Falmouth Road Race: Press: Press Releases 2005

FALMOUTH, Mass. - Sept. 26, 2005 - More than 30 non-profit organizations raised over $750,000 through guaranteed entries to the 2005 Falmouth Road Race, exceeding last year's tally by more than $300,000.

The monies were raised by individual runners and teams who received pre-approved, guaranteed entries that are donated by the race in exchange for collecting pledges for a specific charity.

Judi Fanger of Needham,
Mass., teamed with her
husband Alan
to raise more than
$25,000 for
the Lymphoma
Research Foundation.

"The SBLI Falmouth Road race is much more than running for a personal best. It's about increasing awareness for charities and raising money for them," commented SBLI President and CEO Robert K. Sheridan. "Each year we are inspired by the greatness of the elite athletes, but even more by the generosity of the human spirit. The true heroes of the SBLI Falmouth Road Race are individuals like Rhiannon Maher and Judi Fanger and teams from Dana Farber and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, who dedicate their time and efforts to such great causes. Their accomplishments are just as impressive as those of the first runners crossing the finish line."

Leading the fundraising pack this year was the Lymphoma Research Foundation, whose team of 39 raised more than $135,000, bringing their five-year total to more than $450,000 raised for cancer research. The highest fundraising team members were Judi and Alan Fanger and the Peter and Melanie Karp family of Needham, each raising over $25,000 for the cause. Co-chairwoman Lisa Horowitz of Newton said, "The worst part of a cancer diagnosis is the helplessness that one feels in the face of the disease, but the SBLI Falmouth Road Race provides the runners and the donors an opportunity that is very empowering, both physically and emotionally."

Coming in second in the fundraising race was the Dana Farber Cancer Institute of Boston, whose team of 45 runners generated $106,546 in donations, easily beating last year's total of $68,000. The top fundraisers were Rick Catino of North Andover, with $11,815, and Ken Gritzan of Cohasset, $11,225. Catino recently battled and overcame non-Hodgkins lymphoma and wanted to give back to the hospital through the race.

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society had their best year ever, with a total of $86,882. Gay Crowley of Sherborn personally accounted for $54,290 of that total, the largest single effort by any participant.

Compassionate Care ALS, based in Falmouth, used their entries to raise more than $82,000. The fund provides support to those affected by Lou Gehrig's disease, offering educational and legal resources, respite opportunities, instruction and guidance, subsidy of living aids, assistance, and dialogue with patients and their caregivers and families.

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation also racked up a record tally, with $60,000 raised by their team of 20. They were followed by Children's Hospital in Boston, with $40,000, led by Paul Rosenberg of Newton with $3,410, and the Leukemia Society, raising $35,000. The Cure for Lymphoma and the Arthritis Foundation each raised more than $20,000, with team members Alison Horning of South Boston and Kim Figenbaum, Charlestown, running to show that it's still possible to live full and healthy lives with rheumatoid arthritis.

Also breaking the $20,000 mark was the Cape Cod Center for Women, which, in addition to the funds raised by team members, was the beneficiary of the race committee, which donated to the center the $5 fee paid by every person who did not bring their number card when picking up race numbers. This donation amounted to $1,195. In addition, WBZ News Radio 1030, in partnership with SBLI, chose the center as the beneficiary of their on-air race-entry promotion. Two of the center's leading fund-raisers were Dr. Greg Parkinson and his wife, Sandi, of North Falmouth.

Two other top groups were the National Multiple Sclerosis Society at $25,000 and The Kristin Fund with $18,000.

Easter Seals had another good race, as 13 runners raised $17,118 for the organization, led by Julia Cox, 18, of East Falmouth, who collected pledges totaling $2,000. Cox has run the race since 2000, and has raised $12,000 to date.

Despite being afflicted
with cerebral palsy,
13-year-old Rhiannon
Maher of Mashpee,
Mass., raised more than
$1,700 for the Mashpee
Wampanoag Housing
Program.

Thirteen-year-old Mashpee resident Rhiannon Maher, who has cerebral palsy, ran to raise money to benefit the Mashpee Wampanoag Housing Program. Her $1,700 total inspired her family, friends and community to pitch in a total of $25,000. The race committee honored Maher with the Michael Denmark Award for her exceptional courage.

