PRESS KIT: Story Ideas for Media re: 2012 TD Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race

Story Ideas for Media
as of July 26 (check back for updates/additions)
Topics:
Race Beneficiary
Host Families
Race Expo Expands
Greening the Race
TD Bank: Leading by Example
Sports Medicine Symposium
Legacy Runners
Legendary Runner: Joan Benoit Samuelson
Elite Field Taking Shape
Showcase Event for Maine Runners - Luchini out, Shaw & Wilson now favorites (update)
Volunteer Effort
Dave McGillivray: Race Director Extraordinaire
Kids Fun Run on Friday Night
Past Beneficiaries Enjoy Gift that Keeps Giving
Town of Cape Elizabeth Rises to Occasion

Race Beneficiary – The Center for Grieving Children

This year’s beneficiary of the TD Beach to Beacon 10K is The Center for Grieving Children, a Portland, Maine-based nonprofit organization providing support to bereaved children and families. The CGC serves more than 4,000 grieving children, teens, families, and young adults each year through peer support, outreach, and education. Offering services at no charge for as long as people need them, the Center’s mission is to provide loving support that encourages the safe expression of grief and loss and fosters each individual’s resilience and emotional well-being.

The Center, located at 555 Forest Ave. in Portland, reaches individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds, and relies on financial contributions from individuals, businesses, foundations, United Way, and special events. For more information, call (207) 775-5216 or visit www.cgcmaine.org.

Here are some stories about the people this organization serves. Contact info below.

Kelly Casey, 25, of Portland, Maine

Kelly is running in the 2012 TD Beach to Beacon 10K “in memory of my dad because I’m sure he would have been proud of me and the person I have become; and in tribute to my mom, my crutch and best friend throughout my life.”

When Kelly Casey was 15 years old and a student at Deering High School, she discovered her dad had collapsed from a heart attack. He died in the ambulance, on the way to the hospital. Within the next six months, three of her friends also experienced the death of a parent. “It seemed like an avalanche,” she said.

Kelly’s mom became deeply concerned about her daughter, who was feeling disoriented and exhibiting signs of depression. She turned to the Center for Grieving Children to find support. Kelly began meeting in a bereavement peer support group for teenagers and ended up continuing throughout high school. “I needed to go. Even if I had a crazy busy week at school, or a tennis match, or whatever, I went to the Center.”

Now taking college classes to become a nurse, Kelly said the Center changed her life. “My time at the Center truly has made me the person I am today. It was such a great experience. I couldn’t be more thankful.”

Kelly has lots more to say about how peer support through the Center not only “saved” her, but also has put her in a position on several occasions to relate to and help others who have experienced substantial loss and grief.

Michele Cook and her son Rusty Cook, 7, of Kittery, Maine

The day her husband died in June 2011, Michele Cook let her six-year-old son Rusty know that no one still expected him to participate in a kids bike-riding event to raise money for cancer research, since the event would be taking place just four days later.

But Rusty was determined to ride as planned. “Daddy would have wanted me to, so I will,” he said. And he did. With family and friends cheering, Rusty rode in the fundraising event as he had two times previously – this time, in memory of his dad.

Rusty’s dad, Russell Allen Cook Jr., died at age 35 after fighting cancer for 13 years. He, Michele, and Rusty received support from the Center for Grieving Children’s program Tender Living Care (TLC) for families living with a serious illness. “That program gave our family an understanding that we are not alone,” Michele said. “We could share with and help others. It helped my son with the transition of having his dad and then losing him.”

Now, Michele and Rusty attend bereavement peer support groups at the Center. Michele said the support she receives “makes it safe to cry, be mad, share whatever feeling I need to, surrounded by people who are dealing with similar situations. And the children’s group for my son is wonderful. He and the other kids have fun, but there’s also checking in with each child, listening to them, showing them compassion.”

