Searching For A Sign: Falmouth Footrace Wants Poster

FALMOUTH, MA — A global athletic competition in Falmouth is looking for a sign.

A poster, specifically. From 1994.

Organizers of the ASICS Falmouth Road Race say they’re searching for some sort of placard describing the event that year, in order to flesh out their archives related to the 7-mile running competition.

It dates to 1973, and the thousands of runners each year have included Olympic gold-medalists and competitors from dozens of countries. There are also everyday joggers from Falmouth and next door.

The race is unusual because it’s not a standard distance – far shorter than a marathon of 26.2 miles, but longer than the popular competition of 5 kilometers (3.1 miles).

Winners have included Joan Benoit Samuelson, a Maine resident who got the 1984 Olympic gold for the women's marathon and has won the Falmouth Road Race six times.

In 1994, the top men's prize went to a runner from Kenya, Benson Masya, who traversed the course from Woods Hole to downtown Falmouth in 31 minutes, 59 seconds.

Last year, the men's winner was Zouhair Talbai, with a time of 32 minutes even. The fastest woman on the course was Emma Hurley, at 36 minutes, 4 seconds.

Japanese sportswear-maker ASICS became the race sponsor in 2021.

“As we look back on the incredible history of the ASICS Falmouth Road Race, we’re working to complete our collection of official race posters from every year,” the organizers posted on social media.

The starting gun for this year’s race sounds on Aug. 16 at 8 a.m.

Falmouth police are joining the search for the 1994 poster, placing the appeal on the department’s website.

If you have a clue, contact Falmouth Road Race Inc.