Several groups raised over $10,000, including Gosnold Treatment Center, a Falmouth-based substance abuse and mental health treatment facility. Their leading fund-raiser was the center's CEO, Ray Tamasi of Dennis wih over $6,000.

Ray Tamasi, CEO of Gosnold
Treatment Center in
Falmouth, raised more
than $6,000 for his
organization.

A newcomer to the race was the Flutie Foundation, which received $13,000 for autism research. Also above $10,000 was the American Liver Foundation, as well as perennial favorite "Team Cheryl" for Lymphoma Research, led by Cheryl Chagnon of Natick.

"The SBLI Falmouth Road Race gives us an wonderful opportunity to raise funds to support our efforts," said Bobby Banks of the Liver Foundation. "Our team of runners and their donations make a tremendous impact on our ability to help those affected by liver-related diseases each day."

Others supported by donated race entries included The 300 Committee of Falmouth ($15,900 raised), American Diabetes Foundation ($10,000), Cam Neely Foundation ($5,490), Cape Cod Free Clinic ($2,800) Crohn's and Colitis Foundation ($4,500), Cherish Foundation ($4,980), Falmouth Hospital ($3,600), Greater Cape and Islands Special Olympics ($5,637), Make-A-Wish Foundation, Steppingstone Foundation ($3,500) and the Visiting Nurses Association of Middlesex East ($2,350).

In addition to the monies raised through guaranteed entries, each year the race makes direct donations of more than $40,000 to local organizations, including numerous sports teams, youth and scout groups and community organizations such as Falmouth Hospital, the Cape Cod Free Clinic, Falmouth parent-teacher organizations, Celebration 2005, the Falmouth Teen Center, the Falmouth Amateur Radio Club, Falmouth Community Television, Falmouth Band Parents, Falmouth Service Center, Falmouth Parks Department and the Visiting Nurses Association. Also, the race committee helped to raise funds for a young Falmouth resident, Cpl. Peter Bagarella, U.S. Marine Corps, who had suffered critical wounds while serving in Iraq. The committee asked for donations from the runners during the registration process and they responded generously, contributing almost $22,000 to the fund. Upon hearing this, SBLI donated an additional $5,000.

For more information regarding running for or donating to one of the race's designated charities, visit www.FalmouthRoadRace.com.

Course Record Holders Gilbert Okari and Lorna Kiplagat Victorious at the 33rd Annual SBLI Falmouth Road Race
Okari Defends Title
Kiplagat Wins Her Fourth Falmouth

FALMOUTH, Mass. - Defending champion Gilbert Okari of Kenya breezed to the finish line ahead of the field at the SBLI Falmouth Road Race. The 27-year old Kenyan clocked in at 31 minutes and 59 seconds, which is 51 seconds off his course record 31:08 set last year on the 7-mile course from Woods Hole to Falmouth Heights. Kenyan men took the first four places with recently naturalized citizen, Mbarak Hussein claiming first place American prize money and eighth place overall in 33:22. On the women's side, Kenyan native and Dutch citizen Lorna Kiplagat cruised to her fourth Falmouth win in 36:09. Last year's winner, Russian Alevtina Ivanova, finished second with American Deena Kastor following in third.

At the sound of the starting gun 9,500 runners were sent on their way battling the oppressive humidity but aided by cloud cover and temperatures hovering around 80 degrees. In addition to the press truck and numerous official motorcycles, two pace cars joined the parade, a convertible carrying race founder, Tommy Leonard and a roadster shuttling Robert Sheridan, CEO of 5-year race sponsor SBLI to the finish line.

In the Men's Division, Okari sprinted to the front leading a pack of 12 runners through the first mile at Nobska Light in 4:32. Others leading the charge were fellow countrymen Wilson Kiprotich and Meshack Sang as well as Ethiopian Mohamed Awol. Okari's steady pace led a thinning pack of eight runners through the wooded portion of the course passing mile two in 9:05 for a 4:33 split. Between miles two and three, three-time Falmouth champion, John Korir pushed the pace. Okari continued to pick up the pace leading the pack of five past mile three in 13:30 for a 4:25 split. Along ocean front Surf Drive Okari ran in clockwork fashion slowly but surely extending his lead and recording 17:54 at four miles. The oppressively humid conditions forced the leaders to take water at every aid station along the course. This did not slow Okari who clocked 22:24 at five miles and 28:08 for 10K on his way to the win. Kiprotich finished second in 32:15, Korir followed in 32:35 for his second consecutive third-place finish.