In April of this year, Rusty had another chance to memorialize his dad: after practicing three times a week, for three months, he joined an adult marathoner who had arranged for him to do so, and ran the last half mile of the Boston Marathon with a picture of Russ on the back of his shirt. “Words cannot describe the feelings we all felt at the finish line,” Michele said.

Susan Gaudet and her daughters Grace, 6, Lizzie, 13, and Lauriana, 17
Falmouth, Maine

For more than 20 years, working as a psychiatric social worker, Susan Gaudet referred families to the Center for Grieving Children. Two years ago, she and her own family walked through the Center’s doors and found the help they needed.

Susan had suffered a rare spinal cord injury that affected her kidney function and created additional health complications. That’s why she and her daughters began weekly participation in the Center’s Tender Living Care (TLC) program, which provides peer support for families living with serious illness.

At first hesitant, with her youngest daughter taking weeks to be willing to join her mom and sisters in attending, Susan’s family found that the “unconditional love and caring” that Center staff and volunteers gave them provided relief.

“As a mom, I had felt so awful, seeing how my illness was affecting each of my girls,” she said. “But at the Center, things started to feel less heavy and scary. We started to feel less alone. The Center helped heal us by giving us ways to cope and deal with my illness, and still move forward.

“My feelings about what the girls and I have received from the Center are very deep. The Center will always be in our hearts.”

Maureen Keeley, Portland, Maine & Henry Bliss, South Portland, Maine

Maureen and Henry are trained volunteer facilitators of bereavement peer support groups at the Center. Both are running in the 2012 TD Beach to Beacon 10K.

Maureen Keeley describes as “an honor” her service as a trained volunteer who facilitates bereavement peer support groups at the Center for Grieving Children. For five years and counting, she has helped create a safe place for children and their families to feel love and find hope.

“Life and death are a journey that is different for every one of us,” Maureen said. “The Center meets people where they are in their journey, in some of their darkest hours. Sometimes when people hear what I do there as a volunteer, they are surprised, and say, ‘Isn’t that incredibly sad?” And yes, the circumstances are sad, absolutely. But it has been one of the most amazing and powerful experiences of my life listening to people on their journey – to bear witness to how the love of the Center and these families supporting one another re-energizes lives.”

The Center’s volunteer facilitators, who work in teams of two or more, are highly trained and make an extraordinary time commitment. They complete an initial 30-hour training over two weeks, then “shadow” experienced peer-group facilitators for several sessions before they are scheduled to spend at least four hours one evening per week at the Center.

“The Center is an amazing place,” said Henry Bliss, another Center facilitator who will run the TD Beach to Beacon this year. He has spent more than seven years facilitating Center peer support groups serving young people whose ages ranged from preschoolers to young adults. “I never felt that this work was an obligation, as volunteer work can sometimes feel,” he said. “Rather, it was a special gift; an opportunity to learn and grow as I'd never done before.”

Media Contact: To reach these families or to talk to the Center’s executive director Anne Lynch for a story, contact Elyse C. Tipton, Development Director, at elyse@cgcmaine.org (207) 775-5216, ext. 103, (207) 632-8983 cell.

Host Families Welcome Elite Athletes into Their Homes and Hearts

Each year, families from Cape Elizabeth and surrounding areas open their homes to the top runners of the world - elite athletes arriving from Kenya, Ethiopia, Japan, Romania, Russia, Morocco and elsewhere around the globe stay with families in Maine. The race’s home stay program is one of the most popular and talked about in the community of world-class athletes. It’s a major reason why some athletes want to return year after year.

We can help arrange interviews with families or help media do a story on the program itself, which serves as a cultural exchange for the athletes and the host families as they swap recipes and stories. More and more local families from the area get involved each year; however, there are some families who have participated for many years now. And those bonds between athlete and family are growing stronger and more connected. We can supply names of families and their runners.

Media Contact: Kathy Tarpo, Host Family Coordinator, can also tell you which athlete is staying with what family as well as when they come into town. Contact her at ktarpo@gmail.com, or Larry Barthlow, the elite athlete coordinator, can assist in reaching runners, larry@worldeventsnetwork.com.

