While the eyes of the running world will focus on the New York Mini 10k and the Adidas Grand Prix in New York City this Saturday June 11, a small new road race will be touring the Falmouth, Massachusetts waterfront at the same time on Cape Cod.   Staged by long-time Falmouth Road Race co-directors Rich and Kathy Sherman, the inaugural Falmouth Flag Day 5k Run/Walk To Benefit the Falmouth Military Support Group will kick off Saturday, June 11, at 10 a.m. 

     “We didn’t want our 76 years of directing experience to go to waste,” Rich said. “The Carrolls (John & Lucia) were ready to retire, but we are still very active with our businesses, and did not want people to think we are retired.  Also, we wanted to use our experience for the good of our community, so this is a perfect choice.” 

     Rich & Kathy Sherman, along with the Carrolls, left the directorship of the Falmouth Road Race earlier this year after 38 years at the helm.  Now, they are pouring their experience and support for the military into a new venture.  It’s a natural for Sherman, a retired lieutenant colonel in the Air National Guard.  The flag connection is also apropos. For the last 25 years the 80-foot long Mount Rushmore flag has fluttered high above the Falmouth Road Race finish line in all its Old Glory. 

     The Flag Day 5K will be contested over an out-and-back course running along Vineyard Sound, starting and finishing in front of the Casino Wharf, one of the legendary watering holes along the elbow of the Cape.

Map is here: http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/fullscreen/35115448/

     “No, we’re not sold out,” confirmed Rich, “but we could run out of our 300 T-shirts by Saturday morning. Online registration by 12 p.m. Friday should guarantee the shirt. www.falmouthflagday5k.org   Post-entries will be accepted.  But we’ve been getting a lot of buzz, and anyone who wants to post-enter should get there early or they’ll be standing in line when the gun goes off.” 

     Who knows, one day 40 years from now you could say you ran the first Falmouth Flag Day 5K.  

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