Falmouth Road Race 2019 Guide: Route, Traffic Restrictions, More

FALMOUTH, MA — The 2019 Falmouth Road Race will start this Sunday, Aug. 18 at 9 a.m. The race kicks off with wheelchair division at 8:40 a.m., followed by the elite women at 8:50 a.m. and the elite men and first pulse at 9 a.m.

As anyone who's run or watched the race before knows, preparation begins well before the start time. Here's everything you need to know about the Falmouth Road Race, courtesy of the race website:

Course Route

The race is seven miles long and begins in front of the Woods Hole Community Center.

• Proceed out of Woods Hole, take a right onto Church Street, then wind around Nobska Lighthouse and continue along the hilly, tree-lined road
• At three miles you emerge from the woods and continue for 1.5 miles along the beach, next to the waters of Vineyard Sound
• Turn left onto Shore Street and 400 yards later turn right onto Clinton Avenue
• Turn left onto Scranton Avenue, 600 yards later turn right onto Robbins Road to the top of Falmouth Harbor
• At the end of Robbins Road, turn right onto Falmouth Heights Road and continue until you once again see the ocean
• Last turn left, head up hill to Falmouth Heights and down to the finish line along Grand Avene at Falmouth Heights Beach

Video of the route is below:

Events

Thursday, August 15th

• 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM*– Health & Fitness Expo and Number Pick-up OPEN
• 5:30 PM –8:30 PM – NBFRR Sports Medicine Symposium: Come for all or part of the talks! This symposium is offered to all who are interested in road race medicine (even if you are not a medical volunteer). Held in the FHS Auditorium. Pre-registration is required.

Friday, August 16th

• 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM* – Health & Fitness Expo and Number Pick-up OPEN

Saturday, August 17th

• 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM – Health & Fitness Expo and Number Pick-up OPEN
• 10:00 AM – Falmouth Walk at Town Hall Square 3.2 or 1.5-mile walk in downtown Falmouth
• 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM – Stop the Bleed: Studies have shown that the help given by an immediate responder can often make the difference between life and death! Learn how to recognize a bleeding emergency, practice life-saving techniques including proper application of tourniquets. (at the Spaulding Rehabilitation booth)
• 11:00 – 12:00 PM – 45 Years of Wheelchair Racing: Passing the Torch – celebrating our 45th Wheelchair Race with a panel discussion featuring past champs and some of the hottest athletes in this division, featuring Craig Blanchette, Ann Thompson, Krige Schabort, Candace Cable, Tatyana McFadden, Daniel Romanchuk, Jason Robinson, and 10-yr-old Maddie Wilson. (moderated by Donna Tocci)
• 12:30 PM – Haven Defense: Suzanne Dougherty discusses women’s running safety. Learn life-saving skills to live with less fear, and more freedom one mile at a time. For more info: https://www.haven-defense.com/
• 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM – Past Champions/ Legends Panel discussion with Joan Samuelson, Bill Rodgers, Frank Shorter, Ben Flanagan (moderated by Toni Reavis)
• 4:00 PM – FALMOUTH TRACK FESTIVAL: SBLI Family Fun Run, Aetna Falmouth Elite Mile, Tommy Cochary High School Mile

The 47th running of the New Balance Falmouth Road Race

• *NEW FOR 2019* BUSES: 5:45 AM – 8:00 AM – Per Falmouth Public Safety, the last bus to the start area in Woods Hole will leave our bus loading area at the Lawrence School at 8:00 AM sharp. If you arrive after 7:00 AM, you are not guaranteed a ride to the start.
• 6:00 AM – 7:15 AM – BIKE VALET: Runners can drop off their bikes at the corner of Grand Ave. and Crescent Ave. and take a bus to Woods Hole. Buses will run to the Start every 15 minutes from 6:00 AM, last bus is at 7:15. Must have a bib and a bike and be pre-registered.
• 8:00 AM – Early Start for qualified individuals
• 8:40 AM – Start of Wheelchair Division, presented by Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Cape Cod and the Wheelchair Duos program
• 8:50 AM – Women Elite Start
• 9:00 AM – Elite Men and Open Start
• 11:15 AM – Course closes & Post-Race Beer Garden Bash at the British Beer Company begins!

Book & Poster Signings

Meet our poster artist and a local historian!

Thursday, August 15th

• 4:00 – 7:00 PM – Paul Clerici – “A History of the Falmouth Road Race – Running Cape Cod” – at the Falmouth Chamber of Commerce Booth
• 6:00 – 8:00 PM – Karen Rinaldo – Race Poster artist –at gift bag handout

Friday, August 16th

• 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM & 5:00 – 8:00 PM – Paul Clerici – “A History of the Falmouth Road Race – Running Cape Cod” – at the Falmouth Chamber of Commerce Booth
• 4:00 – 7:00 PM – Karen Rinaldo – Race Poster artist –at gift bag handout

Saturday, August 17th

• 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM & 1:00 – 3:00 PM – Paul Clerici – “A History of the Falmouth Road Race – Running Cape Cod” – at the Falmouth Chamber of Commerce Booth
• 12:00 – 2:00 PM – Karen Rinaldo – Race Poster artist –at gift bag handout

Celebrity Gift Bag Hand-out Appearances

Get your goodie bag, and maybe an autograph or a selfie, from one of our invited guests!

