Falmouth Road Race
A Life Changing Experience
On Sunday, August 15, Team Stride for Stride ran the Falmouth Road Race for the first time. After a hiatus in 2020 the Falmouth Road Race was back for their 49th running and it did not disappoint - in my opinion it continues to be the second best race of the year. Thousands of spectators lined the entire 7-mile course and 8,000 runners were beyond thrilled to be running again.
Stride for Stride had 6 of our team members running Falmouth along with 9 fundraisers who ran in support of our mission and raised over $12,000 while doing so. Most of the runners were running Falmouth for the first time, and three of our Team Stride for Stride runners - Eduardo, Nelson & Carlos - were running their first race ever. After the race I asked Eduardo what he thought of the race and he said; “life changing.”
Falmouth is unlike any other race (except the Boston Marathon) in size, crowd support, and energy. At the starting line a few of our seasoned runners were even nervous just before the 9:03am starting time - Falmouth is a big race. However, once that gun fired the nerves washed away and the team was competing in a “life changing” event with thousands of other runners. It was a great day.
At Mile 6 we were grateful to have a cheer crew that rooted us on and helped us get over the last hill and the last mile. Thank you Ariana, Bridget, Juanita, and Maggie for all the support you gave us.
Post-race my wife Bridget and I hosted a BBQ for the team and the fundraisers who ran in support of us. Having everyone together to chat about and analyze the race is an incredible bonding experience.
Doug also wowed us with his grilling skills.
Stride for Stride buys race bibs for immigrant, BIPOC, and low-income runners. Our goal is to make races more accessible and more diverse. The Falmouth Road Race is one of the best races in New England, but it’s also one of the most difficult to get into, and the most difficult to get to - both of which make it not very diverse and not very accessible.
Because of this I decided to put our team up at AutoCamp Cape Cod on Saturday and Sunday night, and it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made for Stride for Stride. Not only did it make getting to the race on Sunday morning significantly easier, but it also allowed the team to bond like family. It was wonderful. It was also a much needed retreat for our runners who can rarely afford to leave the city and go away on vacation.
The Falmouth Road Race Weekend Retreat is something that Stride for Stride will continue to host year after year and one that we’ll expand to even more Team Stride for Stride runners in 2022. It was a life changing weekend for all of us.
Stride for Stride continues to run thanks to your generous support. If you believe in our mission and want to support us then Donate or Share this newsletter with someone who would love Stride for Stride.
Thank you for your support. All the best to you - Tom O’Keefe