Hills are your friends. Love the hills, they’ll love you back.
You had your first trip to Breakheart last week, this week we take our last trip through. Typically 5 routes bring you through the string of hills through the winter but the snow spared you of that intense hill training this year. As you’re running through them tomorrow don’t complain, don’t whine, don’t swear at me. Instead embrace the hills. They are just one of the many friends helping you get ready for your big race coming up. Love the hills tomorrow, love them while you’re going up them and they’ll love you back as the push you effortlessly back down. Love the hills tomorrow and they’ll love you back on race day when that hill the race directors have put in front of you seem small and short, nothing compared to Breakheart.
This week’s run is similar to one we took a few weeks ago in a snow storm. We’ll head up West Foster Street and turn at Melrose Common and find yourself on Swains Pond Ave. Last time this area was decorated in white fluffy snow, this time you’ll see no snow, bright sunshine, and cool crisp air. Swains Pond will loop around to Lebanon St where you’ll go right and then left at the first set of lights onto Forest St. You’ll run past Oak Grove to water stop 1 at the Citizen’s Bank on Main St in Malden.
From there you’ll run Winter St past the Oak Grove MBTA stop, through a big intersection straight onto the twists and turns of Glenwood St popping out at the rotary at Highland Ave and the Fellsway where the newspaper boy sits. Turn right there and follow the Fellsway East onto the LynnFells Parkway to the knoll across from the Melrose Middle School where water stop 2 will be waiting for you.
Leaving water stop 2 you follow the LynnFells straight out to Breakheart’s Saugus entrance where water stop 3 is. A loop of Breakheart counter clockwise (to the right first through the flatter section of Breakheart leaving the hills for last) and you’ll pop back out at the same water stop again. There you’ll head back along the LynnFells to the knoll where the next water stop will still be waiting for you. Leaving there you’ll follow the LynnFells to Grimsby’s, turn onto West Wyoming, turn left on Main St and BOOM, you’re back at Brueggers.
Before I get to the roll call we need to take care of some business for next week, our road trip to Hopkinton. he way that run works is we all meet at Brueggers at 7AM. We carpool to Hopkinton, take a group picture in front of the doughboy statue near the start, then start the run to Boston at 8AM. Water stop crews move the cars, support the water stops, leapfrogging all morning long. Some runners don’t run the whole course, somewhere in Wellesley we pick them up and a new set of short route runners head out on the course. We all end up at BC with all the cars and runners, lounge in the sunshine near the steps of the church at BC, take a big group picture and head back to Melrose. Typically most of us end up at the Dockside and celebrate the start of the Boston Marathon taper for most of the afternoon. Now I need to know who has a car they can contribute to the mix, who can support water stops, and who plans on running what next week. I’ll take that info and through the week we’ll plan out the day with posts and replies on this blog.
So…. who’s in tomorrow and for how much, and who’s in for next week and how? ROLL CALL!!!
Count me in!
Can’t wait to do Breakheart! I’m in for the full this week and next — can contribute my car for next week-
In in for the full. This week and next week.
I’m happy to drive to Hopkinton next week and sacrifice my car for the greater good. I car fits 4 (including the driver).
I’m also in for the full this week and next and also have a car that fits 4. What about this week – do you need any water stop help? I could leave my car at Citizens or at the knoll.
Thanks Jim!! I’m in for the full this week and next week.
let me know if my van is needed. It holds 7 including the driver.
I can’t run this week due to my husband’s still away but I am available to help with the water stops? I’ll just bring my little one with me. Let me know if I can help.
I won’t be there tomorrow but count John and I in for next week. I ran with Paul Donahue today and he is also planning to be there next week. I would offer my car but it’s a company car and only I can drive it-bummer 🙁
I hope everyone has a great run tomorrow !!
Will make the full run this week. Won’t make the Hopkinton one next week, may have pay my dues with the MGH team who’s doing the same route. Thanks.
Will make the full run (or most of it) this week. Can’t make the Hopkinton run, may have to pay my dues to the MGH team that’s doing the same course. Thanks.
I’m in for the full runs – tomorrow and next week. I’m happy to make my car available for the run next week.
1) Next week I can help with waterstops and carry 3 in my car. If needed I can run on Saturday as I am tapering for my 1/2 on April 3rd.
2)I am in for 7 to 8 tomorrow (will cut off at Ell pond and main st).
Count me in for the 11 mi tomorrow and for the half route from Hopkinton for next Sunday. I am happy to assist with car, water, etc where/however needed.
Love the hills. Love the hills. Love the hills.
In for not so full.
I’m going next week to Hopkinton and would like to run a shorter leg. I can make my car available. It’s a stick, just FYI in case someone else needs to drive it.
Im in for water stops!
I’m in for the 11 this week and the half next week!
I would like to join your group tomorrow. I am supposed to do 15, so I might bail out near Grimsbys. I would also like to go to Hopkinton next week.
I plan on running tomorrow. Not sure how far. Next week I’m doing the Stew Chase. Good luck in Hopkinton!
I can help with water stops tomorrow and next week. I can drive next week too, if needed, and could fit 4 if I took out the car seats and vacuumed up all the crumbs in the back seat.
I’m in for the short route. I hope I make the 11, next week I’m doing the Stew 15K. Enjoy Hopkinton!
Sorry I won’t be there…since I’ll be in Miami for the long run next weekend I want to try running a portion of the race course tomorrow.
Good luck on these next two long runs everyone! See you in a few weeks 🙂
I’d like to do a part of the marathon route. I don’t mind driving, but my car is small.
i want to run next week, not the whole route, but some. i’m happy to bring my car and do water stop duty.
I’m in for next week–full 22! I am happy to offer my car, but it is a small Matrix so maybe not so useful.
I’m in for the full run (plus a little tour around my old stopping grounds at the heights) on the 27th. I’ve got a little civic, so that may not be a wise choice.
I’m in for the full this weekend in Boston. Also, I am happy to drive – my car fits 5 (including driver). Thanks!
In for the 27th 22miler. Can use my car (5) for wstops .. will need access to it around Noon as i head back to MRC for MBTA or directly back to S NJersey from BC. Thanks much for organizing all these runs Jim and everyone! Still looks dry and cold for our run…mid 20s start, maybe 40 finish at Noon… cross northerly wind…might be a head wind at times. no shorts for me on Sunday. mittens, a headband, long sleeve underarmour shirt w wind breaker and woolsocks might be good for another long run in a long winter.