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Beach to Beacon 10K
American race From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The TD Beach to Beacon 10K is a 10-kilometer (6.2 mi) road running event that takes place along the coastline of Cape Elizabeth, Maine. It begins at Crescent Beach State Park and ends at the Portland Head Light in Fort Williams Park. One of the most competitive 10K road races in the United States, it was founded in 1998 by U.S. women's marathon runner Joan Benoit Samuelson, who in 1984, won the first ever women's Olympic marathon. The race is managed by DMSE, Inc. whose president, Dave McGillivray, directs the Boston Marathon and more than 30 other races each year. The current President of the race is attorney, David Backer.[1]
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History
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Starting out as mainly a local race, world-class international athletes now participate in the annual event, including Catherine Ndereba, Meb Keflezighi, Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot, Hellen Obiri, and Edna Kiplagat. Top American runners to compete in recent years include Conner Mantz, Clayton Young, Ryan Hall, Joe Klecker, Ben True, Sara Hall, Deena Kastor, Fiona O'Keeffe, and Keira D'Amato. In 1998, the first year the event was held, over 3000 runners participated in the race. The 2009 race event registration filled in just 1 hour 45 minutes.[3]
A then-record 5,668 runners participated in the event in 2010, which saw Lineth Chepkurui break the women's course record by almost half a minute.[4] This mark was again improved in 2017 by Mary Keitany, as she clocked a time of 30:41, which remains the women's record as of 2025. Conner Mantz ran 27:26 in the 2025 event to break the previous record of 27:27 set by Gilbert Okari in 2003.[5] Mantz is one of only two Americans to ever win the race, the other being Maine native Ben True (2016).
The 2020 edition of the race was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, with all registrants automatically receiving full refunds and the option to register early for the 2021 edition. Ultimately the 2021 event was also cancelled and a virtual competition was held instead. The race returned in 2022 with a COVID vaccination requirement. This requirement was subsequently dropped in 2023, as participation returned to pre-pandemic levels. [6][a][9]
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Prize Money
Awarding over $90,000 in prize money, the TD Beach to Beacon 10K is one of the most lucrative road races in the U.S. shorter than the marathon distance. Overall male and female winners earn $10,000, while the top American finisher wins $5,000. Top Master (40+) and Senior (50+) runners also win prize money.[10] Additionally, the race features a Maine resident division. The male and female winners receive $1,000 and are regarded as the Maine road racing champions for the year.[11][12]
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Beneficiary
Each year, a Maine non-profit organization serving youths is awarded the designation of race beneficiary. Title sponsor TD Bank donates $30,000 to the beneficiary, while additional fundraising opportunities are available during runner registration or through other event sponsors.[13] Publicity generated from the non-profit's association with the Beach to Beacon 10K often results in total fundraising surpassing $100,000.[14][15]
Overall winners
Key: Course record
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Maine winners
- Bold denotes course record in the Maine division.
- Orach collapsed with 100 meters to go, but was helped to the finish line by fellow Mainer Rob Gomez. [27]
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Notes
References
External links
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