York Town News
First ever York half-marathon is just for women — and one lucky guy
By Melissa Wood
YORK BEACH - When Mike St. Laurent and his wife, Linda, were planning the first Maine Coast Half-Marathon, to be held here in town on Sept. 23 as the only all women's race of its kind in New England, Linda had an idea.
"She said how about one lucky guy gets to run," said St. Laurent, "and I said that's a great idea."
The one-guy addition is fitting because the night before the race a pasta dinner will be held with Kathrine Switzer as the featured speaker.
Switzer was the first woman to run in the Boston Marathon in 1967, which until then had been an all-male race. Switzer entered the race by just putting down the name "K. Switzer" on her entry form and completed the race after being attacked and almost thrown out.
Now, 40 years later, this race will include one man, but instead of being attacked like Switzer, the "one lucky guy" will be the guaranteed winner of the men's division of the race.
By opening up the race to one man, the couple is also expanding the ability to raise money because any male runner who wants to enter has to pay a $10 fee into the lottery for the chance to run. St. Laurent said about 100 "wannabe" men have already paid the $10 for a shot.
"The money either goes to a scholarship or the York track team," said St. Laurent, who said that 100 percent of the money raised by the lottery and race entry fees of $40 each goes to worthwhile local clauses, including grants that will be donated to York High School's Project Graduation and York Parks and Recreation Department.
St. Laurent said there were a couple of reasons he and his wife, who are the race's co-directors, chose York for the half-marathon's location.
"I knew that the community was receptive to having races, and I also knew that we could come up with a really pretty route," said St. Laurent, who described the course as a figure 8 with a little bit of everything, including seashore, farm and rural views.
The 13.1-mile race starts at York High School and in its first loop follows the same route as the York Rotary Club's "Four on the Fourth" race, down Long Sands and Ridge Road and back through the beach. The second loop is much wider, with runners going through York Harbor and out to Route 103, past the Wiggly Bridge, then cutting over to Bartlett from Payne Road near the Kittery line and coming back in through town to the high school.
St. Laurent said the figure 8 will make the race a great view for spectators since, if they watch by the high school, they can catch the runners several times as they loop back around the course.
St. Laurent, who has been running since 1969, is owner of LOCO Sports, based in Newmarket, N.H. The company makes its own line of running shoes "for runners by runners," said St. Laurent. He said that about 15,000 runners wear the LOCO sneakers.
"We try to be the one brand that caters to runners," he said.
St. Laurent said the York half-marathon is also open to walkers, who start a half-hour earlier, and added the race will be honoring the top York finishers and the top "newbies" - people who have never participated in a half-marathon race before.
"It's kind of fun to celebrate your first time ever," said St. Laurent, who said that LOCO also hosted the first Great Bay Half-Marathon in April.
St. Laurent advised "newbies" to start conservatively and drink plenty of water. He said that a half-marathon is a lot more doable for many people than a marathon, but still as fun.
"It's a lot less strenuous to get in shape," he said.
St. Laurent said that along with the "one lucky guy" he hopes that at least 1,000 women will sign up for the race, which has about 300 signed up so far. Registration is $40 until Aug. 23, and the lucky guy winner will be announced Sept. 1.
For more information about the Maine Coast Half-Marathon, visit www.locorunning.com/mainecoasthalf.php.