On the women's side, Kiplagat blasted from the start line and never looked back.

She posted a searing 4:49 first mile leaving defending champion Alevtina Ivanova of Russia and Deena Kastor of Mammoth Lakes, Calif. to battle for second place. On her solo journey, Kiplagat sailed past mile three in 14:55, mile four in 19:56 and mile five in 25:09. After Kiplagat finally left them at two miles, Ivanova and Kastor battled for nearly three miles with dueling surges. At mile five, Ivanova sized up Kastor and decided to make a final prolonged surge, dropping Kastor. Ivanova finished in 36:28, 15 seconds off her 2004 winning time of 36:13. Kastor finished third overall and first American woman in 36:48. With her Falmouth win, Kiplagat is a perfect 10 wins in 10 races in 2005.

Tony Nogueria, age 37, of Glen Ridge, N.J. extended his Falmouth winning streak to four with his win in the Wheelchair Division in 26:01, bettering his 2004 time by 12 seconds in spite of the humidity. Nogueria noted that his course duel with second-place finisher Patrick Doak, age 37, of Concord, Mass. who finished in 26:22 contributed to his swift performance. Gary Brendel, age 46, of Sterling, Mass. followed in 26:50. Last year's winner, April Coughlin, age 26, of New Paltz, N.Y. finished her solo Women's Wheelchair performance in 35:10 bettering her 2004 time by one minute and 33 seconds.

Eighth place finisher Hussein, age 40, finished in 33:22 with a double win � first Master's Male and first American. Rounding out the American Men's Division were Ryan Shay, age 29, from East Jordan, Mich. who finished in 33:26 followed by Clint Wells, age 25, from Superior, Colo. clocking 33:50. In the Master's Men's division, 41-year-old Canadian Steve Boyd finished second in 35:12 with former New Englander, Dennis Simonaitis, age 43, finishing in 35:20.

The ageless 41-year-old Colleen DeReuck scored a trifecta with her first place finish in the Master's Women's Division, second place finisher in the American Women's Division and seventh place overall in 37:50. She adds this to her 1993 and 1997 Falmouth wins. Russian Tatyana Pozdnyakova, age 50, placed second in the Master's Division in 40:10 followed by six-time Falmouth winner Joan Beniot Samuelson, age 48, of Freeport, Me. in 40:54.

Olympians, defending and past champions ready to race in Falmouth

FALMOUTH, Mass. - A star-studded field of Olympians, course record-holders and former champions will convene at the drawbridge in Woods Hole on Sunday for the 33rd renewal of the SBLI Falmouth Road Race.

The seven-mile race to Falmouth Heights, one of the highlights of summer on Cape Cod and one of the elite events in distance running, begins at 10 a.m. A field of more than 10,000 will compete over the challenging, seaside course.

Falmouth annually attracts many of the best in the world and this year is no different. Returning to defend their titles are Gilbert Okari of Kenya and Alevtina Ivanova of Russia.

Okari shattered the men's course record last year, running 31:08 and shaving 28 seconds off Joseph Kimani's previous standard set in 1996. Okari has been the top runner on the summer circuit and is coming off a victory last week in the Beach-to-Beacon 10K in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, and a win on July 30 at the Bix 7-miler in Davenport, Iowa.

Okari will be challenged by three-time champion John Korir of Kenya, who was third at Falmouth last year, Wilson Kiprotich of Kenya, second last week in Maine, and 2002 Falmouth winner James Koskei. This will be Korir's eighth straight Falmouth, and along with his three wins, he has been second twice. He was fourth in the Beach-to-Beacon.

Kenyan men have won 12 of the last 14 Falmouths. Last year was just the latest installment as they swept the top eight places.

The world's best will be running for a share of the $112,000 purse, with $11,000 each going to the champions of the men's and women's open division. An additional $1,000 will be paid for a course record.

Part of Falmouth's prize package is targeted to U.S. runners. The top American man and woman wins $5,500 each.

Ivanova, the women's runner-up in Falmouth in 2003, went wire-to-wire to win last year, becoming the first Russian to rule Falmouth. However, she will be hard-pressed to defend her title as Dutch Olympian and three-time Falmouth winner Lorna Kiplagat returns as the favorite.