Extraordinarily Expanding Expo

This year’s Expo has more than 35 vendors, including various retailers, non-profits and race sponsors. Among exhibitors are: National Running Center, AMM Events, Tri-Sack, Maine Running Company, Seashades, Loco Sports, Health Source Chiropractic, Cape Chiropractic/Acupuncture, Tracs, Inc/The Competitor Group, Bondi Band, Coastal Wellness Family Chiropractic, Ifitness, Inc., Workout Fitness Store, Chica Bands, Handy Spandy, Ann Perrino, Cape Cross Country Team, Maine Track Club, Dermatology Group, Portland Trails, Donna’s Marathon, Angus King for Senate, Day One, Environmental Health, Cancer Community Center, Cape Business Alliance, Moose Pond Half Marathon, The Center for Grieving Children (this year’s beneficiary), Oculus Eyewear, Earth Supergreens, My Happy Pace gear, The Match Foundation (Maine Leukemia Foundation), Hannaford, Cabot Cheese, Nike, Poland Spring, Idexx, Athletes for a Fit Planet, Northeast Delta Dental, Aging Excellence, Coffee By Design and Terra Cotta Pasta.

The hours for Expo run concurrently with race registration, from 4 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, August 2 and from 2:30 to 8 p.m. on Friday, August 3. With the flurry of activity and interesting exhibits and giveaways, the Expo and registration are an ideal pre-race photo op.

Media Contact: The coordinator of the Expo is Marji Adams, who can be reached at marji.a.adams@gmail.com or by calling (207) 671-4522.

Greening the 2012 TD Beach to Beacon 10K

Thanks to its green corporate sponsor, Fairchild Semiconductor, and green consulting partner, Athletes for a Fit Planet, the TD Beach to Beacon 10K has a long history of commitment to the environment. New this year, to celebrate the 15th running of the race, the race is applying for certification to the Council for Responsible Sport (www.councilforresponsiblesport.org).

The impartial, independent certification process is grueling and comprehensive and includes an on-site race day evaluation. The race must meet a long list of social and environmental sustainability criteria. Attaining certification will confirm the TD Beach to Beacon 10K’s place as one of the most environmentally responsible sports events in the U.S.

Here are some of the activities taking place:

• Less waste going to landfill. The TD Beach to Beacon recycles and composts at the Expo and from start to finish, including all the cups on the course and plastic bottles at the finish.
• Give worn-out shoes a brand-new life. Instead of throwing old sneakers out, participants are encouraged to toss them into the Nike Reuse-A-Shoe bins at the Expo and at Nike’s booth at the finish. They are then recycled to be used in new places to play and train - like tracks, field, courts and playgrounds. Athletic shoes only, any brand OK, no damp or muddy shoes, no metal, cleats or dress shoes, no sandals or flip-flops. Visit www.nikereuseashoe.com for more info.
• Rideshare to the race. Every mile driven produces about a pound of CO2. To help reduce the race’s carbon footprint, runners, family and spectators are encouraged to share a ride to the Expo and the race.
• Eco-friendly portable toilets. They use only recycled paper and non-toxic chemicals.
• Satellite parking. Race organizers are providing transportation to and from the race from satellite parking lots at the Hannaford corporate headquarters in Scarborough and Mahoney Middle School and Brown Elementary in South Portland.
• Non-toxic paint. Brite Stripe Ultra-Friendly, the turf industry’s only VOC-free paint and the only one to receive EPA approval, is used for the Start and Finish lines.
• Paperless registration. Runners register online only, and the majority of the race’s communications to runners are conducted via e-mail and through its website.

For more information about eco-initiatives, visit the Green Page at www.beach2beacon.org/green.

“Running is a pure sport – runners are in tune with environmental changes by the nature of their daily runs and running experiences,” said Joan Benoit Samuelson, the race founder. Olympic champion and running icon. “It only makes sense for a race that receives great acclaim and visibility to do its part to reduce the runners’ footprints throughout the event - from before they start the race until well after they cross the finish line.”

