IMPORTANT RACE UPDATES:

10/26/2024 - Congratulations Finishers!

What an incredible day to be a runner on Mount Desert Island!

Dear Run MDI Finishers,

Thank you for choosing to be a part of MDI 2024, featuring the twenty-first edition of our award-winning marathon and the tenth edition of the half-marathon! We were treated to a picture-perfect day and ideal race conditions. The cherry on top of our fantastic weekend was the friendliest bunch of runners that we've ever hosted and YOUR participation!

2024 QUICK LINKS
► 2024 Results and Marathon/Half Certificates: here
► 2024 Capstone FREE Race Photos: here
► 2024 Race Gear: here
► 2024 Kevin Morris Photos: here
► 2024 Sea to Summit Maine Race Series: here (11/1 reg deadline)
► 2025 MDI Registration Updates: here
► Join Crow Athletics: here

In addition to the quick links above, please take a few moments to read thru the post-race information and recap below.

2024 RACE HIGHLIGHTS
A record field of 1,900+ runners of all ages and abilities participated in the twenty-first running of the Mount Desert Island Marathon, Half-Marathon & Team Relay, held on Sunday, October 20th.

Matt Cheney (Brunswick, ME) claimed the men's marathon victory completing the challenging course in 2-hours, 32-minutes, and 19-seconds. Only seventeen seconds later Sean Clark (Ambler, PA) followed to finish in 2:32:36, followed by Guillaume Huot (Saint-Charles-Borromée, QC) in his marathon debut and the only marathon podium finisher to run a negative splits with a gun time of 2:38:58.

In the women’s marathon 8x MDI veteran and defending champion Sarah Mulcahy (Fort Kent-ME) claimed her third MDI victory in 2:51:54. Runner-up went to 5x MDI champion and course record-holder Leah Nook Frost (Jefferson, ME) in 3:05:50. Rounding out the women's marathon podium was Erin Kunst (Grand Rapids, MI) 3:09:23.

In the local marathon line-up, Mount Desert residents Christopher Cooper and Olivia Johnson led the way finishing in 2:54:32 and 3:35:28, respectively. Kevin Grickis (Bar Harbor) was the second local man across the finish line in 3:19:58, followed by Weston Granholm (Southwest Harbor) in 4:06:43. On the women’s side, Grace Munger (Mount Desert) and Christiana Davis (Bar Harbor) rounded out the podium finishing in 4:14:02 and 4:27:44, respectively.

Andrew Taylor (Hilliard, OH) claimed the men's half-marathon victory in 1-hour, 13-minutes, and 26-seconds. He was followed by Mainers Frank Sternberg (Orono, ME) in 1:16:45, and Isaac Vacarro (Blue Hill, ME) in 1:17:18 to round out the podium.

John Butts (Southwest Harbor) was the first local contender to the half-marathon finish line in 1:38:57. He was followed by Bar Harbor residents Adam Sanmiguel in 1:39:23 and Phil Rusiecki in 1:46:16. On the women’s side, Tess Burns (Bass Harbor) was first to the finish in 1:40:06. She was followed by Eliza Bishop (Seal Cove) in 1:42:35 and Noelle Thurlow (Bar Harbor) in 1:46:50.

The women’s half-marathon was led by Kerry Allen (Washington, DC) who blitzed the course in 1-hour, 19-minutes, and 17-seconds — less than one minute off the course record. She was joined on the podium by Margaret Coogan (Boston, MA) and Molly Applegate (Washington, DC) in 1:21:09 and 1:26:45, respectively.

The marathon relay included a record of 34 teams, with the MDI Hospital Emergency Dept. claiming their first ever Public Safety Team Relay victory, with one previous attempt in 4:36:13. Cold Buns took top honors in the 3-Person Team Relay in 3:31:29.

Race organizers also want to give a special shout-out to Alfred "Rick" Tillotson (Colebrook-CT) who is officially the ONLY person to run all TWENTY-ONE editions of the MDI Marathon, since it was first held in 2002! Hats off to Rick for his incredible twenty-one year streak!!

A record 147 runners participated in this year's Charity Bibs program raising over $35,000.00! Since 2010 the Run MDI Charity Bib program has sought to challenge participants to fulfill a nominal fundraising commitment, in exchange for the opportunity to run an at-capacity race. 100% of funds raised benefit our Beyond the Finish Line program, which supports the local communities of Mount Desert Island, where we run, as well as state, regional, and national organizations.

ABBOTT WORLD MARATHON MAJORS WANDA AGE GROUP WORLD RANKINGS
Did you know that the Mount Desert Island Marathon is a qualifier for the AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Championships? The rankings cover age groups from 40 to 80+ for men and women. Every year several MDI finishers score a high number of ranking points, which means that that have a very good chance of being invited to the 2025 Age Group World Championship to be held as part of the New York City Marathon on November 2, 2025! However, you MUST sign up and claim your points on the AbbottWMM site in order to be invited.

Congratulations again on your tremendous race, and Best of luck with all of your upcoming running endeavors!!
-from the folks at run mdi

SAVE THE DATE: Next year's race will be held on October 19th, 2025. You may sign up to be alerted when registration opens by clicking HERE.

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10/13/2024 - Race Week email sent

The Official Race Week email has been sent with bib number assignment to all registered participants. Below is a copy of what was sent:

Greetings, [your name]!

We hope your final race preparations are going according to plan and that you're ready to run!

► Your bib number is [your bib # here] Hint: you will need to know this to pick-up your bib number and race materials. If you registered more than one person with the same email address you can (and should) confirm their registration by searching the entrants list.

► You are registered to participate in the [race distance here]

► PRE-RACE EXPO & BIB PICK-UP:

All participants must pick up their own bib number in person with Photo ID. No exceptions. Make sure you know your bib number ahead of time. Please plan your travels accordingly and allow yourself ample time to drive, arrive, park, get your bib, and browse the Pre-Race Expo.

WHERE—
MDI YMCA Gymnasium
21 Park Street in Bar Harbor

WHEN—
Friday 3:00PM - 7:00PM
Saturday 10:00AM - 5:00PM

PARKING—
There is paid parking available throughout downtown Bar Harbor. (The ParkMobile app is very handy! We recommend downloading it ahead of time.)

Please do NOT park in the YMCA’s lot. They will still be open for regular business and this parking must remain available for their members. Thank you for your cooperation!

CAN'T MAKE IT TO CHECK IN?
In the case of runners that absolutely cannot make it to check in: Unclaimed bib numbers will be taken to the Village Green Gazebo in downtown Bar Harbor on race morning and will be available beginning at 6:00AM until 7:00AM. (Bib numbers numbers must be picked up in person. Photo ID required. Make sure you know your bib number ahead of time.)

The Village Green is located at the corner of Main Street and Mt. Desert Street — site of the Half-Marathon bus loading, and a stone’s throw from the Marathon starting line at 200 Main Street.

Important! Only bib numbers will be available for late pick-up. Race shirts/bags will not be brought to the Village Green. (We simply do not have the manpower to transport race swag to multiple locations. Once the expo closes, we have to clear the space as quickly as possible. ALL items are put into temporary storage and ALL hands are on deck to hold the race on Sunday.)

► RACE WEEKEND INFO: A brief overview of the most important Race Weekend Info, including race day bus service, parking, and more.

► RACE HANDBOOK: This document contains a full overview of important event information. Please print/download a copy so that you can refer to it over race weekend. (Hint: A link to the Race Handbook was also included in your confirmation email when you originally signed up to run.)

► LIVE TRACKING / RESULTS / AWARDS:

Live tracking and results will be available online: results.runmdi.org
There will be time splits as follows:

• Marathon & Relay: 1st half, 2nd half, 20M, last 10K, finish (gun and net)

• Half: 6.9M, last 10K, finish (gun and net)

The AREEP Results Kiosk will also be on site at the end of the finish chute for immediate results and age group awards pick up. (Awards will NOT be mailed.)

