Running News Daily

Hellen Obiri dominates Falmouth Road Race; Wesley Kiptoo equals 19-year-old men’s course record

Hellen Obiri is making a habit of winning in Massachusetts this year.

After kicking away from the field to win April’s Boston Marathon and dominated the BAA 10K in June, Obiri made it a triple crown with a win at Sunday’s Falmouth Road Race. After leading the pack through the 5K mark, the two-time Olympic silver medalist built up a 25-second lead through 10K and cruised to the win on the 7-mile course in 35 minutes 13 seconds.

“The uphill was terrible for me,” Obiri said. “But I knew after that it was downhill and it was an incredible finish.”Emily Sisson, the American record holder in the marathon, was the runner-up, 19 seconds behind Obiri.

In the men’s race, Kenya’s Wesley Kiptoo made his move much earlier, setting a strong pace from the gun. Kiptoo was already 12 seconds clear of the field at 5K and 20 seconds up the road at 10K, breaking the tape in 31:08, which matched the course record set by Gilbert Okari in 2004.John Korir and Edwin Kurgat made it a Kenyan sweep on the podium. Former BYU star Clayton Young was the top American, finishing fifth.

Daniel Romanchuk, of Maryland, captured his fifth Falmouth victory in the men’s wheelchair division, taking 25 seconds off his own course record to finish in 21:13.

Susannah Scaroni broke her own women’s wheelchair course record, going practically unchallenged to finish in 24:38, 52 seconds faster than her record-setting time last year.

“I always like pushing things farther and farther,” she said. “I don’t think I have ever done a more beautiful course.”

 

(08/20/2023) Views: 364 ⚡AMP

Obiri, Sisson to Face Off in ASICS Falmouth Road Race

Two high-profile and highly-competitive women in distance running will headline the international elite field at next week’s ASICS Falmouth Road Race. Hellen Obiri and Emily Sisson, both making their Falmouth debut, will face off on the roads for the third time this year when they line up for the seven-mile race on Sunday, Aug. 20.

This year, Obiri has won half marathons in the United Arab Emirates and New York City before winning the Boston Marathon in April. Since her Boston victory, Obiri has also won the B.A.A 10K and was runner-up in the Mastercard New York Mini 10K. Last weekend, she won the Beach to Beacon 10K in Maine.

“The roads and the people of Massachusetts have been good to me so far this year,” said Obiri, a two-time world champion and two-time Olympic silver medalist for Kenya. “I know it will not be easy, but I hope I can keep my record going. It will be nice to test myself before I get back into my preparations for an autumn marathon.”

For Sisson, Falmouth is part of the build up to this fall’s Bank of America Chicago Marathon where she will attempt to lower her own American record of 2:18:29 in the event. This past January, she also set the American record in the half-marathon (since broken by Kiera D’Amato) and won the USATF 15km title for the third consecutive year.

“I have not had the chance to race Falmouth before, but I have wanted to ever since I started spending summers in New England,” said Sisson, a graduate of Providence College. “I’m excited for my first Falmouth Road Race to be in the build up to Chicago. I cannot wait to line up in a few weeks time!”

Other top contenders include 2021 Falmouth champion and last year’s runner-up Edna Kiplagat, U.S. 5K Champion Weini Kelati and reigning U.S. 10 Mile champion Fiona O’Keeffe.

Fresh off a victory at last week’s Beach to Beacon 10K in Maine, Addisu Yihune will attempt back-to-back New England wins. The 20-year-old Ethiopian leads the men’s field.

Last year’s third place finisher, David Bett is returning in 2023. Other contenders include 2022 Los Angeles Marathon champion John Korir, two-time Pittsburgh Half Marathon winner Wesley Kiptoo and 2019 NCAA Cross Country Champion Edwin Kurgat.

In the Wheelchair Division, sponsored by Spaulding Rehabilitation, Daniel Romachuk, who set the course record in 2019, will chase his fifth Falmouth win. He championed last year’s race by three and a half minutes over Hermin Garic, the 2021 Falmouth winner who is also returning this year.

In the women’s race, 2022 champion and course record holder Susannah Scaroni will defend her title. Scaroni has dominated the road circuit in 2023 winning the Boston Marathon, New York Mini 10K and AJC Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta. Scaroni will face 2021 women’s champion Emelia Perry and 2022 third place finisher Yen Hoang who won the B.A.A. 10K earlier this year.

The 51st running of the ASICS Falmouth Road Race is the culmination of an entire weekend of running that kicks off with the Falmouth Elite Mile, held this year on Friday evening for the first time. The women’s field is led by former Oregon standout Susan Ejore of Kenya and three-time NCAA Champion Dani Jones. It also includes Belmont, Massachusetts high school phenom Ellie Shea.

The men’s race will welcome the deepest men’s field in its history. Olympic gold medalist Matthew Centrowitz will make his first trip to Falmouth to toe the start line with some of the nation’s top middle-distance runners. Past winner Craig Engels also returns this year as does Seekonk, MA native Johnny Gregorek, a World Championship qualifier who won the Guardian Mile in Cleveland last month and Vince Ciattei who won last weekend’s Beale Street Mile in Memphis.

In the Wheelchair division, both Romanchuk and Garic will also compete as will Scaroni, Perry and Hoang in the women’s race.

“From the track to the roads, there is going to be exciting racing to witness all weekend in Falmouth,” said Jennifer Edwards, Executive Director of Falmouth Road Race, Inc. “It’s an honor to welcome so many legends and future legends of the sport who will lead our field of 10,000 to the finish line.”

The Falmouth Track Festival which includes the Falmouth Elite Mile will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 18 at Falmouth High School. The ASICS Falmouth Road Race gets underway at 9 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 20 with athletes running the traditional course starting in Woods Hole and ending at Falmouth Heights Beach.

(08/11/2023) Views: 500 ⚡AMP

Ben Flanagan wins his third Falmouth Road Race

Kitchener, Ont. native Ben Flanagan has done it again, winning his third Falmouth Road Race in four years. Flanagan finished the seven-mile (11.3 km) course in 32:25, outlasting runner-up Biya Simbassa (32:32) for a second straight year in Falmouth, Mass.

With two Falmouth victories to Flanagan’s name, and his partner, Hannah, growing up in Falmouth, he was the race favourite heading in and was keen to defend his 2021 title. In a pre-race interview, Flanagan chatted about his familiarity with the course and how he was already dreaming of his celebration when he won his third.

Like in previous years, the 27-year-old broke the tape by jumping into it, holding up the “number three” with his hand. 

Flanagan again made his attack at the top of the Scranton Ave. hill at the 5.5-mile marker. Simbassa, who lives and trains in Flagstaff, Ariz., followed Flanagan’s move along with David Bett of Kenya. The Canadian 10K record holder ousted Bett and Simbassa on the final downhill to win, nine seconds shy of his personal best on the course: 32:16 from 2021.

Flanagan now joins an exclusive group of six runners to successfully defended their titles at Falmouth. The group of six features: Alberto Salazar (‘81 and ‘82), Frank Shorter (’75 and ’76), and David Murphy (‘84 and ‘85). Next year, he will have the chance to join Kenya’s Gilbert Okari as the only men to win three straight (2004-06)

The American women’s marathon record holder, Keira D’Amato, won the women’s 11.3 km race in a nail-biting finish (36:14). She managed to hold off a surging 2017 Boston Marathon champion Edna Kiplagat (36:28) to claim the women’s title in her Falmouth debut.

This race was a quick bounce back for the 37-year-old, who placed eighth at last month’s 2022 World Athletics Championships marathon for Team USA in 2:23:34. Earlier this year at the Houston Marathon, D’Amato set the U.S. marathon record of 2:19:12.

D’Amato will take another stab at breaking her American marathon record on Sept, 25. at the Berlin Marathon.

Daniel Romanchuk won the men’s wheelchair title in 22:02, and Susannah Scaroni won the women’s division in 25:30.

 

(08/21/2022) Views: 991 ⚡AMP
by Marley Dickinson

The 2021 ASICS Falmouth Road Race Raised $4.75M for Charity

Organizers of the 49th annual ASICS Falmouth Road Race, one of America’s premier running events, helped over 160 nonprofits to raise $4.75 million at its August race for Massachusetts-based nonprofit organizations — including $486,113 for eight Falmouth-based nonprofits — through its Numbers for Nonprofits program (NFNP).

“We’re incredibly proud of our charity program,” said Scott Ghelfi, president of the Falmouth Road Race board of directors. “Despite this year’s limited in-person field capacity, the program still delivered in a big way thanks to both those charity runners who participated in-person and in the At-Home Edition, the virtual component of the race. It’s awesome when you think of all the good work the road race is able to facilitate.”

