Athletes and spectators enjoyed the historical run along the water as memories were made and multiple records were broken
FALMOUTH, Mass. – The 51st annual ASICS Falmouth Road Race saw records broken not only in times clocked on the course but also in charity fundraising. The 2023 event brought in $7,226,357.05, bringing the total overall funds raised since 2000 to $63.7M. This number is thanks to the 3,800 runners who committed to 201 teams representing Massachusetts-based 501(c)3 organizations.
“It’s such an honor to be a part of an event that helps so many people in our community,” said Program Manager Andrea Norris. “Seeing not only the joy this event brings to our community but also the funding raised for locally-focused organizations is so incredible, and we couldn’t do it without all of our amazing charity runners!”
The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Jimmy Fund partnered with the event again to present the Numbers for Nonprofits Program. Charitable giving has been a part of the ASICS Falmouth Road Race since its inception when money was raised for the Falmouth High School girl’s track team at the inaugural running in 1973. Every year, in addition to the money raised by runners, the race makes direct donations to local nonprofits, scholarships, community organizations and sports teams.
The ASICS Falmouth Road Race weekend kicked off on Aug. 17 with the Health & Fitness Expo that saw close to 20,000 attendees over the weekend and included a press conference that highlighted key race leaders, elite athletes and influential runners. The press conference was followed by the Falmouth Track Festival, which featured elite athletes, some of which are now a part of the Falmouth Road Race history books. Emily Mackay came in first for the women’s elite mile with a time of 4:23.79, breaking the event’s record of 4:25.27. For the men’s mile Johnny Gregorek came in first place with a time of 3:53.57, the second fastest time in event history. The Track Festival also featured high school athletes as part of the Tommy Cochary High School Mile event. This year was the event’s 12th annual race, and showcased up and coming athletes like Alec Carew who came in first for the men’s mile with a time of 4:25.76, and the women’s mile champion Dana Lehr who finished with a time of 5:02.02.
Race weekend also featured running events for younger ages at the 21st annual SBLI Family Fun Run on Aug. 19. This event hosted races for kids 2-12, where they competed with others in their age group in distances ranging from 100 meters, to full 800 meter races.
On Sunday, Aug. 20, the ASICS Falmouth Road Race had its main event, which kicked off with a fly over consisting of a MH-60 Jayhawk piloted by U.S. Coast Guard LCDR Zablotny and LT Holland, and a HC-144 Casa piloted by LT Turk and LTJG Hassett. Once the race kicked off, huge achievements were made, with two course records being broken and one record being tied. In the men’s division, Wesley Kiptoo of Kenya emerged as the victor, tying the men’s open race record with a time of 31:08. Hellen Obiri of Kenya dominated the women’s race, securing a 19-second victory in 35:13, one of the fastest times in race history. In the wheelchair division, Daniel Romanchuk and Susannah Scaroni both broke their own course records and claimed first place victories with impressive performances, Romanchuk finishing in 21:23 and Scaroni finished with a time of 24:38.
“We couldn’t have asked for a better weekend of racing,” said Executive Director Jennifer Edwards. “The Falmouth Road Race brings people together from all over the nation to our small community, and the effects it has on everyone involved is so incredible to see, and to be a part of!”
Each year, the ASICS Falmouth Road Race also recognizes top local athletes by awarding the Margaret Bradley Award to the top female and male participants who live in Falmouth year-round. This award is presented by Keith and Mary-Jo Bradley in honor of their daughter, who was an avid runner that lost her life in 2004 while running in the Grand Canyon. This year’s recipient of the men’s award was 18-year-old Henry Gartner, marking his third consecutive win with a time of 37:44. He is currently a freshman running for Stony Brook University in New York. 32-year-old Katie Barrett was the recipient of the women’s award. Barrett is a former D1 collegiate runner for Northeastern, 10-time marathoner, as well as an instructor and the head of strength at the B/SPOKE Cape House Studio in Mashpee. Barrett finished this year’s race with a time of 44:12.
With nearly 10,000 participants, the 2023 ASICS Falmouth Road Race continued its tradition of bringing together athletes of all levels from around the world. Complete results from the race can be found here, and award winners can be found here.
For more information about the ASICS Falmouth Road Race, visit www.falmouthroadrace.com and follow the event on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
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 athletes, and recreational runners 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.