Media Contact: Contact Bruce Rayner, Chief Green Officer at Athletes for a Fit Planet – (508) 380-0868 bruce@afitplanet.com. Athletes for a Fit Planet is a leading provider of eco-services for athletic events in the U.S. and Canada. The company advises event organizers on cost-effective strategies, and products and services for reducing, recycling and composting waste, reducing and offsetting greenhouse gas emissions, and minimizing the impact of the event on the local environment. Also available is Patti Olson at Fairchild Semiconductor, (800) 341-0392 x8728, patti.olson@fairchildsemi.com.

TD Bank: Leading by Example

Without the help of a lead sponsor like TD Bank, it would be difficult to put on a world class event. TD Bank former president and CEO Bill Ryan met with Olympic Gold Medalist Joan Benoit Samuelson 15 years ago to create this premier running event in her home state, beginning in 1998.

Larry Wold, President of TD Bank in Maine, will be among the 139 returning legacy or “streak runners” to run the race for the 15th time this year. Wold, 53, of Freeport, Maine, is an active member of the community and is involved in a number of fundraising events and causes. He joined the company in 1991. If interested in a story about someone who is a leader at TD Bank AND has run the race all 15 years, Wold would make a great feature story. Plus, he’s no slouch as a runner. He finished 329th overall in the 2011 race with a time of 41:02 – 11th out of the 333 runners in his 50-54 age group! (We can also arrange for a photo or interview while he does his practice runs at lunch around Back Cove, sometimes alongside Joanie).

Here’s another TD Bank-related story idea:

TD Bank is making great strides in becoming an organization that is as green as its logo. In 2010, TD Bank became the largest U.S.-based bank to be carbon neutral by opening energy-efficient buildings, lowering its energy consumption, and offsetting 100 percent of the electricity it uses by purchasing enough renewable energy from sources like wind, solar and low-impact hydro power.

In 2012, TD is taking its environmental initiative to the next level through its new TD Forests program. TD made a commitment to reduce its paper usage in the U.S. and Canada by at least 20 percent by 2015. The Bank will also protect forested areas in both countries equivalent to the paper it uses – that’s roughly two football fields of forest each and every day.

Some of TD’s past environmental accomplishments include:

• On May 13, 2011, opened the first net-zero energy bank location in the U.S. in Fort Lauderdale – an energy-efficient and LEED Platinum-certified building with 400 solar panels that produce 100 percent of the building's annual energy needs
• Opened more than 65 LEED-designed stores and corporate offices of which 33 have achieved LEED certification
• Opened a 60,000-square-foot contact center in Auburn, Maine, that has achieved the highest level of LEED-CI certification – LEED-CI Platinum, the first building in Maine to be LEED-CI Platinum certified
• Purchased enough renewable energy credits to offset 100 percent of the bank's electricity needs from Maine to Florida
• Purchased a block of wind energy to power all of its ATMs from Maine to Florida

The bank’s green initiatives are a good fit with the greening of the TD Beach to Beacon 10K.

Media Contact: FMI, contact Eric Springer 856-470-3898 eric.springer@td.com or Rebecca Acevedo, 856-470-3201 rebecca.acevedo@yesbank.com or visit the race web site at www.beach2beacon.org or the bank’s site at www.tdbank.com.

Sports Medicine Symposium, Not Just for Doctors Anymore

The highly-talented medical team for the TD Beach to Beacon 10K is conducting a Sports Medicine Symposium on Thursday, Aug. 2, that should appeal to medical personnel as well as runners interested in sports medicine.