Compassionate Care ALS (CCALS), the top Falmouth-based fundraising team, employed a unique approach for their fundraising in 2021. Survivor Fans vs. Bachelor Fans were encouraged to choose a side to compete on to raise funds for the organization that supports those who are diagnosed with ALS, their families, health care providers, and communities as they navigate the complexities associated with the disease. Former runner-up Chris Lambton from Season 6 of The Bachelorette – whose mother Marjorie received help from CCALS – headed up The Bachelor squad, while three-time Survivor contestant Jonathan Penner led the Survivor side in honor of his wife Stacy who recently passed away from ALS in January 2021. The CCALS fundraising results were the best to date: 111 runners raised $355,581 to benefit the organization’s mission.

Funds raised in 2021 brings the NFNP total to $50 million raised since the program’s inception in 2000. 

For more information or to apply for a spot in the 2022 NFNP program, visit www.falmouthroadrace.com. Follow us on Facebook or at @falmouthroadrace on Instagram. The 2022 application closes on October 31, 2021.

About the Numbers for Nonprofits program: the Numbers for Nonprofits has grown exponentially over the years to include more than 300 different MA-based charity teams since 2000 and over 3,000 runners per year who commit to fundraise and then run the 7-mile course. Each year, the race provides guaranteed entries, with an extended registration deadline, to select Massachusetts-based charities. The charities then recruit runners who solicit donations for them. 

About Falmouth Road Race, Inc.: The Falmouth Road Race was established in 1973 and has become one of the premier running events of the summer season. Each year the race draws an international field of Olympians, elites, and recreational runners to enjoy the iconic 7-mile seaside course. The non-profit Falmouth Road Race organization is committed to promoting health and fitness through community programs and philanthropic giving.

(10/26/2021) Views: 970 ⚡AMP
by Running USA

Ben Flanagan and Edna Kiplagat Win the 49th Annual ASICS Falmouth Road Race

Organizers of the 49th Annual ASICS Falmouth Road Race, one of America’s premier running events of the summer, officially brought road racing back to the streets of Falmouth today with Canadian, Ben Flanagan, winning the Men’s Division for a second time in 32:16 and Kenyan, Edna Kiplagat winning the Women’s Division in 36:52. 

Flanagan set up his strategy in advance. “I was out with my family at the Black Dog Café and I took a run on the course,” said Flanagan. “I noticed a crosswalk just before the final turn and decided I would make my move there. I knew, if I could hold off the pack until we got to the final downhill there was no way they could catch me.” 

The men’s race began with Frank Lara going to the front coming out of Woods Hole to post a 4:28 first mile. An accomplished pack of 18 men lined up behind Lara, as he held the lead through most of the race. By mile six, the men started to sort themselves out. Biya Simbassa, a University of Oklahoma graduate -- who recovered from a fall at the halfway mark -- stayed in the hunt, as did Emmanuel Bor, fresh off his fifth at the U.S. Olympic Trials 5000m. 

Flanagan made a determined push at the base of the final hill before driving over the top to seal his victory over Simbassa, Bor and Lara - all finishing within 6 seconds of each other.  

The women’s race broke early with a pack of 30 dropping to seven by the second mile. Iveen Chepkemoi, a young 24-year-old talent from Kenya, who trains in Colorado Springs, put a gap on Edna Kiplagat, Emily Durgin, Fiona O’Keeffe and past Falmouth champion Diane Nukuri. By the halfway point, the race was between Kiplagat, a Boston, London and New York City Marathon champion, and Chepkemoi, with the second pack fading by 20 seconds. At mile four, Kiplagat pulled away as Chepkemoi got caught by the chase pack.  

“This was a fast race, and I needed it at this point in my training because I’m running the Boston Marathon in October,” said Kiplagat. “Once I saw the finish, I focused on keeping away from second place.” 

Durgin edged O’Keefe by one second to secure her third runner-up finish of the summer. “This is a beautiful course. We were all working together feeding off each other,” O’Keefe said. She was second at the U.S. 10K and 6K Championships. O’Keefe, a six-time All American at Stanford now coached by Olympian Amy Cragg,  finished third.  

In the Wheelchair Division, Hermin Garic, a veteran of eight Falmouth Road Races, took his first win with a 25:40. “I worked my butt off for this win,” said Hermin, who will be wheeling Utica Boilermaker the day before he heads to the 125th Boston Marathon. Emeilia Perry took the women’s wheelchair race in 37:39. “I’m really excited. This is my first Falmouth Road Race and I wasn’t expecting that last hill, ” Perry said after the race. 

Additionally, the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Marathon bronze medalist, Molly Seidel, served as the official race starter and joined the ASICS Falmouth Race field of nearly 8,000 registered participants as its very last runner. For every runner that she passed along the 7-mile course, the Falmouth Road Race pledged to donate $1 to Tommy’s Place, a vacation home in Falmouth for kids fighting cancer. Tim O’Connell, founder of Tommy’s Place, announced an additional dollar-for-dollar match. While Seidel officially ran past 4,761 runners along the way, the Falmouth Road Race is pleased to announce that it will double its pledge, bringing its donation to $9,522.00 in appreciation of Seidel’s participation in this year’s event and to celebrate her victory in Tokyo. Combined with O’Connell’s match, that brings the grand total to $19,044. 

About Falmouth Road Race, Inc. The Falmouth Road Race was established in 1973 and has become one of the premier running events of the summer season. Each year the race draws an international field of Olympians, elite and recreational runners out to enjoy the iconic 7-mile seaside course. The non-profit Falmouth Road Race organization is committed to promoting health and fitness through community programs and philanthropic giving.

(08/16/2021) Views: 1,050 ⚡AMP
by Running USA

Molly Seidel will Run the Falmouth Road Race for Charity Tommy's Place

Organizers of the 49th annual ASICS Falmouth Road Race, one of America’s premier running events of the summer season, today announced that on the heels of her competition in Tokyo, U.S. Olympic marathon runner, Molly Seidel, will travel to Cape Cod to participate in this year’s race.

As part of her participation, Seidel will be the official race starter and then join the field as the very last runner. For every runner that she passes along the 7-mile course, Falmouth Road Race, Inc. will donate $1 to Tommy’s Place, a vacation home in Falmouth for kids fighting cancer.

The 2021 Olympic marathoner will run the ASICS Falmouth Road Race alongside her sister, Isabel, as a post-Olympic celebration.  

“We are very excited to have Molly Seidel join us in person for the 49th running of the ASICS Falmouth Road Race,” said Scott Ghelfi, president of the Falmouth Road Race, Inc. Board of Directors. “Over the years, we have been very fortunate to welcome so many accomplished runners to our race. We are honored that Molly has chosen to join us as part of her post-Olympic plans, while agreeing to start the race last to raise money for Tommy’s Place, named after our race founder, Tommy Leonard, to honor his legacy. It really doesn’t get much better than that. We wish her the best of luck in Tokyo and look forward to cheering her on during the women’s marathon on August 6 and to personally welcoming her to Falmouth for what we believe will be another incredible road race.”

Seidel’s running career accomplishments include: 

2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials Marathon, 2nd  

2019  Cape Cod Marathon “Half,” 1st

2018 USATF Cross Country Championships, 2nd

2018 USATF Road Running Championships 15K, 3rd 

2017 USATF Road Running Championships 5K, 2nd 

2016 NCAA Indoor Championships, 3000m, 1st 

2016 NCAA Indoor Championships 5000m, 1st 

2015 NCAA Outdoor Championships 10,000m, 1st 

The in-person running of the 49th annual ASICS Falmouth Road Race will take place on Sunday, August 15, 2021. In addition to this year’s in-person event, the 49th ASICS Falmouth Road Race will feature a virtual SBLI Kids At-Home Challenge and the race’s At-Home Edition, where participants will lace up their running shoes and go 7 miles in their own neighborhoods between August 7 – 14.

For nearly 50 years, Falmouth Road Race, Inc. has promoted health, wellness and pride in the community. In these unprecedented and uncertain times, the organization is striving to be consistent in its mission, continuing to provide its dedicated athletes, enthusiasts, and the community with an event to be proud of and one that supports people in need.

For more information on the ASICS Falmouth Road Race, please visit www.falmouthroadrace.com

(08/04/2021) Views: 1,041 ⚡AMP
by Running USA

Olympians, champions and top americans will lead fields for 2021 Asics Falmouth Road Race

Falmouth Road Race, Inc., organizers of the 49th Annual ASICS Falmouth Road Race, one of America’s premier running events of the summer season, today announced the men’s, women’s, and wheelchair open fields for this year’s race. Defending champions Leonard Korir and Sharon Lokedi lead an accomplished field of Olympians, World Champions and top Americans participating in the August 15, 2021 race.