► PRE-RACE PASTA DINNER:
A limited number of Pasta Dinner tickets will be for sale at the Pre-Race Expo until Saturday at 1pm, or until sold-out. This meal is hosted by the MDIHS Music Boosters as an important fundraiser and includes organic and locally sourced ingredients. (Salad, garlic bread, chicken or tofu parm, red or meat sauce, and chocolate or carrot cake for dessert.) Dinner starts at 5:30PM on Saturday evening.

► FINISH LINE FESTIVAL:
Hosted by the Acadia Chamber, 9AM-3PM. Come join the fun! Watch the Marathon runners as they head to the finish line, browse the vendors wares, grab a bite, quaff a brew, enjoy some tunes, and have a great time! This is a family-friendly event with face painting, a book sale and more!

► FINISH LINE SHUTTLE BUSES:
There is free shuttle bus transportation from the Finish Line in Southwest Harbor, back to the Village Green in Bar Harbor.

Shuttles will begin running from Southwest Harbor back to Bar Harbor at approximately 12:00PM. It’s approximately 14-miles from Southwest Harbor to Bar Harbor.

Buses will load in the Bar Harbor Bank parking lot (located on the west side of the finish line), and run continuously once filled until approximately 3:00PM.

Shuttle buses from the Finish Line in Southwest Harbor are non-stop and will bring passengers back to the Bar Harbor Village Green.

► SPECTATOR INFO: http://spectators.runmdi.org

► OTHER RACE WEEKEND HAPPENINGS:
There's so much happening! Click HERE for all the details.

Saturday & Sunday: Pre-race and post-race community saunas (bring your swimsuit and a towel!) hosted by our friends at Selkie Sauna.
Saturday & Sunday: Marathon weekend Bar Harbor becomes Music Harbor, featuring SIXTY+ hours of live music over two days, spread across six venues.
Saturday evening: Pre-Race prefix three course dinner at La Bella Vita.
Sunday morning: Our friends at Thrive juice Bar & Kitchen are opening early at 6AM for all your race morning nutritional needs.
Sunday: Southwest Harbor Finish Line Festival, hosted by the Acadia Chamber. If you're going to run all the way to Southwest Harbor, you might as well plan to stay awhile! This family-friendly event will feature live music, local vendors, food, fun, and more!

► BIB NUMBER LOOK-UP: http://entrants.runmdi.org
If you registered more than one person with the same email address you can (and should) confirm their registration by searching the entrants list.

IMPORTANT! Please keep in mind that all three races are 100% at capacity and the option to switch from one race to another is no longer possible for any reason. Our races have a maximum entrant capacity for several reasons including municipal permits, emergency management, transportation, course support, event specific medals, personalized & individually coded bib numbers for timing, etc. etc. etc. Enforcing these entrant caps allows our team to produce a safe, fun and enjoyable event. (Accepting more participants than we can manage would be irresponsible.) We wish we could accommodate every race change inquiry we receive, but as outlined above we simply cannot.

Safe travels and see you at the Pre-Race Expo!
-from the folks at run mdi

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10/10/2024 - Race reg is now closed

Registration for the 2024 event has reached capacity and is now closed.

Save the date: next year’s race will be held on Sunday, October 19th, 2025.

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9/18/2024 - Volunteer Reg is OPen

MDI Marathon Weekend is an incredible opportunity for our entire community to shine its brightest and volunteering is a fun way to be involved! (It’s also a great opportunity for students to earn volunteer hours required for graduation.)

This year will be our twenty-first running!

The MDI Marathon was founded in 2002 and created to leave more than footprints in the communities where we all love to run. Last year's Beyond the Finish Line charity fundraising, gift giving, scholarships, and grants initiative had an impact on the MDI community that totaled $45,388.00.

To learn more, or to sign sign up to help, please visit: volunteer.runmdi.org

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9/17/2024 - Kids Run Reg is OPen

Registration is now open for the Kids Run! This one mile fun run has been made FREE by the generosity of the Kids Run presenting sponsor Bangor Savings Bank. Thank you, BSB!!

Shirts and mini crusher claw medals to the first 100!

To learn more about the race, or to sign up, please visit kids.runmdi.org

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8/12/2024 - Charity Bibs Now Available

Race organizers are pleased to announce that Charity Bibs are now available for this year's Mount Desert Island Marathon and Half-Marathon.

Since 2010, our Charity Bib program has sought to challenge participants to fulfill a nominal fundraising commitment in exchange for the opportunity to sign up for the race after general registration has reached capacity.

Charity Bibs benefit the Run MDI Beyond the Finish Line program, which helps support our local island communities, as well as state, regional, and national organizations. 100% of funds raised by Charity Bib participants will be distributed as gifts and grants. Last year’s ‘Beyond the Finish Line’ impact on the greater MDI community totaled $45,388.00.

This year’s twenty-first running will be held on Sunday, October 20th.

The MDI Marathon was founded in 2002 and created to leave more than footprints in the communities where we all love to run.

To learn more about the race, or to sign up to run / volunteer / sponsor, please visit runmdi.org

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1/24/2024 - 2023 MDI Marathon brought local economy over $2M, study shows

The Mount Desert Island Marathon brought in a record $2,184,632.00 to the local economy in 2023, according to an economic impact study from the Maine Sports Commission.

“Crow Athletics’ events tell a unique story in each of their host communities, benefiting businesses, residents and creating race experiences for visitors to long remember... As Gary Allen, Crow Athletics, speaks of - ‘the ripple effects’ - resulting from a race,” explained Shelia Brennan Nee, Strategic Director of the Maine Sports Commission.

In addition to the significant economic impact to the local business community, the event also contributed a total of $45,388.00 to local nonprofit organizations in 2023, and annually funds two important scholarships at MDI High School.

“We are thrilled that our efforts continue to be one of leading event-based economic drivers in our island communities,” said race founder and director Gary Allen.

To learn more about the race or sign up to run, please visit RunMDI.org

The Maine Sports Commission, a nonprofit organization, helps elevate Maine as a four season sports destination by attracting new events and promoting current events, strengthening Maine's communities through sports tourism and encouraging healthy, active lifestyles.

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12/20/2023 - MDI Marathon gifts $35,000.00 to twenty Local Organizations

The board of directors of the Mount Desert Island Marathon, Half & Relay are pleased to announce that they have awarded $35,000.00 to twenty local organizations. It has always been the vision of our event, which was founded in 2002, to leave more the footprints in the communities where we run and take our race Beyond the Finish Line! We are pleased to see our efforts continue to be realized with this year’s twentieth running of the race.

The twenty organizations are:

$2,500.00
- Harbor House Community Service Center
- Island Housing Trust
- MDI Hospital
- Mount Desert Island YMCA
- The Neighborhood House
- SPCA of Hancock County
$1,500.00
- Abbe Museum
- Acadia Wildlife
- Bar Harbor Food Pantry
- Clean Maine Shores
- The Common Good Soup Kitchen
- Cranberry Island Community Center - Ladies Aid Society
- Friends of Acadia
- Healthy Acadia
- Island Connections
- Maine Seacoast Mission
- MDI Search & Rescue
- Open Table MDI
- YWCA MDI
$500.00
- Maine Animal Health Alliance in support of Downeast Feral Cat Connections

“We always felt we could create something here that could not only go on for decades, but also do a lot of good in the process. It’s extremely fulfilling to us all to see the substantial impact of our efforts in our communities,” said event founder and race director Gary Allen.

The board of directors of the Mount Desert Island Marathon are: Gary Allen, Marsha Bond Hayes, David Goodrich, Melissa Ossanna, Mary Ropp and Edward Swain.

In addition to these grants, the MDI Marathon will continue to fund two annual scholarships at Mount Desert Island High School, as well as bringing thousands of visitors to experience the very best of our combined island communities.

Save the date: The 2024 event is scheduled for Sunday, October 20th. Click HERE to sign up today!

