Bogtrotter

Entry deadline approaches for Falmouth Road Race

Less than 10 days to go to register for Cape Cod's premiere annual running event, the 7.1-mile Falmouth Road Race (OK, the "CIGNA Falmouth Road Race"), scheduled for an almost certain sweltering Sunday Aug. 10 at 10 a.m.

"Race applications must be mailed and received in the race post office box by May 15," according to the race website.  A list of runners whose entries are accepted will be posted at the site by June 20. Instructions on picking up numbers will follow via email by July 20; runners will receive their numbers at race headquarters, the Gus Canty Recreation Center on Main Street in Falmouth, in the last few days before the race.

This year's entry form can be filled out on your computer if you have Adobe 8.0 or higher.

CIGNA Group Insurance is returning as lead sponsor, with its financial support the basis for including the company in the title of the race.

Race officials are advising runners of a "maximum finishing time" of 84 minutes. "Because of extreme traffic congestion in Falmouth on race day, we must reopen the roads to vehicular traffic as soon as possible," the race website states. "If you cannot complete the race at 12 minutes per mile pace (84 minutes), we ask that you not enter. The roads along the route will be opened after the 12-minute-milers have passed and the race will be officially over at 11:45 a.m."

(The photo shows Khalid Khannouchi of Morocco, at left, surging toward the finish line in the 1999 race against Kenya's John Korir; photo credit, Marathon Foto)

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Annual Highland Lighthouse run/walk planned for May 24

Plans are underway for the 4th annual Highland Lighthouse Ocean-to-the-Bay 5-mile run/walk scheduled for Saturday May 24 at 9 a.m.

Entry fees are $15 for adults, $10 for those age 18 and younger; free T-shirts to the first 100 registrants.

Registration forms are available at the lighthouse, 27 Lighthouse Road, North Truro, or by following this link. Race numbers may be picked up at the lighthouse on Friday May 23 from 1 to 4 p.m.

Free tours of the lighthouse will be given on the day of the race to all wearing race numbers.

(The photo shows the start of last year's race; photo credit, www.trurohistorical.org)

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Annual Irish Village 5-miler set for May 10

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lans are underway for the eight annual Cape Cod Irish Village 5-mile road race on Saturday May 10 at 11 a.m. in West Yarmouth.
 
The course, described as scenic, flat, well-marked and stocked with plenty of water stops, starts and ends at the Cape Cod Irish Village, 512 Main St.

The race is an annual fundraiser for Yarmouth firefighters' Local 2122, whose members donate the proceeds to local sports, charities and scholarships.

Cash prizes will be awarded to the first male and female runners and trophies given to winners by age division. A post-race party will be held with raffle, children's activities, live Irish music and food for runners. The Irish Village Motel is offering a special rate for those registered to run in the race.

Registration costs $10 until May 6, $15 on the day of the race, with registration that day starting at 9:30 a.m. All runners who register by May 6 receive a free T-shirt. Follow this link for a registration form.

This year's race will be the first time the event has been part of the New England Runner Pub Series.

For more information, contact race director Kevin Enright at 508-958-8110 or racedirector@yarmouthfire.com.

(The photo shows runners finishing a previous Cape Cod Irish Village race; photo credit, yarmouthfire.com)

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Defending champ wins annual Seagull Six in Woods Hole

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orth Eastham's Joe Navas once again dominated the field in the annual Seagull Six road race in Woods Hole yesterday, finishing nearly two minutes ahead of the second-place runner.

The 37-year-old defending champ finished the hilly 5.74-mile course in 30:35 while Geof Newton, 40, of Yarmouthport crossed the line in 32:32, finishing second as he did last year. Third place overall was Ken Gartner, 47, of West Falmouth in 35:20.

Among women the first two runners finished only 11 seconds apart - Kathleen Colleran, 45, of Seattle crossed the finish line first in 42:27, just ahead of Molly Hutt, 33, of East Falmouth in 42:38. Third was East Sandwich's Polly Papsadore, 43, in 44:17 (follow this link for overall results). 

The race was run an a "raw and overcast day with a steady wind from the northeast and occasional sprinkles of rain," according to an account at coolrunning.com by Courtney Bird of the Falmouth Track Club, which has organized the race since 1978.

The field number 162 at the start and 150 runners finished. A 2.5-mile non-competitive walk was also held. Proceeds from the race and walk benefit breast cancer prevention programs in Falmouth and running programs at Falmouth High School.

Sponsoring the race were the Lawrence Lynch Corporation, Falmouth Podiatry, Falmouth Physical Therapy, and the Captain Kidd restaurant and bar in Woods Hole.

(The photo shows an unidentified multi-generational running family at last year's race; photo credit, www.falmouthtrackclub.org)

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5K run-walk set for April 19 from West Dennis Beach

The Robert Stone Memorial 5-K Run-Walk Road Race, a 3.1 mile jaunt from West Dennis Beach, will be held Saturday April 19 at 10 a.m.

The course is described as "flat and fast" from the beach off Davis Beach Road. Entry fee is $10 plus 10 non-perishable food items for the Harwich Food Pantry.

A post-race party with awards and a raffle will be held at the Lost Dog Restaurant, routes 134 and 6A, East Dennis.

For more info, call 508-385-6125 or send an email to gene@capecodalarm.com.