WOMEN’S OPEN DIVISION

Lokedi, a Kenyan elite and 10-time All American at the University of Kansas, will race 2019 runner-up Sara Hall, who has won 11 U.S. national titles from the mile to the marathon. Hall recently finished sixth at the U.S. Olympic Trials 10,000m and won the AJC Peachtree Road Race, which hosted the National 10K Championships. The duo is joined by Edna Kiplagat, a Boston, London and New York City champion as well as a two-time World Athletics Marathon Championships gold medalist. 

Twelve-time All American and NCAA DI 10,000m champion Emma Bates and 2021 Olympic marathoner Molly Seidel will also participate. Bates is gearing up for a fall marathon and Seidel will run, alongside her sister Isabel, as a post-Olympic celebration.  

Accomplished women racing the leaders include Jordan Hasay, an 18-time All American and multiple podium finisher at the Boston and Chicago Marathons; former Falmouth champion and three-time Olympian Diane Nukuri; NCAA 10,000m champion Natosha Rogers; young talent Iveen Chepkemoi; Emily Durgin who finished runner-up at the AJC Peachtree Road Race with a 31:49 personal best, and Taylor Werner the recent USATF National 6K champion.

Many of the women in the field raced in the 5,000m and/or 10,000m at the recent U.S. Olympic Track Trials including Rogers, Durgin, Werner, Erika Kemp, Makena Morley, Jaci Smith, Fiona O’Keefe,  and Paige Stoner.

MEN’S OPEN DIVISION

The 2019 podium of Leonard Korir, Stephen Sambu, and Edward Cheserek return. Korir, an Olympian, became the first American man to win the Falmouth Road Race since 1988. He has 10 USATF national titles and holds the fastest-ever marathon debut by an American (2:077:56). 

Sambu looks to add an impressive fifth Falmouth Road Race title to his name. A road running star, Sambu set the 8K world record at the B.A.A. 10K, a race he has won twice. He is also a four-time champion of the Shamrock Shuffle. Edward Cheserek, the most decorated NCAA distance runner of all time with 17 NCAA Division I titles, ran for the University of Oregon. At Boston University in 2018, Cheserek ran the indoor mile in 3:49.44, which at that time was the second fastest indoor mile in history.  

Chasing the trio are 2018 Falmouth Road Race champion and 2018 NCAA 10,000m winner Ben Flanagan, of Canada, and Ben True, who holds five national titles, set a 5K national record at the 2017 B.A.A. 5K and recently finished fourth in the 10,000m at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Fresh from a two second 1-2 finish at the 2021 AJC Peachtree Road Race, Sam Chelanga, a six-time USATF National Champion, and Fred Huxham are in the field, as are B.A.A. 10K champion David Bett, 2018 Falmouth runner-up Scott Fauble and top 5,000m runner Emmanuel Bor. 

Many of the men running the ASICS Falmouth Road Race competed at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Track Trials including Korir, Chelanga, Bor, True, Biya Simbassa, Jacob Thomson and Frank Lara.

(07/27/2021) Views: 1,258 ⚡AMP
by Running USA

2021 ASICS Falmouth Road Race Announces 8,000 In-Person Runners for August 15

Falmouth Road Race, Inc., organizers of the 49th Annual ASICS Falmouth Road Race, one of America’s premier running events of the summer season, today announced that it will host a field of 8,000 in-person runners for its upcoming event on Sunday, August 15.

Those who registered during the initial registration window and selected, “If given the chance, I would like to run in Falmouth” will be guaranteed a place within the limited in-person field. Runners who have not yet registered but are looking to secure a guaranteed in-person spot in this year’s event can do so by registering to run on behalf of a charity. A comprehensive list of 164 charitable organizations is available by visiting www.falmouthroadrace.com/charity-program. For more information on general registration, please visit www.falmouthroadrace.com.

“On the heels of Governor Charlie Baker’s announcement lifting all coronavirus restrictions in Massachusetts effective May 29, and after close consultation with the Town of Falmouth, public safety officials, our medical team, and our partners, we are excited to announce a field of 8,000 in-person runners for the 49th ASICS Falmouth Road Race,” said Scott Ghelfi, president of the Falmouth Road Race, Inc. Board of Directors. “We are excited to welcome athletes back to Falmouth for this summer tradition and we look forward to welcoming a full field for our 50th running next August.”

Aside from the newly announced in-person portion, the 49th ASICS Falmouth Road Race will still feature a virtual SBLI Kids At-Home Challenge and the race’s At-Home Edition, where participants will lace up their running shoes and go 7 miles in their own neighborhoods between August 7 – 14.

For nearly 50 years, Falmouth Road Race, Inc. has promoted health, wellness and pride in the community. In these unprecedented and uncertain times, the organization is striving to be consistent in its mission, continuing to provide its dedicated athletes, enthusiasts, and the community with an event to be proud of and one that supports people in need.

 

(05/26/2021) Views: 1,026 ⚡AMP

Falmouth Road Race and At-Home Edition registration opens May 1

While the ASICS Falmouth Road Race awaits COVID-19 guidance from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the Town of Falmouth on hosting an in-person event in 2021, registration will open Saturday, May 1 for the At-Home Edition – with the possibility of running the in-person race, if held, on August 15.

During the At-Home Edition registration process, an option will be offered to run the in-person event. Choosing that option will place At-Home registrants in a random-selection drawing to run the in-person ASICS Falmouth Road Race on August 15.

This will be the only opportunity to be considered for the in-person race. Those not selected, based on the total field size allowed, will still be registered for the At-Home Edition, to be run any time from August 7 to August 14.

Registration will remain open until 10,000 sign up for the At-Home Edition, regardless of the number who chose the in-person option.

“Our virtual At-Home Edition was a big success last year and was really a summer-long event with giveaways, contests, and an ever-changing virtual gift bag,” said Jennifer Edwards, executive director of Falmouth Road Race, Inc. “If we’re allowed to have an in-person race of some kind, those not chosen in the random-selection process to run the live event on August 15 will still get all the perks of the At-Home version.”

On the registration form, Falmouth residents and taxpayers – who typically are guaranteed entry to the in-person event – will be able to declare that status. Depending on the field size allowed, the race may or may not be able to guarantee resident/taxpayer entry to the in-person race in 2021.

Last year, the first 5,000 entrants to the 2020 At-Home Edition were given guaranteed status for 2021. Because there is no certainty of an in-person race, those 5,000 have been given the option to defer their guaranteed status to the 50th running instead of this year. The organization will honor the choice they made, pending town approval of an in-person event in 2021. If there is no in-person race, their entry will automatically be deferred to 2022.

Registration for the SBLI Kids At-Home Challenge will also open May 1. Due to COVID-19 uncertainties, the Kids At-Home Challenge will again be held in lieu of the in-person Family Fun Run.

(04/14/2021) Views: 1,033 ⚡AMP

Asics The New Title Sponsor of Falmouth Road Race

ASICS has committed to a multi-year title sponsorship of the Falmouth Road Race, one of America's most iconic summer running events. The 7-mile road race, held each August on a coastal route from Woods Hole to Falmouth Heights on Cape Cod, had New Balance as its title sponsor from 2011 through 2019. The event was not held as an in-person road race in 2020 due to the pandemic.

"This partnership represents so much more than a sponsorship," explained ASICS Fitness Apps' general manager Alex Vander Hoeven through a statement. "It is a true example of how a world class event such as the Falmouth Road Race can collaborate with ASICS's global suite of products and digital services. We look forward to being on the course come race day and are honored to be part of the greater Falmouth Road Race community."

The Falmouth Road Race was founded in 1973 by the late Tommy Leonard, a bartender at the old Eliot Lounge in Boston. About 100 runners started that year in front of the Captain Kidd restaurant in Woods Hole and finished at old the Brothers 4 club in Falmouth Heights adjacent to Falmouth Heights Beach. Organizers use the same course today.

Some of the greatest distance runners in history have won the Falmouth Road Race including Khalid Khannouchi, Catherine Ndereba, Lynn Jennings, Benson Masya, Joan Samuelson, Bill Rodgers, Frank Shorter, and Grete Waitz. The 2019 champions were Leonard Korir of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Sharon Lokedi of Kenya. The 2019 race had 11,534 finishers.

"Our partnership is new, but we have long played host to ASICS athletes who have added much to our events," added Scott Ghelfi, president of the Falmouth Road Race, Inc., board of directors. "We look forward to having ASICS as a title partner that shares our commitment to health, wellness, and giving back to our community."

The 2021 ASICS Falmouth Road Race is scheduled for Sunday, August 15, pending approval from the Town of Falmouth.

(01/15/2021) Views: 1,724 ⚡AMP
by David Monti

The board of directors of Falmouth Road Race Promotes Jennifer Edwards to Executive Director

The board of directors of Falmouth Road Race, Inc. has named Jennifer Edwards as executive director of the organization, effective January 1. She was most recently its general manager.

