Sunday Run

With Hanna passing through overnight with heavy rains and howling winds it seemed our string of pleasant weather was going to change. Surprise! Heading to Brueggers the sky was blue, the humidity was low, the temperature was comfortable and the winds had died down to gentle breezes. Perfect morning for a Sunday Run. With good weather and people getting a little more serious about their marathon training a record number of runners showed up for the 20 mile marathon training run and 10 mile half marathon training run. Twenty-five people mingled in the corner of Brueggers while six more met at Friendly’s 2 miles into the run to join us there. Including Nancy, Sue and Joanne, all three testing out their various injuries with a lap around Spot Pond during the run, we had 34 runners today! It was nice to see new faces in the crowd along with so many of the familiar faces.

The first leg of the run headed out West Wyoming where we were greeted by a passing minivan with my daughter Lizzie frantically waving behind tinted glass. Later she would tell me “you were so fast you were next to Judi”. I was running faster than planned, and I was next to Judi for the first mile of the twenty. Along the way we spotted a key and assumed one of the runners ahead of had dropped it, so we stashed it off to the side so if they did nobody would take it. Later we found out it wasn’t one of our runner’s key so essentially whoever did lose that key will have a harder time finding it now that we moved it. Oops! Up at Grimsby’s we saw Jennifer Rapaport jump in with the lead pack as she was content to complete 18 miles today instead. Along Spot Pond Judi pulled ahead and passed Friendly’s, where our half marathon training group started their run. I caught up to a pair of runners who had just looped the pond and were heading home, briefly chatted, and then went our separate ways at the intersection of Park St and Marble St. Dave McCaldon (English Dave) caught up and the two of us headed into water stop 1.

Rick had everything set up for a quick and efficient stop, although most of us lingered to watch a bit of the electrical work being done on Forest St. A tree went down in the storm and took a bunch of power lines with it. The road was closed and a detour sent us up an extra hill and around the work crew. English Dave and I ran together down to Highland Ave at a good pace. He turned right onto Eaton to finish up the planned 10 mile route and as he left I pulled up behind Jen, Denyce, Donna, and Jo-Ann who were running the start-at-Friendly’s 10 mile route. As I approached they turned to follow Kevin, Jocelyn and Leah in the wrong direction. I yelled ahead to Jen, they yelled ahead to Jocelyn and everyone got back on the right track, over the hills of Highland Ave. The revised route took us right on Main St in Winchester, left on Grove St and over to Canterbury Rd, a pretty little street in Winchester where the Donahues live. Christine, the kids, and the dog greeted us all at the second water stop 7 miles into the run, while Paul joined in with the lead pack for a few quick miles. With water, Gatorade, Gel, and Snickers spread out on a table, they put out quite the runners’ brunch for us as two dozen runners mingled in their driveway. Their dog is either very friendly or likes the taste of salt because it kept licking my ankles. When I shooed the dog away it moved on to licking the sweat off of Eve’s ankle. From what I hear we were only two of many that got that unusual waterstop treat.

From there we worked our way back to Grove under the suspicious eyes of neighborhood kids in their pajamas wondering where all these runners were coming from. Grove took us out to route 60 in Medford where we spotted Erin, Peter, and Ann. Unfortunately the “revised route” didn’t make its way into their hands and they missed the second water stop (sorry guys). Our group, now me, Kevin, Dave Hayes (tall Dave), Ginny, Eve, Erin, Peter, and Ann headed over to the Mystic Valley Parkway. Running along the roadside trail gave nice views of the choppy lakes with a gusty headwind that cooled us down while only slightly hindering our forward progress. This beautiful section of the run brought us over to Nancy, lounging roadside comfortably in her beach chair offering us refreshments, a welcome sight 11 miles into the run.

