FALMOUTH AND THE MARATHON

The Cape Cod Marathon takes its participants on a twenty-six mile loop around the town, beginning in the historic Falmouth Village Green, past the picturesque Falmouth Inner Harbor, along the breathtaking Nantucket Sound vistas of Falmouth Heights and Menauhant, across Green Pond and through the rustic wooded areas of Davisville and past Falmouth's legendary Cranberry bogs in Hatchville. The race then turns west towards the Buzzards Bay villages of West Falmouth and Sippiwissett and south through the internationally famous scientific community of Woods Hole.

Winding through Woods Hole, the race then returns to the beaches of the Sound with a stunning turnaround, past the lighthouse and along the beaches of Surf Drive and then finally back through the downtown streets of Falmouth to finish at the Village Green. The marathon's route gives participants a unique view of almost every section of Falmouth and its neighborhoods and people.

The Cape Cod Marathon also features a very diverse group of participants, since there are many different ways to enjoy the race. Raising money for leukemia research, treatment and education, the Leukemia Foundation's Team In Training has taken part, with volunteers participating by either walking or running the entire course. Particularly exciting are the relay teams that compete from competitive track clubs, corporate running teams and local organizations. Since the entire course is a marathon-regulation twenty-six-plus miles, each of the five relay legs are approximately three to six and one half miles long. The relay is a unique opportunity to both compete and enjoy the comraderie that the team aspect offers.

Then, of course, there's the main event: The Cape Cod Marathon. The entire course is a challenging test for marathon runners, especially through the hills of Sippewissett. At the top of one of the last long hills in Woods Hole sits the beautiful Nobska Lighthouse which offers the marathon racer a marvelous beacon to focus on as they head into the final stretch.

Now in its third decade, the Cape Cod Marathon is meticulously organized by the Falmouth Track Club with more than 750 volunteers manning water stops and relay stations and offering assistance all along the route. Massage therapists and medics are on hand to handle the inevitable kinks and twists that such a challenging race may induce. Many of the town's restaurants and inns offer pre-race carbo-loading specials, offering a wonderful opportunity to meet with other participants from around the globe. The Cape Cod Marathon and Staples Marathon Relay continue to grow each year, and the event has become one of the highlights of the year in Falmouth.