By Olivia DePunte
The ASICS Falmouth Road Race is more than just a seven-mile race along the scenic Cape Cod coast—it’s the grand finale of a weekend packed with festivities, family fun and fierce competition that bring the Falmouth community and visitors together in celebration of fitness, tradition and summertime spirit.
Race weekend opens with the Falmouth Track Festival festivities on Friday night, August 15, and continues with the SBLI Family Fun Run dawning bright and early on Saturday morning. Everyone gets a chance to run, from New England’s most-competitive high school milers to elite runners and wheelchair racers down to toddlers. Even mascots get a piece of the action as they go head-to-comically-large head in a mascot race to kick off the Fun Run.
The 14th annual Falmouth Track Festival, presented by ASICS, will be held at the James T. Kalperis Track at Falmouth High School. The event will open at 7 PM with the Tommy Cochary High School Mile, drawing top high school milers from across Massachusetts. With more than 30 applicants this year and most making their debut appearance, the field promises a fresh and competitive atmosphere.
The mile race honors Tommy Cochary, a beloved local runner whose life was tragically cut short by a drunk-driving accident. In his memory, the Cochary family awards wellness grants to the schools of the top male and female finishers, encouraging good health and smart choices.
Last year, Falmouth High Schooler Silas Gartner was awarded the grant for being the top male finisher—Falmouth’s first win in more than a decade—before going on to become the town’s fastest male finisher in the 2024 Falmouth Road Race. Sasha Lamakina, representing Framingham, took the win in the girls’ division. Both athletes are set to return in 2025.
After the high school mile, the elite athletes sped up the tempo–starting with Yen Hoang cruising to a win in 4:12.95 in the female wheelchair race. For the male wheelchair race, Miguel Jimenez-Vergara, last year’s ASICS Falmouth Road Race runner-up, recorded blistering fast splits to finish in 3:34.17. Next on the track, the elite women broke a record with Dorcas Ewoi’s 4:23.11 mile time hailing in from Kenya, while nearly every male competitor clocked in under four minutes—Henry Wynne cinched the win in only six-hundredths of a second.
Although this year’s event will not feature the spectacular Sky Elements drone show that lit up the 2024 evening sky, race organizers promise the same level of excitement on the track, with a full field of elites slated to compete in Sunday’s seven-mile ASICS Falmouth Road Race.
On Saturday morning the focus turns to the next generation of runners at the 23rd annual SBLI Family Fun Run, also held at the Kalperis Track. Starting at 8, the event is open to children ages 2 to 12 with advance free online registration. Last year’s run welcomed 1,000 eager young participants; a similar turnout is expected this year.
The morning begins with a lighthearted but highly anticipated Mascot Race, where nearly a dozen local and regional mascots will race for giggles and glory. Last year’s inaugural event included Wally and Tessie from the Red Sox, Blades from the Bruins and Pat Patriot from the New England Patriots, as well as some local representation with Homer from the Commodores and Falmouth Road Race’s own Nobby the Lighthouse and Chompers the Shark, among others. McGruff the Crime Dog from the Falmouth Police Department was last year’s surprise champion. Several mascots are reportedly returning for a rematch.
Beyond the races, the Fun Run includes music, games, photo booths, temporary tattoos, refreshments and giveaways, making it a lively and inclusive event for the entire family.
Throughout the weekend, runners and visitors alike are invited to explore the Health & Fitness Expo, open from Thursday through Saturday. Drawing more than 20,000 attendees, the expo features running gear, health products and Cape Cod-inspired goods, and serves as the hub for bib pickup and last-minute race day preparation.
The festivities will reach their peak on Sunday with the ASICS Falmouth Road Race—a seven-mile route from Woods Hole to Falmouth Heights that has earned national recognition. This year’s race marks a milestone: the 50th anniversary of the wheelchair division, which has grown into one of the most-competitive and -inspiring parts of race day.
Organizers anticipate a strong international field of elite runners, Olympians, wheelchair athletes and thousands of recreational runners who will take on the historic course and soak in the energy of a town that truly comes alive for the entire race weekend, from start to finish.