The symposium, which will take place at the Dana Center Auditorium at Maine Medical Center from 6 to 9 p.m. on Aug. 2, features speakers covering a range of topics, including:

• Erin Dawson-Chalat, MD - Train Like a Mother: The female runner and what to expect when training for two
• John Devlin, MD - The Diabetic Athlete
• Joan Benoit Samuelson - Running for Longevity in Sport
• Chris Troyanos, ATC, Michael Baumann, MD, and Mylan Cohen, MD - The TD Beach to Beacon Medical Tent - What to expect

There also will be a question and answer session to conclude the event. Participants are asked to RSVP with Chris Troyanos at troyanos@comcast.net. Troyanos is the longtime Medical Coordinator for the B.A.A. Boston Marathon who serves in the same role at the TD Beach to Beacon. The event is free of charge and will include light snacks compliments of MMC.

Legacy Runners

This year marks the 15th running of the TD Beach to Beacon 10K race and 139 runners have registered to keep their consecutive-race streak alive. This year, each will surpass 90 total miles on the TD Beach to Beacon course. We asked those runners what keeps them going, and heard back from many of them. Below are some highlights from runners located throughout Maine and New England:

• Polly Kenniston of Westbrook is a legal assistant with six children, 11 grandchildren and three great grandchildren. "There are certain races in the Greater Portland area I would never miss and this is one of them,” she said. “It is always such a fun-filled, sun-filled rewarding day. I love the energy of the crowd and the energy of the race organizers.” Kenniston is a long-distance runner and usually feels well prepared for the event. She can be reached at pkenniston@jbgh.com.
• Bob Payne of Raymond has finished second in his age group five times at the TD Beach to Beacon and was the first Maine finisher four of those times. "It’s a great race and I get to see and compete against runners I have been running with for the past 35 years,” he said. Even after undergoing a triple by-pass in 2009, Payne ran the race eight months later. These days, he runs four or five times a week with a long run of six to ten miles weekly. He can be reached at painfromaine@gmail.com.
• Peter Kelley lived in Cape Elizabeth from 1998 until 2006 and works for TD Bank, the lead sponsor. Although he now lives in Ridgefield, Conn. with his wife and three sons, he returns to Maine each year to run the race, despite a number of challenges. “I ran the 2002 race with a significant Achilles injury where I had to walk up all hills (doctor's orders) and didn't break a sweat from the slow pace. That year I gained a true appreciation for the families that attend the race and encourage all runners - no matter their age or pace.” Regarding training for the race Kelly said, “I used to wing it, but my training is more focused now that my boys are older…My goal every year is to break 40 minutes, and I was close two years ago.” To get ready for the race, he is running on the track two days a week with a group and mixing in at least four additional days with one long run each week. “Ridgefield is a very hilly town where the elevation varies from 400 feet to 1,000 feet above sea level so I am well prepared for the last mile on Shore Road,” said Kelley. He can be reached at Peter.Kelley@td.com.
• Jean Smith of Saco has made the TD Beach to Beacon a family tradition over the last several years. According to Smith, "The beautiful course, community support, charities, and Kids Run all draw us back to run each year.” Smith was diagnosed with MS 35 years ago and has been running ever since. To train she runs 15-20 miles a week but increases her distance a few weeks prior to the race. She can be reached at jeansmithtwinster1@yahoo.com.
• Peter McDonald of Scarborough was diagnosed with a degenerative hip condition recently but is determined to keep his streak alive by running this year’s TD Beach to Beacon. McDonald said the race “is a fun and organized event” and he looks forward to running for the 15th year. Looking back at past races, McDonald has had his fair share of injuries. “One year I strained my calf muscle at mile 4.5 and limped the final 1.7 miles,” he recalled. “Another year I badly strained my inner thigh muscle at mile two and had to walk and try to jog the final 4.2 miles.” To train, McDonald runs a fairly hilly six-mile course near his home. He can be reached at petermehockey@hotmail.com.
• Jim Tyrrell lives in Cape Elizabeth with his wife Linda and three children. When the first TD Beach to Beacon race was announced, Tyrrell signed up immediately, hoping to support Joan Samuelson’s goal of attracting 3,000 runners. “On race day, people I didn’t know kept telling me to get up front and were moving out of the way encouraging me to move forward,” he said. He later learned that numbers 1-100 had been reserved for elite runners and he somehow was issued bib number 100…Tyrell can be reached at sunsetfinancial@earthlink.net.
• Michele Flynn of Cape Elizabeth said the TD Beach to Beacon was her very first road race. “I’ll never forget the first race; the sound of all those running shoes hitting the pavement, the sounds of people cheering along the route to Fort Williams. That was it - I was hooked and have never looked back,” Flynn said. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004 and went through chemo beginning in April of that year. Flynn was due to have her last round of chemo the day before the TD Beach to Beacon, so she insisted on waiting until the following week. Although unable to train on a regular schedule, she was determined to participate. "I had an amazing, supportive family and running group that were with me through it all,” she said. The morning of that 2004 race, Flynn’s running group each had on a shirt with her name, showing their support. That same year, Flynn had the opportunity to run with Joan Benoit Samuelson while preparing for the race. In order to train, she runs on a regular basis with her running group and participates in half and full marathons. She can be reached at piiflynn@aol.com.
• David Bernard of Yarmouth is a member of the Maine Track Club. He is a double cancer survivor and ran his first marathon in 1989. “I run the TD Beach to Beacon each year as a challenge; this year I will creep into the 70-79 age group,” said Bernard. He can be reached at dbarnard@gwi.net.
• Albert Swallow of Portland is the Vice President of Finance at Maine Medical Center. Swallow enjoys the excitement surrounding the race and looks forward to the support of the spectators along the way. "The town of Cape Elizabeth, its residents and volunteers are a major reason this is not only a major road race, but also a fantastic community event,” he said. “And finally, what a view at the finish!" As far as race day rituals, each year he buys a new pair of sunglasses from Debbie at the race Expo. “She says they will make me faster! And she is always at the finish line cheering you on,” Swallow said. In order to train for the race, he said he completes a training run on the course at some point during the summer. Swallow can be reached at swalla@mmc.org.
• Deb DeGraff of Brunswick is a Professor of Economics at Bowdoin College. She started running at age 16 and has continued to make running a part of his life ever since, everywhere she has lived, including Switzerland and Bangladesh. "I have done the TD Beach to Beacon every year with a friend who was diagnosed many years ago with a rare and dangerous form of cancer,” she said. DeGraff has served as an inspiration to her friend as her dedication and enjoyment for the sport has encouraged him to run several TD Beach to Beacon races alongside her. They can be reached at (207) 725-3591 or by email at ddegraff@bowdoin.edu.

