The Autumn & Ales a road race, which takes place along the Scarborough marsh, has been rescheduled for Oct. 21 as a result of the expected impact of Hurricane Lee — although the impact of the storm was milder than predicted. The race will still be at the same location and with the same routes and timings as originally planned. The proceeds from the race will be distributed to one of three beneficiaries: The Scarborough Land Trust, Holy Cross School, Project GRACE. There will be a kid’s fun run, which is newly added, and a 5k, 10k, and half marathon.

“Every year the goal is focused on raising money for nonprofits,” said one of the event organizers, Dr. Tracey St. John. “We know that every business and person like different nonprofits for various reasons, so we wanted sponsors and donors to be able to pick and choose where their money goes. This year our beneficiaries were Scarborough Land Trust, Project Grace and or Holy Cross School.”

The Scarborough Land Trust is a nonprofit organization that conserves and maintains land in the town. Project GRACE (Granting Resources and Assistance through Community Effort) is a Scarborough-based nonprofit, volunteer organization that aims to help those in need. Holy Cross School opened in 1937 in South Portland and enrolls area students. It is a Catholic school with a mission of strengthening faith and community

The race, which is for runners of all levels, from seasoned athletes to beginners, will be held at the American Legion Post 76 located in the Scarborough Industrial Park at 55-73 Mason Libby Road in Scarborough. The course begins at the American Legion, runs along the Eastern Trail in Scarborough.

“We are estimating about 375 to 400 people at this race,” said Tracey St. John, one of the event organizers “This is great since we doubled the runners from last year.”

Dr. Tracey St. John and her husband Dr. Victor St. John own Mend Health and Wellness of Maine which organizes the run every year. Mend is a sports chiropractic, rehabilitation clinic, which provides non-surgical management of sports and musculoskeletal injuries.

“We started Autumn & Ales 5 years ago,” ” said Dr. Tracey St. John. “My husband and I own Mend Health and Wellness of Maine and wanted to connect more with the running community and raise money for local nonprofits. My goal is to one day make this a large, well-attended run that draws people into beautiful Scarborough, Maine yearly for this event.”

Food  will be from Delicious Thymes Catering and many other businesses of others are on board. “Burr signs came through as one of the head sponsors by donating our beautiful medals. Perfect Fit Health and Wellness will be doing the warm-up for all the runners, Nonesuch River Brewing (co-organizer since the beginning) will be pouring the beer at the beer garden and Dj Viejo will be playing upbeat music for all to enjoy,” said Dr. Tracey St. John.

Amber Hoxha, marketing consultant, said “We are looking forward to 2024. The possibilities are opening up for us to add a market/fair type experience to the race- almost like a block party. Autumn & Ales is about running, raising money for local nonprofits, and bringing the Scarborough community together over a refreshing brew & scenic marsh view to lift anyone’s day.”

Hoxha has been working on Autumn & Ales since the beginning of the year, “This is the third year for the race but apparently there was a demand for a race along the marsh in Scarborough. It quickly gained popularity this year. We’re expecting close to 400 people on Saturday and are elated to see such interest.”

Regarding the decision to reschedule the race, organizers put out a notice stating, “your safety and overall race experience are our top priorities, and due to circumstances beyond our control, we must make some adjustments. In light of Hurricane Lee and its unpredictable path and timing, we have made the difficult decision to postpone the Autumn & Ales race. Your safety is paramount, and we want to ensure that the race is an enjoyable and secure experience for everyone involved.  While the decision was primarily driven by safety concerns, there’s a silver lining to this change — it gives us more time to make Autumn & Ales an even more fun and festive event for all participants! We’ll use this additional time to enhance the race experience, add some exciting surprises, and ensure that the course is in nice condition for your run. We understand that this change may affect your plans, and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience it may cause. No refunds or deferments are being offered at this time. We look forward to welcoming you on October 21st for an amazing day of running, camaraderie, and celebration. Your support means the world to us, and we can’t wait to see you at the starting line.”

The kid’s fun run will be held at the field behind the Legion at 9:30 a.m., the 5k and 10k have a check in at 7:30 a.m., the race starts at 8:30 a.m., and the half marathon has a 6:30 a.m. check-in and starts at 7:30 a.m.

The ticket prices are $15 for the Kid’s Fun Run, $40 for the 5k, the 10K is $50 and the half marathon is $65.

Carpooling is encouraged, but there is parking available. Be advised to park on Washington Road off Mason Libby Road, or on Mason Libby Road, which is one-quarter mile away from the entrance of the race. There will be someone directing traffic. Also, there will be five water breaks and there will be porta-potties and a few bathrooms in the Legion building.

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