The TD Beach to Beacon’s High School Mile – a Showcase Event for Maine’s Top Young Athletes – Returns for 2017
Eligible Maine high school runners can now apply online for one of 40 spots in the Aug. 4 event in Cape ElizabethCAPE ELIZABETH, Maine (May 4, 2017) – Applications are now being taken for the second annual B2B High School Mile, a showcase event for top young runners from across Maine who want to compete against their peers on Aug. 4 in Cape Elizabeth.
The top 20 boys and girls, based on their qualifying times, will be invited from the pool of applicants to take part in this exciting event on Friday afternoon in Fort Williams, which will kick off race weekend for the special 20 th running of the TD Beach to Beacon 10K the next morning (Aug. 5).
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. Last year’s inaugural race set a festive tone for the event, featuring Olympians, special singlets for the runners and more than 400 enthusiastic spectators. The winners were seniors Tia Tardy of Lincoln and John Hassett of Castine, both multi-state champions in Maine.
“We couldn’t have asked for a more exciting first event in 2016 and we’re looking forward to expanding on that success this year,” said Joan Benoit Samuelson, the Maine native and Olympic gold medalist who founded the TD Beach to Beacon 10K. “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. We hope 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 2016-17 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 can apply at b2bdevelopment.wpengine.com/mile through June 30.
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 compete in four heats of 10 runners, two for boys and two for girls. Medals will be awarded to the top three boys and girls overall.
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.
The inaugural B2B High School Mile included a pre-race mini Olympic torch ceremony featuring Samuelson and three-time Olympian Craig Virgin; race starters Ben True, a Maine schoolboy legend who went on the win the TD Beach to Beacon the next day, and Jordan Hasay, one of the most celebrated high school runners ever who finished third at the Boston Marathon last month; and a post-race medal ceremony at the TD Beach to Beacon finish line.
In addition to receiving words of encouragement and inspiration from Samuelson and Virgin, the high school runners were able to meet and speak to True and Hasay. Even more interaction with world-class athletes is expected this year.
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 2016, 6,336 runners from 15 countries, 43 states and more than 265 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 2017 race beneficiary is Let’s Go! , a nationally recognized program of The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital at Maine Medical Center focused on increasing physical activity and healthy eating for children from birth to age 18. Let’s Go ( www.letsgo.org ) will receive a $30,000 donation from the TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®, and also benefit from fundraising and publicity connected to the race.
Also, the TD Beach to Beacon’s charity bib program now generates an additional $150,000 or so for Let’s Go and past race beneficiaries each year.
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 is directed by Dave McGillivray of DMSE Sports , who also serves as race director of the B.A.A. Boston Marathon.For additional information about the race, visit b2bdevelopment.wpengine.com, and find the TD Beach to Beacon on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About The TD Charitable Foundation
The TD Charitable Foundation is the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank ®, one of the 10 largest commercial banking organizations in the United States. Since its inception in 2002, the Foundation has distributed over $199 million and more than 19,400 grants through donations to local nonprofits from Maine to Florida. More information on the TD Charitable Foundation, including the online grant application, is available at TDBank.com.
About TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank ®
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.TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank, is one of the 10 largest banks in the U.S., providing more than 9 million customers with a full range of retail, small business and commercial banking products and services at more than 1,200 convenient locations throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Metro D.C., the Carolinas and Florida. In 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.
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Images above from 2016 B2B High School Mile, captured by Photography by Ann Kaplan