The MDI Marathon is the premier event of host running club, Crow Athletics. Other races include Bridge the Gap Race, the Down East Sunrise Trail Relay, and the free Millinocket Marathon & Half. In 2023, a total of $67,909.20 has been generated in charitable support from these events.

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11/3/2023 - Registration is Open for 2024!

Dear Friends,

This is the quickest of messages to let you know that registration is now open for the 2024 MDI Marathon, Half & Relay! Race day is Sunday, October 20th.

Click HERE to sign up today!

You may learn more and sign up at our website: runmdi.org

Be sure to confirm your registration by searching the entrants list: entrants.runmdi.org

An important note regarding deferrals: If you deferred your entry from a previous edition, you will be receiving an email from ZippyReg in the next couple of weeks [update: deferral emails were sent on 12/7/23] with instructions to claim your 2024 entry using a special registration code. Once you have claimed your entry you will receive a confirmation email and your name will appear on the list of confirmed entrants.

2024 Sea to Summit Race Series— Registration is also open for the our sister race, Maine’s legendary FREE Millinocket Marathon & Half! If you’re planning to run BOTH races in 2024, consider signing up for the Sea to Summit Race Series. (Pro-top: When you sign up for MDI and add “Sea to Summit” to your registration, which will automatically register you for Millinocket, too!) You can learn more about the Sea to Summit Race Series here: seatosummitraceseries.com

We hope to see you next fall!

Sincerely,
the folks at Run MDI

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10/21/2023 - Congratulations Finishers!

What an incredible day to be a runner on Mount Desert Island!

Dear Run MDI Finishers,

Thank you for choosing to be a part of MDI 2023, featuring the TWENTIETH edition of our award-winning marathon! We were treated to a picture-perfect day and ideal race conditions. The cherry on top of our fantastic weekend was your participation!

2023 QUICK LINKS
► 2023 Results and Marathon/Half Certificates: here
► 2023 Capstone FREE Race Photos: here
► 2023 Race Gear: here
► 2023 Kevin Morris Photos: here
► 2023 Sea to Summit Maine Race Series: here (11/1 reg deadline)
► 2024 MDI Registration Updates: here
► Join Crow Athletics: here

In addition to the quick links above, please take a few moments to read thru the post-race information and recap below.

2023 RACE HIGHLIGHTS
Over 1,400 runners of all ages and abilities participated in the much anticipated twentieth running of the Mount Desert Island Marathon, Half-Marathon & Team Relay, held on Sunday, October 15th.

Ben Fishbein (Burlington-VT) claimed the men's marathon victory completing the challenging course in 2-hours, 36-minutes, and 26-seconds. Second across the line was Robert Ashby (Brunswick-ME) in 2:40:21. Rounding out the podium was Justin King (Indian Trail-NC) in 2:42:55.

In the women’s marathon 7x MDI veteran and 2019 champion Sarah Mulcahy (Fort Kent-ME) claimed her second MDI victory in 2:50:39. Maya Bradbury (Freeport-ME) claimed second in 3:18:10, followed by Delia Scoville (Boston-MA) the only podium finisher to run a negative splits with a gun time of 3:19:38.

2019 runner-up Brendan Sage (Saint Michael-MN) claimed the men's half-marathon victory in 1-hour, 10-minutes, and 9-seconds. He was followed by 3x champion Eric Ashe (Natick-MA) in 1:13:13. Hunter Umphrey (Old Town-ME) rounded out the podium in 1:20:16 for third.

The women’s half-marathon was led by defending champion and former Ellsworth High School standout runner Aleta Looker (Cambridge-MA), who claimed her second win in 1:22:24. She was joined on the podium by Kristin Johnson (Salt Lake City-UT) and Gabrielle Richard (Sherbrooke-QC) in 1:25:02 and 1:28:13, respectively.

Ned Swain (Cranberry Isles) was the first local contender to the half-marathon finish line in 1:24:02. He was followed by Keith Corson (Bernard) in 1:52:49 and Daniel Fisher-Lochhead (Mount Desert) in 1:54:26. On the women’s side, Eliza Bishop (Seal Cove) was first to the finish in 1:44:59. She was followed by Megan Douglas and Hilary Phillips (both of Bar Harbor) rounded out the local podium in 1:49:45 and 1:51:46, respectively.

The marathon relay included 26 teams, with the Bucksport Fire Department claiming their first ever Public Safety Team Relay victory in 4:37:51. Team Pedro took top honors in the 3-Person Team Relay in 2:41:00, a new course record!

On behalf of everyone associated with Run MDI we want to wish half-marathon finisher Mr. Roger Cohen (Castle Rock-CO) a very happy 90th race day birthday! Meanwhile, the youngest finisher in the full marathon was Nolan Runkle (West Chester-OH), who, at age 14, is believed to be the youngest person with cystic fibrosis to finish a marathon! Way to go Roger and Nolan!!

We also want to give a special shout-out to Alfred "Rick" Tillotson (Colebrook-CT) who is officially the ONLY person to run all TWENTY editions of the MDI Marathon, since it was first held in 2002! Hats of to Rick for his incredible twenty year streak!!

108 runners participated in this year's Charity Bibs program raising over $30,000 with Michele and Kevin Flanagan (Cocord-NH) leading the fundraising efforts with a combined total of $2,250! Since 2010 the Run MDI Charity Bib program has sought to challenge participants to fulfill a nominal fundraising commitment, in exchange for the opportunity to run an at-capacity race. 100% of funds raised benefit our Beyond the Finish Line program, which supports the local communities of Mount Desert Island, where we run, as well as state, regional, and national organizations.

ABBOTT WORLD MARATHON MAJORS WANDA AGE GROUP WORLD RANKINGS
Did you know that the Mount Desert Island Marathon is a qualifier for the AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Championships? The rankings cover age groups from 40 to 80+ for men and women. Several of MDI 2023 finishers scored a high number of ranking points and have a very good chance of being invited to the 2024 Age Group World Championship to be held as part of the Sydney Marathon on September 15, 2024! However, you MUST sign up and claim your points on the AbbottWMM site in order to be invited.

Congratulations again on your tremendous efforts, and best of luck with your upcoming running endeavors!
-from the folks at run mdi

SAVE THE DATE: Next year's race will be held on October 20th, 2024

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10/9/2023 - Race Week email sent

The Official Race Week email has been sent with bib number assignment to all registered participants. Below is a copy of what was sent:

Greetings, [your name]!

We hope your final race preparations are going according to plan and that you're ready to run!

► You are registered to participate in the [race distance here]

► PRE-RACE EXPO & BIB PICK-UP:

WHERE—
MDI YMCA Gymnasium
21 Park Street in Bar Harbor

WHEN—
Friday 3:00PM - 7:00PM
Saturday 10:00AM - 5:00PM

PARKING—
There is paid parking available throughout downtown Bar Harbor. (The ParkMobile app is very handy! We recommend downloading it ahead of time.)

Please do NOT park in the YMCA’s lot. They will still be open for regular business and this parking must remain available for their members. Thank you for your cooperation!

CAN'T MAKE IT TO CHECK IN?
In the case of runners that absolutely cannot make it to check in: Unclaimed bib numbers will be taken to the Village Green Gazebo in downtown Bar Harbor on race morning and will be available beginning at 6:00AM until 7:00AM. (Bib numbers numbers must be picked up in person. Photo ID required. Make sure you know your bib number ahead of time.)

The Village Green is located at the corner of Main Street and Mt. Desert Street — site of the Half-Marathon bus loading, and a stone’s throw from the Marathon starting line at 200 Main Street.

Important! Only bib numbers will be available for late pick-up. Race shirts/bags will not be brought to the Village Green. (We simply do not have the manpower to transport race swag to multiple locations. We have to clear the expo space as quickly as possible. ALL items are put into temporary storage and ALL hands are on deck to hold the race on Sunday.)