Heading past Winchester Center runners strung along Washington St on their way back to Rick’s car for the next water stop. Eve and I went on a hunt for a bathroom at that point. A church I’ve visited for this purpose in the past was locked. I then tried a laundromat and a convenience store with no luck. While others headed to Forest St, I cut up a side steep side street to the Winchester Hospital Emergency Room… yes at this point it was becoming an emergency. I found the restroom, which was occupied, and waited… and waited… and waited. Finally the restroom freed up and I was quickly back to the task of finishing my run. Heading back downhill on Highland Ave… yes this side trip made me run yet more hills than originally planned… I hit Forest St as Jen and Leah made their way up. Leah wasn’t happy to see me, I think she just started a walking break and I caught her, waved her along and got her started running again. The potty break allowed me to have a short conversation with many people, all working hard to climb Forest St, most not happy to have me push them along. You all made it up one way or another and most of you even did the extra hill around the electrical work again… although Kelly sweet-talked the police into letting her avoid the detour.

After a brief visit with Rick I headed out with Ginny, determined to catch up to the pack I had left earlier. Up to Park St and over to Friendly’s I knew I wouldn’t catch Kevin as his run was done there. Turning on to Main St behind Spot Pond I caught Peter and Ann, then tall Dave, then Kaj. I pushed ahead looking for Eve but instead found Nancy, Sue and Joanne coming the other way. Sue, known for her wardrobe malfunctions, was wearing her shirt inside out. Here’s a tip Sue, when you do that pretend you did it on purpose to avoid chaffing from seams since the seams are on the outside now. That’s what I did when I ran the Vermont City Marathon with my shirt inside out and backwards… I couldn’t think of an excuse for the backwards though. As I tackled the hills along the backside of the pond I quickly realized Eve wasn’t there, and I’ve just now learned she accidentally headed along the front side of Spot Pond. Alone I made my way to Nancy’s car for the final water stop of the day.

While making sure I had enough nutrition and rehydration in me for the last three hilly miles of the run, Dave came in as I was heading out. He looked a little dazed from the distance and the heat while I fed him directions from there to the finish. My gut feel was right as I later learned he too got a little lost and wandered for a bit before making his way back. I climbed South Border Rd and hit the hills of the Fellsway East back to West Wyoming Ave. Giving it all I had I rode some momentum towards the finish… and then the train gates came down stopping me dead in my tracks. A long wait there and I made it to Main St and as I started to pass Grove the lights changed and I had to stop for traffic. Giving my last spurt of energy up Main St I could see Barry, Rick, and Carol sitting outside Brueggers… when the light changed and traffic spilled out from West Foster. I just wanted to be done with my 20 miles, out of the heat and off of my feet, but there were still these final road blocks of the day to get through.

As runners continued to stream in it was evident the toll this run took on them by the different expressions that adorned their tired faces. Despite how you got back to Brueggers, or Friendly’s as the case may be, each and every one of the 30+ runners that hit the road today should be proud of the effort they gave today. There was some adversity sprinkled all through this run. Although we were spared the adversity of hurricane winds and tropical rains, this run is one of the toughest training runs we have and is a key part in preparing us for whatever may come on race day. Be proud of what you did, you’re better prepared for what you will do.

Special thanks to Rick, Nancy, the Donahues, and especially the Donahues dog for spending their Sunday morning making sure we completed are runs hydrated, fed, and salt-free from the knees down.

Week 7, if you’re running a marathon in mid-October you’re halfway there. Halfway in weeks that is, from here the mileage ramps up quickly and stays up until its taper time.

This morning’s weather was perfect for running. Considering its August, you can’t complain about low 70s and breezy. Altogether we had 24 runners participate in the long run, not all started at the same place, not all ended at the same place, but as far as I can tell nobody got lost this week. Peter and Erin took care of leaving a car full of refreshments in the parking lot of Horn Pond in Woburn while Walt left his car at its usual perch by I93 in Winchester.