Media Contact: Please contact these runners directly. For additional names and information re: runners not on this list, contact Beryl Wolfe at beryl@wolfenews.com.

Legendary Runner: Joan Benoit Samuelson

Founder of the race with lead sponsor TD Bank, Joan Benoit Samuelson, 55, is a running icon who remains Maine’s most admired athlete. She is an inspiration and a role model for girls and women around the globe. Her quiet determination, on display for the entire world to see at the 1984 Olympics, played a key role in making her dream of staging a major road race in Cape Elizabeth a reality.

As she does at every five-year anniversary, Joan will join the field for this year’s TD Beach to Beacon 10K. She typically uses the opportunity to interact with runners as well as volunteers along the course, rather than seek a top time…But she could if she wanted to, as she continues to compete at a high level. Joan has broken records for women age 50-plus in several races, including the Boston, New York and Chicago marathons. She recently finished 4th (38:09) at the LL Bean 10K. Joan still fits in about 75 miles of running a week.

But Joan’s legacy goes well beyond her records. She is a strong advocate for the environment, children and healthy choices. In a recent Wall Street Journal profile, Joan said she hopes to create a “sustainable endurance-training and health center” in Maine where athletes and patients can learn health-living strategies.

Humble and deferential, Joan rarely takes credit for her accomplishments, nor does she rest on her laurels. On the occasion of the 15th TD Beach to Beacon, a profile would be both timely and fascinating.

