Click here to view a slideshow of the most scenic Marathon course in the United States!
MDI Marathon Footage
Officials of the Mount Desert Island Marathon are pleased to announce the release of professionally recorded race footage filmed during the 2006 event,
and the 2005 MARTHA television footage. This excellent film clip showcases the beauty
of the award winning route during the actual 2006 race, and was made available by the generosity of the
presenting sponsor, Red Lobster.
(September 3, 2008)
Race Director, Gary Allen, was interviewed by Chris Russell of Run-Run-Live!(The podcast for running, runners, wannabe runners and mid-packers of all shapes and sizes who just want to strap on their favorite pair of shoes and get out there!)
Give a listen and learn about the motivation and inspiration behind the
MDI Marathon including some tips and insights on the course and our area.
(August 21, 2008)
The Bar Harbor Times and its parent company, VillageNet Media, have been named the
official media sponsor of the 2008 MDI Marathon.
"We're delighted to be involved with the MDI Marathon again," said Greg Fish, editor
of the Bar Harbor Times. "Having local ownership here in Maine again, it seemed
natural for us to be involved with a premier locally grown event such as the MDI
Marathon. We see great new opportunities that are beneficial to both us and the
marathon when we get our new website running in the near future."
"Speaking on behalf of the marathon we are completely thrilled to work with the
Bar Harbor Times," said Gary Allen, the marathon's founder and director.
"By naming our first ever official media sponsor it will allow us to more easily
share regular and breaking information, including many new features about the race,
our competitors and all the related events that are planned for another
record-breaking marathon week."
(August 16, 2008)
MDI Marathon officials were proud to help celebrate the one-hundred year anniversary
of marathon running in the state of Maine. Gary Allen, our race director and Mary
Ropp our marketing director were instrumental in organizing, advertising and
supporting this historic running event first held in 1908... (full news article)
(August 8, 2008)
Bar Harbor's very own Bar Harbor Brewing Company has been officially named the
new presenting sponsor of the Mount Desert Island Marathon, to be held Sunday
October 19, 2008. "We are extremely pleased to be the presenting sponsor of the
MDI Marathon," stated Andre Lozano, President of Bar Harbor Brewing Co. "The
marathon has been known to extend our tourist season here in Bar Harbor, and we are
proud to sponsor such a well-known race and event that brings together both locals
and visitors from all over the world." Gary Allen, race founder called the
partnership, "A perfect fit. By working together we can bring a lot of good to our
entire island and the state of Maine." ... full press release.
(July 24, 2008)
Mount Desert Island Marathon officials are pleased to announce that the special guest
speaker this year's race will be Sheri Piers from Falmouth, Maine. She has
distinguished herself as one of the best women's marathon runners in history
from Maine, having qualified for and competed in the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials
held in Boston where she finished in 16th place overall in a personal best time of
2:38:46. A member of the Dirigo Racing Club, she recently appeared on the cover of
New England Runner magazine. She will speak at the pre-race pasta dinner held to
benefit the MDI Music Boosters.
Sheri Piers - 2008 Olmpic Trials
(June 30, 2008)
Organizers of both the Sugarloaf Marathon and Mount Desert Island Marathon are
pleased to announce the formation of the first race series in the state of Maine
dedicated exclusively to marathon running.
The first ever 'Maine Summit to Sea Marathon Series' will start in the spring at
the 2009 Sugarloaf Marathon and conclude in the fall at the 2009 Mount Desert Island
Marathon. Competitors will be scored on their combined times for both events. There
will be awards in various age divisions as well as crowning the overall champions of
this exciting series... full press release.
Organizers of the 2008 Mount Desert Island Marathon are pleased to announce that the
starting field for the October 19th event is one step closer to being filled. As of
July 21st there are fewer than 365 spots remaining in the official starting field.