► RACE WEEKEND INFO: A brief overview of the most important Race Weekend Info, including race day bus service, parking, and more.

► LIVE TRACKING / RESULTS / AWARDS:

Live tracking and results will be available online: results.runmdi.org
There will be time splits as follows:

• Marathon & Relay: 1st half, 2nd half, 20M, last 10K, finish (gun and net)

• Half: 6.9M, last 10K, finish (gun and net)

The AREEP Results Kiosk will also be on site at the end of the finish chute for immediate results and age group awards pick up. (Awards will NOT be mailed.)

► PRE-RACE PASTA DINNER:
A limited number of Pasta Dinner tickets will be for sale at the Pre-Race Expo. This meal is hosted by the MDIHS Music Boosters as an important fundraiser and includes organic and locally sourced ingredients. (Salad, garlic bread, chicken or tofu parm, red or meat sauce, and chocolate or carrot cake for dessert.) Dinner starts at 5:30PM on Saturday evening.

► FINISH LINE SHUTTLE BUSES:
There is free shuttle bus transportation from the Finish Line in Southwest Harbor, back to the Village Green in Bar Harbor.

Shuttles will begin running from Southwest Harbor back to Bar Harbor at approximately 12:00PM. It’s approximately 14-miles from Southwest Harbor to Bar Harbor.

Buses will load in the Bar Harbor Bank parking lot (located on the west side of the finish line), and run continuously once filled until approximately 3:00PM.

Shuttle buses from the Finish Line in Southwest Harbor are non-stop and will bring passengers back to the Bar Harbor Village Green.

► SPECTATOR INFO: http://spectators.runmdi.org

► OFFICIAL AFTER PARTY!
Open the the public - Sunday, 12pm-10pm
Join your fellow runners at The Annex at Side Street Cafe for the Official MDI Marathon After Party! $6 margaritas and draft beer for all runners wearing their medal! Side Street Cafe and The Annex have been hosting the Official Marathon After Party for TEN YEARS. New this year will be an all day live music festival featuring some of MDI’s best local talent! This event is open to the public. We hope to see YOU there!

► NORTHEAST HARBOR FALL FESTIVAL!
Family friendly outdoor event - Sunday, 2pm-6pm
The Nor’Easter Pound & Market will turn their parking lot into THE place in Northeast Harbor to celebrate another amazing season and the 2023 MDI Marathon! All proceeds will be donated to Veterans, Mt. Desert Nursery School, and local first responders. (Vets and first responders eat for free!) This family friendly outdoor celebration will feature live music performed by Mike Harkins and The Bullseye Band, Pig Roast and BBQ, cornhole tournament, face painting, dunk tank, touch-a-truck, candy apples, door prizes, 50/50 raffle, Darling’s Ice Cream Truck, and more!

Safe travels and see you at the Pre-Race Expo!
-from the folks at run mdi

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10/1/2023 - Registration is closed

Registration for the 2023 event has reached capacity and is now closed.

Save the date: next year’s race will be held on Sunday, October 20th, 2024.

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9/13/2023 - Volunteer Reg is OPen

To learn more, or to sign sign up to help, please visit: volunteer.runmdi.org

###

9/12/2023 - Kids Run Reg is OPen

Registration is now open for the Kids Run! This one mile fun run has been made FREE by the generosity of the Kids Run presenting sponsor Bangor Savings Bank. Thank you, BSB!!

Shirts and mini crusher claw medals to the first 100!

To learn more about the race, or to sign up, please visit kids.runmdi.org

###

7/17/2023 - Charity Bibs Now Available

Race organizers are pleased to announce that Charity Bibs are now available for this year's Mount Desert Island Half-Marathon.

Since 2010, our Charity Bib program has sought to challenge participants to fulfill a nominal fundraising commitment, in exchange for the opportunity to sign up for the race after general registration has reached capacity.

Charity Bibs benefit the Run MDI Beyond the Finish Line program, which helps support our local island communities, as well as state, regional, and national organizations. 100% of funds raised by Charity Bib participants will be distributed as gifts and grants. Last year’s Beyond the Finish Line impact on the MDI community totaled $27,706.00.

This year’s twentieth running will be held on Sunday, October 15th.

The MDI Marathon was founded in 2002 and created to leave more than footprints in the communities where we all love to run.

To learn more about the race, or to sign up to run / volunteer / sponsor, please visit runmdi.org

###

2/8/2023 - Deferral instructions sent

Please be advised that registration instructions have been sent via email to previously registered participants that selected to defer to 2023. Be sure to check your junk/spam folder if you don’t see the message in your inbox.

It is the participant’s responsibility to claim their deferred entry by following the directions emailed to them by ZippyReg.

Once you have claimed your entry you will receive a confirmation email and your name will appear on the list of confirmed entrants.

Important! You must claim you deferred entry by May 1st. If no action is taken before the advertised deadline your deferral will be canceled and your entry fee will be donated.

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1/25/2023 - Registration is Open!

Dear Friends,

This is the quickest of messages to let you know that registration is now open for the 2023 MDI Marathon, Half & Relay! Race day is Sunday, October 15th.

Click HERE to sign up today!

You may learn more and sign up at our website: runmdi.org

Be sure to confirm your registration by searching the entrants list: entrants.runmdi.org

An important note regarding deferrals: If you deferred your entry from a previous edition, you will be receiving an email from ZippyReg in the next couple of weeks [an update will be posted on our website] with instructions to claim your 2023 entry using a special registration code. Once you have claimed your entry you will receive a confirmation email and your name will appear on the list of confirmed entrants.

2023 Sea to Summit Race Series— Registration is also open for the our sister race, Maine’s legendary FREE Millinocket Marathon & Half! If you’re planning to run BOTH races in 2023, consider signing up for the Sea to Summit Race Series. (Pro-top: When you sign up for MDI and add “Sea to Summit” to your registration, which will automatically register you for Millinocket, too!) You can learn more about the Sea to Summit Race Series here: seatosummitraceseries.com

We hope to see you this fall!

Sincerely,

the folks at Run MDI

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12/22/2022 - MDI Marathon gifts $17,000.00 to Seventeen Local Organizations

The board of directors of the Mount Desert Island Marathon, Half & Relay are pleased to announce that they have awarded grants and gifts totaling $17,000.o0 to seventeen local organizations. It has always been the vision of our event, which was founded in 2002, to leave more the footprints in the communities where we run and take our race Beyond the Finish Line! We are pleased to see our efforts continue to be realized.

The seventeen organizations selected to each receive $1000 are:

Abbe Museum
Acadia Wildlife
Bar Harbor Food Pantry
The Common Good Soup Kitchen
Cranberry Island Community Center - Ladies Aid Society
Friends of Acadia
Harbor House Community Service Center
Healthy Acadia
Island Connections
Island Housing Trust
Maine Seacoast Mission
MDI Hospital
MDI Search & Rescue
Mount Desert Island YMCA
The Neighborhood House
Open Table MDI
SPCA of Hancock County

The board of directors of the Mount Desert Island Marathon are: Gary Allen, Darron Collins, Melissa Ossanna, David Goodrich, Mary Ropp and Edward Swain.

In addition to these grants, the MDI Marathon will continue to fund two annual scholarships at Mount Desert Island High School, as well as bringing thousands of visitors to experience the very best of our combined island communities.

Save the date: The 2023 event is scheduled for Sunday, October 15th.

The MDI Marathon is the premier event of host running club, Crow Athletics. Other races include Bridge the Gap Race, the Down East Sunrise Trail Relay, and the free Millinocket Marathon & Half. In 2022, a total of $38,980.47 has been generated in charitable support from these events.

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10/21/2022 - Congratulations Finishers!

What an incredible day to return to the roads of Mount Desert Island!

Dear Run MDI Finishers,

Thank you for choosing to be a part of MDI 2022. After two years off, we can't fully put into words just how good it was to be back! Your participation on a picture perfect day helped make the weekend even better!

