Here is my Beach to Beacon 10k Recap! Excuse the delay I made a video while running the race and could not fix some of it so the video is still weird, but I’m rollin’ with it.
Beach to Beacon 10k is a race started by US Olympic Marathon Goal Medalist Joan Benoit-Samuelson. It is the largest road race in Maine with 6,000 runners! And it’s really difficult to get into – it sold out in under 5 minutes this year! Luckily, Cape Elizabeth residents get first dibs and 600 spots are open for them the day before registration opens for the general public.
Benoit-Samuelson is a native of Cape Elizabeth and founded this race 16 years ago. She actually trained for the Olympics on part of the course – isn’t that awesome?!
The race also raises money for a local charity each year. This year’s beneficiary, The Opportunity Alliance, will receive $30,000 from the TD Charitable foundation.
Oh, and some of the BEST runners in the world are invited to race this 10k. The line-up was amazing and included a lot of Olympians from around the world, including US runners Deena Kastor and Meb Keflezighi.
I ran the race with the Cabot Fit Team.
The other members of the team included:
-
Kristina from Love and Zest
-
your Monican
-
Anne from FannetasticFood
-
Gina from Running to the Kitchen
-
Ridley family runner (not posting names because I forgot to ask permission)
-
Robin from Knead to Cook
-
Katie from Healthy Seasonal Recipes
-
Carrie from Bakeaholic Mama
-
Two of the Ridley family runners
-
Carolyn from All Day I Dream About Food
-
Sarah from Cabot
There was pre-race coffee, water, oranges and bananas. Porta-potty lines were long, but like usual. 
The starting line before the crowds started coming…
I left the start to hit the bathrooms and came back to this – thousands of people ready to run! There were corrals but it was difficult to get into some of them. I lined up between the 8 and 9 minute mile corrals.
The course: Rolling hills. There wasn’t one big hill that killed, but two close together around mile 5 that were challenging. It was a very pretty course too! Very green. Supportive crowds. Good aid stations. The last stretch of the course was a little narrow and windy which made for a few bump-ins.
Beach to Beacon 10k Finish Line:
I have never done video while running before (hence the sideways FAIL) and decided to try and figure it out just as I crossed the starting line. So, I didn’t start my watch until a few paces past the start.
10K Official time: 49:36
This is also my new 10k PR since I’ve only run one other 10k in my life a million years ago!
Race Winners:
Women’s winner: Joyce Chepkirui from Kenya in 31:23.2
Men’s winner: Micah Kogo from Kenya in 28:03.3
Deena Kastor placed 1st in the Master’s division with 32:28.3
Meb K placed 5th, Ryan Hall placed 10
Anne and I went to check out the beacon!
While we were taking pictures I noticed Meb run by! I freaked out to the girls and waited for him to run back around. I have a clip of him coming back in my video below! <- That is the reason I am still posting the video despite the flaws.
The one negative of the race was that it’s a point to point course so you have to take a shuttle back to the start where you parked. The shuttle lines were VERY long. Luckily, volunteers were walking up and down the lines handing out ice cream!!!
Post-race eats! After the race I was on a mission to eat lobster. I had a Maine lobster salad…. ahhhh so good.
Here is my video. It’s a bit awkward because I need a new phone and need to learn how to shoot while running. But, it’s worth it because Meb waved to me.
Overall: I give the entire experience ten runner’s toes way UP! I had a blast. I met celebrities. I ate lobster. I fell in love with Maine. The end.
Question: Meb was super friendly so it was easy, but what are you supposed to say to celebrities when you meet them?
“I’m a big fan!!” or “IloveyouwillyoumarrymeCanIhavealockofyourhairComelivewithmeplease.”
It was so great hanging with you this past weekend! 🙂
Glad you enjoyed Maine, looks like it was a blast. 🙂
Great recap, it sounds like you had an amazing time!
I think it says a little something about me, though, that I read the title as “Beach to BACON”…
Sigh.
Ha! Are you the same twitter person who read it like that too?! Love it.
Maine loves you! Come back any time. 🙂
Gorgeous! Now I want to travel to Maine just to see the Beacon. If you weren’t in the picture I would think it was a postcard.
I’ve lived in the area (NH) so long and heard so much about this race, but have never run it. So many people in my club run it! I want to do it next year for sure! Loved all your pictures, the Maine Coast is so beautiful!
