A day that began with trucks loaded with starting-line equipment mired in the mud in fields off Fowler Road ended in victory for a pair of Kenyans, a triple-dip for a pair of Mainers and ice baths for the overheated in a busy medical tent.Ed Muge successfully defended his title in the 12th TD Banknorth Beach to Beacon 10K, and fellow Kenyan Irene Limika took advantage of a scary tumble by prerace favorite Berhane Adere to win the women's crown on a warm and sunny Saturday morning.
Each runner earned $10,000 for the victory.
Ben True of North Yarmouth and Sheri Piers of Falmouth provided a bigger story, not only winning the Maine residents' races, but also setting course records and breaking into the overall top 10.
True, 23, a recent graduate of Dartmouth College embarking on a professional running career, pocketed $2,000 for being the first Maine man ($1,000) and 10th overall ($500), and establishing a course record of 29 minutes, 10 seconds -- lopping 85 seconds off the mark of 30:35 set by Eric Giddings of South Portland in 2005.
Not that True was particularly pleased with himself, shaking his head in mild disgust as he crossed underneath the arch of green and white balloons at the finish.
"I wanted under 29 (minutes)," he said. "I think I got too complacent (running alongside Kenyan Richard Limo, a former world champion at 5,000 meters). I should have pushed it."
Piers, meanwhile, cut 21 seconds off training partner Kristin Barry's 1-year-old mark, lowering it to 34:17. Piers already has home-improvement plans for her $2,000 prize money.
At a prerace pasta dinner Friday night, someone spilled spaghetti sauce on Piers' white rug. Rather than scrub the stain, Piers thought about the money she would earn with a record-setting victory.
"As soon as that happened I said, 'I'm going to have to run hard for a new hardwood floor.' "
Chris Troyanos, medical coordinator of the race, said 102 runners received treatment, more than double the number at the fog-enveloped 2008 event. Overheating was the issue for most, with one man and one woman transported by ambulance to Maine Medical Center.
"The temperature and the humidity were kind of the perfect storm for us, medically," said Mike Baumann, medical co-director. "The only thing that helped us was that it's morning, and not the hottest part of the day."
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FULL RESULTS BEACH TO BEACON
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