The route took us down Main St to W Wyoming and out to Spot Pond for a bit. Kaj and I ended up in the front of the pack and wondered time and time again why nobody was passing us. We pushed the pace as 12 more runners stretched out behind us, past the zoo where we spotted a pack of wolves getting in their morning jog, past Friendly’s where we picked up our pack of 6 half marathoner trainers, and past a sign alerting us to the location of Joey’s 2nd birthday, and over to Walt’s car. After Kaj and I pulled in and began pouring drinks, waves of runners came in handfuls at a time behind us. Walt, who had run from his car and arrived at Brueggers after we had left, was the last runner into the stop as he had planned. Usually one of the rabbits in the group and always quick to leave a water stop, Walt enjoyed the party atmosphere of 27 runners huddled around his car in a Gatorade feeding frenzy. This week our new system of cup reuse was put into full effect as each runner put their name on a plastic cup with a Sharpie so they could use it on the way back. That is everyone but Sue, who was looking at Erin as she was writing and found that she had marked her cup ‘ERIN’. That would break the system, so added a (Sue) notation next to it to avoid confusion. With the back of Walt’s car lined with cups the group headed out.

Jen, Denyce, Julie, Jocelyn and Kevin were the first to leave the stop, having run less than a mile to get there they didn’t need as much rehydration. Walt was next out since he’s never one to dawdle at a water stop. Brian and I headed out after him, in an attempt to keep Walt on course I decided to do my best to keep pace with him to the pond. Behind us the rest of the runners began their charge down Forest St to Washington St where Joanne jumped in and alerted us that Nancy had called ahead to her to let us know she had dropped out. Nancy’s battling a nasty Achilles tendon issue, heal up Nanc! We turned on to Cross St and passed the lead group, Walt encouraging them not to let us pull ahead too easily. At that point I was in the lead again, under the railroad tracks, past the “Welcome Back, Alicia” sign welcoming Olympic gymnast Alicia Sacramone back from Beijing, over to Rte 38 in Woburn. With a right onto Main St and a quick left onto Lake St we were on our way to Horn Pond where Peter’s car awaited us with water stop 2. Also awaiting us was a hot dog vending cart which couldn’t tempt any of us to partake. Unlike the public bathrooms which I hear had lots of partakers, so many that some women spilled into the men’s room!

Walt bolted out of the water stop as if he was Usain Bolt, owner of the world record for the 100m dash set at this year’s Olympics. Brian, Julie and I headed out behind him with no intention of keeping up with him. The loop around the pond is littered with left and right turns that lead to places I’ve never been. We weighed the odds of Walt getting lost, and wondered who behind us may wander off track. Some took more scenic routes, some took less hilly routes, but we all made it around the pond. Passing the wood carving of a Native American Indian girl holding a fish, past the shirtless guy with the ginormous pecs and muscular arms that don’t swing when he runs (Lois and Sue’s “friend” from when we ran this route back in late April), over the causeway that cuts across the far side of the pond, past a reported flying fish jumping out of the water, over the hill if you so chose to take it or the path that hugs the pond, ultimately ending up back at Lake Ave. Here Julie decided to cut back over to the water stop for a sip before continuing on (or was she just trying to lose Brian and I?) Brian and I followed a runner off Lake Ave to Main St and Cross St, finally passing him as we approached the railroad bridge underpass. I kept asking myself “is that one of our guys?” but it wasn’t. Heading back up Forest St Brian pulled ahead as the pace on the way out was starting to show on my tired legs. After we got a drink and headed out we spied Kevin coming into the water stop, and shortly after him runners began trickling in. Sue, who had planned to finish with Joanne by the Gingerbread Construction Company convinced herself that running up the hill back to Walt’s car was something she shouldn’t pass up. Love the hills, they’ll love you back. Way to go Sue!!!

