support.

The TD Beach to Beacon is a celebration of health, fitness and giving back. In 2014, a record-setting 6,494 runners from 14 countries, 42 states and more than 260 Maine cities and town finished the winding, rolling, often breathtaking 6.2-mile coastal course. Thousands of spectators cheered runners along the tree-lined route and at the finish, and more than 800 volunteers helped ensure a smooth operation. The race debuted in 1998 with 2,408 runners crossing the finish line.

More than $60,000 in prize money is awarded to the top finishers and place winners in the various categories for men and women, and a $30,000 donation is provided each year to the race beneficiary by the TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank N.A.

For additional information about the race, visit www.beach2beacon.org and follow on Facebook and Twitter.

About the TD Charitable Foundation
The TD Charitable Foundation is the charitable giving arm of TD Bank N.A., which operates as TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank^®, and is one of the 10 largest commercial banking organizations in the United States. The Foundation's mission is to serve the individuals, families and businesses in all the communities where TD Bank operates, having made more than $133.2 million in charitable donations since its inception in 2002. The Foundation’s areas of focus are affordable housing, financial literacy and education, and the environment. More information on the TD Charitable Foundation, including an online grant application, is available at www.TDBank.com.

About TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank^®
TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, is one of the 10 largest banks in the U.S., providing more than 8 million customers with a full range of retail, small business and commercial banking products and services at approximately 1,300 convenient locations throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Metro D.C., the Carolinas and Florida. In addition, TD Bank and its subsidiaries offer customized private banking and wealth management services through TD Wealth^®, and vehicle financing and dealer commercial services through TD Auto Finance. TD Bank is headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J. To learn more, visit www.tdbank.com. Find TD Bank on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TDBank and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TDBank_US.

TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, is a member of TD Bank Group and a subsidiary of The Toronto-Dominion Bank of Toronto, Canada, a top 10 financial services company in North America. The Toronto-Dominion Bank trades on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges under the ticker symbol "TD". To learn more, visit www.td.com.

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Here is more information about the TD Beach to Beacon 10K