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A Summer Post Card From The Falmouth Road Race

Runners line up for the start of the Falmouth Road Race on Sunday, Aug. 17, 2014. (Falmouth Road Race/Facebook)
Runners line up for the start of the Falmouth Road Race on Sunday, Aug. 17, 2014. (Falmouth Road Race/Facebook)

The Falmouth Road Race is a summer tradition on the Cape. It’s a seven-mile race along a beautiful course that hugs Nantucket Sound, from Woods Hole to Falmouth Heights.

The race was created by bartender Tommy Leonard, who thought it would be a great idea to stage a race from the front door of one bar to the front door of another. Turns out he was right.

The race that started with around 100 runners in 1973 now attracts thousands. And among them are world class runners who target this race as one of the most important of the summer racing season.

But as Here & Now’s Alex Ashlock reports, this race, which was run for the 42nd time yesterday, also launched the careers of some of the greatest Americans to ever lace up their running shoes.

  • Related: Boston Marathon Winner Meb Keflezighi Returns To Mass.
  • Reporter

  • Alex Ashlock, producer and director for Here & Now. He tweets @aashlock.
  • Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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