By Joe Ruvido

The Falmouth Road Race took place on Sunday, August 21, and several runners from Somerville completed the race.

Last Sunday’s race was the 44th running of the event which takes participants over challenging hills and across sun-drenched flats along the coast from Woods Hole to Falmouth Heights on Cape Cod.

The race attracts elite athletes as it awards over $100,000 in prize money. According to the results page, 97 Somervillians finished this year’s race.

The first Somerville resident to cross the line, and also Somerville’s top male finisher was Jonas Oppenheimer who ran a brisk 38:11, placing him 32nd overall in the race.

Lindsay Willard was the top female finisher from Somerville clocking a 49:12, good for 375th overall. Willard is dealing with quad and IT Band injuries but says that the enthusiastic crowds and elite runners carried her through an otherwise frustratingly tough race. “I only hit mile 1 on pace before I had to walk,” said Willard, “so I didn’t hit the time I was shooting for.” Willard hopes to rest and recover before ramping up training for the fall season.

The Falmouth Road Race also helps charities raise money through its “Numbers for Nonprofits” program, whereby participants who meet a fundraising minimum are guaranteed a bib number for the race. In 2015 alone the Numbers for Nonprofits program raised $3.4m for charities ranging from Dana Farber Cancer Institute to local youth organizations. This is not unlike the charity fundraising system that the Boston Marathon and other high-profile road races are known for.

At least two Somerville runners who ran this year are heavily involved in local charities. Johnny Sadoff is the Somerville Team Captain of Back on My Feet, an organization that runs with homeless members of the community and supports homeless shelters in the Boston area. “I run for Back on my Feet because it combines two of my great interests; running and social impact,” says Sadoff. “I love the idea of using running to build a community that helps individuals facing various challenges.”

Laura Monies, who runs for Team Rosie’s Place in addition to Back on My Feet, feels that same drive to combine running with charitable work. “On the days when I’d rather sleep in, I’m always grateful to have started my day with such a wonderful group of women,” says Monies, referring to the homeless and disadvantaged women supported by Rosie’s Place in Boston.

Monies snuck under the hour mark at Falmouth with a 59 minute 59 second effort. For a full list of Somerville finishers, please see the results page on the Falmouth Road Race Website.