This year's race was dedicated in memory of former Southwest Harbor Police Chief Alan Brown, former Southwest Harbor Police Chief Dave Chapais, and former Southwest Harbor Fire Department Deputy Chief Sam Chisholm. These three men, with their departments, kept a steady watch over our finish line for many, many years. We continue to hold the family, friends, and colleagues of these men close to our hearts, and we salute their unwavering service to the Town of Southwest Harbor.

Finally, race organizers also want to especially recognize SWHPD Lieutenant Mike Miller and Mount Desert Public Works Director Tony Smith, who will both be retiring shortly after this year’s race. We thank both men for their many years of dedicated service and wish them both all the best in retirement.

2022 QUICK LINKS
► 2022 Results and Marathon/Half Certificates: HERE
► 2022 Capstone FREE Race Photos: HERE
► 2022 Race Jackets: HERE (available until 11/15/22)
► 2022 Kevin Morris Photos: HERE
► 2022 Sea to Summit Maine Race Series: HERE (11/1/22 deadline)
► Join Crow Athletics: HERE

In addition to the quick links above, please take a few moments to read thru the post-race information and recap below.

2022 FINISH LINE BUSES
Unfortunately, not all aspects of race day went as planned. Race organizers are aware of the very long, unacceptable delays with the post-race bus transportation. There were two major issues at play: One, there were traffic delays in the center of Mount Desert Island that prevented buses from getting to and from Bar Harbor efficiently. Two, there was a medical issue affecting one of the bus drivers, which further compounded the situation. We are already working vigilantly to make improvements for next year so that this does not happen ever again. We are truly and profoundly sorry to those that were adversely affected.

2022 RACE HIGHLIGHTS
Over 1,200 runners of all ages and abilities participated in the much anticipated nineteenth running and return of the Mount Desert Island Marathon, Half-Marathon & Team Relay, held on Sunday, October 16th.

Matthew Farkas (Watertown-MA) claimed the men's marathon victory completing the challenging course in 2-hours, 42-minutes, and 48-seconds. Second across the line in his second marathon was Francis Sternberg (Bangor-ME) in 2:46:55. Rounding out the podium was 3x MDI veteran Shawn Powers (Attleboror-MA) in 2:49:30, a personal record for this course.

The women’s marathon division featured a fantastic win by Janessa Dunn (San Antonio-TX), who ran even splits for a personal best by more than 4-minutes, finishing in 2:53:18. 6x MDI veteran and 2019 champion, Sarah Mulcahy (Fort Kent-ME) claimed second in 2:56:22. Rounding out the women's podium was Emma Howe (Cambridge-MA) who trimmed more than seven-minutes off her previous best, finishing in 2:56:43.

Alfred "Rick" Tillotson (Colebrook-CT) battled against injury to continue his nineteen-year streak of completing every marathon edition since the for race was first established in 2002. Hats off to Rick for his incredible achievement!

In the local marathon line-up, Christopher Cooper (Mount Desert) and Alison Hudson (Bar Harbor) led the way finishing in 3:10:35 and 4:10:55, respectively. Kevin Grickis (Southwest Harbor) was the second local man across the finish line in 3:18:31, followed by Dan Cortes (Bar Harbor) in 3:37:31. On the women’s side, Hannah Phippen and Tara Allen (both of Bar Harbor) rounded out the podium finishing in 4:11:50 and 4:41:00, respectively.

The men's half-marathon produced a new course with Jonathan Phillips (Brookline-MA) claiming victory in 1-hour, 6-minutes, and 40-seconds. He was followed by 3x champion Eric Ashe (Boston-MA) in 1:15:10. Gihan Amarasiriwardena (Somerville-MA) finished in 1:18:47 for third.

The women’s half-marathon was led by former Ellsworth High School standout runner Aleta Looker (Ellsworth-ME), who claimed the win in 1:20:39. She was joined on the podium by 2019 champion Karoline Skatteboe (Somerville-MA) and Sarah Walker (Waterville-ME) in 1:23:18 and 1:25:29, respectively.

Ned Swain (Great Cranberry Island) was the first local contender to the half-marathon finish line in 1:26:52. He was followed by Bryan Zavestoski (Seal Harbor) in 1:45:56 and Ross Pike (Bar Harbor) in 1:58:49. It was a clean sweep for Bar Harbor on the local women’s side with Elizabeth Bunker first to the finish in 1:37:50. She was followed by Serena Habecker and Lisa Tweedie, who rounded out the podium in 1:57:12 and 1:59:32, respectively.

The marathon relay included over 19 teams, with the Maine Warden Service claiming an unparalleled TWELFTH consecutive title in the Public Safety Relay, finishing in 2:59:25! Three Guys Run MDI took top honors in the 3-Person Relay in 3:04:52.

With the conclusion of our 19th running, our Beyond the Finish Line program has helped to raise over $415,000.00 in support of many local charitable organizations, as well as state, regional, and national organizations.

ABBOTT WORLD MARATHON MAJORS WANDA AGE GROUP WORLD RANKINGS
Did you know that the Mount Desert Island Marathon is a qualifier for the AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Championships? The rankings cover age groups from 40 to 80+ for men and women. Several of MDI 2022 finishers scored a high number of ranking points and have a very good chance of being invited to the 2023 Age Group World Championship to be held as part of the 2023 Bank of America Chicago Marathon! However, you MUST sign up and claim your points on the AbbottWMM site in order to be invited.

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10/9/2022 - Race Week email sent

The Official Race Week email has been sent with bib number assignment to all registered participants. Below is a copy of what was sent:

Greetings, [your name]!

We hope your final race preparations are going according to plan and that you're ready to run!

► You are registered to participate in the [race distance here]

► PRE-RACE EXPO & BIB PICK-UP:

WHERE—
MDI YMCA Gymnasium
21 Park Street in Bar Harbor

WHEN—
Friday 3:00PM - 7:00PM
Saturday 10:00AM - 5:00PM

PARKING—
There is paid parking available throughout downtown Bar Harbor. (The ParkMobile app is very handy! We recommend downloading it ahead of time.)

Please do NOT park in the YMCA’s lot. They will still be open for regular business and this parking must remain available for their members. Thank you for your cooperation!

CAN'T MAKE IT TO CHECK IN?

In the case of runners that absolutely cannot make it to check in: Unclaimed bib numbers will be taken to the Village Green Gazebo in downtown Bar Harbor on race morning and will be available beginning at 6:00AM until 7:00AM. (Bib numbers numbers must be picked up in person. Photo ID required. Make sure you know your bib number ahead of time.)

The Village Green is located at the corner or Main Street and Mt. Desert Street — site of the Half-Marathon bus loading, and a stone’s throw from the Marathon starting line at 200 Main Street.

Please note: Volunteers are only able to bring a very limited number of race bags and shirts to the Village Green. You are risking not getting a race bag or shirt in the size you want (or even getting a shirt and/or bag at all) by waiting to pick up your bib on race morning.

► RACE WEEKEND INFO: A brief overview of the most important Race Weekend Info, including race day bus service, parking, and more.

► LIVE TRACKING / RESULTS / AWARDS:

Live tracking and results will be available online: results.runmdi.org There will be time splits as follows:

• Marathon & Relay: 1st half, 2nd half, 20M, last 10K, finish (gun and net)

• Half: 6.9M, last 10K, finish (gun and net)

The AREEP Results Kiosk will also be on site at the end of the finish chute for immediate results and age group awards pick up. (Awards will NOT be mailed.)

► PRE-RACE PASTA DINNER:

A limited number of Pasta Dinner tickets will be for sale at the Pre-Race Expo. This meal is hosted by the MDIHS Music Boosters as an important fundraiser and includes organic and locally sourced ingredients. (Salad, garlic bread, chicken or tofu parm, red or meat sauce, and chocolate or carrot cake for dessert.) Dinner starts at 5:30PM on Saturday evening.

