2014 Fairfield Road Races to Host 6,500 Runners from Six Countries and 33 States

This weekend’s 34th annual Stratton Faxon Fairfield Road Races will host about 6,500 runners.

Saturday’s 5K is capped at 1,500 participants, and the Sunday half marathon will have 5,000 runners, though both events will accept race-day entrants, according to a news release. The events will take off at Fairfield’s Jennings Beach.

Several international runners have registered for the half marathon, coming from countries such as Ethiopia, Kenya and Eritrea, as well as many United States runners. The weekend’s 6,500 runners are from six countries, 33 states and the District of Columbia.

"This year’s race should be very exciting,” said event coordinator John Bysiewicz in a news release. “Both the men’s and women’s races could be decided in the last few steps."

The half marathon was named one of the “50 Best Half Marathons in the U.S.” by Dailyburn.com. It was also listed among the “50 Top Marathons and Races Worth Traveling for” in a Trip Advisor list. Active.com also named the half marathon as one of “9 Spectacular Summer Destination Races.”

“We’re thrilled at the response from the running community and the long term growth of the event. In 1981, our inaugural race had 200 runners; we couldn’t have dreamed the race would grow to 6,500 runners and sell out before the event,” said race director Steve Lobdell in a news release.

The Fairfield Road Races has been hosted by the Fairfield Firefighters since it began. The races have contributed more than $4 million to nonprofit groups in the past, according to the news release.