“The board is happy to have Jennifer as Falmouth Road Race, Inc.’s first-ever executive director, as am I personally,” said Scott Ghelfi, board president. “As we expand with an At-Home virtual event and the newly acquired Falmouth in the Fall race, and have increasingly more involvement in the community throughout the year, we knew we needed a strategic thinker to lead the organization. Jennifer has worked with us in many capacities over the past 10 years and we feel she is the right fit for this new role.”

In her new position, Edwards will work with the board to fulfill the nonprofit organization’s mission to produce a world-class event, support local charities, and promote health and wellness. She will ensure that financial objectives are met, provide leadership to staff, facilitate community partnerships, and oversee the philanthropic endeavors of Falmouth Road Race, Inc.

Since 2012, the organization has contributed more than $3.69 million to projects that promote the health and wellness of Falmouth and the surrounding area. Its Numbers for Nonprofits charity runner program has raised nearly $45 million since 2000.

“I'm proud to work with such a talented team of professionals and grateful to the board of directors for its ongoing support,” said Edwards. “As we navigate our way through the pandemic in 2021 and plan for the milestone 50th running of our race in 2022, we'll continue to support our local community and our charity program, as well as to honor the roots of the race itself. I consider myself incredibly lucky to be a steward for this iconic event.”

An active member of the running industry, Edwards is hydration station coordinator for the B.A.A. Boston Marathon and a former director of special projects for DMSE Sports, Inc. She serves on the Falmouth Chamber of Commerce board of directors, is race director for Falmouth's Holidays by the Sea Jingle Jog, and is a volunteer with several local entities. Jennifer holds a master's degree in Speech-Language Pathology from UMass Amherst and worked in healthcare and education for 15 years prior to joining the Falmouth Road Race team.

(01/14/2021) Views: 1,083 ⚡AMP

Falmouth Road Race Charity Runners Raise $2.3M in 2020 At-Home Edition

Despite a pandemic that forced the 48th running of the Falmouth Road Race to become a virtual event, runners participating in its Numbers for Nonprofits Program presented by Cape Cod Healthcare raised $2,323,801 for Massachusetts-based nonprofit organizations – including over $184,000 for nine Falmouth nonprofits alone.

“We’re incredibly proud that so many of our loyal charity runners stuck by both the race and their nonprofits in this challenging year,” said Scott Ghelfi, president of the Falmouth Road Race board of directors.

“As the economic and human toll of COVID-19 continues into 2021, we’re already looking toward how our 49th running can further support both Falmouth and our valued partners.”

The funds raised in 2020 bring the Numbers for Nonprofits total to almost $45 million since 2000.

About Falmouth Road Race, Inc. The Falmouth Road Race was established in 1973 and has become one of the premier running events of the summer season. Each year the race draws an international field of Olympians, elite and recreational runners out to enjoy the iconic 7-mile seaside course.

The nonprofit Falmouth Road Race organization is committed to promoting health and fitness through community programs and philanthropic giving.

(12/01/2020) Views: 1,086 ⚡AMP

Almost 10,000 participants are expected in the New Balance Falmouth Road Race At-Home Edition Kicks Off on Saturday

Almost 10,000 participants are expected in the New Balance Falmouth Road Race At-Home Edition, which begins Saturday – the birthday of late race founder Tommy Leonard – and continues through August 29.

As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, 9,482 people had registered, from 45 states plus the District of Columbia and nine countries – England, Ireland, Canada, Brazil, Germany, Mexico, Australia and Spain as well as the U.S.

“Although the road from Woods Hole to Falmouth Heights will be quiet this year, being able to share our race with those who otherwise might not get to experience the Falmouth spirit is definitely a plus,” said Scott Ghelfi, president of the Falmouth Road Race, Inc. board of directors.

Among those entered are 719 families of three or four, and 45 wheelchair athletes. The oldest registrant is 97-year-old Helen Richards, of Coral Gables, Florida, who is running for The Boston House, a nonprofit. As of Wednesday, the 1,629 participants in the race’s Numbers for Nonprofits Program had already raised $1.2 million for Massachusetts-based charities.

“We’re especially proud to be able to continue helping nonprofits in these difficult times, when other fund-raising avenues have narrowed even as the needs have grown,” said Ghelfi.

Wearing Bib #1, which is usually awarded to either the defending champion or the fastest pro runner in the field, this year will be worn by Phil Svahn of Austin, Texas, for being the top fund-raiser in the race’s Numbers for Nonprofits Program. Svahn has raised $7,850 for the Glen Doherty Memorial Foundation.

Also taking part in the At-Home Edition will be Ben Flanagan, the 2018 New Balance Falmouth Road Race champion; Abdi Abdirahman, a five-time Olympian and longtime Falmouth competitor; Diane Nukuri, the 2015 Falmouth champion and a fan favorite here; and Molly Seidel, who recently made the 2020 U.S. Olympic Marathon Team. The four will also square off in a Zoom scavenger hunt.

And on August 23 at 10 a.m. EDT, wheelchair athletes will participate in an event to be streamed on Facebook Live. Details on both the scavenger hunt and wheelchair event will be announced soon.

The 48th running of the New Balance Falmouth Road Race will be celebrated as a virtual event beginning on Saturday and concluding on August 29, with runners covering 7 miles in their own neighborhoods any time in that period. Registration will be available at falmouthroadrace.com throughout the event.

(08/14/2020) Views: 1,294 ⚡AMP

Falmouth Road Race 2020 will be Run At Home virtually for this summer

The 2020 New Balance Falmouth Road Race, originally set for August 16, will be going virtual to become the New Balance Falmouth Road Race “At-Home Edition.”

The 48th running of the iconic race will be celebrated worldwide as a virtual event beginning August 15 – on  the birthday of late founder Tommy Leonard – and concluding on August 29, with runners covering 7 miles in their own neighborhoods any time during that period.

With the Falmouth Board of Selectmen implementing a “no large event” policy through the end of August, race organizers have designed an experience for everyone to have fun while staying fit and focused on a goal this summer.

Registration will open on May 18, and the first 5,000 to enter will be guaranteed a spot in the 2021 New Balance Falmouth Road Race. Further details on the 2020 New Balance Falmouth Road Race “At-Home Edition,” including registration information, personalized athlete interactions, gift bags, contests, and virtual content, will be announced soon.

For more than 45 years, Falmouth Road Race, Inc. has promoted health, wellness, and pride in the community. In these unprecedented and uncertain times, the organization is striving to be consistent in its mission, continuing to provide its dedicated participants, enthusiasts, and the community with an event to be proud of and one that supports people in need.

“With safety always the top priority, we see an ‘At-Home’ event as the ideal option for 2020,” said Scott Ghelfi, president of the Falmouth Road Race, Inc., board of directors. “Although it’s sad to think of a summer in Falmouth without the usual race spectacle along our shores, conducting an ‘At-Home’ event will not only give runners from everywhere the chance to experience the Falmouth spirit but also give Falmouth Road Race, Inc. a way to show support for the town, our medical community, and our Numbers for Nonprofits participants, who are raising funds that will be needed now more than ever.”

Among the ways in which the race will show its commitment to nonprofit partners and the community through the “At-Home Edition:”

The organization will be purchasing a total of $25,000 worth of gift cards from businesses throughout Falmouth to randomly award to participants. The intention is to assist the community now and help bring visitors back to town when it is again safe to travel.

Falmouth Road Race, Inc. will donate $5,000 to Cape Kid Meals, the “grab-and-go” meals program for students.

Proceeds from the “At-Home Edition” will again allow annual scholarships to be awarded to high school seniors who are Falmouth residents.

Numbers for Nonprofits charity program partners will continue to receive support to maximize their fundraising efforts, including free registration for those running for a charity who raise a required minimum dollar amount for that organization. Incentive prizes and experiences, including a swag package, a donation match, and two chances to win a free entry into the 2021 New Balance Falmouth Road Race, will be offered to select participants by the race and its online fundraising partner, GoFundMe Charity.

“Running at home, together but apart, is the best way for all of us to show that we care about Falmouth – the town, its people, the race and its tradition – in 2020,” said Ghelfi. “Tommy Leonard wouldn’t want it any other way.”

(05/01/2020) Views: 1,321 ⚡AMP

Josh Thompson and Cory McGee kicked their way to victories in the Aetna Falmouth Elite Mile this weekend

Josh Thompson and Cory McGee kicked their way to victories in the Aetna Falmouth Elite Mile, held on the eve of the 47th annual New Balance Falmouth Road Race. Both Thompson and McGee used moves in the final lap to charge to the front and secure the $3,500 first-place prize.

The Aetna Falmouth Elite Mile is the fourth stop of the 2019 Bring Back the Mile Grand Prix Tour.

