B2B: The Coach is still running strong; FA runner takes part in HS Mile; how locals fared

August 10th, 2018

Bill Reilly of Brownfield

By Wayne E. Rivet

Staff Writer

Like he tells his high school cross-country runners, Bill Reilly of Brownfield has a goal and enjoys the competition each time he competes at the Beach to Beacon 10K in Cape Elizabeth.

The goal is always the same — win his age division.

The longtime Fryeburg Academy coach, age 71, achieved that mark last week, capturing the 70 to 74 men’s age group with a time of 48 minutes, 14 seconds — that was good for 1,023rd overall out of a field of 6,528. Bill was quicker than Peter Davis, also 71, from Underhill, Vt., who posted a 48:33.

“The goal — win my age group, nothing less. When I don’t, I resolve to come back the next year and win it,” Bill said. “I never allow disappointment to get in the way of the joy of great competition.”

Out of 21 B2B races, Bill has been part of the field 17 times.

“I have entered each one, but injuries kept me out of four including the first in 1998 when I crashed my motorcycle and broke my leg two weeks before it,” he said.

As a B2B veteran, Bill feels he knows what it exactly takes to be successful.

“Most important is to save enough for mile 4.5 to 5.5 with big hills. Run the tangent curves, which B2B has plenty of. Look at any track where the stagger considers the lane curve. Why run farther than 10K. Run on left for first mile and use the slight downhill for a solid first-mile time,” he said. “I know every foot of this race, and when I race, my brain is monitoring every stride with constant corrections to maintain a suitable race pace for the entire race. In the years that I do not maintain this level of concentration, I run slower than I would like to. You never know until race day what kind of race you will have that day.”

How does Bill get ready for the 10K?

“Consistent training year-round with strength training (very important at 71). Sounds difficult, but it has helped me to maintain my college weight and fitness so that at 71, I can enjoy other active recreational pursuits,” he said.

One of those pursuits is coaching the Fryeburg Academy cross-country team, something he has done for nearly three decades. He enters his 29th season when the Raiders open fall preseason camp this Monday, Aug. 13.

“I cannot wait! My hope is to inspire young student athletes to work hard at something while they help me to remember as Frank Sinatra sings: Fairy tales can come true; It can happen to you if you’re young at heart; For it’s hard, you will find; To be narrow of mind if you’re young at heart,” he added.

At 71 and still claiming age division titles across Maine’s running landscape, Bill Reilly is indeed young at heart.

Raider competes in ‘Mile’

The B2B also features a High School Mile (in its third year) showcase for Maine’s top high school athletes with graduation dates of 2019-2022.

The one-mile racecourse is on trails and paved paths inside Fort Williams, and is two laps. Runners apply to be part of the field, which includes the top 20 girls and top 20 boys by the times submitted (and later verified). Seed times may be from indoor or outdoor 1600/mile or cross-country time that meets the qualifying standard:

  • Boys – 5:00 (mile time) (or sub 17:30 for the 5K)
  • Girls – 6:15 (mile time)(or sub 20:30 for the 5K).

The race was held last Friday, Aug. 3, and Fryeburg Academy senior Alfie Walker was one of the 40 contestants. Top-seeded state champion Lisandro Berry-Giviria of Mt. Ararat claimed victory in 4:33, a new course record. Alfie turned in a time of 4:42 for 14th.

“We created this event to showcase the achievements of dedicated and passionate high school track athletes from throughout Maine,” said Joan Benoit Samuelson, the Maine native and Olympic gold medalist who founded the TD Beach to Beacon 10K.

How locals fared

Here’s how local runners fared at last weekend’s Beaches to Beacon 10K Race in Cape Elizabeth. There were 6,528 finishers. Jake Robertson of New Zealand posted the winning time of 27 minutes, 37 seconds.

  1. Silas Eastman, 23, Chatham, NH, 35:17
  2. Kraig Mason, 48, Hiram, 43:48
  3. Floyd Lavery, 61, Sebago, 43:58
  4. Sean Maggs, 43, Naples, 47:31
  5. Bill Reilly, 71, Brownfield, 48:14
  6. Hailey Applebee, 16, Raymond, 48:35
  7. Hannah Brewsey, 26, Casco, 48:35
  8. Jonathan Burk, 21, Denmark, 50:05
  9. Cerise Humphrey, 28, Fryeburg, 51:58
  10. Natasha Leighton, 44, Bridgton, 52:10
  11. Hunter Dionne, 18, Raymond, 52:37
  12. Ashley O’Brion, 33, Raymond, 52:37
  13. Mark Weldon, 38, Casco, 53:02
  14. Suzanne Deschenes, 50, Naples, 54:24
  15. Smith Galtney, 47, Raymond, 54:32
  16. Joanne Ridlon, 51, Casco, 54:36
  17. Christopher Watson, 65, Casco, 57:01
  18. Tracy Burk, 46, Denmark, 57:07
  19. Jason Candelora, 36, Lovell, 57:11
  20. Daniel Bisson, 48, Raymond, 1:02.15
  21. Cate Exchange, 25, Sebago, 1:03.42
  22. Jamie Hudson, 40, Harrison, 1:04.08
  23. Tammy Coslant, 36, Raymond, 1:04.45
  24. Hannah Richard, 26, Naples, 1:05.15
  25. Shawn Graham, 41, Harrison, 1:06.00
  26. Karen Foster, 54, Raymond, 1:06.35
  27. Mona Swasey, 52, Brownfield, 1:06.35
  28. Bill Wood, 65, Harrison, 1:07.07
  29. Linda Davis, 68, South Casco, 1:07.17
  30. Kerry McKenney, 40, South Casco, 1:11.58
  31. Beth Bolduc, 54, Raymond, 1:11.58
  32. Elly Walker, 52, Fryeburg, 1:13.16
  33. Rae-Anne Nguyen, 37, Casco, 1:13.37
  34. Lisa Candelora, 27, Lovell, 1:13.42
  35. David Talley, 38, South Casco, 1:14.45
  36. Ramona Torres, 65, Denmark, 1:15.07
  37. Jennifer Lewis, 42, Casco, 1:17.33
  38. John Tragert, 61, Naples, 1:17.53
  39. Leanne Boody, 36, Naples, 1:17.59
  40. Lori Candelora, 34, Lovell, 1:24.21
  41. Susan Davidson, 60, Bridgton, 1:26.03
  42. Bob Payne, 80, Raymond, 1:26.12
  43. Sue Thurston, 52, Fryeburg, 1:26.49
  44. Rebecca Tracy, 64, Raymond, 1:28.50
  45. Vincent Kloskowski, 45, Brownfield, 1:30.22
  46. Lauren Hillier, 31, Naples, 1:32.37
  47. Summer Bush, 9, Raymond, 1:39.06
  48. Paula Bush, 46, Raymond, 1:39.19
  49. Tonya Martin, 48, Casco, 1:44.59