► FINISH LINE SHUTTLE BUSES:

There is free shuttle bus transportation from the Finish Line in Southwest Harbor, back to the Village Green in Bar Harbor.

Shuttles will begin running from Southwest Harbor back to Bar Harbor at approximately 12:00PM. It’s approximately 14-miles from Southwest Harbor to Bar Harbor.

Buses will load in the Bar Harbor Bank parking lot (located on the west side of the finish line), and run continuously once filled until approximately 3:00PM.

Shuttle buses from the Finish Line in Southwest Harbor are non-stop and will bring passengers back to the Bar Harbor Village Green.

► SPECTATOR INFO: http://spectators.runmdi.org

► BIB NUMBER LOOK-UP: http://entrants.runmdi.org

If you registered more than one person with the same email address you can (and should) confirm their registration by searching the entrants list.

IMPORTANT! Please keep in mind that all three races are 100% at capacity and the option to switch from one race to another is no longer possible for any reason. Our races have a maximum entrant capacity for several reasons including municipal permits, emergency management, transportation, course support, event specific medals, personalized & individually coded bib numbers for timing, etc. etc. etc. Enforcing these entrant caps allows our team to produce a safe, fun and enjoyable event. (Accepting more participants than we can manage would be irresponsible.) We wish we could accommodate every race change inquiry we receive, but as outlined above we simply cannot.

Safe travels and see you at the Pre-Race Expo!
-from the folks at run mdi

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10/1/2022 - Registration is closed

Registration for the 2022 event has reached capacity and is now closed.

Save the date: next year’s race will be held on Sunday, October 15th, 2023.

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9/25/2022 - Race Handbook now available

The 2022 Race Handbook is now available. Click HERE to view and save the PDF. Please read this race weekend information carefully.

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9/9/2022 - Charity Bibs are now available

Race organizers are pleased to announce that Charity Bibs are now available for 2022 Mount Desert Island Marathon and Half-Marathon.

Charity Bibs will benefit the Run MDI Beyond the Finish Line program, which helps support our local island communities, as well as state, regional, and national organizations. 100% of funds raised by Charity Bibs participants will be distributed as gifts and grants.

This year’s nineteenth running will be held on Sunday, October 16th.

Despite forced cancellations of the last two editions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a total of $30,126.49 was still able to be donated as part of the Beyond the Finish Line program.

The MDI Marathon was founded in 2002 and created to leave more than footprints in the communities where we all love to run.

Click HERE to learn more about participating with a Charity Bib.

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7/16/2022 - Registration update: Half-Marathon at capacity

Registration update - As of midday on July 16th, General Registration for the 2022 Half-Marathon has reached capacity and is now closed.

A limited number of Charity Bibs will be available. Click HERE to learn more.

This means that the only option to sign up for the Half-Marathon, or to switch race distances from the Marathon or Relay to the Half-Marathon, is through the Charity Bib program.

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2/25/2022 - Registration is open!

Dear Friends,

This is the quickest of messages to let you know that registration is now open for Run MDI 2022!

Race day is scheduled for Sunday, October 16th.

You may learn more and sign up by clicking HERE.

If you deferred your ‘21 entry to ‘22, please check your email for a confirmation from ZippyReg sent on February 25th at approximately 12:05PM.
If you deferred your ‘20 entry to ‘22, please check your email for directions to claim your entry from ZippyReg, sent on February 25th at approximately 12:05PM.

We hope to see you in October!

Best,
Team Run MDI

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1/1/2022 - Sign up for Reg updates

Save the date: Our next edition will be held on Sunday, October 16, 2022.

Although there is no opening day set yet, you may sign-up to be alerted when registration opens by clicking HERE.

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12/21/2021 - MDI Marathon gifts $17,000.00 to charity

Despite the Mount Desert Island Marathon’s second consecutive cancellation due to COVID-19, the board of directors continued the long running goal to significantly impact the local community by awarding thirteen gifts and grants totaling $17,000.00 as part of the Beyond the Finish Line program to the following very important and appreciated organizations:

Acadia Wildlife
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
The Common Good Community
Good Shepherd Food Bank
Harbor House Community Service Center
Healthy Acadia
Island Connections
Island Housing Trust
Maine Seacoast Mission
MDI Hospital
MDI Search & Rescue
Mount Desert Island YMCA
The Neighborhood House
SPCA of Hancock County

The MDI Marathon was founded in 2002 and was created to leave more than footprints in the communities where we all love to run. The board of directors, Gary Allen, Melissa Ossanna, Mary Ropp, David Goodrich, and Darron Collins are thrilled to direct these funds to organizations near and dear to their hearts for the betterment of all. Save the date: The 2022 event is scheduled for Sunday, October 16th.

The MDI Marathon is the premier event of host running club, Crow Athletics. Other races include Bridge the Gap Race, the Down East Sunrise Trail Relay, and the free Millinocket Marathon & Half. A total of $31,202.38 has been awarded in gifts and grants in 2021 from the proceeds of these events.

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11/30/2021 - All Cancellation solutions have been processed

Dear Friends,

Thank you for your patience.

All refunds, deferrals, and charity donations have been processed for our 2021 canceled event.

Save the date: Next year’s race will be held on Sunday, October 16, 2022. We hope to see you there.

Although there is no opening day set yet, you may sign-up to be alerted when 2022 registration opens by clicking HERE.

Sincerely,
Team Run MDI

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9/28/2021 - MDI Marathon Solution System NOW LIVE. Action required by 11/1.

Dear Friends,

Thank you very much for your patience. The cancellation solution system for our 2021 event is now live. It will offer all registered runners the option to defer their entry, request a refund, or donate their entry to charity.

You should have received an email at the address on file with your registration, which was sent within the ZippyReg system with a personalized URL to select your solution for our canceled race.

This email went out at approximately 4PM on September 28th, addressed from “info@runmdi.org”, with the subject line “2021 Run MDI Solution System - ACTION REQUIRED By 11/1”.

Please be sure to check your junk/spam folder. The deadline to select a solution is November 1st. If no action is taken before November 1st, your 2021 registration will be canceled and your entry fee will be donated.

❖

OTHER REGISTRATION NOTES:

Did you sign up with a charity bib? If you signed up to run with a charity bib in support of the MDI Marathon’s Beyond the Finish Line gift giving and grant program you will have the same solution options as all other registered participants. If you choose to defer to a future edition, you will be automatically included in general registration; you will not be required to complete any further fundraising. Your 2021 efforts will still be issued as gifts and grants in support the local communities of Mount Desert Island, where we run, as well as state, regional, and national organizations.

Did you purchase pasta dinner tickets? If you purchased pasta dinner tickets, and you request a refund, your pasta dinner tickets will also be refunded. If you choose to defer, your pasta dinner tickets will also be deferred. Deferred pasta dinner tickets may be requested for refund thru March 1st.

Did you sign up for the Sea to Summit Race Series? If you signed up for the Sea to Summit Race Series and you request a refund, your Sea to Summit Race Series registration will also be refunded. If you choose to defer, your Sea to Summit Race Series registration will also be deferred. Deferred Sea to Summit Race Series registrations may be requested for refund thru March 1st.

❖

Please know that our race staff is beyond disappointed by the cancellation of this year’s event. We have all been working so hard for our great return, and we know that everyone has put in countless hours and miles of training. We are as saddened and frustrated as anyone.

For what it’s worth, the race was notified on September 9th that the combination of a surge in active COVID-19 cases in Hancock County, plus the new state mandated vaccine requirement for healthcare workers has put an almighty staffing strain on the local EMS, public safety, and medical departments. As a result, these groups are not able to guarantee their availability to staff the race as they have over the past 18 editions. There are no other resources available to make a plan b. This great uncertainty left the race with no other option than to cancel two days after learning this news. It would be negligent to wait-and-see and hope for the best. It would also be negligent to hold to race without the support of these vital departments.

