What To Know Ahead Of Falmouth Road Race 2023: Gold Medalist, New Brew

FALMOUTH, MA — The Falmouth Road Race is back for 2023 with some of the best talent in the world flocking to Cape Cod for the race.

This year's race is scheduled for Sunday at 9 a.m. and comes packed with storylines, from Olympic gold medalists to a local business paying homage to legendary racers and, of course, traffic alterations.

Here's what to know ahead of race day:

Who's Running?

Two of the top women in distance running will headline the international elite field at the Falmouth Road Race. Hellen Obiri and Emily Sisson, both making their Falmouth debut, will face off on the roads for the third time this year when they line up for the seven-mile race on Sunday, race officials said.

This year, Obiri has won half marathons in the United Arab Emirates and New York City before winning the Boston Marathon in April. Since her Boston victory, Obiri has also won the B.A.A 10K and was runner-up in the Mastercard New York Mini 10K. Last weekend, she won the Beach to Beacon 10K in Maine.

“The roads and the people of Massachusetts have been good to me so far this year,” said Obiri, a two-time world champion and two-time Olympic silver medalist for Kenya, in a statement. “I know it will not be easy, but I hope I can keep my record going. It will be nice to test myself before I get back into my preparations for an autumn marathon.”

For Sisson, Falmouth is part of the build-up to this fall’s Bank of America Chicago Marathon where she will attempt to lower her own American record of 2:18:29 in the event. This past January, she also set the American record in the half-marathon (since broken by Kiera D’Amato) and won the USATF 15km title for the third consecutive year.

“I have not had the chance to race Falmouth before, but I have wanted to ever since I started spending summers in New England,” said Sisson, a graduate of Providence College. “I’m excited for my first Falmouth Road Race to be in the build-up to Chicago. I cannot wait to line up in a few weeks time.”

Other top contenders include 2021 Falmouth champion and last year’s runner-up Edna Kiplagat, U.S. 5K Champion Weini Kelati and reigning U.S. 10 Mile champion Fiona O’Keeffe.

Fresh off a victory at last week’s Beach to Beacon 10K in Maine, Addisu Yihune will attempt back-to-back New England wins. The 20-year-old Ethiopian leads the men’s field.

Last year’s third-place finisher, David Bett is returning in 2023. Other contenders include 2022 Los Angeles Marathon champion John Korir, two-time Pittsburgh Half Marathon winner Wesley Kiptoo and 2019 NCAA Cross Country Champion Edwin Kurgat.

In the Wheelchair Division, Daniel Romachuk, who set the course record in 2019, will chase his fifth Falmouth win. He championed last year’s race by three and a half minutes over Hermin Garic, the 2021 Falmouth winner, who is also returning this year.

In the women's race, 2022 champion and course record holder Susannah Scaroni will defend her title. Scaroni has dominated the road circuit in 2023 winning the Boston Marathon, New York Mini 10K and AJC Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta. Scaroni will face 2021 women’s champion Emelia Perry and 2022 third-place finisher Yen Hoang who won the B.A.A. 10K earlier this year.

The Road Race itself is the culmination of an entire weekend of running that kicks off with the Falmouth Elite Mile, held this year on Friday evening for the first time. The women’s field is led by former Oregon standout Susan Ejore of Kenya and three-time NCAA Champion Dani Jones. It also includes Belmont, Massachusetts high school phenom Ellie Shea.

The men’s race will welcome the deepest men’s field in its history.

Olympic gold medalist Matthew Centrowitz will make his first trip to Falmouth to toe the start line with some of the nation’s top middle-distance runners. Past winner Craig Engels also returns this year as does Seekonk, Mass., native Johnny Gregorek, a World Championship qualifier who won the Guardian Mile in Cleveland last month, and Vince Ciattei who won last weekend’s Beale Street Mile in Memphis.

The Track Festival is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Friday at Falmouth High School.

Runner's Roast Coffee Honors Hoyt Family

Rick and Dick Hoyt were legends in the Massachusetts running community, looming particularly large in the aura of the Falmouth Road Race.

The Hoyt's were instrumental in diversifying racing as one of the first duo teams, with Dick pushing his wheelchair-bound son with cerebral palsy down the half-marathon course. They competed in hundreds of races but held their longest road race streak at the Falmouth Road Race with a record 37 races completed.

Rick Hoyt died this year at 61, two years after his father and racing partner, but their legacy lives on in Boston, Falmouth and wherever races are held. For this year's Falmouth Road Race, one local company is paying additional tribute to the Hoyt's.

Cape Cod Coffee has released a special new roast — Runner's Roast — that pays tribute to the Hoyts to raise money for The Hoyt Foundation and fuel runners for their own race.

The coffee, with notes of caramel, toffee and chocolate, will be available to purchase at Cape Cod Coffee in their Mashpee Commons, Wareham, and Route 130 locations, as well as online. A percentage of every purchase will be kicked back to The Hoyt Foundation.

Traffic

As is typical for race day, traffic will be restricted from entering Woods Hole, Falmouth Heights and the race route. Woods Hole and roads along the race route will reopen after the last runner has passed, and Falmouth Heights will reopen after the event is over.

Here's a list of road — and water — limits and closures, courtesy of the Falmouth Police Department:

Woods Hole

• Water Street, School Street, Albatross Street, MBL Street, North Street, Millfield Street, and Quissett Avenue (between Millfield Street and Harbor Hill Road) will be closed to vehicle traffic at 5 a.m. until about 10 a.m. – no access.
• Woods Hole Road, between Harbor Hill Road and Water Street/Crane Street, will be closed from 5 a.m. until about 10 a.m.
• Quissett Avenue, between Harbor Hill Road and Quissett Harbor Road, will have limited access from 5 a.m. until about 10 a.m.
• Woods Hole Ferry Terminal- Access to and from the Woods Hole Ferry Terminal will be limited until about 8 a.m. and closed completely until about 10 a.m. All inbound vehicles will be stopped at Woods Hole Road and Harbor Hill Road to be screened. Vehicles without a Steamship Authority vehicle reservation will be denied access to the ferry terminal. Outbound ferry terminal traffic will be allowed until about 8 a.m.
• Woods Hole Dock Access- Private and commercial boats will be restricted from accessing the Eel Pond Bridge Dock on Water Street and the Commercial Fishing Dock on Albatross Street from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Falmouth Heights

• Grand Avenue will be closed from Walden Avenue to Worcester Court at 4 a.m. and reopen later in the afternoon, around 2 p.m.
• Several streets in Falmouth Heights will close at 5 am and stay closed long enough for runners to clear the finish line, and for crews to properly clean up the area. Limited access to Falmouth Heights residences may be granted until the race starts–proof of residency will be required.

Falmouth

• All other roads along the race route leading from Woods Hole to Falmouth Heights will be closed to all vehicular traffic at approximately 8:15 a.m. and reopened soon after the last runner has passed.

For full closure maps and more information, click here.