Competitors are currently registered from 47 US states, 5 Canadian provinces, the
UK, Ireland and the Virgin Islands. The Mount Desert Island Marathon was the largest
marathon held in the state of Maine in 2007 and is on pace to hold that important
distinction again this year. Participants considering running MDI should sign up now,
as the 1,000 entrant field is expected to fill to capacity shortly. Sign-up today!
2007 starting field
(June 17, 2008)
Bar Harbor - The Mount Desert Island Marathon, voted 'Most Scenic in North America' by
ESPN, has created a new relay division open only to Maine police and fire department
members. The MDI Marathon - Police & Fire Pursuit will feature teams which consist
of five officers or fire fighters from the around the state. Four members will run
6 miles each and then hand off to the next with the fifth member running 2.2 miles
to the finish line. This friendly competition is loosely patterned after the popular
tradition of NYPD and NYFD members who annually run in the New York City Marathon
with bragging rights going to the winning departments. The MDI Marathon is issuing
a challenge and invitation
to all police and fire departments statewide. As an added
incentive they will waive all entry fees for participating relay squads and are
encouraging individual departments to launch fundraising campaigns around their
teams participation to help support their various causes or other charitable work.
MDI Marathon will provide
pledge sheets
to participating departments to assist with
meeting individual departments fund raising goals. The winning police and fire
departments will be crowned at the finish line. More information here.
(May 18, 2008) -
The race director and founder of the Mount Desert Island Marathon, Gary Allen, also a
member of Crow Athletics,
further distinguished himself as both an inventive race
director and as a fierce competitor at the 2008 Sugarloaf Marathon. Running in his
70th career marathon, Mr. Allen successfully logged his 53rd Sub 3 hour marathon at
age 51.
His time of 2:59:04 placed him in 12th overall and 2nd in the men's 50-54 division.
Mr. Allen ran his first marathon below three hours in July, 1978 in 2:52:41 at age 21.
Doing so 30 years later is a feat not many, or any can claim. Mr. Allen is believed
to be the first person in his home state of Maine to reach the incredible milestone
of running 50 sub 3 hour marathons in four separate decades (the 50th at age 50). Congratulations Gary!
Gary Allen
(April 29, 2008) -
Bar Harbor, Maine has been selected as one of the world's top 100 destinations by
TripAdvisor members as part of their 2008 Traveler's Choice Destinations Awards.
The Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce was notified by TripAdvisor on April 29, 2008
that Bar Harbor placed 92nd overall in the world and was also selected as one of
the top 25 destinations in the United States placing 16th...
(full press relase)
(January 21, 2008) -
The Mount Desert Island Marathon has officially teamed up with Maine Running Forum (MRF)
to host the official forum for this year's event. Please take the time to create a MRF account and post your questions
or comments concerning the MDI Marathon there. If you are a veteran of the race you may want to offer advice or share your
own memories and pictures of the event. The forum features interactive photo albums, calendars, and more!
click image to enlarge
(September 5, 2007) Emmaus, PA -
The October issue of Runners World magazine has been delivered to
subscribers and hit newsstands worldwide. In the latest edition the featured,
Race of The Month is the Mount Desert Island Marathon. Nicknamed "Big Sur of the
East" in the article (after the scenic California race by the same name),
this exciting news will help move the showcase event one step closer to becoming
a top international destination marathon. In the same magazine, the host club
behind the marathon, Crow Athletics, has a separate article and photograph about
the 'July 4th Around Mount Desert Island Relay' that the club also founded in
2002. Both of these articles will help propel participation tourism on Mount
Desert Island to new heights and bring many thousands to enjoy our island
hospitality. "It was always our club's vision and intention to bring big time
running home to MDI, this kind of attention is obliviously priceless," commented
Mary Ropp, editor of the popular Crow Athletics website and marketing director of the MDI Marathon.
We are proud members of the following organizations:
email us | MDI Marathon, PO BOX 117 Northeast Harbor, Maine 04662 | 207.276.4226