McGee, a Team New Balance athlete living and training in Boulder, CO, sat patiently in fourth among the pack of seven women as they passed halfway in 2:18. Moving to the front was Katie Mackey, a three-time winner here who did her best to shake up the field before hitting the bell in 3:25.

McGee was the only competitor to immediately respond to Mackey’s move, and the pair led down the backstretch on the final lap. With the roars of spectators growing at an impending duel, McGee drew even with 200 meters to go and never looked back. She’d break the tape going away in 4:29.51 to earn her first Aetna Falmouth Elite Mile crown.

“I’m so happy to be back in the Boston area,” said McGee. “This race is really one of the most exciting miles in the country. It has more history than a lot of the others and just has a really fun energy surrounding it with the [New Balance Falmouth] Road Race. I’ve been in the mix a few times but finally winning it is really fun!”

Heather Kampf passed Mackey in the final straight to take second, 4:31.24 to 4:31.69. Eleanor Fulton (4:32.39) and Dana Giordano (4:33.07) rounded out the top five.

McGee was happy to improve on her third place finish from a year ago, and has said she’s been motivated to race fiercely after a disappointing experience at the USATF Outdoor Championships last month, where she was disqualified in her 1500-meter prelim. By running under 4:31, McGee picked up an additional $1,000 in a winner’s time bonus.

“I feel fit and it’s fun to win!” she said. “I want to race a few more times [this season]. I know I worked really hard this year so I’m just doing what I worked for.”

Thompson, the men’s champion, also made his bid for the win in the final lap, choosing to do so with 300 meters remaining. Up until that point, Maine native Riley Masters had done all of the pacing, taking the field through three-quarters in 3:00.

With each lap, Thompson’s faith in his kick grew stronger. Masters and Craig Nowak were setting the tempo, and all Thompson had to do was decide when to move from third to first.

“I was feeling pretty confident,” said Thompson, giving credit to Masters and Nowak. “When the last lap came I knew I was going to wait until 300 meters just to be safe.”

As Thompson moved into first, David Ribich slipped into second and the pair put three meters on the field. Bearing down and opening his stride around the bend, Thompson held off the former Division II standout, 3:58.39 to 3:59.78.

“It means a lot. It gets my confidence up,” said Thompson of the victory, his first win of the 2019 Bring Back the Mile Grand Prix Tour. “I’ve struggled in the past [with injuries], and to come here and win this race, I mean, Falmouth put on a great race. This is pretty cool – I’ve never been in this type of an environment. So to just come out here, winning, it’s just another step for me in training and my confidence level.”

Tripp Hurt was third in 4:00.57, followed by Daniel Herrera in 4:00.86.

(08/19/2019) Views: 1,969 ⚡AMP

Leonard Korir becomes first American man to win the Falmouth Road Race since 1988

History was made this morning when Leonard Korir became the first American since 1988 to win the men’s division of the Falmouth Road Race. It was an exciting end to the 47th annual race that saw plenty of fog and muggy temperatures.

Four-time winner Stephen Sambu came in second and Edward Cheserek placed third.

In previous races at the event, Korir finished second in 2016 and 2017 and third last year and 2015.

Leonard Korir pulled ahead of four-time champion Stephen Sambu with less than two miles to go.

Korir, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, finished second behind Sambu, of Kenya, in 2017. This year, Korir dominated the end of race and completed the 7-mile course in 32 minutes, 11 seconds.

Sambu finished second in 32:29, while Kenya's Edward Cheserek, a former 17-time NCAA champion with Oregon, was third in 32:30.

In the women’s elite division, Sharon Lokedi, a recent Kansas graduate from Kenya, crossed the finish line first and America’s Sarah Hall came in second.  Sharon, the 2018 NCAA champion at 10,000 meters clocked 36:29, holding off American Sarah Hall (36:34). Kenya's Margaret Wangari, the 2012 Falmouth champion, was third (36:43).

(08/18/2019) Views: 2,213 ⚡AMP

Scott Fauble is dealing with the flu and won’t be running Falmouth

After dealing with the flu, Scott Fauble was pulled from Sunday's Falmouth Road Race, a 7-mile event that takes place in Falmouth, Massachusetts, annually. He took second place last year, crossing the finish line as the first American male, with Canada's Ben Flanagan taking the 2018 title.

"Bad news, you guys," Fauble tweeted on Thursday. "I won’t be running Falmouth this weekend. I got sick earlier this week and it just wasn’t going to be the right call to race this weekend. I’m disappointed to miss this iconic event. I expect to be healthy and to crush at the USATF 20K champs in a few weeks."

This year's USATF 20K Championships take place Monday, Sept. 2, in New Haven, Connecticut.

Fauble has laced up for just one race since taking seventh place at the 2019 Boston Marathon in April, where he was the first American to finish. Boston was the third marathon of his career, and he set his PR of 2:09:09 there.

(08/17/2019) Views: 1,979 ⚡AMP

Despite Injury, Ben Flanagan is set to return to the Falmouth Road Race

History was made in Falmouth when Flanagan ran a nearly perfect strategic race and shocked the field to capture the Falmouth Road Race. Unfortunately there will be no repeat of that smile crossing the finish line in the Falmouth Heights. The affable University of Michigan grad, who is now running professionally for Team Reebok, will not get the chance to defend his title.

A stress injury to Flanagan’s leg has knocked him to the sideline for this year’s race. He recently was informed by his medical team that he would be unable to run for six weeks. After that will come rehabilitation, which potentially could knock out most, if not all, of the remaining competitive racing for him this year.

“It’s an unfortunate thing. I was really looking forward to coming back and racing Falmouth again,” he said. “I’m excited to still be able to be here and be involved, but it would have been nice to be on the line again.”

The best-case scenario is that Flanagan could be back racing by late in the fall. That would be all of the major events for 2019, but he is setting his sights squarely on 2020.

As the 2018 Falmouth champ works his way back toward being healthy and fast, his aim is to peak in time for the 2020 Canadian Olympic trials. If he qualifies for a spot in the Olympics, which will be held in Tokyo, that would be at the top of his priority list for next year.

“That would just be amazing. That’s a thing I’ve wanted to be a part of since I was nine years old, since I first started doing sports,” he said. “It’s been such a long journey... it’s really just so special. It would be a dream come true.”

As for this year, Flanagan will be involved in the presentation of Road Race weekend. He spoke to a group of youngsters on behalf of the FRR yesterday,, August 15, then today Friday, August 16, Flanagan is set to speak at the annual press conference in the morning before handing out bibs and numbers at the Road Race Expo later in the day. Tomorrow On Saturday he will be part of the Champions meet-and-greet at the Expo and also plans to be at the Mile Races at Falmouth High School later in the day. He will attend the Road Race on Sunday, but was unsure of where he’d be.

Flanagan said he was excited to help in any capacity. He has become very fond of Falmouth, and not just because his win helped launch his professional career.

He also met his girlfriend here. Because he hails from the University of Michigan, Flanagan stayed with the Ghelfi family last year. Hannah Ghelfi is a rising senior at the U of M, where she is one of the top golfers for the Wolverines. With their school in common, the pair hit it off and began to see one another during the fall semester. Ben graduated in December and moved to Charlottesville, Virginia, to train professionally. He was in Falmouth around Christmastime, and said that he plans on being in Falmouth, or at Michigan, whenever he can.

“It’s just funny that Hannah and I spent a number of years together at Michigan and never met until the race,” he said.

He said that he has become more and more familiar with the town through his visits, and has come to really enjoy being on Cape Cod. With his prime racing years still ahead of him, there’s every reason to believe that Flanagan and Falmouth could go together hand-in-hand. It’s a budding relationship that got off to a fantastic start. The future looks bright.

(08/16/2019) Views: 1,868 ⚡AMP
by Rich Maclone

Brain aneurysm survivor Karen Daly is running in the 47th annual New Balance Falmouth Road Race

South Easton resident and brain aneurysm survivor Karen Daly will run in the 47th annual New Balance Falmouth Road Race on Aug. 18 to commemorate her journey as a brain aneurysm survivor, after having suffered a rupture in 2014.

As a member of the eight-person charity team, Daly will support the Brain Aneurysm Foundation’s efforts to raise awareness, education, support, advocacy and research funding for the disease.

Daly had a brain hemorrhage caused by a ruptured brain aneurysm on Jan. 25, 2014. She

was able to maintain consciousness long enough to call her husband for help. He rushed her to the emergency room where they did a CT scan, then immediately sent her to Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston, where she underwent surgery to repair three aneurysms.

“Surviving the rupture and the med flight to Boston was the first of many miracles for

which my family and I are grateful. Forty percent of people who suffer a rupture die before

making it to the hospital,” said Daly. “With the support of family, friends and a lot of hard work and perseverance, I am able to run the Falmouth Road Race to support an organization that has supported me, my family and so many others affected by brain aneurysms.”