Race officials are very aware that cancelling 36 days out is short notice, however, they also hope that more than 30 days notice has allowed runners to possibly recoup some of their travel expenses and deposits.

❖

To those of you that have shown kindness and compassion to our race staff during this unexpected cancellation, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Our 2022 event is scheduled for Sunday, October 16th. We hope to see you there.

Sincerely,
Team Run MDI

→ Need to get vaccinated? Visit vaccinefinder.org to find a COVID-19 vaccination center near you.

→ Need to get tested? Visit get-tested-covid19.org to find a COVID-19 testing center near you.

[This message was shared via email to registered participants at 4pm eastern time on 9/28/2021.]

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9/25/2021 - MDI Marathon Solution System Coming Soon

Thank you for your patience. Our unexpected cancellation of the 2021 Mount Desert Island Marathon has created a need to build an online system to support cancellation solutions. We expect this laborious process to be completed soon. It will offer all registered runners the option to defer their entry, request a refund, or donate their entry to charity.

From everyone here at Team Run MDI, we wish to thank you again for your understanding and patience.

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9/11/2021 - Run MDI Canceled

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

The 2021 MDI Marathon has been canceled.

This was not an easy decision. Race organizers have been working hard for the much anticipated 19th running and preparing for a variety of contingencies.

Complications stemming from the recent surge in local COVID-19 infections due to the Delta variant, coupled with an already strained medical and emergency services community has lead to too many uncertainties to safely hold the race.

“This is absolutely devastating news to our entire organization. However, for the safety of our local community, professional partners, participants, volunteers, and fans, we simply cannot risk further spread and further strain on our healthcare system. The last 18 months have been a challenge for everyone. We were hoping to celebrate a great return after last year’s cancellation, instead, we are deeply disappointed at this unexpected turn of events,” explained race director Gary Allen.

All registered participants will be offered multiple solutions as quickly as our race staff can catch our breath. Please keep an eye on your inbox. Additionally, we will also post status updates to our website and social media platforms.

The 2022 MDI Marathon is scheduled for Sunday, October 16th. We hope to see you there.

Thank you in advance for your patience.

Sincerely,
Team Run MDI 2021

→ Need to get vaccinated? Visit vaccinefinder.org to find a COVID-19 vaccination center near you.

→ Need to get tested? Visit get-tested-covid19.org to find a COVID-19 testing center near you.

[This message was shared via email to registered participants at 3:15pm eastern time on 9/11/2021.]

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5/14/2021 - Maine to Adopt U.S. CDC’s New COVID-19 Guidance

Following a review by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services and the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Governor Janet Mills announced today that the State of Maine will adopt the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (U.S. CDC) new guidance which allows fully vaccinated Americans not to wear face coverings indoors, effective May 24, 2021.

Maine will also lift the physical distancing requirement at indoor public settings where people are eating or drinking and therefore would be removing their face covering – such as indoor restaurants, bars, dining areas in camps or in congregate living facilities, and break rooms.

Consistent with the U.S. CDC’s guidelines, it is recommended that people in Maine who are not fully vaccinated wear face coverings in indoor public settings. The U.S. CDC requires people to wear masks on all planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation.

Yesterday afternoon, the Mills Administration updated the Moving Maine Forward Plan to lift all capacity limits and physical distancing requirements in all outdoor public settings. The Administration also lifted capacity limits for indoor public venues and physical distancing requirements, except in settings where people would be removing their face coverings.

As always, please continue to be kind and take care of yourselves and help others whenever possible. We are still in this together.

→ Need to get vaccinated? Visit vaccinefinder.org to find a COVID-19 vaccination center near you.

→ Need to get tested? Visit get-tested-covid19.org to find a COVID-19 testing center near you.

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3/1/2021 - Registration is open!

As of 9AM on Monday, March 1st, General Registration is currently open!

The MDI Marathon/Half/Relay is scheduled to run as planned on October 17th.

We will continue to closely monitor the Covid-19 situation in Maine and communicate updates as they becomes available.

2020 Pandemic Deferrals

If you chose to defer your entry to 2021, due to the cancellation of our 2020 events, you should have received an email from ZippyReg on February 24th with instructions to claim your 2021 entry. You must claim you deferred entry by March 31st. If no action is taken before March 31st your deferral will be canceled and your entry fee will be donated.

Important: ZippyReg will be importing claimed deferrals to the 2021 registration system on or around March 1st, March 15th, and April 1st. Your name will not appear in the list of confirmed entrants until your claimed deferral has been imported. You will receive a confirmation email when your claimed deferral has been imported.

Note for Relay Teams: Please be advised that, by default, you will be assigned to the same team as last year. We can very easily help you switch to another team, or create a new team. Please claim your entry first, and then contact us for assistance.

→ Need to get tested for COVID-19? Visit get-tested-covid19.org to find a testing center near you.

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2/24/2021 - 2021 Registration Update

Hello, Friends.

We are cautiously optimistic and keeping our fingers (& feathers!) crossed that we will be able to run some of our events as planned this year!

General Registration Opening March 1st

We will post registration updates here, as well as on our social media platforms: media platforms: facebook/instagram/twitter.

We will continue to closely monitor the Covid-19 situation in Maine and communicate updates as they becomes available.

Thank you for ongoing patience and support as we continue to navigate these uncharted waters.

2020 Pandemic Deferrals

If you chose to defer your entry to 2021, due to the cancellation of our 2020 event, you will be receiving an email from ZippyReg on February 24th with instructions to claim your 2021 entry.

Important! You must claim you deferred entry by March 31st. If no action is taken before March 31st your deferral will be canceled and your entry fee will be donated.

ZippyReg will be importing claimed deferrals to the 2021 registration system on or around March 1st, March 15th, and April 1st. Your name will not appear in the list of confirmed entrants until your claimed deferral has been imported. You will receive a confirmation email when your claimed deferral has been imported.

→ Need to get tested for COVID-19? Visit get-tested-covid19.org to find a testing center near you.

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12/31/2020 - End of Year Gifts

For a race that wasn't held, we still did a lot of good! The MDI Marathon board of directors is pleased to announce that following a unanimous vote at our annual meeting $5,000.00 has been awarded as part of our Beyond the Finish Line charity gifts and grants program in support of the following island organizations:

Acadia Wildlife
Bar Harbor Food Pantry
Harbor House Community Service Center
The Neighborhood House
Open Table MDI

These grants are in addition to the $5,126.49 in entry fees that were generously donated by participants of our canceled 2020 event in support of many of our official charity partners.

The MDI Marathon was created to bring a world-class athletic event to our community and to leave more than footprints in the towns and villages where we run. These grants help us to deliver on this vision.

Gary Allen, Darron Collins, David Goodrich, Melissa Ossanna, and Mary Ropp are proud to serve on the MDI Marathon board of directors.

Save the date: We plan to be back again next October 17th, 2021.

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12/1/2020 - GIVING TUESDAY

Some good news on this #GivingTuesday!

Although we were left with no choice but to cancel this year’s race, our team is pleased to announce that over 60 participants chose to donate their entries to support our Beyond the Finish Line charity gifts and grants program! 17 checks totaling $5,126.49 were recently sent to the following organizations:

Acadia Family Center
Acadia Wildlife
Autism Society Of Maine
Bar Harbor Food Pantry
Brave Like Gabe
College of the Atlantic
Friends of Acadia
Harbor House Community Service Center
Joe Andruzzi Foundation
Maine Seacoast Mission
MDI Hospital
Mount Desert Island YMCA
Mount Desert Nursery School
SPCA of Hancock County
Special Olympics Maine
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Team Fox/The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research

Registration for next year’s race will open in early 2021. Keep an eye peeled here for updates.

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10/7/2020 - All solutions for canceled races have been processed

All refunds, deferrals, and donations have been processed for our 2020 canceled event.