Media Contact: Wolfe PR has organized a “Media Morning at the Fort with Joanie” from 9:45 to 11:45 a.m. Tuesday, July 31, where media can schedule one-on-one, 15-minute interviews with Joanie. Contact Beryl Wolfe at beryl@wolfepr.com (520) 399-5770 to schedule a time.

The Elites of the World Converge

The TD Beach to Beach 10K Road Race attracts some of the world’s best road racers from around the globe. The 30+ men and women distance runners in the 2012 field include some of the top racers on the American circuit as well as a strong contingent of Kenyan and Ethiopian track athletes who narrowly missed the London Olympics, where some would have contended for medals.

This year’s field (click here for athlete bios) includes one of the top runners on the American roads this year (four major wins), Allan Kiprono of Kenya, who finished 2nd and 3rd in his two previous TD Beach to Beacons, plus Atsedu Tsegay, 20, of Ethiopia, whose 58:47 in Prague this spring remains the fastest half marathon in the world so far this year. An Olympic team alternate for Ethiopia with a personal best (PR) of 27:46 at 10K, he will be making his American road racing debut. On the women’s side, Ethiopia’s Aheza Kiros is returning to defend her 2011 crown against a field that includes two top women distance runners - Lineth Chepkurai (30:59) of Kenyan and Wude Ayalew (31:07) of Ethiopia who own the two fastest times ever recorded on the TD Beach to Beacon course in a 2010 duel.

Elite Athlete Coordinator Larry Barthlow is continuing to finalize the field and ensure their arrival in Maine this week.

“I really believe we’ve put together the deepest overall field we’ve ever had, something special for the 15th running,” Barthlow said. “We have runners who have been winning on the American roads this year, but also many new faces fresh off the tracks in Europe who are determined to make some noise here. With the right conditions, both course records could fall.”

Media Contact: FMI on the elite field, contact Larry Barthlow, the elite athlete director, at larry@worldeventsnetwork.com.

TD Bank Beach to Beacon Showcase Event for Maine Runners

The elite distance runners from around the world who come to Cape Elizabeth get much of the attention, but the growth and competitiveness of the race among Maine's top runners is also a worthwhile story. One thing has become clear over the years, Maine produces a number of runners who can compete on the national stage, and many have showcased their talents by winning the TD Beach to Beacon 10K to earn the title as the state road race champion.

The door is back open in the men's as returning champ Louie Luchini of Ellsworth (30:36) will miss this year's race to attend the London Olympics with friends. That means 2011 runner up Jonny Wilson, 24, of Falmouth, is now the man to beat. Wilson's win at the recent L.L. Bean 10K indicates he is primed and ready. But watch out for Ethan Shaw, 22, also of Falmouth, who just graduated from Dartmouth and recorded a 29:18 on the track this spring.

The women’s race is also intriguing as Erica Jesseman, 23,of Scarborough, will try to upset the four-year title swap between training partners Sheri Piers, 41, of Falmouth and Kristin Barry, 38, of Scarborough, who have each held the course record. Jesseman, while still recovering from injury, is coming off an impressive win at the L.L. Bean 10K, although Piers spent that same weekend in Atlanta, where she won the masters title at the famed Peachtree 10K (34:38) and finished 13th overall.

Media Contact: Race President David Weatherbie, dweatherbie@seafax.com, (207) 771-4208, himself a high-level distance runner (37:01, 13th in 40-44 age group last year), can provide valuable insights into the stature of the race among Maine runners, and can help locate top runners for interviews.

Volunteer Effort

The volunteer effort at the TD Beach to Beacon 10K is huge and 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 and her right hand, Angela Best, both of Cape Elizabeth, developed and each year execute a program that involves coordinators that oversee volunteers in more than a dozen different areas, from the Kids Fun Run and the Medical Tent to water stations, parking, security, course set up and breakdown, and directing traffic.

Media Contact: For more information, contact Maya Cohen at (207) 838-8816 mmcohen@maine.rr.com.