This is the third year in a row that BAF has been awarded a charity spot in the race. The BAF charity team comprises participants who have had personal experiences with brain aneurysm disease.

“We’re very grateful to all of the incredibly strong participants representing team BAF at the Falmouth Road Race this year,” said Christine Buckley, executive director of BAF. “Funds raised by the team will support critical research that could better the outcomes for other families dealing with this devastating disease.”

More than 11,000 runners will participate in the New Balance Falmouth Road Race, a 7-mile course which starts in Woods Hole, wraps along the Falmouth shoreline and finishes in Falmouth Heights.

(08/15/2019) Views: 1,768 ⚡AMP
by

Kenyan Stephen Sambu will be looking for his fifth Falmouth Road Race title this Sunday

After coming up a little short in his bid to become the first person to ever win five Falmouth Road Race titles after claiming four in a row from 2014 to 2017, Kenyan Stephen Sambu aims to make history once again on Sunday, August 18, in the 47th running of the Falmouth Road Race.

Sambu fell shy of the feat when Canadian Ben Flanagan shocked the field last year to become the first North American to win the race in 30 years. Sambu faded to a fourth place finish in the 2018 race.

With Flanagan out of action with an injury, Sambu is considered the favorite, along with his friend Leonard Korir, of the United States, to take the crown. Sambu and Korir battled in one of the most memorable finishes in race history in 2017, with Sambu edging his buddy down the final hill in the Falmouth Heights to take the crown.

Americans Sara Hall and Des Linden will return for the 47th running of the New Balance Falmouth Road Race to highlight the women's field.

Sambu won the New Balance Falmouth Road Race every year from 2014-2017, becoming the first four-time winner of the men’s open division in race history. The runner-up in two of those victories was Korir, a 2016 Olympian at 10,000 meters, who will represent the US this fall at the IAAF World Championships. In 2017, Korir nearly denied Sambu his place in the history books in a fight to the finish that saw both athletes awarded the same time.

Sambu and Korir will be challenged by a tough international field that includes Thomas Ayeko of Uganda, who finished seventh in the 2019 IAAF World Cross Country Championships; David Bett of Kenya, who won the B.A.A. 10K in June; and Silas Kipruto of Kenya, winner of the 2019 Cooper River Bridge Run.

Massachusetts native Colin Bennie, who was the top American at the AJC Peachtree Road Race on July 4, and Scott Fauble, a top contender to make Team USA at the 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials in February and the Falmouth runner-up last year, should be in the hunt.

(08/14/2019) Views: 2,102 ⚡AMP
by Rich Maclone

Katie Mackey, the only three-time winner in the race’s history, and Tripp Hurt, the reigning USA 1 Mile Road Champion, lead the fields for the 24th Aetna Falmouth Elite Mile

Katie Mackey, the only three-time winner in the race’s history, and Tripp Hurt, the reigning USA 1 Mile Road Champion, lead the fields for the 24th Aetna Falmouth Elite Mile on August 17, organizers announced today. The mile is part of the Falmouth Track Festival, held the evening before the New Balance Falmouth Road Race.

The Aetna Falmouth Elite Mile will begin at 5 p.m. on Saturday, August 17, on the James T. Kalperis Track at Falmouth High School. Total prize purse for the men’s and women’s fields is $15,000, not including possible time bonuses, with the winners each taking home $3,500.

Beginning with the SBLI Family Fun Run and followed by the Aetna Falmouth Elite Mile and the Tommy Cochary High School Mile, the track festival will be streamed live on the New Balance Falmouth Road Race Facebook page beginning at 4 p.m.

Mackey, 31, is the 2017 USA 1-Mile Road Champion, 2018 USATF Club Cross Country Champion, American record-holder in the 4x1500m relay, and was eighth at 3000 meters in the 2018 IAAF World Indoor Championships. Hurt, 26, was third at this year’s USATF Indoor Championships in the 2 Mile and is a two-time USATF Outdoor Championships steeplechase finalist.

Also among the headliners in the women’s race is Heather Kampf, a member of the same medal-winning relay team as Mackey and a four-time USA 1 Mile Road Champion. After three events, Kampf and Hurt lead the standings in the 2019 Bring Back the Mile Grand Prix Tour, on which the Aetna Falmouth Elite Mile is the fourth stop.

Challenging Mackey and Kampf will be Cory McGee, who was fourth in the 2015 Pan American Games at 1500 meters and won the Sir Walter Miler on August 2 in 4:27.87; Stephanie Garcia, a two-time member of Team USA at the IAAF World Championships in the 3000-meter steeplechase (2011, 2015); Allie Buchalski, 2018 NCAA 5000-meter runner-up; Jessica Harris, third at 1500 meters in the 2019 NCAA Championships; Lianne Farber, a three-time All-American at the University of North Carolina who runs for Team New Balance Boston; Eleanor Fulton, a two-time member of Team USA for the mixed relay at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships (2017, 2019); Vanessa Fraser, fourth in the 2018 NCAA 5000 meters; Dana Giordano, third at 1500 meters in 2016 NCAA Championships, who competes on the B.A.A. High Performance Team and has a family home in Woods Hole; and Heather MacLean, a Massachusetts state champion out of Peabody High School and an All-American while at UMass-Amherst who just finished seventh at USATF Outdoor Nationals in a personal best 4:05.27.

For the men, Tripp will face Josh Thompson, third at 1500 meters at the 2019 USATF Outdoor Championships; Garrett Heath, two-time USA 1 Mile Road Champion (2013, 2015); Pat Casey, the 2018 NACAC silver medalist at 1500 meters; Patrick Joseph, a member of Virginia Tech’s 2018 NCAA Indoor Champion Distance Medley team and fourth in the mile; Daniel Herrera, Mexico’s national record-holder in the mile; Riley Masters, 2018 USA 1 Mile Road Champion; David Ribich, two-time NCAA Division II 1500-meter champion (2017, 2018); Mason Ferlic, 2016 NCAA Champion in the 3000-meter steeplechase; Craig Nowak, a two-time All-American while at Oklahoma State; and Garrett O’Toole, the 2018 Ivy League indoor mile champion who now competes for Arizona State.  

O’Toole, whose 4:01.89 mile while running for The Middlesex School was the fastest high school mile in the U.S. in 2014, won the Tommy Cochary High School Mile here in 2013, and still holds the meet record. At the Aetna Falmouth Elite Mile, O’Toole will be attempting to break the 4-minute barrier for the first time.

The Aetna Falmouth Elite Mile, which began in 1995, has played host to more than two dozen Olympians, including Morgan Uceny, Amy Rudolph, Carmen Douma-Hussar, Carrie Tollefson, Suzy Hamilton, Donn Cabral, Marc Davis, Robert Gary, Jason Pyrah, 2012 Olympic silver medalist Leo Manzano and two-time Olympic medalist Nick Willis of New Zealand. The event records are held by Hamilton (4:25.27, 2002) and Jordan McNamara (3:54.89, 2011).

(08/13/2019) Views: 2,039 ⚡AMP

Even Triple Bypass Surgery does not stop Boston Marathon Director Dave McGillivray from doing his annual birthday run

I have said My Game, My Rules about a million times over the years and today I put it to good use.  Even though my 65th birthday (a big one) is not until next week, my work schedule is so crazy that I decided to do my annual birthday run today.  

However, I changed the rules this time.  Given my triple bypass surgery only 10 months ago and given that I know I have not completely recovered or healed by any means and that I still really do need to be cautious, I decided that I would do a “duathlon” and run a marathon distance (26.2-miles) and then bike the remainder (39-miles) and so that is what I did.

I actually felt pretty good the entire day but I’ve only biked three times this year so that was a little ugly.  

Good friends Ron Kramer and Josh Nemzer were very kind and stopped by to do some of it with me.  On the one hand, I feel a little disappointed I couldn’t run the entire 65-miles as I have run my birthday run since I was 12-years-old but on the other hand putting it all in perspective,

I just have to feel fortunate I was able to do this.  I’ve always said I was a marathoner so my new goal will be to run a marathon on my birthday run for as long as I possibly can and finish up the rest by bike.  I think that is a more sane goal going forward...don’t you agree? 

Of course, never say never!!  And by the way, I just can’t believe I am 65-years-old now...how did that happen?

(Dave McGillivray is the director of the Boston Marathon and several other races including the upcoming Falmouth Road Race happening Sunday.)

(08/12/2019) Views: 2,460 ⚡AMP
by Dave McGillivray

Tyler Diniz is running the Falmouth Road Race on behalf of Jett Foundation, a nonprofit fighting Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Funds raised by each racer on Jett Foundation’s Go! for Duchenne team support their many programs including Camp Promise, a free week of summer camp at three locations across the country for kids and young adults with select neuromuscular disorders like DMD, SMA, Becker, and more; Jett Giving Fund, a matching gift program to help families impacted by DMD purchase vital accessibility equipment like accessible vans, stairlifts and more.