Who is the little lucky lady that was running with Meb?? I mean I’m sure his warm up CRAWL is faster than my run, but what I’ve gotta be honest I would have jumped right in on that one!
That was Alexi Pappas! She came in 10th for Women (right after Deena) and it was her first 10K road race! She is young but already one of my running heroes! You should google her! What a great video! Meb!!
Wow, those lighthouse pictures look like postcards! Beautiful!! Looks like a fun race, minus the crazy shuttle lines.
Congrats on the pr!! I run very few 10ks too… they are not always easy to find, and not really my favorite distance. Glad you got to check out the lighthouses, too- what a beautiful area!
I met Ryan Hall a couple years ago, and I think I said something about how I was impressed with how he stands up for what he believes regardless of the negative feedback he gets. Basically I figure I might get one chance to meet just about anyone, and I want to make the most of it by 1) encouraging them, 2) making them better, and 3) making them smile.
Or course, it did take my mom prompting me to go chat with him or I think I would have just been star-struck 🙂
Looks like a great race. Hey celebs are just people too. I’m sure they deal with awkward conversations all the time.
That hashtag is exactly what I would say if I ever met you and/or Skinny Runner!
I met Kara Goucher at a race expo this year. She was SO nice. Took picture, signed autographs and when the “helper lady” was trying to move us along Kara stopped her and made her take another picture with us because she wasn’t sure if she was looking at the camera or not when the first one was taken!
The course i s beautiful!
Just found your blog today, I started the race between 8 and 9 min/mile and finished in 49:25 so as I was reading this I thought, we must have been very close during the race and sure enough I came over the finish line in your video!!! Thanks for capturing my finish!! 🙂
Great recap and great job at the race.
Hello and welcome to RER 🙂 Ha! Love that I caught you in the video!! Good job!
That lighthouse you are standing in front of is where my husband and I got engaged 9 years ago. Ahhh…memories. 🙂
Awww! I love it 🙂
thats where I got engaged too 🙂
So fun to say hi to Meb! You are so lucky! Looks like a fun race!
ok, you’ve convinced me… visiting maine is officially on my bucket list! that’s so awesome that you met meb! =)
I am noticing a pattern with your fellow team mates and blogs…
So your photos look super serene and lovely then you bust out a 10k in under 50 minutes. So much for peaceful (for this redhead at least) great job!!!!
Nice video! That’s neat all those elites were there! And you talked to them!
The view is beautiful!
Since Meb lives in SD, we’d randomly see him running in some of our (and apparently his!) favorite running spots. He’s super nice and always smiled, waved back and said “hello” when we (I) fangirled.
ah! Luckee!!!
I didn’t know about this race before, so it was great to learn the history behind the Beach to Beacon 10k!
And I am so jealous of your lobster salad right now
awesome! i would have died seeing meb. and running for cheese. doesn’t get better than that.
Ha! I’m actually getting a “Will Run for Watermelon” shirt. I should get a cheese one too.
love your smiling face as you are running. Great video!!
Wow what a beautiful place to run!
BEAUTIFUL scenery!!!! And I’m thinking the second option when greeting celebrities is more than acceptable. 😉
What a fun sounding race- I’d love to it! I love the lighthouse there, so it’d be fun to run something associated with it. It’s great you got to meet so many great runners as well!!
So crazy that I was there on FRIDAY! I was randomly vacationing and saw them setting up! Wish I hadn’t barely missed you.
Boo! I am sad I missed you. It’s been too long lil friend 🙂
The scenery is amazing! I seriously have to add this to my list of races to do one day!!
That race sounds AMAZE-ING! I would have loved to talk Meb!! I met Jenny Fletcher and and Ben Collins (Pro-Triathletes) before the Garmin Marathon and they were so down to earth. Loved it! Missed out on Scott Jurek though. Was totally bummed!
Those views are gorgeous! It has to make the race that much more enjoyable.
Whoo-hoo! Thanks for your spectacular review of my home’s amazing 10K!! Congrats on the PR, too!!! If you can believe it, the spectators were scarce compared against years’ past…I think it was because the weather was less than perfect!
A 28 minute 10k?? That’s usually my time for a 5k when I’m feeling groovy!
Dam girl you are speedy! I can’t even run a sub hour 10K! But I guess I shouldn’t be annoyed, hey, I can run a bloomin’ half marathon, who cares about speed!?
Exactly! You rock!!
Aw what shots!! I totally turned my head to watch the video too! LOL
Glad you got to go to!!