enlarge 2007 Press Herald File

Robert Moody, the conductor of the Portland Symphony Orchestra and PSO executive director and oboist Ari Solotoff doubt they'll set any records in their first Beach to Beacon 10K on Saturday. Like most recreational runners, they're running for fun.

If anyone has earned the right to wear black tie and tails while running in the 11th annual TD Banknorth Beach to Beacon 10K road race, it's Portland Symphony Orchestra conductor Robert Moody.

But a road race is no laughing matter to the young maestro. It's serious business.

"I'm not the fastest runner in the world," he said. "I'm not out to win any prizes, but I really enjoy it. It's something about the sense of accomplishment. People cheering when you cross the finish line."

For the past six years, running has been a very important part of Moody's life. In 2002, he took up running while serving as resident conductor of the Phoenix Symphony.

"I got addicted," he said. "If I go too many days without running, I start craving it. My body starts reacting."

Moody, who also serves as the music director of the Winston-Salem Symphony, divides his time between Maine and North Carolina.

When in Maine, he often goes on training runs on the trail around Back Bay or the Eastern Promenade.

Each month, Moody, who recently turned 41, tries to run in at least one road race.

Two weeks ago, while spending some time at his condo in Keystone, Colo., he ran in an 8K road race.

"I'm such a big fan of people who are really great at (running). I don't claim to have any particular skill at it," Moody said. "Of people like Joan Benoit (Samuelson), I'm in awe.

"What I do know is there is such a good feeling of accomplishment."

Young, active conductors like Moody are helping to change the image of their profession.

"I think people tend to think of old guys with wild, crazy white hair," he said. "That actually is not the case for a lot of conductors these days."

"I've worked with many conductors, and I think they all find something that is not music-related to which they can devote their time and energy to," said PSO Executive Director Ari Solotoff. "Hopefully, it is about building mental endurance. It's about going off to another place. And it's also about building stamina. When you're talking about conducting, you're talking about spending hours up on the podium. It's a physical marathon."

Moody, who grew up in South Carolina, can still remember how his body felt the first time he conducted Handel's Messiah.

"When we got to the Hallelujah Chorus, and we still had 30 minutes to go, I realized I had my right elbow down to my rib cage because I couldn't lift my arm any higher," he recalled. "I was two hours, 10 minutes into it and really feeling it big time."

Because of Moody's enthusiasm for running, Solotoff, an accomplished oboist and a graduate of the University of California, has been bitten by the same bug.

On Saturday, he'll compete in his first road race in the Beach to Beacon.

"I'm not an athlete, and I don't claim to be one," said the 27-year-old Solotoff. "But this is something we can participate in together, and I've actually pretty much enjoyed the process of getting ready."

While out on their training runs, Moody and Solotoff each runs at his own pace.

"He's faster than I am," Solotoff said. "We go about as far as we can together, and then he continues on. I go more for endurance than for time. I'm not interested in doing it in a particular time. I'm more interested in completing it."

That's exactly what Moody intends to do in his first Beach to Beacon.

"I'm making absolutely no predictions, other than I plan to finish," he said.

Staff Writer Paul Betit can be contacted at 791-6424 or at:

pbetit@pressherald.com