Registration Now Open for TD B2B High School Mile


TD Beach to Beacon 10K - new logo.jpg

For Immediate Release: May 30, 2018

Media Contact: Jason Wolfe jason@wolfenews.com 520 399 5097; Morgan Lake Adams, High School Mile Coordinator mlakeadams@gmail.com

 

News Release

 

Registration Now Open for TD Beach to Beacon's High School Mile, a Showcase Event for Maine's Top Young Athletes

 

Eligible Maine high school runners can apply online for one of 40 spots in the Aug. 3 event in Cape Elizabeth 

 

CAPE ELIZABETH, Maine (May 30, 2018) - Applications are now being taken for the B2B High School Mile, a marquee event for top young runners from across Maine who want to compete against their peers on Aug. 3 in Cape Elizabeth.

 

The top 20 boys and girls, based on their qualifying times, will be invited from the pool of applicants to toe the line on Friday afternoon in Fort Williams, which will kick off race weekend for the 21st running of the TD Beach to Beacon 10K the next morning (Aug. 4).

 

The B2B High School Mile is a two-loop course beginning near the Portland Head Light and ending across the official TD Beach to Beacon finish line in Fort Williams. Now in its third year, the festive event features complimentary Nike uniforms for every participant, runner introductions and pageantry, a cheering throng of spectators and a chance for the young athletes to interact with some of the world's elite distance runners who volunteer at the event. The 2017 winners were Lily Horne of Freeport High School and Sam Russ of Lincoln Academy.  

 

"Our aim with the B2B High School Mile is to celebrate the achievements of dedicated and passionate high school track and cross-country athletes from throughout Maine," said Joan Benoit Samuelson, the Maine native and Olympic gold medalist who founded the TD Beach to Beacon 10K. "We want to attract the best and then bring out their best."

 

The event is open to all Maine high school runners entering their senior, junior or sophomore years who met the following qualifying standard during the 2017-18 school year: for boys, 5:00 (or sub 17:30 for the 5K), and girls, 6:15 (or sub 20:30 for the 5K).

 

Interested and eligible athletes may visit http://www.beach2beacon.org/race-info/high-school-mile/ for more info and to apply for entry. The application deadline is July 1.

 

Runners can use their cross country, indoor or outdoor track times - and if they improve their time between now and the application deadline, they can submit an updated time.

 

Forty athletes from the pool of applicants will then be invited to participate based on verification of the times they submit. Runners will be seeded and may compete in heats.

 

The High School Mile is open to spectators and will precede the annual Kid's Fun Run on the Soccer Field at Fort Williams.

 

Uniforms for all participating athletes are provided by Nike. Each race will be scored and timed using the FinishLynx timing system. Renowned race announcer Toni Reavis, known as "The Voice of Running in America", will introduce the athletes and call each race.

 

At last year's B2B High School Mile, celebrated world-class athletes Shalane Flanagan, Jordan Hasay and Ben True joined Joan Benoit Samuelson in greeting and inspiring runners, holding the break tape and awarding medals during the post-race ceremony.

 

For additional information, high school athletes and track coaches are asked to contact B2B High School Mile Coordinator Morgan Lake Adams at mlakeadams@gmail.com.

 

The TD Beach to Beacon celebrates health, fitness and giving back. In 2017, a record 6,887 runnersfrom 18 countries, 43 states and more than 270 Maine cities and towns finished the winding, rolling, often breathtaking 6.2-mile coastal course. Thousands of spectators cheered runners along the 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.

 

The 2018 race beneficiary is WinterKids, a nonprofit organization that helps children develop healthy lifelong habits through education and fun, outdoor winter activity. WinterKids (www.winterkids.org) will receive a $30,000 donation from the TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, America's Most Convenient BankĀ®, and also benefit from fundraising and publicity connected to the race.

 

The TD Beach to Beacon each year attracts a top field of world-class athletes. More than $90,000 in prize money is awarded to the top finishers and place winners in the various categories for men and women.

 

The TD Beach to Beacon 10K is directed by Dave McGillivray of DMSE Sports (www.dmsesports.com), who also directs the B.A.A Boston Marathon and is regarded as one of the industry's best at creating a safe, positive experience for participants.

 

For additional information about the race, visit www.beach2beacon.org, and find the TD Beach to Beacon on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.