“Founding Father and Principled Man”

Bob Payne, of Raymond, Maine, has had an extensive and impressive running history. During the past 20 years, Bob has been a highly successful competitor, race director, and volunteer. He has a breadth of experience that includes successfully competing at running distances from 400 meters to the marathon. In addition, Bob was instrumental in creating the Maine Running Hall of Fame in an effort to enhance the recognition of Maine's outstanding runners.

His running history began at Fryeburg Academy where he achieved a half-mile record of 2:09 and a mile-best of 4:49. He was a member of two State cross country championship teams at Fryeburg; running 5th for the team and 12th overall at the State meet in 1953, his freshman year, and running 2nd for the team behind his brother Rayfield and 3rd overall in the 1954 State meet. During high school, Bob loved the competition but put his running shoes away following his graduation.

Bob had taken the path of many successful American businessmen. Hard work and stress had taken their toll and Bob ended up in the hospital with what he thought was a heart attack. At age 38 he was, in his own words, "a physical wreck." He was overweight, overworked, and in poor health.

Following this wake up call, Bob decided to improve his health through diet and exercise as opposed to pills. Within a short time, he was running 30-mile weeks and he set goals which included running in the Boston Marathon. He has completed 31 marathons, 15 of them at Boston!

Bob's personal records include a 2:55: 11 Maine Coast Marathon finish, a 2:57:20 Boston Marathon, a 2:22 800meter, a 5:02 1500-meter indoors, a 5:10 mile, an 11:01:4 3200-meter, a 16:40 5K, a 22: 10 4-mile, 29:04 5-mile, a 35:58 10K, a 55:35 15K, a 62:08 10-mile, and a 1:22:32 half marathon. This past spring and summer, Bob set five M.E.C.T.A. (Maine Corporate Track Assoc.) age group records for the 60 and over age group division. In 1990, Bob set a small company 10K USCAA National Seniors record of 37: 15 in Boulder, Colorado. That record still stands.

For 13 years, Bob was the Race Director for the Midwinter Classic 10-miler. With the help of Maria Keefe they moved the race to Cape Elizabeth and they worked on getting the number of runners up, and to this day the race continues to attract a strong field of runners. Bob and Marla co-organized and co-directed the YMCA Back Bay 5K for the first 5 years of the race and it continues to be a great fund-raiser for the Portland YMCA.

Bob organized and coached the New England Telephone Company track team for eight years, competing in local and regional track meets. He also served on the board for MECTA (Maine Corporate Track Assoc.) for many years. Bob served on the board for the United States Corporate Athletic Association for two years. Currently, he is serving on the board for the Maine Senior Games.

Bob enjoys working with youth and has worked with the Special Olympics program in Maine. He is currently serving his seventh year on the board for Special Olympics. He has also worked with several sports through the Raymond Recreation Association.

Bob plans to continue to compete and promote the sport of running for many years to come.