Race Spotlight: Clamdigger 5 Mile Road Race
The Details
Date: Sunday, April 13th, 2025
Start Time: 11:00 AM
Distance: 5 Miles
Venue: Westerly Town Beach
Address: 365 Atlantic Avenue, Westerly, RI 02891
Organizer: Westerly Track & Athletic Club (WTAC)
Website: https://www.westerlytrackclub.org/clamdigger.html
The History
The Clamdigger 5 mile race was first run on April 18th, 1981, and has been held every year since, except for in 2020 due to COVID. In 2013 we added the popular 5K distance as another race option (note: the 5k is not part of the 2025 Rhode Island Grand Prix). The event is open to runners and walkers of all speeds. As with all WTAC races, proceeds support youth running, including an annual scholarship program for local high school seniors. The typical field consists of 200-350 registered runners.
The Course
The 5 Mile course is our feature race and is a USATF certified course starting and finishing at Westerly Town Beach in Misquamicut. The course is a lollipop layout, with a flat and fast start and finish on Atlantic Avenue. The middle miles are a 2-mile loop through Weekapaug, with stunning ocean views. The total elevation gain is only about 50 feet, owing to a small hill in Weekapaug in the third mile. The current course records are held by Jeffrey Wadecki (25:32 in 2012) and Heather Bessette (30:14 in 2002).
Course Map
Strava Map
Start / Finish Layout
The Mission
The Westerly Track & Athletic Club (WTAC) was established in 1975 and is an IRS recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that supports recreational and competitive running. Proceeds from our events allow us to continue to support local youth running programs. In recent years, the Westerly Track & Athletic Club has given $2,000 – $3,000 annually for college scholarships to two high school seniors and donated $1,500 annually to the YMCA Reach Out To Youth campaign to help send needy children to summer camp.
The Swag
The first 315 registered runners will receive a tech running shirt. This year’s shirt is a special edition in our club colors honoring our 50th anniversary as a running club! The front is a retro design featuring our dates as a club, original club name, and running “Clam Man” image! The back features our modern logo and name, as well as sponsors. Note one of our lead sponsors, Orthopedic Partners, will have a table setup with physical therapists providing complimentary massages for runners.
Stick around post-run for chowder, free kids run on the beach (online registration required), and awards ceremony overlooking the ocean, where in the spirit of our 50th anniversary, we’ll have $50 cash for overall winners of both races, as well as age group awards up to 80+!
