Cape Elizabeth, Maine – After a thunderstorm with lightning boomed through the greater Portland area last night, forcing the cancellation of the TD B2B Kids Fun Run and high school miles, the lightning bolt on today’s 25th anniversary TD Beach To Beacon 10K came via 20 year old Ethiopian Addisu Yihune, who was running in his first ever road race.
The 2022 Under-20 world champion at 5000m had taken the point, leading a five-man pack as the course turned onto Shore Road for the final two-plus miles into Fort Williams Park. In close formation behind were #8, Muktar Edris, the 2017-2019 5000m world champion of Ethiopia, #1 Edwin Kurgat of Kenya, the 2019 NCAA Cross Country champion out of Iowa State; last weekend’s QCT Bix 7 champion #10 Biya Simbassa of Flagstaff; and blue-clad #6 former BYU standout Conner Mantz
The press truck pulled away at five miles, 22:34, as the smell of bacon from a garden watching party wafted through the air with the race still up for grabs.
When the leader finally emerged from the twisty stretch of narrow road through the fort to the grass finish, it was the young Ethiopian Yihune who had a winning margin over Conner Mantz, 27;56 to 27:58, with Muktar Edris a spent third in 28:06.
Just steps after finishing, Mantz remarked – as much to himself as to anyone listening – “he cut me off twice in the final 400, the second time with less than 200m to go and I couldn’t recover in time.”
Asked whether it cost him the race, Mantz said he thought it probably did. “But I don’t want to be a dirtbag about it and complain.”
It probably wouldn’t have make any difference if he did, since there were no cameras to record the incidents. (EDIT: yes, there was a Tik-Tok clip of one of the rubs).
In the end, Addisu denied making any unnecessary contact through a translation from third place finisher Muktar Edris. Mantz had to settle for second and the understanding he is more than capable of mixing it up with the big boys as he preps for a fall marathon in Chicago in October.
The women’s race boiled down to a two person tussle between 2023 Boston Marathon champion Hellen Obiri of Kenya and Ethiopian Fotyen Tesfay, 25, fifth place finisher at this year’s World Cross Country Championships.
Two time world champion and twice 5000m Olympic silver medalist, Obiri, edged the young Ethiopian by a single second, 31:37 to 31:38. Virginia’s Keira D’Amato finished third in 31:58 as she finalizes her preparations for the World Championships Marathon in Budapest in a few weeks.
The 25th anniversary TD B2B sold out its 8200 bibs, and added a beer garden at the finish sponsored by Shipyard.
Race founder Joan Benoit Samuelson ran the race with fellow Olympic Marathon medalists, Catherine Ndereba of Kenya and California’s Deena Kastor.
- Olympic medalists Deena Kastor (bronze 2004), Catherine Ndereba (silver 2004-2008) Joan Benoit Samuelson (gold LA 1984)
- American marathoner stars Susanna Sullivan #116 (10th), Sara Hall #107 (7th); and Keira D’Amato #103 (3rd) take it out with eventual champion Hellen Obiri #100
- Hellen Obiri applies the pressure. Runnerup Fotyen Tesfay hangs close
- Americans Conner Mantz and Biya Simbassa take the men out in 4:35 for Mile 1
- 2X World 5000m champion Muktar Edris in black heads toward the two mile mark.
- #4 Yihune Addisu assumes the lead past 5K in 14:15 as the course turns back onto Ocean House Road (Rte. 77) off Old Ocean House Road
- Along Shore Road at 5 miles, 22:34, five men assess their chances. (L-R) Edris , Kurgat (hidden behind Edris), Mantz, Simbassa, Yihune.
Fun day, fast friends. Here’s to 25 more. Thanks Cape Elizabeth for the gracious hospitality.
END
tonireavis.com 
Toni, had to be 22:34 at 5 miles to run sub 28 no? Glad the race was fast and I expect a similar crowd at Falmouth. MR
Thanks for the update and killer photos. Here is what Connor wrote on the race Strava post : ran tough. Biya and I traded the lead the first two miles or so. Then the Ethiopians pushed the pace. We ended up with a group of five for the last two miles. At somewhere from 5.2 to 5.5 I made a big move, then it was me and the eventual winner. He pushed around 5.7 and I tried to pass him on the inside at around 6 miles, but he cut me off. With less than 200m to go, I made a big surge to pass him again. There was a lot of room on the left, but he saw me passing him, he ran me into the fence. My momentum was gone. No video of the race(so no way for the official to see if it was intentional or not), but I’ll look forward to my next chance to race Addisu Yihune.
The big positive from today is that it felt like this was the first time since Boston I’ve ran a race where I’ve felt I was getting the best out of my self.