We’re live from Cape Elizabeth, Maine for the 10th TD Banknorth Beach to Beacon 10K. At today’s press conference it was announced that TD Banknorth has agreed to extend their sponsorship of the race for another five years, which is great news for the race and town. This is truly one of the most unique road races in America; few communities get behind a race the way Cape Elizabeth does for this one. Residents start getting excited at the beginning of summer and one even admitted, “after it’s over, I get depressed.” Here, as in Falmouth, the athletes stay with host families. Becoming a host family is tough competition; the supply of athletes doesn’t even begin to cover the host family demand. The athletes love it. Many of them become good friends with their host families, exchanging letters and emails throughout the year. A handful of our athletes are staying with Sheila, who lives in a beautiful home right on the water. She’s been hosting our athletes for years and has visited them in Kenya twice, planning to make her third trip next year. It’s really quite spectacular, sitting on the porch overlooking the water, drinking chai, eating ugali, laughing and joking. It’s easy to forget that there’s a race tomorrow.
Today’s press conference was standard fare, other than the fact that it took place outside under a tent overlooking the ocean. Joan Benoit Samuelson, who founded the race, was gracious as usual; she was later presented with a bib number 1 to commemorate the 10th running of the race. She’ll run tomorrow with Grete Waitz and Godfrey, but wearing a different number. Number 1 is reserved for defending champ Tom Nyariki. It was a year ago at this race that Nyariki made his return to the top level of the sport after being carjacked in Nairobi a few years earlier. The incident left him blind in one eye. No one expected him to win, especially not with teammate Gilbert Okari in the race. But coming up over the last hill, heading into Fort Williams Park to the finish, it was Nyariki, not Okari, who stormed to the lead. After that he went on to win the NYC Half Marathon and has continued his fine form this summer. He’s considered the favorite here, but those in the know realize that tomorrow’s field is loaded with talent.
If it’s not Nyariki, we’ll be hoping it’s at least one of our athletes; KIMbia has a stranglehold on Beach to Beacon, winning every year since 2000. Okari has won three times, but is back in Kenya recovering from injury. Joining Nyariki are Simon Ndirangu, Luke Kipkosgei, John Yuda, Charles 
Munyeki, Richard Kiplagat, and Evans Rutto. Their competition is tough, with recent Bix 7-miler winner Duncan Kibet leading the charge. He beat Nyariki at Bix two weeks ago, so many feel he’s the athlete to beat. William Chebor and Evans Cheryiout, who has twice run under 60:00 for the half marathon, will both be running for the win. But the big story here is Meb Keflezighi, who is making his Beach to Beacon debut. Few American athletes hit the roads in the summer, instead choosing to run track in Europe, but Meb has proven himself a great roads competitor. And the residents of Cape Elizabeth will be cheering loudly when they see him pass in the red, white, and blue.
Everyone is looking forward to a competitive race tomorrow; but first up is the KIMbia dinner party at Sheila’s. On the menu: ugali and chicken. What else?
Last 5 posts by Matt Taylor
- Konnichiwa. That's "Hello" in Japanese. - August 21st, 2007
- Falmouth Results - August 13th, 2007
- Falmouth Preview - August 10th, 2007
- Live From Falmouth - August 9th, 2007
- Yuda Third at Beach to Beacon - August 4th, 2007