(photo credit, http://cozybeach.com)

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Plans underway for Seagull Six Spring Classic in Woods Hole

Members of the Falmouth Track Club are preparing for the 31st annual Seagull Six Spring Classic road race in Woods Hole on Sunday April 6 at 11 a.m.

The course, just short of six miles at 5.7 miles, starts and ends at the starting line of the Falmouth Road Race on Water Street in Woods Hole, in front of the Captain Kidd restaurant and bar.  The last three miles overlap with the first three of the Falmouth Road Race, and include passing in front of Nobska Light.

Pre-entry fee is $15, $20 on day of the race; awards to be given by age division. Follow this link  for a PDF entry form, course map and elevation profile, previous years' results and race history.  Seagull Six glass mugs will be given to the first 200 entrants.

For more information, contact race director Mike Norton at 508-364-9757 or mnorton@lawrencelynch.com.

(The photo shows the start of last year's race; photo credit, www.falmouthtrackclub.org)

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Off-Cape runners dominate Hyannis Marathon races

A South Burlington, Vt., runner, 33-year-old Nicholas Watson was the first across the finish line in Sunday's Hyannis Marathon, running the 26.1-mile course in 2:41:26, a 6:10-mile pace.

Finishing first among female runners was Kim Duclos, 25, of Boston, fifth overall in 2:56:06. The fastest marathoner from the Cape was 21-year-old Thomas Worthington of West Falmouth, who finished 13th in 3:02:32. The first female from the Cape across the finish line  was North Chatham resident Janet Kelly, 58, at 207th overall in 3:56:52.

Roslindale resident Andrew Wommack, 24, won the half-marathon, finishing in 1:12:35, an impressive 5:33 per mile average clip.

First female in the half-marathon was Caitlin Shea-Kenney of Brockton, who finished 17th overall at 1:20:44. The first Cape runner was Bob Anderson, 42, of Sandwich in 1:21:15 for 19th overall. The first local woman was Christina Barrett, 33, of Nantucket, 113th overall in 1:32:30.

In the 10K (6.1-mile) race, Jonathan Holland, 23, of Tennesville, Pa., finished first in 34:51, a brisk 5:37-mile pace. Not far behind was the first runner from the Cape, East Falmouth resident Nicholas Scalfone, 22, in third place at 35:34. The first female runner was Kate Sheedy, 25, of Arlington, Va., seventh overall in 41:03; and the first woman from the Cape was Mary Peabody, 53, of Dennis, in 46:40 for 31st overall.

Follow this link for full results of all the day's races.

(photo credit, www.hyannismarathon.net)

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Falmouth runners plan 20-mile training run

embers of the Falmouth Track Club have scheduled 20-mile training run from Bourne to Woods Hole on Sunday March 30 at 8 a.m.

Training for what, you may wonder? One of the premiere road races in the world three weeks and a day later on Patriots' Day, April 21 - the Boston Marathon.

The training run begins at the Peebles School in Bourne and ends at the starting line of the Falmouth Road Race in front of the Cap'n Kidd in Woods Hole. The course proceeds along secondary roads west of Route 28 and not along the highway. Follow this link to see a map of the course.

Water stops will be set up on the route; "you may also run any portion of the course," the website of the Falmouth Track Club compassionately suggests. A party to follow at the Sippewissett home of Carolyn and Courtney Bird. For more info, call the Birds at 508-548-0348.

(photo credit, http://www.runnersworld.com/)

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All expenses-paid to Falmouth Road Race for winner of essay contest

CIGNA insurance, chief sponsor of the Falmouth Road Race, is holding an essay contest and offering the winner an all-expenses paid trip for two to this year's race.

"The CIGNA Falmouth Road Race Challenge" invites runners and wheelchair athletes "who currently have, or have overcome, a life-altering disability or illness to share their personal stories of triumph and why they want to race in Falmouth," according to the race website.

"This contest is strongly aligned with our overall mission of improving the health, well-being and security of individuals," said Karen Rohan, president of CIGNA Group, Dental and Vision Care, as quoted on the race website. "We are very excited at the opportunity to help someone meet his or her personal goal of racing in a world-class event such as the CIGNA Falmouth Road Race."

The contest is open to all US resident age 18 and older. Follow this link for contest rules and an entry form. The winner will be announced by the end of April.

The race, in its 36th year, will be run Aug. 10.

(photo credit, http://www.capecodchamber.org/)

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Not too late to register for 2/24 Hyannis half-marathon

egistration for the Hyannis Marathon closed on Tuesday, as it did for the marathon relay and 1oKm also to be run Feb. 24 from the Resort & Conference Center of Hyannis off the West End rotary.

But it's not too late to register for the 13.1-mile half-marathon also planned for the 24th, a Sunday.

Race officials have lined up another famed runner to take part in the weekend's events, which include an exposition and dinner on Feb. 23 - Frank Shorter, the only American marathoner to win an Olympic gold medal in the last century (Munich, 1972).

Appearing with Shorter at the exposition and pre-race dinner will be Bill Rodgers, that other great US distance runner of the '70s, and Ethiopian native Belayneh Dinsamo, who held the men's world record in the marathon for a decade until 1998.

For more info on the Hyannis Marathon and other races and running events that weekend, follow this link.

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