PRESS KIT: Story Ideas - 2003 Peoples Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race

Race Beneficiary: Seeds of Peace

Race Beneficiary: Seeds of Peace

The work of Seeds of Peace, the race beneficiary for this yearÕs Peoples Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race, is especially significant and newsworthy this year given the ongoing tension and hostilities in the Mideast.

Seeds of Peace brings together youth from troubled regions of the world to co-exist in an internationally-recognized conflict resolution program at a summer camp in Otisfield in western Maine as a way to dispel the hatred and misconceptions that divide them. Through the summer-long programs, participants develop empathy, respect, communication/negotiation skills, confidence, and hope ö the building blocks for peaceful coexistence.

On Saturday, a group of more than 20 Seeds camper and staffers will run together in the Peoples Beach to Beacon, unified in green Seeds of Peace t-shirts. Young people who are Israeli, Palestinian and Jordanian will run side by side. Also, in an poignant moment, the finish line tape will be held by two Israelis and two Palestinians.

ÒThe significance of that moment, the symbolism, is just beginning to sink in,Ó said Joan Benoit Samuelson, the founder of the prestigious international Peoples Beach to Beacon 10K in Cape Elizabeth. ÒI am reminded of Samantha Smith and what she meant. We feel honored to have Seeds of Peace be a part of this event.Ó

Samuelson and a contingent of elite athletes from Kenyan held a runnerÕs clinic at the Seeds camp on Thursday. Peoples Heritage Bank will provide a cash donation of $30,000 from race proceeds. Additionally, Seeds of Peace will benefit from fundraising opportunities and publicity valued at more than $40,000.

Lighthouses on Parade

At least six of the 10-foot fiberglass lighthouses that have been on display in the Portland area this summer will be transported to Fort Williams as part of the festivities related to the Peoples Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race. Handpainted by local artists, the beautiful colors and unique designs of the lighthouses have been a hit throughout the region. Later this fall, they will be auctioned to support many local not-for-profits. At Fort Williams on race day, One Beacon Insurance will sponsor a judging contest for kids to vote on their favorite design.

New Post-Race Layout

Each year, race organizers look for ways to improve the Peoples Beach to Beacon for the runners and the spectators. This year, the post-race layout has been changed at Fort Williams to better follow the natural flow of runners from the finish to water to returning their chips to the awards ceremony, etc. The aim is to reduce congestion at the finish line, improve the flow of people as they move from one area of the race to another and enhance the use of the space thatÕs available. Specific changes include: moving the chip collection and water areas from the immediate finish area to the upper field; and relocating the awards ceremony, food and refreshment area, results board and the runner expo to the lower field. The Young Peoples Run will now share the lower field space. The family meeting area and the shuttle bus locations will remain the same.

McGillivray to Embark on 49-Mile Birthday Run Day after Race

Since age 12, Dave McGillivray, the race director, has been running a mile for every year he's been on earth. HeÕs done it every year since then and now itÕs an annual tradition. A few years ago he decided that he didn't have to run on his actual birthday, but sometime close to it. This year he will turn age 49 on August 22. He will run his 49 miles beginning in the early morning hours on Sunday, August 3, the day after the Peoples Beach to Beacon 10K. At about 2 a.m., he plans to begin at the Inn by the Sea and run the race course back and forth until he reaches 49 miles.


Some prior birthday runs have included: 45th Òbirthday runÓ completed in a driving rainstorm; 25th completed around a quarter-mile track - 100 loops; 28th - ran the first two miles of the Boston Marathon course (in the opposite direction), then turned around and did the entire 26.2-mile race; 29th ö ran 24 miles prior to a business trip in New York, then after returning to Logan rushed home to get the last five miles completed, one minute before midnight; 47th ö ran it in Maine the day after Peoples Beach to Beacon, beginning at 2 a.m. and finishing around noon.

International Flavor

Each year, families from Cape Elizabeth and surrounding areas invite elite athletes from Kenya, Ethiopia 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. FMI, call Janet McLaughlin, host family coordinator, at 207-799-6190.

The Governor is Running

When he toes the line next month, Gov. John Baldacci will be the first sitting Maine governor to run in the Peoples Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race. Baldacci, who will run as part of the Seeds of Peace team, takes morning runs three or four times a week.

Joan Benoit Samuelson

Founder of the race with lead sponsor Peoples Heritage Bank, for which she also serves as spokesperson for the "Peoples Promise: Shining the Light for Maine Youth" program, Joan Benoit Samuelson remains one of Maine most famous athletes and familiar faces.

Beach to Beacon Showcase Event for Maine Runners

The elite distance runners from around the world who converge on Cape Elizabeth for the Peoples Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race each year attract much of the attention from the media and the public. But the competitiveness of the race among Maine's top runners is also a worthwhile story. Maine runners 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. Race President Dave Weatherbie (207-781-5970), could provide valuable insights into the stature of the race among Maine runners. Also available to speak about what makes the race special are Michael Payson of Falmouth (207-781-4617) and Christine Snow-Reaser of Dayton (207-499-2198), the champ the past two years.

Running legend Johnny Kelley is Grand Marshall

95-year-old running legend Johnny Kelley is scheduled to serve as Grand Marshall of the 2003 Peoples Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race. A two-time Olympian (1936 and 1948), Kelley won the Boston Marathon in 1935 and 1945 and finished second on seven other occasions. He completed a record 61 Boston Marathons in 1992 at age 84, completing the course in 5:58:36.