Ready. Set. Jett. Family Workshops, a national educational workshop series for families to learn about DMD care, resources and treatments from local clinicians, experts and industry partners; and National Community Ambassador program, an opportunity for parents, friends and family members of individuals impacted by Duchenne to share resources and educate within the community. Ambassadors also facilitate local support groups and events for parents and families.

“As someone who has always been passionate about athletics and sports, I am running this August for those who can’t,” said Diniz.

“I am inspired by the many programs Jett Foundation offers, but most especially by their programs that give families access to safe, accessible sporting and physical activities like Camp Promise, Jett Giving Fund, educational workshops and more.”

To support awareness and fundraising efforts, Diniz and his family are hosting a beer tasting and cornhole tournament, with proceeds being donated to Jett Foundation.

(08/09/2019) Views: 1,858 ⚡AMP

Stephen Sambu of Kenya and Leonard Korir of the U.S., Sara Hall and Des Linden will return for the 47th running of the New Balance Falmouth Road Race

Stephen Sambu of Kenya and Leonard Korir of the U.S., who together staged an epic battle to the finish line in 2017, and Americans Sara Hall and Des Linden will return for the 47th running of the New Balance Falmouth Road Race, organizers announced today.

The fields for the Wheelchair Division presented by Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Cape Cod and the Aetna Falmouth Elite Mile will be announced next week.

Sambu won the New Balance Falmouth Road Race every year from 2014-2017, becoming the first four-time winner of the men’s open division in race history. The runner-up in two of those victories was Korir, a 2016 Olympian at 10,000 meters who will represent the U.S. this fall at the IAAF World Championships. In 2017, Korir nearly denied Sambu his place in the history books in a fight to the finish that saw both athletes awarded the same time.

Sambu and Korir will be challenged by a tough international field that includes Thomas Ayeko of Uganda, who finished seventh in the 2019 IAAF World Cross Country Championships; David Bett of Kenya, who won the B.A.A. 10K in June; and Silas Kipruto of Kenya, winner of the 2019 Cooper River Bridge Run. Massachusetts native Colin Bennie, who was the top American at the AJC Peachtree Road Race on July 4, and Scott Fauble, a top contender to make Team USA at the 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials in February and runner-up here last year to Canadian Ben Flanagan, should be in the hunt.

Flanagan’s season has been cut short by injury, but he will return to Falmouth to speak on a Past Champions panel at the Health & Fitness Expo, hand out gift bags at bib pickup and run with a group of local youth.

In the women’s open division, Hall – who finished second here in 2015 – comes in as the reigning USA 10K champion, and in her long career has won U.S. titles at distances ranging from the mile to the marathon. Fellow American Des Linden, a two-time OIympian and the 2018 Boston Marathon champion, will make her Falmouth competitive debut after running with the pack here last year in celebration of her Boston victory.

“It’s beautiful,” said Linden of the course after her 2018 run. “It helps you forget it’s really hard. Some really impressive things have been done on this course. It’s cool to cover it, and it would be really fun to race it.”

They will face a deep women’s field, highlighted by a trio of Kenyans: 2012 New Balance Falmouth Road Race Champion Margaret Wangari, 2018 NCAA 10,000-meter champion Sharon Lokedi and Iveen Chepkemoi, who recently finished second in the Boilermaker 15K in Utica, N.Y.  Also challenging will be two athletes from Great Britain: Lily Partridge, the 2018 national marathon champion, andTish Jones, who will compete in the marathon at the 2019 World Championships. 

Allie Kieffer, who finished fifth in the 2015 TCS New York City Marathon; Melissa Dock, the top American woman here last year who competed for Team USA at the 2019 Bolder Boulder;Molly Seidel, the 2015 NCAA 10,000-meter champion; and Nell Rojas, winner of the 2019 Grandma’s Marathon and daughter of Ric Rojas, who competed for Harvard and at one time held the 15K world record, round out a solid American lineup.

Three-time winner Caroline Chepkoech of Kenya will not return to defend her title.

First prize in the men’s and women’s open division is $10,000, part of a total $126,000 prize purse for Race Week events, which include the Aetna Falmouth Elite Mile the evening before the 7-miler. In addition, the men’s and women’s winners will seek to prevail in “The Countdown.”

A beat-the-clock handicap race, “The Countdown” features a finish-line clock that starts when the first woman breaks the tape, counting down the number of minutes and seconds the winning man has to beat, according to a pre-determined formula. If the clock runs out before he crosses the line, the victorious woman wins a $5,000 bonus; if it doesn’t, the winning man takes home the money. The time to beat this year is 3 minutes and 35 seconds.

(08/08/2019) Views: 2,258 ⚡AMP

DJ Bishop and his friend Ryan Feeney are ready to compete at the Falmouth Road Race

DJ Bishop, who is paralyzed, will sit in a wheel chair while his friend, Ryan Feeney, pushes.

They started out as baseball competitors in high school but then three years ago Bishop was injured and paralyzed from the chest down from a diving accident.

They are now teaming up as a duo to compete in the Falmouth Road Race on August 18.  

"It was kind of a last ditch effort as an opportunity to compete together," said Feeney, who approached Bishop about the race. "It was a way for us to be teammates again."

They are racing as Team Bish Strong and raising money for Journey Forward, a paralysis rehabilitation center in Canton that Bishop has attended since 2016.

The Falmouth Road Race is also an opportunity for them to raise awareness about neck and spinal injuries, which Bishop has sustained.

"I'm very excited to be part of a team again and compete," he said. "I've always been a competitive athlete and competitor."

The pair has been training since June. Bishop directs Feeney where to go and they work together during turns. In addition, Bishop motivates him throughout the runs.

Feeney is 25 and graduated from Bridgewater State in 2017. Bishop, also 25, hasn't graduated yet.

Before the start of his final year, Bishop broke his neck and injured his spinal chord while diving into shallow water in a lake. He needed emergency surgery and a spinal fusion.

Feeney reached out to him after the injury and they have kept in touch since.

At first, doctors thought that Bishop wouldn't be able to breathe or eat regular food on his own again, but he was later able to.

After nearly four months in the hospital, Bishop began physical therapy at Journey Forward, where he has been able to regain strength and balance. Going there has also given him hope.

Before, he was only able to shrug his shoulders, but now Bishop can curl his arms and has a lot more function.

"I'm still not where I want to be and I have a lot to go, but I keep pushing every single day," he said.

Although doctors have also told him that he would never walk again, Bishop doesn't rule out the possibility.

"In my mind, I don't listen to that and I block it out," he said. "I do what I got to do to maintain and get stronger every day. And never say never."

(08/01/2019) Views: 2,073 ⚡AMP
by Mina Corpuz

The Travis Roy Foundation is the newest gold-level sponsor of the New Balance Falmouth Road Race

The Travis Roy Foundation (TRF), founded in 1997 to enhance the lives of spinal cord injury survivors and families by providing grants and funding research, is the newest gold-level sponsor of the New Balance Falmouth Road Race, race officials announced.

“We love the fact that Falmouth, one of New England’s most-iconic road races, has taken up the cause of making it clear that participation is for everyone,” said Roy, who in 1995 was paralyzed after hitting the boards just 11 seconds into his first hockey game for Boston University.

“Runners, wheelchair racers and adaptive athletes of all types are welcome here, and its history as one of the first non-marathons to establish a wheelchair division proves that it has long been intent on helping others move forward.”

The New Balance Falmouth Road Race this year is celebrating the 45thrunning of its wheelchair division, now sponsored by Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Cape Cod.

While the Boston-based TRF has just launched its sponsorship, it is not new to the race: It returns with a 2019 team of runners in the event’s Numbers for Nonprofits Program, in which it raises funds to further its mission.

Indeed, most of its fundraising comes from participatory sporting events, which also include a three-city Charity Hockey Challenge and its 18th-annual WIFFLE Ball Tournament in 2019. As part of its sponsorship, TRF will partner with the race to provide runners with a special cooling towel at the finish line.

Since it began, TRF has awarded more than 1,900 Quality of Life grants to individuals across the United States who have experienced a spinal cord injury, helping them lead more independent lives, as well medical research focused on improving the arm and hand function that can ease everyday tasks such as brushing their own teeth or feeding themselves.

“We couldn’t be more pleased to welcome the Travis Roy Foundation into the Falmouth family,” said Geoff Nickerson, president of the board of directors. “Travis Roy is as New England as the New Balance Falmouth Road Race and TRF perfectly embodies our mission of health, wellness and helping everyone in the community to lead better lives.”