Dave McGillivray, Race Director Extraordinaire

Joan Benoit Samuelson will tell anyone who will listen that the key to the success of the TD Beach to Beacon was getting Dave McGillivray on board to direct the event. McGillivray, who was named a “Hero of Running” by Runner’s World magazine, recently was profiled in Runner’s World as the “Boston Wrangler” for his work on the B.A.A. Boston Marathon, an event he has worked on for 25 years and run the past 40 years (link to article posted on www.dmsesports.com as well as a detailed bio). McGillivray is considered one of the top race directors in the world. And the proof is nowhere more evident than at the TD Beach to Beacon, where participants consistently marvel at how well run and organized the race is in comparison to other events.

McGillivray and his DMSE team make it look easy, but there are endless steps, countless details and innumerous obstacles in making the TD Beach to Beacon happen. In addition to the Boston Marathon, DMSE directs the New Balance Falmouth Road Race (first time this year) on Cape Cod and 30 other major race events throughout the U.S. and overseas.

McGillivray’s athletic background is also extensive, as well as his work as a motivational speaker, author, and commitment to children’s fitness and charitable organizations. In 1978, McGillivray ran across the U.S. for charity and since DMSE was founded in 1981, McGillivray and DMSE events have raised more than $50 million for charity.

A feature on McGillivray or the DMSE effort during the week of the race could be a compelling story with strong visuals as the Route 77 start, race course and Fort Williams are transformed into a major international running event. Steps include the Start Line Painting the Thursday before the race, tent and fencing set up at the finish area next to the Portland Headlight to signage along the course, plus press trucks, the Medical Tent, awards area, etc., not to mention the quick breakdown at the conclusion of the race.

Media contact: Dave McGillivray, president, DMSE Sports, LLC, (978) 258-8226 dmse@dmsesports.com.

Kids Fun Run on Friday Night Before the Race

The Kids Fun Run will again complement the TD Beach to Beacon the evening before the race. Open to children 12 and under, with different distances for different age groups, the event will be held in Fort Williams Park at 6 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 3. The races will be run in heats according to age. Refreshments and finishing prizes will be handed out after the races.

Media contact: Race President David Weatherbie dweatherbie@seafax.com.

Past Beneficiaries Enjoy the Gift that Keeps on Giving

Getting named the beneficiary of the TD Beach to Beacon 10K is a great help to Maine’s non-profit community – and it doesn’t end on race day. Each beneficiary receives a $30,000 donation from the TD Charitable Foundation in addition to the publicity and prestige that goes with the title. But this is a gift that keeps on giving.

Another story idea might include talking with some past beneficiaries about how the race did and continues to benefit their non-profit organizations. Many past beneficiaries have continued their involvement with the race and raise funds each year through bib numbers provided by the race. A list of past beneficiaries can be found at www.wolfenews.com in the press kit under the race logo.

Media Contacts: Matt Hoidal, Camp Sunshine mhoidal@campsunshine.org (207) 655-3800; Sam Beal, Big Brothers Big Sisters (207) 773-5437; Peg Libby, Kids First Center (207) 761-2709; Tory Dietel-Hopps, Riding to the Top (207) 892-2813, and Alan Cartwright, Susan L. Curtis Foundation, 207-774-1552; are ready and willing to talk about the race and its impact.

Town of Cape Elizabeth Rises to Occasion

The Town of Cape Elizabeth really comes through for this event. Police, fire and municipal 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 the field of 6,000 runners and thousands of spectators line the streets of this coastal town.

Media Contact: For more information about the town’s involvement, call Town Manager Mike McGovern at Cape Elizabeth Town Hall at 207-767-3323.

NOTE TO REPORTERS/EDITORS: For more information or assistance with any of the above items that do not contain contact info, please contact Beryl (520) 399 5770 beryl@wolfenews.com or Jason (520) 399 5097 jason@wolfenews.com at Wolfe PR. Thanks!

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