A FIELD of 6,000 runners will take part Saturday in the 14th annual TD Bank Beach to Beacon 10K at Cape Elizabeth. Here are some important facts and tips to remember:

RACE FOUNDER: Joan Benoit Samuelson, Cape Elizabeth native and 1984 Olympic marathon gold medalist.

RACE MANAGEMENT: Dave McGillivray Sports Enterprises, Inc. (DMSE)

RACE CHARITY: TD Bank, through its charitable foundation, will provide a cash donation of $30,000 to Day One, a nonprofit agency that provides substance abuse prevention, intervention, treatment and aftercare programs for Maine youth. Headquartered in South Portland, Day One has been providing alcohol and drug treatment services since 1973 and mental health services since 1980. The agency served more than 1,600 youths in 2010. For more information about Day One, including contact phone numbers and emails for concerned parents and family members seeking help, visit www.day-one.org.

KIDS’ FUN RUN: Children’s 1K races will be held at 6 p.m. Friday on the Parade Ground at Fort Williams. Kids’ races will be run in heats according to age. Registration begins at 4 p.m.

ROAD CLOSINGS:
• Route 77: Sprague Hall to Kettle Cove Road (closed 6-10 a.m.)
• Route 77: Kettle Cove Road to Old Ocean House Road (7:30-10 a.m.)
• Route 77: at Hillway (7:30-10 a.m.)
• Crescent Beach State Park (7:30-8:30 a.m.)
• Old Ocean House Road (7:30-10 a.m.)
• Shore Road, from Key Bank to Fort Williams (7:30-11 a.m.)
• Shore Road at post office (7:30-11 a.m.)
• All of Fowler Road, except shuttle buses (7:15-10 a.m.)
• Scott Dyer Road, eastbound (6:45-8 a.m.)

PACKET PICKUP: Confirmed runners can visit the race expo and pick up packets – which include the bib number, chip and T-shirt – from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday or 2:30 to 8 p.m. Friday at Cape Elizabeth High School. Because of the early start time, runners are encouraged to pick up their packets beforehand. If you cannot pick it up before Saturday, you can write a note and have a friend pick it up for you. If there is no way to get your packet before Saturday, you should call race officials at 828-7084 to make arrangements to pick up your number and chip at Sprague Hall near the starting line between 6:30-7:30 a.m. on race day. This will be done on a very limited basis.

DIRECTIONS TO PACKET PICKUP
• (From the south): Take I-95 North to Exit 44 (I-295). Take right at Exit 4 (Portland Downtown Waterfront). After you go over the bridge, bear right and follow sign for Waterfront/Commercial Street. Proceed approximately two-thirds of a mile and watch for sign to Casco Bay Bridge (left exit). Cross bridge to Route 77 South toward Cape Elizabeth. Take a right onto Route 77 (at the Pizza Joint). Proceed on Route 77, through the blinking light at Cumberland Farms. The high school entrance is the next right after the shopping plaza.

• (From the north): Take 295 South to Exit 6A (Forest Avenue South), stay in right lane. Bear right at the next intersection before the first light into Deering Oaks Park. Follow signs for Route 77 South. Proceed straight up hill and follow all the way to the Casco Bay Bridge. Follow route as above.

DIRECTIONS TO START/PARKING
• (From the south): Take I-95 to Exit 45, pass through toll booth to Route 1. Turn right (south) onto Route 1 for .6 miles to the second light. Turn left onto Pleasant Hill Road. Follow for 3.3 miles to Route 77. Turn left (north) onto Route 77 for two miles to Fowler Road, where you will be directed to the parking area.

• (From the north): Take Casco Bay Bridge to Route 77 South. Follow into Cape Elizabeth. Watch for and follow flaggers and signs at intersections along Route 77 for directions to start and Sprague Fields parking.

PARKING: Parking for runners will be at Sprague Fields, at Fowler and Ram Island Farm roads. Runners are encouraged to carpool and arrive early. There is no parking for runners at Fort Williams. Fort Williams parking will be restricted to sponsors, press, volunteers, staff and a limited number of spectators.

Parking spaces will be available again this year at Cape Elizabeth High/Middle School on a first-come basis. Runners will be shuttled from the Middle School to the start between 6:30 and 7:30 a.m. and back to the start area and school parking lots from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

For the second year, satellite parking and shuttle bus services to the start line will be provided from two locations outside Cape Elizabeth – parking lots at South Portland High and the Hannaford corporate offices in Scarborough. Shuttle buses will run from these locations to the start from 6:30 to 7:15 a.m., and return to these locations after the race.

DROP-OFF AREA: Runners can be dropped off at Gull Crest Fields on Spurwink Avenue, .5 miles from the Route 77 and Spurwink intersection (Spurwink Church).

BAGGAGE BUSES: There will be five baggage buses at the start. Plastic bags will be available for runners on race morning. Those bags will be tagged and transported to the finish area for pickup.

PARKING/SHUTTLE BUSES: At the end of the race, shuttle buses will operate from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. You must leave by 1 p.m. in order to catch a shuttle back to the start.

AT THE START: Bottled water will be available at the start along Route 77 and at each water stop along the course. Portable toilets will be placed along Route 77 from the parking area to the start. Runners are asked to “self-seed” according to skill level.

AWARDS CEREMONY: Begins at 10 a.m. at Fort Williams, at the top of the flagpole hill.

CASH PRIZES: Awarded to the top 10 men and women in open race:
1. $10,000; 2. $5,000; 3. $3,000; 4. $2,000; 5. $1,000; 6. $900; 7. $800, 8. $700; 9. $600; 10. $500.

• Awarded to top three male and female masters (40 and older):
1. $1,000; 2. $500; 3. $250.

• Awarded to top three male and female wheelchair athletes:
1. $1,000; 2. $500; 3. $250.

• Awarded to top five finishers among Maine men and women:
1. $1,000; 2. $500; 3. $250; 4. $200; 5. $100.

• Awarded to top three male and female seniors (50 and older):
1. $500; 2. $250; 3. $100.

• There are also course-record bonuses: $2,500 for open runners, $500 for Maine runners.

AGE-GROUP AWARDS: Awarded to the top five males and females in following divisions – 14-and-under, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80-and-over.