(08/01/2019) Views: 1,780 ⚡AMP

Canada’s Ben Flanagan pulls off the win in a crazy sprint to the finish at the New Balance Falmouth Road Race

It was a crazy sprint to the finish as 23-year-old Ben Flanagan (photo) wins the New Balance Falmouth Road Race this morning.  Scott Fauble (US) was second clocking 32:23, Leonard Korir was next in 32:28.  Stephen Sambu who keeps coming back to defend his men’s title in the 7.1 mile race finished fourth with 32:32.  The lead pack passed 10k at 28:50.  But Ben’s speed gave him the win.  On June 7th the University of Michigan senior won the 10000m at the NCAA Championships clocking 28:34 taking 39 seconds off his PR.  His last 400 meters there being 56.9 seconds.  Last year’s winner Stephen Sambu, from Kenyan who last year became the first man to win Falmouth four times, always sends Snapchat pictures of himself with the ocean backdrop to friends. He also spends some downtime on the beach. But above all, he said the camaraderie with the community, especially host families, keeps him giddy to return each year. “I feel like I’m home,” Sambu said during Friday morning’s media event. “They take you in like they’re your own kids. “I’ll be coming back even if I lose.” When asked about going for five straight wins and another $10,000 first prize, Sambu said he’s feeling some pressure, knowing that it won’t be easy. “Everybody is expecting me to win,” said Sambu.  “I’m ready, I’m feeling good. I don’t give up. I just fight until the end. I can lose, but I don’t lose easily.”  He was close but not close enough this year.  We are sure he will be back.  He just loves it too much!  (08/19/2018) Views: 2,034 ⚡AMP

Former Northern Arizona runner Futsum Zienasellassie ready for Falmouth Road Race

When Futsum Zienasellassie spoke with his head coach about taking time to travel and see his family in in Eritrea, East Africa, the runner’s place of birth, it didn’t take long to get an answer. “He asked me if I was OK with him going there, and of course I was,” said NAZ Elite head coach Ben Rosario. “I think it’s important to see your family, but when you go to Eritrea, you can’t just shoot over there for a weekend, you have to stay for a while to make it worth it. And it’s a great place to train; it’s at high elevation, there are dirt roads and cool places to run. We thought that since he’s over there for two months, we might as well take advantage of the fitness, so he’s basically going from Eritrea to Falmouth.” Zienasellassie will be joined by teammates Scott Fauble and Kellyn Taylor as the trio competes in the Falmouth Road Race, a 7-miler on Cape Cod in Massachusetts set to take place Sunday. Despite being limited in how much he could communicate with Zienasellassie during the stay in Eritrea, Rosario thinks the trip will have a positive effect for the runner. Rosario said visiting home and reuniting with family was something Zienasellassie needed, and that he expects the young runner to return to the United States rejuvenated. “Typically when athletes are in a great mood, it leads to something good, so I expect that he does well on Sunday – as long as he can handle the travel OK,” the head coach said. Meanwhile, Fauble will use the race, which has been won by Stephen Sambu the last four years, as a chance to work on his training for a fall marathon.  (08/17/2018) Views: 1,694 ⚡AMP

Kenya's Mary Wacera is ready to challenge defending champion Caroline Chepkoech at Falmouth Road Race

World half marathon medalist Mary Wacera of Kenya is ready to challenge defending champion and compatriot Caroline chepkoech at the Falmouth Road Race in Massachusetts, USA on Aug. 19. "I believe I have the necessary experience to win in Falmouth. But I have respect for the champion and others in the race. It will be hard to everyone," Wacera said on Friday. The winner of the race will take home 10,000 U.S. dollars with runners-up taking 7,000 dollars. Also keen to curve a niche for herself will be Chepkoech, who last year became the first woman to defend her Falmouth title since Dutchwoman Lornah Kiplagat won three straight from 2000-2002. (08/11/2018) Views: 1,756 ⚡AMP

Kenya’s Stephen Sambu has sights on his fifth Falmouth Road Race Win

The last four years the New Balance Falmouth Road Race has been won by Stephen Sambu. The  30-year-old Kenyan is coming back in quest of a fifth-consecutive victory, organizers anonounced today. Seeking to make some history of her own will be Caroline Chepkoech, who last year became the first woman to defend her Falmouth title since fellow Kenyan Lornah Kiplagat won three straight from 2000-2002. Not only is the 24-year-old Chepkoech hoping to win her third straight, but she is also aiming to break Kiplagat’s 18-year-old course record of 35:02. In the men’s race, Sambu will face a stiff challenge from a pair of U.S. Olympians, Leonard Korir and Lopez Lomong.  Korir, a 2016 Olympian at 10,000 meters and an eight-time U.S. champion on the roads and cross country, was runner-up to Sambu here in both 2016 and 2017; last year, the finish was so close that both men were given the same time. Lomong, a two-time Olympian and one of the “Lost Boys of Sudan,” was the U.S. flagbearer in 2008 and recently won the U.S. 10,000-meter title, becoming the only American man in history to win national titles at both 1500 meters and 10,000 meters on the track. He will be making his Falmouth debut. Among the other top Americans are Haron Lagat, runner-up in the USA 10 km Championships on July 4; Christo Landry, a six-time national champion on the roads; Scott Fauble, fourth at 10,000 meters in the 2016 Olympic Trials; and Martin Hehir, fifth this year at the USA Cross Country Championships and third in the USA 15 km Championships. (08/08/2018) Views: 1,720 ⚡AMP

Katie Kantrowitz is running the Falmouth Road Race in memory of three family members who passed away from cancer

In the past three years that Kantrowitz has run the Falmouth Road Race with JAF, three of her family members have passed away from cancer. This year, she will be running in their memory. The Joe Andruzzi Foundation, an organization committed to providing financial assistance to New England cancer patients and their family members when it is needed most, has announced that Katie Kantrowitz, a native of Sherborn and resident of Boston, will run the 2018 New Balance Falmouth Road Race in support of the foundation’s mission. On Sunday, Aug. 19, more than 60 “Team JAF” runners will take strides against cancer and represent the foundation in the scenic 7-mile race through the heart of Cape Cod. Last year’s team raised more than $100,000, and the 2018 team hopes to continue to raise the bar. In the past three years that Kantrowitz has run the Falmouth Road Race with JAF, three of her family members have passed away from cancer. This year, she will be running in their memory. As a runner who formerly worked in the health-care field, she knows exactly how difficult it can be for patients and their families to undergo treatment while focusing on living a happy and positive life. (08/06/2018) Views: 1,602 ⚡AMP

Des Linden will run the New Balance Falmouth Road Race on August 19 for the first time

Des Linden, who in April became the first American woman to win the Boston Marathon in 33 years, will run the New Balance Falmouth Road Race on August 19 for the first time. She will serve as Official Starter for the Women’s Elite Race, then jump into the Open Race and run with the masses. “The Falmouth Road Race has been on my bucket list for a long time,” said Linden, 35. “I’m excited to finally participate this year, enjoy the scenic course, and celebrate the race’s great history with the other 12,799 runners on the road.” Since Linden’s historic victory – in arguably the worst conditions in Boston’s 122-year history, with torrential rains and a pounding headwind – the two-time Olympic marathoner has crisscrossed the country making appearances that have included presenting Taylor Swift with her statuette as Best Female Artist at the Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas. After her Falmouth run, she plans to focus on training for the TCS New York City Marathon, on November 4. “Like Meb Keflezighi in 2014, Des Linden has won a place in our hearts for all time with her gutsy win in Boston,” said Geoff Nickerson, president of the Falmouth Road Race, Inc. board of directors. “To be able to give our runners and our community the chance to not only meet Des but to run alongside her is an honor.” (08/03/2018) Views: 1,958 ⚡AMP

World Record Endurance Marathoner Becca Pizzi will run the Falmouth Road Race

World Record Endurance Marathoner Becca Pizzi will run the Falmouth Road Race on Sunday, August 19th as part of the NF Northeast Team, a Burlington, MA based non-profit organization whose mission is to find a treatment and the cure for neurofibromatosis (NF). Pizzi is 38 years old and lives in Belmont, MA with her husband, Joe, and 10-year-old daughter, Taylor. Having been the first American female to run the World Marathon Challenge in 2016 - 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 days - Pizzi recently went back and made history by running it again and breaking the World Record: 6 days, 7 hours and 58 minutes. Her current goal is to complete a marathon in all 50 states and to run the Kona Ironman. Pizzi was introduced to the genetic disorder neurofibromatosis through her good friend and running buddy Scot DeDeo.  His 2-year-old son Nat was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis type 1 when he was 7 months old. DeDeo says, “I'm super excited that Becca will be running with us at Falmouth. To have someone of her caliber is hugely motivational to the team and will really help us bring awareness to neurofibromatosis.” “I’ve run the Falmouth Road Race many times; it is one of my favorite races,” said Pizzi. “The race directors are very well organized, and they do an excellent job with the race and pulling the community together.” (07/17/2018) Views: 1,746 ⚡AMP