As people sipped their water at the last stop Walt finished up his run and took some pictures. If you want to see what we look like on a hot day about 10 miles into a long run or 7 miles into an almost-as-long run, here you go (note the smiles):

The last 4 miles of the run cuts through Stoneham over to Franklin St. Near Weiss Farm Sue Worrall passed by on her bike and called out to Brian and I. She looked a lot happier than we did. The sun along Franklin St got hot and the temperatures were rising.  Brian pulled ahead finishing the run strong while I trailed back and found a noticeably slower pace for the last mile. Heading down Main St into downtown Melrose I passed Betty Kandler pushing Annika in a jogging stroller, both looking a lot happier than I did. But minutes later I was done, and shortly after that runners began streaming into the finish of the 14.1 mile route. Kaj, Mike, Dave, Ginny, Slater, Demi, Erin, Peter, and Lois all completed the full route.

Great job everyone! Strong runs on an enjoyable route.
(Ok, those of you who started at Friendly’s, who got something when you finished up?)

Does everyone know where they’re going? Each week as we assemble on the sidewalk outside of Brueggers the run is kicked off with those words. Each week there is an iffy answer in the affirmative. This week was the kind of week that makes me ask this as this recap will illustrate.

At 8:00 I rushed over to Brueggers, running a bit late since I didn’t notice the 8 mile route map as page 2 on the map link and quickly remade one so people running shorter would know where they were going. These were not the people I should have been worried about. As Walt came in from his pre-run miles, and Linda and her MVS friend came in from their pre-run and pre-fall, and the rest of the crowd streamed out of Brueggers, I reviewed the water stop location with Jean, our water stop volunteer for the day, and went over the routes quickly so people would know where we were going. Walt asked if he could take the map with him but I decided I wanted to give it to Jean so she would know where to go and Walt could take it from her as he went by. Off went Jean, off went Walt, and off went the rest of the big crowd of 28 runners heading out to Winchester.

Up Main St to Franklin the chatter in the crowd focused on the Women’s Olympic Marathon, held on Sunday Morning in China and televised Saturday Night on the East Coast. Inspired by the 38 year old gold medal run by Romania’s Constantina Tomescu our running goals all seemed more achievable this morning. The stream of runners flowed along Franklin St into Stoneham and over to Winchester and our first water stop. At this point in the run everything was going fine. The shorter route returned to Melrose by heading over to Spot Pond, down to Grimsby’s, and along the LynnFells to Main St. As far as I know this was an uneventful 8 miles in comfortable weather along a winding route… unless I missed something.

The longer route headed out Forest St to Highland Ave. If the sight of blood on Linda before the run even started wasn’t foretelling an odd run the sights of an older man ambling up the hill towards us with two turkeys by his side definitely was a signal that this would not be a typical run. As we passed him we asked if those turkeys were with him, he said no, he thought they were with us. As our pack of Nicole, Eve, Mike, and myself passed by we noticed yet another larger turkey running off down a side street. As Lois and Sue passed the man the turkeys decided they liked the ladies better and turned around and ran down the hill with them for a while before the turkeys pulled ahead. After that sight the route turned onto Highland Ave with a pleasant, yet hilly side trip along Reservoir Rd. This is one of my favorite streets to run on. With the Fells on one side you catch a glimpse of the sun sparkling of one of the Winchester Reservoirs through the trees. On the other side of the antique street light lined road is a row of large beautiful houses. In the middle of the road is a long steep hill. (Love the hills, they’ll love you back). Nicole and I charged through the hill while Mike and Eve shook theirs heads at us. At this point I pulled ahead and ran along back on Highland Ave towards water stop 2.