A native of Kenya but now a citizen of the Netherlands, Kiplagat holds the Falmouth course record of 35:02, set in 2000, and also won in 2001 and �02. She finished fifth in the Olympic 10,000 meters (30:31.92) in Athens last summer. She is undefeated in nine road races this season and is coming off victory last week in Maine, when she beat Ivanova by a comfortable 22 seconds.

U.S. Olympians Colleen De Reuck and Deena Kastor — a Falmouth veteran and a first-time Falmouth entrant — should push Kiplagat. De Reuck, 41, is a two-time champion and a four-time runner-up. She's also a favorite in the Masters' Division. Bruna Genovese, an Olympian from Italy who finished tenth at the Athens Marathon and third at the 2005 Boston Marathon, should also push the pace.

Kastor, formerly Deena Drossin, is running Falmouth for the first time and is one of the greatest American distance runners ever. She won a bronze medal in the 2004 Olympic marathon and holds the U.S. record for 10,000 meters on the track (30:50.32) and 15K on the roads (47:15). In 2003 she broke Joan Benoit-Samuelson's long-standing American record in the marathon when she ran 2:21:16 in London. Kastor's Olympic marathon medal last year in Athens was the first by a U.S. runner in the event since Benoit-Samuelson won the first women's Olympic marathon in Los Angeles.

The ever-popular Benoit-Samuelson will return again. She won the women's open division six times, beginning in 1976. She will be joined by crowd favorites and former winners Frank Shorter and Bill Rodgers. It was 30 years ago this year that Olympic champion Shorter ran Falmouth for the first time and beat Rodgers in the 1975 race that helped establish Falmouth as a world-class race.

The men's masters' race includes Salvatore Bettiol of Italy, a back-to-back Open Division champion in 1989-90, and Kenyan native Mbarak Hussein of Albuquerque, N.M.

Along with De Reuck, the women's masters' race features the impressive Tatyana Pozdnyakova of Ukraine. Now 50, she won her age group last year and was ninth overall.

In the wheelchair division, defending champion Tony Nogueira of Glen Ridge, N.J., will be the men's favorite, while last year's women's winner, April Coughlin of New Paltz, N.Y, will headline the women's race.

Winnie Grant of the Falmouth Beautification Council and
one of the founders of the Road Race Garden is delighted
at the progress made so far.

An official, Town-of-Falmouth-approved Falmouth Road Race Garden will soon grace the lawn adjacent to the Falmouth Heights Beach, directly across from the race finish line.

The idea to establish a place of honor dedicated to the thousands of runners and volunteers of the past 33 years was the brainchild of Anne Smith and Winnie Grant, long-time Heights residents and directors of the Falmouth Beautification Council.

After developing a sketch of the garden, which will include a large stenciled boulder, four benches and several walkways with inscribed bricks, the women received approval from the town's Department of Public Works and Board of Selectmen.

Monument Company of Falmouth and Clover Landscaping were hired to do the design and construction work. The boulder was donated by Greg McDonald of Clover, who also stenciled the artwork. His brother, Kurt McDonald, designed the garden and will do the landscape construction. Drawde Geishecker prepared the stencil.

Greg McDonald, left, and his brother, Kurt, have
worked with Winnie Grant of Falmouth Heights and
the Falmouth Beautification Council to create the
Falmouth Road Race Garden near the race finish line.

The four benches planned for the garden have already been purchased, including one by the race's presenting sponsor, Savings Bank Life Insurance Company; another by British Beer Company, the restaurant directly across from the beach at the finish line; one by the race committee to be dedicated to the thousands of race volunteers, past and present; and the fourth by a group of Falmouth physicians headed by long-time race medical team co-chairman Dr. Richard Adams.

Runners and other friends will have an opportunity to support and be a part of the garden by purchasing a brick to be sand-blasted with the name or words of their choosing. The first 10 bricks have been purchased by the road race committee and the first brick will be inscribed "Tommy Leonard, Race Founder, 1973."

Anyone interested in purchasing a brick should send a check for $100 payable to the Falmouth Beautification Council, P.O. Box 511, Falmouth, MA 02541. Inscriptions can be up to three lines, with a maximum of 15 characters, including spaces. Inquiries should be e-mailed to dmgeik@hotmail.com.

The registered runners for this year's race responded with amazing generosity and an outpouring of donations to the Cpl. Peter Bagarella Fund. Peter Bagarella, a 2001 Falmouth High School graduate and a corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps, was critically injured in a bomb attack in Iraq in August 2004. He is now home in North Falmouth recovering from severe and permanent injuries. A fund was set up to help him and his family with the many expenses that accompany long-term injuries.

