CAPE ELIZABETH – The TD Banknorth Beach to Beacon 10K road race has grown by leaps and bounds in its 10 years of existence.

So much so that registering for Saturday’s 6.2-mile race is as tough, if not tougher, as securing tickets to a Red Sox or Patriots game or a Hannah Montana concert.

The race Joan Benoit Samuelson founded in 1998 filled to its 5,500 participant capacity in a little more than a day, much quicker than she anticipated.

“I think it was 26 hours to be exact. We knew it would fill up quickly just based on the past trends,” said Samuelson to media members at Fort Williams Park on Tuesday.

But 26 hours?

“I would say that it filled up faster than any of us anticipated,” Samuelson said. “Not only were people hoping to register caught off guard, but we were caught off guard a little bit.”

As much as Samuelson would like to see more runners participate, Cape Elizabeth is a small town and its winding roads can only handle so many participants.

“We’d love to accommodate everybody, but the roads are very narrow out here, and if a runner goes down, we want to get the necessary medical personnel and vehicles to that person,” she said.

The 5,500 runners will leave Crescent Beach State Park at 8:05 a.m. Saturday en route to Fort Williams.

While a solid number of them will push for glory in the overall, Maine, Masters and new Seniors Division (for runners aged 50 and up), many others in the middle and rear of the pack will be gunning for personal glory, something Samuelson is a big fan of.

“I enjoy the middle-of-the-pack and the back-of-the-pack finishers as much as I enjoy the elite athletes. There are all sorts of stories,” Samuelson said. “For the middle-of-the-pack runner and the recreational runner, the course doesn’t get much nicer.”

Speaking of which, the 6.2-mile point-to-point route is arguably one of the more challenging and scenic 10K courses in the United States.

The first mile is somewhat similar to that of the Boston Marathon – except without the shin-punishing downhills.

“The first mile [here] is just like a track race … the first mile at Boston is slightly downhill,” Samuelson said.

With that being the case, it can be very easy for runners to make a mistake in the early miles, which have few uphills, then wind up paying for it in the homestretch, which features rolling hills and a tough, short climb upon entry into Fort Williams.

“It makes for a real interesting race,” Samuelson said.

There are plenty of early favorites. In the Maine women’s division, Kristin Barry of Scarborough and training partner Sheri Piers of Falmouth are expected to finish 1-2.

Both runners have had outstanding seasons, dating back to when they joined Samuelson at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Boston in April.

Three-time defending champ Emily LeVan has moved out of state and will not compete.

Barry has been on a hot streak as of late, winning the L.L. Bean 10K race in Freeport in 35 minutes, 12 seconds, a pace of 5:40 per mile, and the Yarmouth Clam Festival Classic earlier this month.

“She’s had very impressive finishes. She’s definitely on the [verge] of the wave of women runners in the New England area and even at the national level,” said Samuelson. “She had a great finish at the Olympic Marathon Trials as well.”

Samuelson was quick to point out that local college-age athletes, in particular Erica Jesseman of Scarborough, cannot be counted out, given the success of others like South Portland’s Eric Giddings, who scored a surprising victory back in 2003.

“That’s what’s great about this event, it provides a stage for athletes to make a name for themselves,” said Samuelson.

She added there’s no legitimate favorite in the Maine men’s division and that it’ll be “a real horse race.”

On the elite side, defending champ Duncan Kibet of Kenya, 2006 champ Tom Nyariki of Kenya and Terefe Maregu of Ethiopia headline a solid field considering this is an Olympic year.

“The field isn’t as strong as it has been in past years, but it’s still a great field, great international representation,” Samuelson said. “This is a prestigious race amongst the road racing world, so all eyes will be on us to see who finishes on top or near the top.”

Kenyan Edith Masai, a late addition to the field, is an early favorite on the women’s side, along with fellow Kenyan Lineth Chepkurui, Marina Ivanova of Russia and Elva Dryer of New Mexico.

Thousands of spectators will line the streets of this small town for the race, and it’s a thrill any runner – first or 5,000th – can experience and enjoy.

It provides runners with a thrill that Samuelson herself experienced in Boston where she made running history four months ago, running in her final competitive marathon in front of some enthusiastic supporters.

“I couldn’t believe the support I had on that course, and the spectators really kept me going,” she said. “I was just happy to get to the finish line, and to break 2:50 was an extra bonus.”

Even though the sun has set on Samuelson’s career in competitive marathoning, there’s no question nothing can damper the spirit of arguably one of the best athletes Maine has ever seen when the first weekend of August rolls around.

“Even if it rains it’ll be hard to dampen the spirit of this race,” she said, pointing to the bright blue sky. “The sky’s the limit.”

rmclaughlin@bangordailynews.net

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