Here’s where things got interesting. At Highland Ave and Mystic Valley Parkway Walt took a left turn instead of going straight, not having a map to help him out. The pack behind him followed along thinking he knew what he was doing (Note: Never follow Walt). Nicole and I continued on to water stop 2… or the empty spot where it was supposed to be, maybe that map wouldn’t have helped Walt because it didn’t help Jean. We continued on with that “maybe it’s just around this corner” feeling for a little while but unfortunately Jean was waiting on a street corner somewhere we wouldn’t be passing by… those of us that were actually in the right place. As we headed down Main St over to Washington St near Winchester Center two people in white tank tops passed in the opposite direction. Mike and Eve noticed them heading to the left on Main St and, mistaking them for me and Nicole, followed them… off course where they would coincidentally run into Walt. With some guidance from Sue and Lois correcting wrong turns from behind, last week’s two lost runners Kelly and Catherine stayed on course throughout the run. If you’re keeping score, only 6 of the long runners were in the right place, heading down Washington St at this point in the run. Along this stretch Sue and Lois were on a mission to track down water. They passed on the idea of stopping at a church and stealing a sip of Holy Water, and instead found fountain to drink from, unfortunately it was filled with dirty water that they had to scoop out to make room for the heads so they could reach the tiny trickle that came out of the spout. From there we passed a dead raccoon on the side of the road which I named Rocky after Rocky Racoon in the Beatles song, a tune that stuck in my head as I climbed back up Forest St to Walt’s car and what was now the second water stop of the day. Nancy was waiting there having cut her run short due to a sore achilles and informed me that I was the first one to make it back to the stop. Yikes! Where is everyone!

From the water stop we headed over to Park St, past the man that was walking turkeys earlier in the day and over to Spot pond. Along the back side of the pond Nicole and I took turns passing each other as she pushed the pace up hills and I did the same on the downhills. This route, a very hilly one, even challenged Nicole’s passion for the hills as we made the last long climb up Elm St. At the rotary by the hockey rink we ran into Jean who pulled into the parking lot and supplied us with a bonus cup of Gatorade to get us through the last few miles. Not knowing who was where I guessed that Lois would be by but I had no idea who else would make it there. While I was saying this Lois was making her way back to Brueggers, either by foot or by car, the details are getting fuzzy on me now.

Leaving the water stop we followed the pond to Pond St where I ran into Mike coming from the other direction. As we headed down to Grimsby’s we passed Matt making his way back from wherever he had been. Back down Wyoming we went, onto Main and back to Brueggers to end an adventurous day.

In the end Nicole, Catherine, Kelly and I were the only four to run the full 16.2 mile route as it was intended. I can only speak for myself, as everyone else was wandering around Winchester and Medford I was having myself a darn good run. Thanks to Walt and Jean for volunteering to help this week, and thanks to all that ran today I hope you enjoyed the adventure.

Next week we’re trying a new route, out to Horn Pond in Woburn. I’ll post a map some time this week, I suggest people print it out and bring it with them so everyone will know where they’re going. 🙂

(Congratulations to the Sunday Long Runners that ran in the Newburyport 10 Miler last Tuesday. Barry, Jen, Peter, and Catherine were among the 9 MRCers that completed the 10 mile course legally… and I ran as a bandit having shown up after they had run out of chips for runners.)

This morning’s bright skies and cool temperatures brought out 25 runners for the Sunday Run. We had a Barry, a pair of Brians (neither one a Slater although he did make a pre-run cameo appearance) a Catherine, a Dave, an Ed and two Erins. Along with a Ginny, Jen, Jim, Judi, and Julie, as well as a Kaj. We also had a Lois and a Luis, a pair of Mikes, a Nancy, Nick and Nicole. Rounding out the list were Peter, Sue, and last but not least (in fact as far as miles goes he had the most) Walt.

The group gathered outside Brueggers as a hazy sky obscured the rays of the sun, which coupled with a cool breeze kept the temperatures below 70. If it were not for the humidity it would have been the perfect day for a long run, all in all it was still more than we could ask for on an August Sunday. With a review of the maps and the water stop locations, a quick “Does everyone know where they’re going?” sent us off down Main St up to the Fellsway and by the Melrose Veterans Memorial Middle School. As we passed the tennis courts the long route runners turned left on Tremont to loop Ell Pond once following the course of the original Law Enforcement Half Marathon. Those training for half marathons followed a shorter route, skipping the loop of Ell Pond. And if you were like Julie and didn’t know how far you wanted to run you took an ambitious left turn followed by a quick reality check induced u-turn back to the LynnFells. A discussion-filled loop around the Pond went quick for the pack I settled into, me, Ginny, and Nicole. A few stories brought us back to the Fellsway and over to the hills. Here’s where we discovered the poster child for the MRC Sunday Long Run program: hill loving Nicole. I’ve preached “love the hills and they’ll love you back” and for the most part all of you have rolled your eyes at me, well Nicole loves hills and charged up each and every one of them leaving me in the dust. I’m not sure if she was letting me catch up with her because I knew where we were going or if her love for the hills stopped at the top because I caught back up to her on the downhills as we rode them over to Grimsby’s and the first water stop of the day.

