ABOUT THE RACE

Runners' World called this race one of the ten "Most Scenic" marathons in America.

New England Runner Magazine designated the event 1996 Road Race of the Year.

For more about the history of the Cape Cod Marathon, visit our History page.

For a detailed course description of the marathon and half marathon courses and hints on how to run them, scroll down.

For an illustrated view of the race visit our Course Tour page and for course maps, visit our Maps page.

NUMBER OF RUNNERS

2011 field: 1394 in marathon, 1034 in half marathon and 958 on 200 relay teams totalling 3386 participants from 41 states, 4 provinces of Canada, and 8 other foreign countries, but mostly (75%) from New England. Runners of all ages and abilities participate in the race; many are first-time marathoners. Median finishing time is usually around 4:00, with runners completing the course anywhere between 2:20 and 6 1/2 hours.

For more information about entering the Cape Cod Marathon, and for entry forms, visit our Marathoner Registration page.

THE STAPLES MARATHON RELAY (20th Annual)

Five-leg relay for teams of 2 to 5 members run simultaneously with marathon. Legs range from 3.05 to 6.15 miles. Trophies awarded to single sex and mixed teams overall and by age groups. Corporate Challenge for single sex and mixed teams.

For more information about entering the Cape Cod Marathon Relay, and for entry forms, visit our Relay Teams page.

THE CAPE COD MARATHON HALF - 13.1 Miles (2nd Annual)

The half marathon will be run on Saturday, October 27th at 7:30 a.m. The field will be limited to 1100 runners. Runners who really want to test their endurance may enter both the half and full marathons by participating in the Clam Chowdah Challenge

For more information about entering the Cape Cod Marathon Half, and for entry forms, visit our Half Marathon page.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT

Nearly 800-900 volunteers including medical teams, radio amateurs, Civil Air Patrol, police, students, and scores of interested folks; 28 businesses and organizations (2011); 9,000-10,000 spectators; Since 1988, proceeds have been donated to a number of different local organizations such as Falmouth Service Center, Around the Table, and the Mashpee Booster Club, Penikese Island School, the Cape Cod Free Clinic, the Friends of Fairwinds Clubhouse, Wings for Falmouth Families, the Falmouth Chorale, the Falmouth Town Band, the Police Athletic League, the Civil Air Patrol, and several after-school althletic and cultural programs in Falmouth among others. Year 2011 donations to community organizations totaled $26,900.00. For information about becoming a volunteer for the Marathon, visit our Volunteer page.

TIMING AND SCORING

The ChronoTrack B-Tag system will be used for timing and scoring the marathon, relay and half marathon.

PRIZE MONEY AND AWARDS

• MARATHON: A Prize Purse of $12,600.00 to individuals and $3.200.00 to USATF-NE teams competing in the championship will be distributed to the top marathon finishers, supplemented by trophies and merchandise prizes, in the following categories: Overall Winners, Open 14-39, Master 40-49, Senior 50-59, Veterans 60-69, and Grand Veterans 70 & over. Additionally merchandise prizes will be awarded randomly to other finishers.
• HALF MARATHON: $4,000.00 will be distributed to the top finishers overall and in the Masters (40-49) and Senior (50-59) divisions. In addition, merchandise prizes will be given to the top finishers in the Veterans (60-69) and Grand Veterans (70 & over) divisions.

DETAILED COURSE DESCRIPTION

• MARATHON: The one-loop course begins and ends at the Village Green in Falmouth center. The first 10.5 miles are relatively flat, with the exception of one short hill at 3 miles, as the course goes east along the shore for about five miles and then heads inland through the farmland and cranberry bogs of East Falmouth. When the course turns onto Thomas Landers Road, the route climbs for 1.5 miles about 70 feet to the highest elevation of the course (about 100 feet above sea level). From mile 12 to mile 15, the course heads south into West Falmouth and is primarily downhill or flat. There is a 3/4 mile downhill at mile 12 that starts that sequence. Between mile 15.5 and 23.5 the course proceeds south into Woods Hole and picks up the first part of the Falmouth Road Race course, going past Nobska Light at mile 22. This 8 mile stretch of terrain consists of a non-stop series short rolling hills mixed in with some flat and with some noteworthy hills (1/4 - 1/3 mile) at 15.5, 17, 20, and 22 miles. Just beyond 23.5 miles, the terrain flattens out again for the last 3.2 miles along the Vineyard Sound shore and back to Falmouth center.

  The first part is easy, the latter is a test. The people who do well on this course (and consistently year in and year out, 25% of experienced marathoners PR on this course) follow the following formula: go out easy, take plenty of fluids, and save energy for the hills. To get a flavor of how to run this course, check out the History section. The accounts of the '88 - '93 races will give you considerable insight.

  Although the course is not closed to traffic, it is run on secondary roads and monitored by the police and numerous volunteers who man intersections, provide radio communication, medical support,tired runner pick-up, etc.

  For a map of the course in different file formats, visit our Marathon Maps page. For a course map that highlights terrain, click here. This map is in Adobe PDF format. (If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader, it can be downloaded for free from adobe.com.) To see a map with an elevation profile, click here.

• HALF MARATHON: Basic Loop with some out and back, starting on Main Street and ending in Town Hall Square, on secondary roads with light traffic and on bike path; generally flat except for some rolling hills between miles 6.5 and 9.5; very scenic with sweeping vistas of Nobska Light and Vineyard Sound. To view a map of the course, click here.

ON THE COURSE ON RACE DAY

• MARATHON (Sunday):
  • Splits at 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 miles
  • Water and Cytomax stops about every 2.5 miles.
  • All miles, 5km intervals, and turns marked on the roads.
  • Medical aid available on the course and at the finish.
  • Vehicles to pick up tired runners travel around the course.
  • Course open to controlled local traffic.
  • Porta Johns at start & finish and at 4 relay exchange points (3.1, 8.7, 14.9, 21.8), and at the 7, 12.4, 18.5, & 22.5 mile points.
  • Bands and DJ's provide intermittent diversion; the scenery does the rest.
  • Elvis sightings in later stages of race (real or delusional?)
  • Use of personal electronic devices such as portable music players during the race is prohibited for safety reasons. The course is not closed to traffic and the saftety of all participants is a paramount concern.
  
  
• HALF MARATHON (Saturday):
  • Splits at 1, 5 and 10 miles.
  • Water and Cytomax stops about every 2.5 miles.
  • All miles and turns marked on the roads and with signage.
  • Medical aid available at the finish.
  • Course open to controlled local traffic.
  • Porta Johns at start & finish.
  • Use of personal electronic devices such as portable music players during the race is prohibited for safety reasons. The course is not closed to traffic and the saftety of all participants is a paramount concern.

WEATHER CONDITIONS

There is an old saying in New England. "If you don't like the weather, wait five minutes!" What is "normal" or "average" is not something you can take to the bank. And weather conditions can play a major part in one's performance. The temperature on Cape Cod in late October typically ranges between 45 and 60; typically the day is clear with a westerly breeze; and typically it is the peak of the fall folliage season. The course has been designed to minimize the effects of the wind (assuming the wind is blowing from the west); i.e., in exposed areas, the prevailing wind would be a tail wind and in areas where you might have a head wind, you are protected by trees and growth. In the last 20 years, however, it has rained once, been overcast at least six times, seen temperatures reach the mid to upper 70's (farenheit) three times and dip to the mid thirties with snow flurries once. In 2002, on the day before the marathon, there were 2 inches of rain, high winds, and 20 foot seas with some coastal flooding, but race day saw clear skies and temperatures in the mid to upper forties and PR's by 34% of the marathoners who had run a previous marathon!

COURSE RECORDS (MARATHON)

• Men's: Randy Thomas 2:17:35 (1986)
• Women's: Cathy Schiro O'Brien 2:37:06 (1987)
• Men's Master: Craig Fram 2:27:58 (2000)
• Women's Master: Mary Lynn Currier 2:55:10 (2008)
• Men's Senior: Reno Stirrat 2:45:47 (2007)
• Women's Senior: Susan Gustafson, 3:08:31 (1998)
• Men's Veteran: Chris Jermyn 3:02:39 (2002)
• Women's Veteran: Judy A. Teeple 3:56:56 (2002)
• Men's Grand Veteran: Robert Borglund, 3:23:09 (1998)
• Wheelchair: John Lyon 2:15:36 (1996)

For Results from 1996 - 2011, see the Results Page.

ACCOMMODATIONS

For a list of other places to stay in Falmouth, visit our Accommodations List page, or contact the Falmouth Chamber of Commerce, 1 Academy Lane, Falmouth, MA 02540, Tel: 508-548-8500 or visit them from our Links page.

RACE ACTIVITIES FOR MARATHONERS, RELAY TEAMS AND HALF MARATHONERS

Race Headquarters: The Lawrence School, 113 Lakeview Avenue, Falmouth, MA 02540 on Friday (4:30 pm to 7:30 pm) for Half Marathoners and Chowdah Challengers only, Saturday (10:00 am to 6:00 pm), and Sunday (6:15 am to 7:30 am) for marathoners and relay teams.

• Post-registration for half marathoners and Chowdah Challengers only (Friday Evening).
• Number, T-shirt and race packet pick-up for half marathoners and Chowdah Challengers only (Friday Evening and Saturday morning - 6:00 am to 7:00 am).
• Post-registration for marathon entrants & relay teams (Saturday Only).
• Number, T-shirt and race packet pick-up for marathon entrants & relay teams (Saturday & Sunday).
• Information on the marathon, the relay, and the USATF-NE marathon championship.
• Runner's Expo (Saturday only).
• Information on things to do, restaurants, places to visit in and about the Falmouth area.
• Pre and post race carbo loading at selected local restaurants on Friday and Saturday evenings.
• Ample race parking at the school
• Only a short walk to the start and finish area for the marathon, half marathon and relay race.
• Changing and limited shower facilities available on Saturday and Sunday.
• Post-Half Marathon refreshments on Saturday morning including traditional clam chowder for all half marathoners and families and friends in the school cafeteria. Runners' meals are free; a small amount is charged for others.
• Half Marathon awards ceremony on Saturday at 10:30 am in the Lawerence School cafeteria.
• On Sunday, award winning post-marathon meal with pasta, our traditional clam chowder, salad, fruit juices and soft drinks, for all runners and families and friends in the school cafeteria. Runners' meals are free; a small amount is charged for others. The proceeds will benefit the Mashpee Booster Club.
• Post-race massage therapy available on Sunday for the marathon.
• Race results posted in the gym and cafeteria as they are available.
• Awards ceremony at 2:30 p.m. in the Lawerence auditorium.
• The famous New England Runner Post-race party with live entertainment and delicious libation provided by the Offshore Ale Company at Landucci's located in the Falmouth Inn Sunday afternoon.
• Other activities: contact the Falmouth Chamber of Commerce, 1 Academy Lane, Falmouth, MA 02540, Tel: 508-548-8500 or visit them from our Links page.

PHOTOS

PhotoChambers will mail proofs to marathon competitors within 3 weeks after the race. Proofs also will be available and pictures purchased at www.photo-chambers.com about a week after the race.

RACE DIRECTOR

Courtney Bird
info@capecodmarathon.com
P.O. Box 699, West Falmouth, MA 02574
Tel: 508-540-6959
Fax 508-548-0617