CAPE ELIZABETH, Maine — Online registration for the 21st running of the TD Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race will be held March 15 and 16.
Organizers have tweaked the registration process in the hope of improving the experience for those trying to get entered in the race, which will be held on Aug. 4.
The Beach to Beacon has partnered with Race Roster, a company offering registration services, and is implementing a queue entry system. Registrants are still required to be in the system for its 7 a.m. launch, which placed them in line to reserve a spot in the race.
The new method also gives runners more time to complete the registration process without losing their place in the virtual line.
“We made this change in recognition of the increasingly high demand for the TD Beach to Beacon and in response to feedback received by registrants who felt frustrated by the process,” said Race Founder Joan Benoit Samuelson, an Olympic Gold Medalist who grew up in Cape Elizabeth. “While we are limited in our ability to increase the field size of the race, we wanted to find a way to make the registration process smoother and more efficient for all involved.”
The controlled queue entry process is similar to what is used for many high-demand events, such as concerts, cultural and sporting events.
The new process will be in place for both days of online registration. On Thursday, March 15, Cape Elizabeth residents may register for 600 slots starting at 7 a.m.
Registration for the general public begins at 7 a.m. on Friday, March 16. That will provide opportunities for
A lottery for the 1,950 remaining slots will take place from March 16 through March 25, with lottery entrants announced on March 27. Runners register at the race website, www.beach2beacon.org. The race entry fee is $55.
Once on the queue page, registrants will be able to enter their information based on their position in line, which could take up to 20 minutes. Potential entrants are advised not to refresh, open multiple tabs or close the window.
Being in the queue does not guarantee a race spot, but holds a place in “line” if and when a spot becomes available. Registrants will be notified if or when the field has been filled.
After the close of registration and the lottery, the remaining bibs will be distributed to world-class athletes, new and past beneficiaries, and sponsors. Also, included in this mix are the 110-plus “Legacy” runners who have participated in each of the previous TD Beach to Beacon races. All will be invited to register beginning April 1.
Last year, a record 6,887 runners from 18 countries, 43 states and more than 270 Maine cities and towns finished the 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.
More than $90,000 in prize money is awarded to the top finishers and place winners in the various categories for men and women, and a separate $30,000 donation is provided each year by the TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, to the race beneficiary.
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