We caught site of the lead pack leaving as we pulled into the stop. A quick drink and Ginny was off, then Nicole, meanwhile I dilly-dallied like I do conversing with people as they streamed in and out of the stop Nick, Erin, Peter, Catherine, Sue, Lois, and Nancy. Then another quick chat as I made my way past them through the hills along the Fellsway East. Lingering with each for a bit then picking it up to the next one, I made my way to Nick who hung on my shoulder as we gained on Ginny and Nicole, not quite making it to them as we made our way to the second water stop, Walt’s car on Highland Ave.

Some more Gatorade and water and Ginny, Nicole and I made our way around Spot Pond. Along Elm St we ran into David Lane off on his own run over through the woods of the Fells. Heading along Rt 28 we hit “Slackers Hill”, none of slacking but instead trying to keep up with Nicole as she darted up those uphills, then catching up with her on the downhills again. Following the pond we headed past the zoo, no animal sightings for us this morning until we got to the gaggle of geese by Pond St. They were a little less formidable this week, relinquishing a piece of the sidewalk to let us by while giving us a honk to remind us it’s their sidewalk. From there the route brought us along Woodland Rd, past the Flynn Rink and back to Walt’s car for another stop. While Nicole, Ginny and I regrouped Walt came running in from the opposite direction. I’m not sure exactly where he went but he improvised his own 17 mile run today. Then came Luis, also from the opposite direction, also improvising his own route of an unknown distance today. Having started with the faster pack but losing them somewhere along the way, he wandered along the right roads in the wrong order but still got in at least 14.6 miles on the day. Walt finished at the car, Ginny gave herself a head start, partaking in less water stop conversation along the way and keeping to the activity of running her long run.

Leaving the water stop we turned up East Border Rd. Again right when we hit the uphill Nicole took the lead. Again once we crested the top I went storming by. Back through the hills of the Fellsway East we went, stealing a tiny bit of Ginny’s head start with each step, eventually catching her as we headed into the Grimsby’s water stop for our last stop of the day. Putting a stop here really helps get runners through the last few stretches of what is one of the more challenging half marathon courses I know. However putting a stop here also gives each runner just that much more time to consider the short cut down Wyoming to chop off a mile from the route. I know some considered it and some did it, but Ginny, in the interest of not being ratted out as a shortcut taker continued along the full route. Great job Ginny!

Up the final hill we went, Ginny first having forgone any conversation this time and heading straight out of the water stop. Next went Nicole with one last hill charge of the day. Lois, having made up some distance using the water stop to water stop shuttle (a ride with Walt) joined Luis and I climbing the hill. Then down we went, one last “caught you” as I pulled along side Nicole. We made our way past Ginny and out into the sunshine by Ell Pond. It had gotten much warmer than when we took our first few passes along this stretch closer to 8AM, and the sun beat down on us as we made our way to Main St and back to Brueggers. We did it though. 14.6 miles! Another run down!

My apologies to any runner that didn’t get enough water along the way, I under-estimated the hydration needs for the group today. Thanks to Walt for picking up some refreshment for the back of the pack. As the group gets larger I’ll need to anticipate the need for more water and Gatorade. The good news though is the group is growing and I suspect our numbers will exceed 30 runners before the Fall session is over. The more the merrier!