Saturday, August 17th

• 9:00 AM – Ben Flanagan, 2018 winner of the New Balance Falmouth Road Race, 2019 winner of the Canadian 10,000m National Championships, 2018 winner of the NCAA 10,000m championship; top 5 at BAA 5K; recent graduate of University of Michigan with a Masters Degree in Social Work.
• 10:30 AM – Tatyana McFadden, Paralympic gold medalist, 4-time Grand Slam winner – Boston, London, Chicago, and New York marathons
• 12:00 PM – Team Hoyt, Wheelchair duo legends, Rick and Dick Hoyt
• 1:00 PM – Joan Benoit Samuelson, Legendary runner, first-ever women’s Olympic Games marathon champion, winning the Gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, six-time Falmouth Road Race champion
• 2:30 PM – Sunita Williams, NASA astronaut and U.S. Navy officer; held record for most spacewalks by a woman (seven, totaling 50 hours and 40 minutes) and ran the first marathon in space.

*All special events are subject to change

Falmouth Track Festival

Location: Falmouth High School James T. Kalperis Track

Saturday, August 17th

• 4:00 PM – SBLI Family Fun Run
• 5:00 PM – Aetna Falmouth Elite Mile
• 5:30 PM – Tommy Cochary High School Mile

Race Day

Sunday, August 18th

• NEW FOR 2019 BUSES: 5:45 AM – 8:00 AM Per order of Falmouth Public Safety, the last bus to the start area in Woods Hole will leave our bus loading area at the Lawrence School (113 Lakeview Ave) at 8:00 AM sharp. If you arrive after 7:00 AM, you are not guaranteed a ride to the start. We urge you to please plan accordingly.
• BIKE VALET: 6:00 – 7:15 AM Runners can drop off their bikes at the corner of Grand Ave. and Crescent Ave. and take a bus to Woods Hole. Buses will run to the Start every 15 minutes from 6:00 AM, last bus is at 7:15 AM. Must have a bib and a bike and be pre-registered.
• 8:00 AM Early Start for qualified individuals.
• 8:40 AM Start of Wheelchair Division, presented by Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Cape Cod & Wheelchair Duos.
• 8:50 AM Elite Women Start.
• 9:00 AM Elite Men and Open Start.
• 11:30 AM Course closes.

Traffic and Safety

Woods Hole (Starting Line Area): Water Street in Woods Hole will be closed to vehicle traffic at 5:00 am. Access to the ferry via Woods Hole Rd will be limited until about 8 am and closed completely until about 10 am. Boats will be restricted from accessing the Eel Pond Bridge Dock on Water Street and the Commercial Fishing Dock on Albatross Street from 5:00 am to 10:00 am. Sippewissett Road, between Ransom Road and Quissett Harbor Road, will be closed from 5:00 am to about 10:00 am. Please also refer to the road closure maps below.

Falmouth Heights (Finish Line Area): Grand Avenue will be closed from Walden Avenue to Worcester Court at 4:00 am and reopen later in the afternoon (est. 2 pm). Select streets in Falmouth Heights (see map) will close at 5 am and stay closed long enough for runners to clear the finish line, and for clean-up crews to properly police the area. Please also refer to the road closure maps below.

Falmouth (Race Route): All other roads along the race route leading from Woods Hole to Falmouth Heights will be closed to ALL vehicular traffic at approximately 8:15 am and reopened soon after the last runner has passed. Please also refer to the road closure maps below.

Alcohol Prohibited: The Falmouth Road Race is a non-alcoholic event, and all laws governing the possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages will be enforced.

Public Consumption of Marijuana Prohibited: The public consumption of marijuana is prohibited in the Town of Falmouth, including at the Falmouth Road Race. All laws governing the public consumption of marijuana will be enforced.

Subject to Search: As a safety precaution, personal bags and/or containers are prohibited in Woods Hole and Falmouth Heights during this event. Any such items will be subject to searches by Falmouth Road Race Personnel and/or public safety officials. Prohibited Items List

Parking: Motorists should make every effort to park their vehicles in proper parking areas, as illegally parked vehicles will be towed. The closest handicap parking is available at the Bristol Beach parking lot. Parking information

Drones: The entire route of the Falmouth Road Race is a “No Drone Zone.” The public is being advised NOT to operate any type of drone (unmanned aerial vehicle), including remotely controlled model aircraft, over or near the course, or anywhere within sight of runners or spectators. FAA: “Never fly over groups of people” (14 CFR 107.39)

More Information: For detailed Falmouth Road Race information please contact road race personnel at 508‐540‐7000 or view their website.

See a map of the route below: