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2001 PRESS RELEASES
Race Helps Raise Over $140,000 For Local And National Charities
FALMOUTH, Mass. ö The SBLI Falmouth Road Race and its principal sponsor, Savings Bank Life Insurance, helped raise
over $140,000 for local and national charities this year.
 Julia Cox of Falmouth was one of the top fund-raisers for Easter Seals in this year's SBLI Falmouth Road Race. In addition, the race
has made donations of more than $35,000 to local groups, including the Falmouth Free
Clinic, town recreation department programs and equipment, local Boy Scout and Girl Scout
troops, Falmouth Hospital, the Vietnam Wall Fund, the Veterans' Council, the high
school sophomore and junior classes, the Samaritans, the Falmouth High School after-prom
celebration, the Teen Center, the Falmouth Free Clinic, Falmouth Special Needs Recreation
Program and numerous sports programs at Falmouth High School.
"We're very proud that we are
able to support these causes," said race co-director Rich Sherman. The 29th
annual race, held last month on Aug. 12, had 7,410 official finishers.
Charities assisted by the race included
the Gordon Heald ALS Fund, Cure for Lymphoma, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Easter
Seals, Falmouth Hospital Foundation, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Multiple Sclerosis
Society and Run for Sydney, which benefits cerebral palsy research.
Ron Hoffman, co-chairman of the Gordon
Heald ALS Fund, reported that the fund, which is based in Falmouth, had five runners in
the race who earned over $15,000 towards the charity.
The fund was begun after the death
in October 1997 of long-time Falmouth resident Gordon Heald, who died of amyotrophic
lateral sclerosis, a neuromuscular disease commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
The charity helps ALS patients and their caregivers with quality-of-life issues, said
Hoffman.
This is the second year that the Heald
Fund has had runners in the Falmouth Road Race and the money raised was double that of
last year. One of the Heald Fund participants in the race was Steve Reding of Medway, who
has had Lou Gehrig's Disease for over seven years. Reding completed the race in a
wheelchair. Hoffman said the Falmouth Road Race helps to build awareness for their unique
charity.
One of the youngest fundraisers
participating in the Falmouth Road Race this year was Julia Cox of Falmouth, who is 13
years old and attends Cape Cod Academy. Cox, who raised almost $1,600 for the Easter
Seals, said, "It felt really good helping people with disabilities. I felt very lucky
to be able to do that."
She added that her 7-year-old sister Jenny
helped by sending out the mailing for her pledges. She also gave credit to her parents,
James and Janet Cox, for their support.
As a member of her school's
cross-country team, Julia said the Falmouth Road Race helps her train for the fall season.
Claire Carvalho, senior
development officer for Easter Seals, said of Julia, "She's an amazing young
woman."
Carvalho said her runners in the Falmouth Road
Race raised over $30,000 for the charity, a large increase over last year. The difference,
Carvalho said, was that SBLI
donated 10 numbers in addition to the 20 provided by the race.
Karen Bissonette, director of the Falmouth
Hospital Healthcare Foundation, said 18 runners raised over $14,000 for the hospital this
year. "It was an absolute success," she said.
The race and the hospital have had a
partnership for many years, because more than 100 race medical volunteers are affiliated
with the hospital, said Bissonette.
She added that the money raised for the
foundation will be used toward capital projects at the hospital like a cardiac
catherization lab, a fifth operating room and the renovation of the second floor to add 20
new beds.
The local nature of the charity attracted
many Cape residents, said Bissonette. One of the runners for the foundation ran in honor
of her grandmother who received care at the hospital.
The top fundraiser was Jeannine Flick of
Falmouth, with $1,325. The second was Bissonette's husband, Galen Robbins, of
Falmouth, who raised $1,320 plus a corporate match of $500 from his employer, Fleet Bank.
Nicole Bruno, director of special events
for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, wrote to the race committee: "Because of the work
of dedicated people like your committee we are closer to finding a cure. This progress is
made possible by the dollars raised by events such as the Falmouth Road Race. We are now
more hopeful than ever that genetic research will discover the cure for CF in our
lifetime."
In 2001, 26 runners raised over $29,000
for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, up significantly from $17,000 in 2000.
Pam Spitzer, executive director of the
Massachusetts/Rhode Island chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, said that many of
the 26 runners had a cystic fibrosis connection, through family or friends with the
disease. She said that most of the runners raised more than the $750 minimum that is
required for participation in the run for the charity.
Twenty runners' numbers were donated
to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation by the race and six more were provide by SBLI, explained
Spitzer.
Cheryl Chagnon of Cure for Lymphoma said
she has received over $41,000 to date in donations from the 26 who race the Falmouth Road
Race, up from the $17,000 raised last year. "It was a tremendous success," said
Chagnon of Natick, Massachusetts, who herself has lymphoma.
One of the Cure-for-Lymphoma runners was a
doctor who had recently had open-heart surgery. He raised $1,400.
Chagnon, who has run the race for the last
four years, said she looks forward to it every year. She also expressed special thanks to
SBLI, which donated five additional numbers beyond those provided by the race.
Laurie Reich of the charity Run for Sydney
also had high praise for the race. Reich is a long-time veteran of the race, having run it
almost every year since 1983.
In
August 1999, Reich's daughter Sydney was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and their
family has taken on the responsibility of raising money for Boston Children's
Hospital Lifebridge Program. Reich, who lives in Glastonbury, Conn., raised almost $1,000
from her Falmouth run and said, "Someday, I hope Sydney will have the opportunity to
follow in my footsteps."
Yvette Kanych, campaign director of the
Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Team in Training in White Plains, N.Y., said their runner
Bob O'Malley ran in the race for the third time and earned about $3,000 for the
charity.
The Team in Training is a group of
individuals who raise funds for the society through road races, bike rides and triathlons.
O'Malley, of Valley Cottage, N.Y., is a member of the board of directors of the
Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. He has raised about $10,000 for the society.
The Multiple Sclerosis Society has the
longest fund-raising relationship with the race, dating back almost 20 years. This year
the society raised almost $10,000 and has received more than $1 million since they first
began asking participants to get pledges for each mile run.
Anyone interested in running for one of
the designated race charities is invited to visit the "Entry Info" page on this site, then "Guaranteed Entries."
Korir and Kiplagat Win SBLI Falmouth Road Race
Falmouth, Mass. ö Aug. 12, 2001 ö Under threatening skies and humid conditions, nearly 8,000 people officially completed the SBLI Falmouth Road Race. Kenyans John Korir, winner in 1999, and Lornah Kiplagat, defending women's champion, bested the field over the 7.1 mile distance. Kamel Ayari from New Rochelle, N.Y., and Harrilyn Beehner of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., were the winners in the wheelchair division. Colorado's Dan Browne and Kristin Chisum of Wayland, Mass., were the top Americans.
The starter's gun sounded at 10 a.m. in Woods Hole. Shadrack Hoff of South Africa took the early lead. Heading into the second mile, he led a pack of 20 that included Kenyans Gilbert Koech, David Makori and Gilbert Okari, as well as Americans Dan Browne and Brad Hauser. As they ran into the headwind on Surf Drive at mile four, the pack began to reel in the leader. Leaving the beach, Hoff rejoined the pack. Along Scranton Avenue and onto Robbins Road at the top of Falmouth Harbor, a pack of 10 broke away.
 John Korir, right, edges out Shadrack Hoff at the finish line to win the 2001 SBLI Falmouth Road Race. The men climbed the final hill with Korir edging Hoff at the finish with clockings of 32:26 and 32:27 respectively. Koech was only three seconds behind in 32:20. Dan Browne was 12th in a time of 33:08. Fellow American Brad Hauser was two places behind Browne in 33:18.
"SBLI is excited to partner with another New England tradition, the Falmouth Road Race. In addition to an exciting international event, the race brings together thousands of everyday runners whom we congratulate," said Robert K. Sheridan, CEO of SBLI. "We tip our hats to the race directors, Rich and Kathy Sherman and John and Lucia Carroll, who produce one of the premier races in the country. We look forward to immediately beginning the planning for the 30th edition of SBLI Falmouth Road Race."
 Top three women finishers, from left, Lornah Kiplagat, Catherine Ndereba, Elena Meyer. In the women's race, Kiplagat led from start to finish over the winding, scenic course. At two miles the defending champion had a 20-second lead on two-time Falmouth winner from Kenya, Catherine Ndereba and South African Elena Meyer. As they made their way to mile three, Ndereba and Meyer had closed the gap to 10 seconds but Kiplagat was on a roll and had her second consecutive victory in sight. She crossed the line in 36:26, eight seconds ahead of Ndereba and 28 seconds in front of Meyer.
The first American women, Kristin Chisum and Blake Russell, both of Massachusetts, finished eighth (38:11) and 10th (38:21) respectively. Kim Fitchen of Palo Alto, Calif., was the third American woman in 38:35.
First-time Falmouth racer Kamel Ayari of New Rochelle, N. Y., won the wheelchair race in 28:08. He was followed by Tony Nogueira (30:19) and Timothy Kelly (34:37). Harrilyn Beehner won the women's division in 51:54. The master's divisions were won by Andrew Masai of Kenya and Elena Fidatov of Romania.
The 30th Annual SBLI Falmouth Road Race will be held on Sunday, Aug. 11, 2002.
Click here for full results.
Race tapes available
Falmouth Community Television (FCTV) is offering VHS tapes of the race. If you are interested, please send $30 plus $4 per tape for shipping and handling payable to
Falmouth Community Television, 310 Dillingham Ave., Falmouth, MA 02540.
New England mile record in jeopardy
August 7, 2001
FALMOUTH, Mass. ö One of the world's fastest milers will take dead aim on the New England record on Saturday evening at the SBLI Falmouth Mile, part of the SBLI Falmouth Road Race weekend festivities.
Leonard Mucheru of Kenya, who ran 3:49.58 in a meet in Rome on June 28 will be shooting to eclipse the fastest time ever recorded in New England, a 3:53.42 by Frank O'Meara of Ireland. Mucheru's time is the fifth fastest in the world this year and puts him in a group of only 36 runners who have ever broken 3:50. He placed fourth in the 2000 world cross-country championships.
Mucheru's competition will include Irishman Desmond English, whose best is 3:58.1; Jason Lunn of Menlo Park, Calif., 3:59.01, who ran for the U.S. in the World Indoor Championships last winter, and Kenyan John Itati, who has run 3:42.45 in the 1500 meters.
The women's race features defending champion Mary Jayne Harrelson of Athens, Ga., who ran the fifth fastest mile in the world last year and recorded a 4:34.40 to win Falmouth. She will face a strong challenge from Russian Lyudmila Vasilyeva, who notched a 4:20.03 last year. Also expected to be in the mix is Sally Glynn, a Stanford student who was second in this year's NCAA championship 1500 meters.
The winner of the men's and women's race will earn $1,000 each, with a $500 bonus for men who break four minutes and women under 4:33. A 2002 Volkswagen Beetle will be awarded for a new U.S. citizen's record. The men's mark is 3:47.69 by Steve Scott and the women's is Mary Slaney's 4:17.71.
The women's race will be run at 6:15 at the Falmouth High School track, 874 Gifford Street, with the men to follow at 6:30. There is no admission fee.
Metropolitan District Commission All Star Band to perform in Falmouth
On Saturday, Aug. 11, Falmouth will host the MDC All-Star Band when they play at a concert at the Falmouth Band Shell at 7:30 p.m. The concert is part of the weekend-long celebration of the 29th running of the SBLI Falmouth Road Race. The band is comprised of some the most talented student musicians in the metropolitan Boston area. This summer marks the seventh annual formation of the band and Joseph M. Brogan's seventh year as director. The band will perform a variety of music ranging from classical favorites to popular film scores to old time rock and roll hits. Performing in Falmouth will be just one of many stops on the band's summer tour.
The band is one product of a summer internship program offered by the Metropolitan District Commission. The mission of the program is to provide an opportunity for young talented student musicians to showcase their expertise while providing excellent entertainment for various communities throughout the state. Members of the band have the chance to improve their skills during the summer as well as experience what is it like to travel and perform as professional musicians. The band has performed at the 54th Presidential Inaugural Ceremonies in Washington, D.C., for the Tall Ships Celebration in Boston during the summer of 2000, in concerts for the 4th of July Celebration at the Hatch Shell with The Boston Pops Orchestra, and for the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.
Program and members
World-class field set to race in Falmouth
July 12, 2001
FALMOUTH, Mass. -- An impressive array of running stars, featuring six former champions, the men's and women's course record holders and many of the elite racers on the international circuit, will highlight the field for the 29th renewal of the SBLI Falmouth Road Race on Sunday, Aug. 12.
The annual summer spectacle, one of the major competitions on the world road-racing calendar, will include a field of 9,500 racing 7.1 miles from the drawbridge in Woods Hole to the seaside finish line along the beach in Falmouth Heights. Since its inception in 1973, the Falmouth Road Race has attracted world-class runners and recreational joggers alike in what has become one of the signature events in New England.
Savings Bank Life Insurance of Massachusetts will serve as the principal sponsor of the race for the first time. The Woburn-based company stepped in at the 11th hour in February to sponsor the race this year and assure that Falmouth will maintain its stature on the world scene. The addition of SBLI as principal sponsor has enabled race officials to increase prize money, including a $1,000 boost to $5,000 for the first American man and woman. The second-place Americans will receive $3,000 instead of last year's $2,500. Increases have also been added for third through seventh in the American divisions and fourth through sixth in the open classes. Total prize money is now $97,500, up from $88,500 in 2000, including $1,000 bonuses for a course record. This is the second largest non-marathon purse in the country.
"This is shaping up as one of the best fields we've ever had," said race co-director John Carroll, who, along with his wife, Lucia, and Kathy and Rich Sherman, have been involved in the race since its start. "It's going to be exciting to watch it all come together."
The women's division has all the makings of a classic.
Leading the way are defending champion and course record holder Lornah Kiplagat of Kenya, three-time Falmouth winner and two-time Boston Marathon champion Catherine Ndereba, and Olympic silver medalist Elana Meyer of South Africa.
Kiplagat dominated last year's race, covering the 7.1 miles in 35 minutes, 2 seconds, smashing Ndereba's 1996 course record by an astounding 35 seconds. Ndereba was a distant second by 55 seconds.
"The memories (of 2000) are very sweet," Kiplagat "It's a beautiful, scenic course with great people. ... Athletes always have favorite places to go and Falmouth is on top of my list."
Kiplagat, 27, who splits her time between the Netherlands and Kenya, won 11 races last year and set eight course records. She has continued that success this year. She won the Peachtree 10K in Atlanta in July, running 30:58, just six seconds off the course record she set in 2000. She had the second-fastest four-mile time in history (19:33) in winning the Steamboat Classic in Peoria, Ill., in June. Earlier this season Kiplagat set a world-best at 20K (12.4 miles), running 1:03.54 in the Netherlands.
Even when Kiplagat doesn't win she impresses. At the Lisbon Half-Marathon in April she finished second to Susan Chepkemei of Kenya, who ran a world-record 1:05:44. Kiplagat's runner-up time of 1:06:34 was also under the old mark. Kiplagat was fourth in the 2001 Boston Marathon and second (to Ndereba) in the Chicago Marathon last fall in a fast 2:22.36.
Ndereba won the recent Utica Boilermaker 15K, breaking her own course record with a time of 48:06. Earlier this year she won the Boston Marathon for the second straight year and she won the Chicago Marathon last fall in 2:21:33, one of the fastest times ever.
The competition at the front of the women's pack figures to be intense. Two-time Falmouth champion Colleen DeReuck, a native of South Africa and now a naturalized U.S. citizen living in Boulder, Colo., should be in the mix for overall honors as well as top American finisher. DeReuck, a veteran of three Olympic Games, has been a fixture in Falmouth for years and has been one of the race's best performers. She won her first title in 1993 and reigned again in 1997. She has been second four other times. DeReuck, 37, ran world-best times for 10 miles and 20K in 1998.
Meyer will be making her first appearance in Falmouth, but she's anything but a rookie racer. The 34-year-old native of South Africa is one of the most accomplished runners of all-time. She was the silver medalist at 10,000 meters at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona and competed in the Olympic marathon at the 1996 Games in Atlanta. She has held world-best records on the roads at 15K and the half-marathon and three times finished in the top three at the Boston Marathon.
This season Meyer has won two half-marathons in Japan, the Cherry Blossom 10-Mile, the Crescent City Classic 10K and the Lilac Bloomsday 12K. She was third at the Peachtree 10K and second at the Utica Boilermaker 15K.
Three-time Boston Marathon champion Uta Pippig of Germany, who is working toward gaining U.S. citizenship, will also be at the starting line. She was eighth at Falmouth in 1998 and fourth in 1990.
Natalie Nalepa of Austin, Texas, the first U.S. finisher last year and sixth overall, is expected back. Jen Rhines of Villanova, Pa., the first American in 1999, will also be in the mix.
The men's race will feature 1999 champion John Korir of Kenya and 1996 champion and course record holder Joseph Kimani, also of Kenya. Defending champion Mark Yatich of Kenya is not expected to return.
Kimani ran 31:36 when he won in1996 and he was second last year in 31:46. In addition to his win in 1999, Korir was second in '98 and fifth last year.
Korir has been one of the hot runners on the circuit this year, winning the recent Peachtree 10K and the Utica Boilermaker 15K. Earlier in the season he won the Cherry Blossom 10-Mile.
Other contenders figure to be Reuben Cheruiyout of Kenya, the No. 1-ranked road racer in 2000, and David Makori, third at Falmouth in 1999.
U.S. Olympian Mark Coogan and American 15K road race champion Dan Brown will be among the favorites for U.S. prize money.
Andrew Masai of Kenya, winner of seven major masters races in 2000, including Falmouth, will be back to defend his title. Simon Karori, the open division winner at Falmouth in 1993 and last year's second master, will also return. For the women masters, last year's winner Judi St. Hilaire of Somerset, will return to defend her title.
Road racing legends Frank Shorter and Bill Rodgers will run again in the over-50 seniors division. Shorter is a two-time Falmouth champion and the last American man to win a gold medal in the Olympic marathon. His historic victory in 1972 in Munich is credited with starting the running boom in the U.S., and he won a silver medal in the Olympic marathon in Montreal in 1976. Rodgers is a three-time Falmouth champion and won four Boston and four New York City marathon titles.
SBLI Rescues the Falmouth Road Race
Sponsorship Agreement Unites Leading Life Insurer and Top-Rated Running Event. Prize Money to be Increased.
WOBURN, Mass., March 29, 2001 - The Falmouth Road Race is back on track and running strong, thanks to the Savings Bank Life Insurance Company of Massachusetts. SBLI, based in Woburn, announced today that it will be the principal sponsor of the 29th annual Falmouth Road Race on Aug. 12. The agreement provides financial stability as the race looks forward to its 30th running in 2002.
More
Letter to the Press from the Directors
FALMOUTH, Mass., March 29, 2001 -
Dear Media Representative:
The 29th running of the Falmouth Road
Race will be held on Sunday, Aug. 12, at 10 a.m. We invite
you to cover this event. As usual, this year's race will
feature many of the top male and female runners in road
racing from around the world, competing for a prize money
purse in excess of $96,000. This includes $29,600 in
awards to American runners. Past winners include Alberto
Salazar, Bill Rodgers, Frank Shorter, Benson Masya, Khalid Khannouchi,
Joan Benoit Samuelson, Grete Waitz, Lynn Jennings and Catherine Ndereba.
Defending champions are Kenyans Mark Yatich and Lornah Kiplagat.
This New England tradition also includes many everyday
runners whose reasons for competing are as varied as their
backgrounds. These participants, of all ages and abilities,
may come to Falmouth to reunite with friends and family,
run for a cause, or explore their personal performance
limits.
If you are interested in these stories, kindly contact
media headquarters at the number listed below.
We have included the following for your information:
Please re-visit our site for periodic race updates.
If you need further information, please call (508) 495-0184.
We look forward to seeing you on race day!
Sincerely,
Lucia and John Carroll
Kathy and Rich Sherman
Co-directors
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