Additionally, refunds have also been processed for 2020 Pasta Dinner tickets, as well as registration fees for the 2020 Sea to Summit Maine Race Series.

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8/7/2020 - Solution system for Canceled races is now live. Action required by 9/1.

All registered participants for the following our 2020 canceled race have been contacted via email with instructions to select their solution. If you haven’t received your solution email, be sure to check you junk/spam folder. You have until Tuesday, September 1st to select your solution. If no action is taken before September 1st your 2020 registration will be canceled and your entry fee will be donated.

As always, please continue to take care of yourselves and help others whenever possible. Practice good social distancing. Wear face coverings. Wash your hands. Be kind. We really are all in this together.

Thank you.

Need to get tested? Visit get-tested-covid19.org to find a COVID-19 testing center near you.

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7/24/2020 - Bridge the Gap, DEST Relay, and RUN MDI Canceled

Dear Friends,

We hope this update finds you & yours in good health and good spirits.

First and foremost, our team wishes to thank everyone for their patience during these unprecedented and uncertain times.

The health and safety of our participants, along with that of our volunteers, spectators, partners, local community and organizing team has and always will be our top priority. This is why, with great regret, we have been left with no other choice but to cancel the following 2020 events: Bridge the Gap Race, originally scheduled for May 2nd; Down East Sunrise Trail Relay, originally scheduled for July 17th & 18th; and the Mount Desert Island Marathon, Half-Marathon & Team Relay, originally scheduled for October 18th.

We had high hopes of re-scheduling Bridge the Gap and DEST Relay for later in the fall, as well as running MDI — all with special considerations, but with the ongoing pandemic, and based on consultation with state officials it has become clear that the best way to protect everyone’s safety is to forgo these events this year. This has been a very difficult decision to make, but one that we strongly believe is in the best interest of everyone involved.

We have multiple solutions for registered participants including:

Option 1: Donate your 2020 registration fee to the race.
Option 2: Donate your 2020 registration fee to support one of our official charity partners.
Option 3: Defer your 2020 registration to 2021, 2022, or 2023.
Option 4: If none of the above options are viable, we will work with you to find an alternate solution.

We are currently working with our colleagues at ZippyReg to implement our solution system. We will be contacting registered participants via email in the coming weeks with instructions to select a solution.

While this decision weighs heavily on us, the health and well-being of our running community is of the utmost importance. We appreciate your continued support and look forward to racing with you again in the future.

Finally, please continue to take care of yourselves and help others whenever possible. Practice good social distancing. Wear face coverings. Wash your hands. Be kind. We really are all in this together.

We will be in touch with registered participants again in the coming weeks, just as soon as our ZippyReg solution system is live.

Sincerely,
the folks at Crow Athletics

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7/10/2020 - Coronavirus Update

The governor’s office released guidance for the safe return to community sports in Maine on July 9th. Our team has paused registration for the Mount Desert Island Marathon, Half & Relay to review these guidelines. We will have more information to share soon.

Need to get tested? Visit get-tested-covid19.org to find a COVID-19 testing center near you.

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6/22/2020 - Coronavirus Update

First and foremost, to all of our participants: your continued patience during these uncertain times is deeply appreciated. Thank you.

A group of Maine endurance event organizers are currently working with state officials from the Department of Outdoor Recreation and the Maine Sports Commission to create guidelines for a safe return to racing.

At this time, our 2020 event is still scheduled to run as planned on Sunday, October 18th.

Finally, Crow Athletics wishes to salute our friends, family, and teammates continuing to work on the frontlines. (((Thank you.)))

Please continue to take care of yourselves and help others whenever possible. Practice good social distancing. Wear face coverings. Wash your hands. Be kind. We really are all in this together.

Need to get tested? Visit get-tested-covid19.org to find a COVID-19 testing center near you.

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4/30/2020 - Bridge the Gap and DEST Relay to run in Fall, new dates TBA.

In support of Governor Janet Mills’ safe and gradual plan to re-open the state of Maine, both Bridge the Gap and Down East Sunrise Trail Relay will be postponed until the fall.

We are working with our local partners to coordinate our new race dates and we will release those details as soon as they are finalized. In the event that you are unable to attend our make-up date we will have multiple solutions for you.

At this time, none of our 2020 events have been canceled. The current status of each race is as follows:

Bridge the Gap Race: Postponed until fall. New date TBA.
DEST Relay: Postponed until fall. New date TBA.
MDI Marathon/Half/Relay: Scheduled to run as planned on October 18th.
Millinocket Marathon & Half: Scheduled to run as planned on December 5th.

Thank you to all of our participants for your continued patience during these unprecedented times. We look forward to racing again this fall, once it is safe to do so.

Finally, Crow Athletics wishes to salute our friends, family, and teammates working on the frontlines—the world wouldn’t run without you.

Please take care of yourselves and help others whenever possible. We are all in this together.

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4/23/2020 - Coronavirus Update

Thank you to all of our participants for your patience during these unprecedented times.

Our team is very closely monitoring state guidelines on large gatherings. At this time, none of our 2020 events have been canceled. The current status of each race is as follows:

Bridge the Gap Race: Postponed. We are hopeful to hold the race at a later date this year.
DEST Relay: Scheduled to run as planned on July 17th & 18th.
MDI Marathon/Half/Relay: Scheduled to run as planned on October 18th.
Millinocket Marathon & Half: Scheduled to run as planned on December 5th.

We will have more information to share as soon as we receive additional direction from the state of Maine.

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3/16/2020 - Bridge the Gap Race postponed

Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic we are facing a postponement of our Bridge the Gap Race, originally scheduled for May 2nd.

The CDC recommends that for the next 8 weeks, organizers cancel or postpone in-person events that consist of 50 people or more throughout the U.S.

On Sunday (March 15) Governor Janet Mills proclaimed a civil state of emergency in Maine, and asked that all events with 50 people or more be postponed until further notice.

We will announce a make-up date and other pertinent information/details as we have them.

Until then, please take care of yourselves and each other. Let’s work together to flatten the curve.

You can read the U.S. CDC’s full guidelines on mass gatherings HERE.

No other Crow Athletics races are expected to be postponed at this time.

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3/14/2020 - Crow Athletics Office Closed until further notice

Our team is currently practicing social distancing and will not be keeping regular office hours until further notice.

Please take care of yourself and others during these uncertain times. Let's work together to flatten the curve.

Wishing you and yours health and kindness.

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3/13/2020 - State Recommendation on Large Gatherings

Maine DHHS & CDC currently recommends that residents and organizations avoid attending and hosting non-essential large indoor gatherings in the next thirty days (through April 12, 2020). Evidence does not suggest a threshold for what constitutes a “large” gathering. While it may be lower, at the moment, Maine CDC recommends a threshold of 250 or more attendees in a confined space. Given the rapid spread of COVID-19 in the Northeast, suspension of non-essential large group gatherings can help Maine maximize the window of opportunity to limit the potential spread of the virus here.

This recommendation will be re-evaluated in two weeks (by March 26, 2020) to give Maine residents and organizations time to plan. Limiting large gatherings now is proactive and helps Maine continue its preparation for the potential arrival of COVID-19.

You can read more about Maine CDC’s guidelines on limiting community spread of COVID-19 HERE.

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3/12/2020 - Official Statement regarding coronavirus (COVID-19)

Crow Athletics is closely monitoring updates from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), local and State (MAINE) authorities.

We take these matters very seriously. At this time there are no planned changes to our 2020 event schedule.

This is a fluid situation and should anything change we will release pertinent race information as it becomes known.

We will continue to monitor and observe events throughout the country and around the world. Race officials will work with local/state/federal health authorities to develop alternative plans should they need to be implemented. Our primary goal is to protect the welfare of our communities and our participants while hosting safe and enjoyable events.

We encourage everyone to follow recommendations and updates from the CDC as well as watching our various electronic platforms for any race updates, should they become necessary.

In the meantime, please take care of yourselves and each other.