Fort Knox race considered ‘runner-friendly’

For the second time this summer, the Sub 5 race series will wind its way through the hilly back roads of Bucksport.

The Fort Knox Bay Festival 5K, the sixth race in the race series, will take place this Saturday in Bucksport, starting at 8 a.m. near the Seaboard Federal Credit Union parking lot.

The out-and-back course is very runner-friendly. It starts near the Credit Union, makes a couple of twists and turns through the first quarter-mile before going through a rolling hill or two and making a left turn, staying straight until the turnaround point.

Runners do the exact same loop, out and back, and the second half is very quick over those same rolling hills, and a slight downhill finish back at the starting area.

Some very fast times have been run here in the past. Evan Graves of Bar Harbor won with a 15 minute, 55 second time back in 2001. Joey Luchini was the overall winner last year in 15:54, but hometown favorite Michael Bunker, who was second last year (16:01), could claim the crown this year. Bangor’s Phil LeBreton, who was fourth last year, should be in the running for the top spot.

The race is in conjunction with the Fort Knox Bay Festival, which is held every summer on the final weekend on July on Bucksport’s waterfront along the Penobscot River.

Registration will take place in the credit union’s parking lot. The fee is only $10, and T-shirts will be given away.

Approximately 164 runners finished the race last year.

Samuelson still running strong

Make no mistake about it, Joan Benoit Samuelson can still run, even though it’s been 20 years since she captured the first Olympic Marathon for women.

Freeport’s Samuelson was the female champ in the Pat’s Pizza Clam Festival 5-miler at 47 years young this past weekend, recording a fast time at 29:35, about 5:55 per mile. She edged Susannah Landreth of Newburyport, Mass. (29:39).

Samuleson was among 895 runners who competed in the Yarmouth-based 5-miler, which was held in the middle of the popular Clam Festival. Michael Payson of Falmouth was the overall winner in 25:40, 50 seconds over Yarmouth’s Christian Muentener (26:30), setting a masters course record in the process. In addition to the 5-miler, 386 kids competed in a 1-mile fun run, which Brian Hart of Cumberland won in 5:56.

Samuleson will be fairly busy over the next couple of weeks preparing for the 7th annual Beach to Beacon 10K on August 1st, the race which she founded back in 1998.

Beach to Beacon rides to the top

The charity for this year’s Beach to Beacon is Riding to the Top, which is a non-profit organization that provides therapeutic horseback riding services to children and adults with physical, emotional and learning disabilities.

Peoples will provide a $30,000 cash donation to RTT. Nearly 100 runners have signed up to sponsor the charity, thus raising more money. One of those runners is Greely High of Cumberland Center graduate Ben True. The Dartmouth-bound standout is one of the favorites to capture the Maine Men’s title, which was won by South Portland’s Eric Giddings last year. Governor John Baldacci is also planning to run the race on the RTT team.

After the race, there will be a therapeutic riding demonstration provided by RTT instructors. RTT offers programming at their farms in Windham and at Pineland Farms in New Gloucester.

Finishing Kick: Aside from the Fort Knox 5K, you’ve got a few other options this weekend.

On Saturday, you can head to Bonny Eagle High School in Standish for the Scot Trot 5K and fun run, starting at 8 a.m. Up in the County, the Mars Hill Climb will take place at 9 a.m. On Sunday, the Maine State Triathlon (1K swim, 25K bike, 5K run) will be held at the Summit Hotel at Sunday River in Newry at 9 a.m. Down the coast in Boothbay, the Ocean Point 5K will go off at 9 at the Ocean Point Casino on the east part of town.