The race's request for support of the Bagarella Fund was met with donations of more than $21,000. If anyone would still like to support the fund, additional donations would be welcome. Send your check payable to Cpl. Peter Bagarella Benefit Fund, Eastern Bank, 117 Main Street, Falmouth, MA 02540.

SBLI President and CEO Robert Sheridan interrupted race Co-Director John Carroll at the Race Director's Luncheon as he was thanking the many runners who had donated over $21,000 to the Cpl. Peter Bagarella Fund. Mr. Sheridan wanted to inform the group gathered for the luncheon that SBLI would add $5,000 more to the fund. This donation pushes the total money raised to over $26,000. Donations are still gratefully accepted.

The pressures of growing up are tough enough on any 13-year-old, but for Rhiannon Maher add daily physical and occupational therapy, regular visits to Children's Hospital and having to coordinate her wardrobe with hand and leg braces to the teenage challenge.

Born seven weeks premature, weighing hardly three pounds, Rhiannon has cerebral palsy, which limits her mobility on the right side of her body. But one thing, which appears to be boundless, is her spirit and courage.

Determined to be recognized for her ability - not her disability - the Mashpee High School eighth grader and honor student began training last winter to run in the 33rd SBLI Falmouth Road Race.

And it was that kind of spirit that convinced race directors to make Rhiannon this year's recipient of the Michael Denmark Award.

The award was established in 1992 to honor the memory of another determined young runner, Michael Denmark, a Falmouth native who ran the road race and participated in high school and college cross-country despite his battle with cystic fibrosis. Michael died of the disease at the age of 24.

"Michael never used his condition as an excuse," said his father, Jay. "He was a spirited competitor and he never quit. This award is very important to us. It keeps Michael's memory alive in the town he loved."

Rhiannon will be the first teenager to receive the award, which is given each year in recognition of significant achievement in the face of extraordinary personal challenges.

That Rhiannon is running in this year's race at all is nothing short of amazing considering that in November of 2003 she endured a major nine-hour surgery that would ultimately straighten and correct a length difference in her legs. To achieve this, Children's Hospital orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Brian Snyder had to surgically break her legs in three places, and put her back together again.

For the procedure to be a success, Rhiannon would have to do the hard work including months of recovery followed by months more of rehabilitation.

It was during her rehabilitation that Rhiannon turned mundane miles on the treadmill at the World Gym in Mashpee into a goal to run in a world-class road race.

She became a regular at the gym where she was fortunate enough to meet Sean Sullivan, a bodybuilder and trainer who was originally inspired by the hard work she did to get back on her feet.

"When ever I thought about quitting, all I had to do was look at the work she was doing," said Sullivan, an all natural, steroid free athlete who has won numerous body building competitions and is training to compete for the Mr. Universe title.

When Sullivan about Rhiannon's desire to run in the road race, he volunteered to help train her to achieve her goal. With adaptive equipment that helps Rhiannon to lift weights even with her weaker arm, and dogged determination, Sullivan is helping her to build muscles needed to finish the race.

Sullivan, who is also a patrolman for the Mashpee Police Department, will be one of two volunteers who will run the course with Rhiannon.

She also received corporate sponsorship from Reebok Chairman and Mashpee neighbor, Paul Fireman. When boxes containing running shoes, clothes and gear arrived at her Mashpee home Rhiannon became even more determined.

Finishing will not only be a personal best for Rhiannon who is a member of the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe, she is also running to raise money through sponsorships to benefit the Mashpee Wampanoag Housing Program.

The program is vital to tribal members trying to remain in Mashpee and surrounding communities, an area that is considered the ancestral homeland to the tribe. But living there has become more challenging every day for the Wampanoag as the community is one of the fastest to develop in the state and home prices skyrocket.

"I hate asking people for money," she says, "but I also hate when tribal members have to move away."

Rhiannon is looking forward to the race and all the hot dogs she can eat after she crosses the finish line.

For a young lady who struggles physically to achieve things that come naturally to her peers this race will be an opportunity for her to shine. And the Michael Denmark Award, which will be presented by Michael's parents Cheryl and Jay at the post-race awards ceremony, will be a cherished souvenir of a great achievement.