enlarge Gregory Rec/Staff Photographer

Tom Ryan is eager to see the nation's other top masters runners -- friends all -- compete in Cape Elizabeth. He says, "It's so much fun sandbagging each other with how we're training, and how our races are coming along."

TOP OVER-50 ELITE MALE RUNNERS

• Dave Cannon, 50: Masters-50 2007 10,000-meter U.S. track and field outdoor champion, M-50 2007 USATF 5K cross country champion, M-50 2008 USATF 10K-champion.

• Stephen Chantry, 53: Six-time U.S. Track and Field national champion, ran anchor on relay team which set M-50 world record at 3,200 meters.

• Norm Larson, 52: Won M-50 division at 2008 Boston Marathon in 2:39.13.

• Kevin McMahon, 54: Finished third in the USATF master's mile in 2007, holds masters' record in Clarence DeMarr 5K in South Hero, Vt.

• Tom Ryan, 52: Second-ranked M-50 road runner nationally in 2007, M-50 winner of 2006 USATF 5K cross country championship. second-place finisher in 2007 USATK 5K national cross country championships.

Usually, when Tom Ryan has wanted to run against the nation's other elite runners in his age group, he's had to leave Maine to do it.

On Saturday, the Cape Elizabeth resident will be able to toe the same starting line with his running peers in his hometown.

For the first time, the top five runners in the United States over age 50 will compete in the TD Banknorth Beach to Beacon 10K race.

"We're thrilled and excited to have these guys come," said race president David Weatherbie. "We expect to see a very competitive race among this group. I think it will be a lot of fun for the spectators and for these gentlemen."

The elite group of senior division runners includes Ryan, Dave Cannon of Seattle, Stephen Chantry of Williamsburg, Va., Norm Larson of Burlington, Vt., and Kevin McMahon of Essex Junction, Vt.

"The only time we've all run head-to-head against each other is in the national 5K and 10K cross country championships, and those are held all over the country," Ryan said. "This year, I talked them into coming to a road race."

Saturday, the five runners will start in the first corral among the race's top 100 runners.

"In cross country, when you're on the starting line, there's almost 150 guys on the starting line," Ryan said. "You have no idea where your competitors are. Here, we're going to have the opportunity to stand side-by-side in the starting block in the exact same spot. It's going to be pretty exciting."

Aging Excellence, a Maine-based company which provides non-medical and personal-care services to Mainers over 50 years of age, has put up $1,700 in prize money for the top three finishers among men and women in the division.

But the prize money is immaterial to Ryan and his running buddies.

"The prize money wasn't even known until they all accepted their invitations," he said. "They wanted to come just to know, to settle the score, to find out who is the best man. It's bragging rights for a year."

It also may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for them to go head-to-head against each other in a race.

"This will probably never happen again," McMahon said. "We know at our age today is the day. Hold onto it. The odds of us getting together and lining up so we can run against each other are so thin."

That's why it was important to each member of the elite senior running group to compete in the Beach to Beacon.

"The longer you last in this game of running, this hard running, the smaller the crowd becomes simply because of the attrition of age," McMahon said. "When the crowd gets smaller, it gets more precious."

While McMahon often trains with Larson on the bike paths along Lake Champlain, the five men seldom see each other in between races.

But they keep in touch via the Internet.

"If you can get into a circle of buds and keep the chat up, even by e-mail, you keep the enthusiasm up," McMahon said. "It gets ridiculous.

"If we were in the same house together there wouldn't be anybody else who could stand us."

The exchange of e-mails has heightened the excitement for the five men.

"It's like so many things in life, the anticipation is so much better than the actual event," Ryan said. "It's so much fun sandbagging each other with how we're training, and how our races are coming along."

Larson is the only member of the group besides Ryan who is familiar with the race course.

"Norm competed in the Beach to Beacon two years ago, and he beat me by two seconds," Ryan said.

"We went into the park, and I was ahead of him, and he went by me at the six-mile mark like I was standing still."

The last 500 meters of the 6.2-mile race course is located in Fort Williams Park.

"I told these guys it's a hilly course, and they said, 'What hills?' " Ryan said. "They're going to be in for a shock."

Staff Writer Paul Betit can be contacted at 791-6624 or at:

pbetit@pressherald.com