Corporate Challenge

Bragging rights will again be at stake among some of the regionÕs most recognizable companies at this yearÕs Peoples Beach to Beacon. Now in its second year, the raceÕs Corporate Challenge, sponsored by UnumProvident, has become a popular feature as teams compete for a Corporate Challenge Cup. Last year, 18 companies competed, and nearly 30 are laying it on the line this summer. In all, more than 400 runners in the 2003 field will be competing for their employer. Winners in 2002 included Bath Iron Works in the menÕs division; Maine Medical Center in the womenÕs division; and UnumProvident in the mixed division.

The teams will be 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 will receive a Corporate Challenge Cup for display at their respective organizations. Corporations as well as business partnerships such as LLCs are eligible to participate.

Returning World-class Runners

Year in and year out, the Peoples Beach to Beach 10K Road Race attracts some of the worldÕs best road racers from around the globe. Another stellar elite field is set for the 2003 race. The 2002 menÕs champ - James Koskei of Kenya ö is returning to defend his title in a tough field that includes the worldÕs top-ranked runner, John Korir of Kenya, and two others currently ranked in the top 10, Paul Koech and Gilbert Okari, both of Kenya. Also, four-time womenÕs winner Catherine Ndereba of Kenya, edged by Adriana Fernandez last year, is coming back seeking to reclaim her crown. She will be pushed by a pair of Romanians, Constantina Tomescu-Dita and Luminita Talpos, and Kenyan Sally Barsosio.

Marsha Donahue Painting

A painting of the picturesque lighthouse and rocky shore at Fort Williams has been donated to the Peoples Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race by watercolor artist Marsha Donahue, a Cape Elizabeth resident. The original piece will be auctioned to raise money for the beneficiary, Seeds of Peace. T-shirts, hats, sweatshirts and posters bearing prints of the painting will be sold on race day.

Young Peoples Run

A childrenÕs 1K race ö touted as the Young Peoples Run ö will again complement the Peoples Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race. 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. Please note: the run is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m., a half-hour earlier than last year. The Young Peoples Runwill boast a field size of more than 500 ö the largest yet.

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. From milemarkers being placed, 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, call Town Manager Mike McGovern at Cape Elizabeth Town Hall at 207-767-3323.

McGillivray to Co-direct Olympic WomenÕs Marathon Trials

Dave McGillivray, the Peoples Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race director since its inception, will serve as co-director for the 2004 Olympic WomenÕs Marathon Trials in St. Louis next April. He also is the longtime race director for the BAA Boston Marathon and was named the world's outstanding race director in 2001 for his direction of the third Peoples Beach to Beacon. McGillivray is known throughout the running world as a technical wizard with a keen ability to balance the needs of the runners, spectators, sponsors and volunteers, and to anticipate critical issues. From his own running career and 3,452-mile run across the U.S. in 1978 to raise money for charity (averaging 45 miles per day for 80 days), to founding his own special-event management company, McGillivray has a rich personal history that would make a strong profile.

Peoples Heritage Bank and other sponsors

Without the help of primary sponsor Peoples Heritage Bank and others such as Nike, UnumProvident Corp., Poland Spring, MBNA, WCSH TV-6 and US Airways, the official airlines, the race would not be the first-class event it is today. Peoples Heritage Bank's Bill Ryan met with Olympic Gold Medallist Joan Benoit Samuelson six years ago to create a premier running event in her home state. Bank officials such as David Ott run in the race and assign staff to see the race from beginning to end each year. Meg Dempsey, for example, who is a vice president and the bank's director of public affairs, spends 90 percent of her time in the spring and summer months on the race. For more information, contact Meg Dempsey at 207-828-7055, or visit online at the race web site at www.beach2beacon.org or the bankÕs web site at www.peoplesheritage.com.

Technological Advances

Advanced technology continues to help make the Peoples Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race a premier event. Computer chips made by ChampionChip attached to each runner's shoes will again be used to determine each finisher's exact time for the race. In addition, because the Peoples Beach to Beacon is known for a number of razor-thin finishes ö including in 2000, when Catherine Ndereba of Kenya barely edged Libbie Hickman of the U.S. in the women's race ö organizers will again use a finish line camera. Lynx System Developers, Inc., based in Woburn, Mass., is providing a FinishLynx, the world's most popular and versatile digital photofinish and timing system. 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. For more information about ChampionChip or FinishLynx, visit online at www.championchip.com or www.finishlynx.com.

Volunteer Effort

Almost 700 persons from Cape Elizabeth and surrounding towns helped out last year, from passing out water to directing traffic to setting up and breaking down the start and finish lines. Volunteer Director Maya Cohen of Cape Elizabeth (207-838-8816), heads up the daunting task of bringing all those volunteers together and making the Peoples Beach to Beacon a true community event.

NOTE TO REPORTERS/EDITORS: For more information or assistance with any of the above items that do not contain contact info, please contact Beryl or Jason Wolfe at Wolfe PR ö (207) 883-6083, beryl@wolfenews.com, jason@wolfenews.com ö or Meg Dempsey at Peoples Heritage Bank ö (207) 828-7055, mdempsey@peoplesheritage.com. Thanks!

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