ROCKPORT — Moving at a good clip, approximately 40 runners and walkers took off from Rockport Harbor early Saturday morning, Oct. 14. Their destination was the Beech Nut atop Beech Hill, as they ran up and over and through the woods to the finish line, making the inaugural run of the Beach to Beech 5K to help celebrate Erickson Field’s newest community asset, the Connector Trail.

In the lead, Keith Drago finished in 20 minutes, with Bjorn Lee right behind, and Kendra Emory behind him. They were accompanied by a diverse crowd of runners and walkers, ranging in age from young children to older adults, and several dogs.

On hand were plenty of volunteers, including Aldermere Farm director Ron Howard, and representatives from Maine Coast Heritage Trust and Coastal Mountains Land Trust. The race was organized by Lily Hamill, of Stone Coast Crossfit, in Rockport.

The Beach to Beech 5K started near Goodie’s Beach, at Rockport Harbor, at 8 a.m. with a course that extended down Pascal Ave., along West Street, across Route 1, and to Erickson Fields, where the runners branched onto the newly finished Connector Trail that extends from Route 90 to its intersection near the top of Beech Hill Road. 

There, runners then sprinted over to the Beech Hill conservation parcel owned and managed by Coastal Mountains Land Trust, and to the top of the hill for a scenic finish, made even better with Fog Lifters coffee, Willow Bakery donuts, and winners’ prizes that included pumpkins, vegetables from Erickson Field, Aldermere Farm beef, and good conversation. Inside Beech Nut, a fire crackled in the old fireplace, taking the edge off an autumn morning.

Maine Coast Heritage Trust, which oversees Erickson Field, worked with two local organizations in raising funds to build the Connector Trail: The Camden-Rockport Pathways Committee, whose mission it is to create connecting pedestrian and bicycle pathways through both towns, and Legacy Rockport, a nonprofit founded on the recommendation of the 2004 Comprehensive Plan to build an endowment for projects that benefit all Rockport citizens.

The racers finished as follows:

Rank / Name / Division (adult male, adult female, kids) / Time:

1-  Keith Drago, AM, 20:02

2-  Bjorn Lee, AM, 20:39

3-  Kendra Emory, AF, 23:13

4-  Joseph Jansen-Hedrick, AM, 23:45

5-  Jeff Hilt, AM, 23:56

6-  Sarah Scordino, AF, 24:09

7-  Jayme Lee, AF, 24:40

8-  Ron Haney, AM, 24:54

9-  Sierra Scordino, K, 25:19

10-  Donald Mansius, AM, 25:25

11-  Hannah Raymond, AF, 27:42

12-  Mary Watson, AF, 28:03

13-  Kate Killoran, AF, 28:13

14-  Kelly Kimble, AF, 28:30

15-  Peter Millard, AM, 28:32

15-  Shawn Buterbaugh, AM, 28:32

17-  Sarah Dingle, AF, 29:02

18-  Geoff Scott, AM, 29:07

18-  Lauren Chartier, AF, 29:07

20-  Molly Mulhern, AF, 29:13

21-  Kipp Wright, AM , 30:39

22-  Colin Wright, K, 30:40

23-  Julia Pope, AF, 31:04

24-  Angie Carlsen, AF, 31:43

25-  William Ottaviano, AM, 31:44

26-  Erika Stewart, AF, 32:18

27-  Courtney Buterbaugh, AF, 33:27

28-  Lawrence Reichard, AM, 34:20

29-  Paul Fagan, AM, 34:36

29-  David Conover, AM, 34:36

29-  Bob Weiver, AM, 34:36

32-  Josh Thorndike, AM, 37:41

33-  Candy Hutchison, AF, 41:23

34-  Flynn Layton, K, 47:02

34-  Scott Layton, AM, 47:02

36-  James Bennett, AM, 47:32

37-  Joyce Mohr, AF, 47:42

TOP MALE:

Keith Drago, 20:02

Bjorn Lee, 20:39

Joseph Jansen-Hedrick, 23:45

TOP FEMALE:

Kendra Emory, 23:13

Jayme Lee, 24:40

Sarah Scordino, 24:09

TOP KIDS!

Sierra Scordino, 25:19

Colin Wright, 30:40

Flynn Layton, 47:02

Rank / bib # / Name / Division / Time:

1-  30, Keith Drago, AM, 20:02

2-  23, Bjorn Lee, AM, 20:39

3-  6, Kendra Emory, AF, 23:13

4-  17, Joseph Jansen-Hedrick, AM, 23:45

5-  34, Jeff Hilt, AM, 23:56

6-  31, Sarah Scordino, AF, 24:09

7-  21, Jayme Lee, AF, 24:40

8-  15, Ron Haney, AM, 24:54

9-  32, Sierra Scordino, K, 25:19

10-  14, Donald Mansius, AM, 25:25

11-  2, Hannah Raymond, AF, 27:42

12-  12, Mary Watson, AF, 28:03

13-  39, Kate Killoran, AF, 28:13

14-  37, Kelly Kimble, AF, 28:30

15-  20, Peter Millard, AM, 28:32

15-  13, Shawn Buterbaugh, AM, 28:32

17-  11, Sarah Dingle, AF, 29:02

18-  25, Geoff Scott, AM, 29:07

18-  16, Lauren Chartier, K, 29:07

20-  35, Molly Mulhern, AF, 29:13

21-  18, Kipp Wright, AM , 30:39

22-  19, Colin Wright, K, 30:40

23-  5, Julia Pope, AF, 31:04

24-  10, Angie Carlsen, AF, 31:43

25-  8, William Ottaviano, AM, 31:44

26-  33, Erika Stewart, AF, 32:18

27-  29, Courtney Buterbaugh, AF, 33:27

28-  24, Lawrence Reichard, AM, 34:20

29-  28, Paul Fagan, AM, 34:36

29-  27, David Conover, AM, 34:36

29-  26, Bob Weiver, AM, 34:36

32-  38, Josh Thorndike, AM, 37:41

33-  1, Candy Hutchison, AF, 41:23

34-  7, Flynn Layton, K, 47:02

34-  80, Scott Layton, AM, 47:02

36-  36, James Bennett, AM, 47:32

37-  22, Joyce Mohr, AF, 47:42

Reach Editorial Director Lynda Clancy at lyndaclancy@penbaypilot.com; 207-706-6657