Week 1 challenged us with giant piles of snow, slippery footing, and frigid temperatures as you criss-crossed your way through Melrose Center. Week 2 followed up with more frigid temperatures as 35 runners came out to run along the shores of Spot Pond. Those are the weeks that build the character you need to push through whatever challenges you find in front of you on Marathon Day.
This week Mother Nature has decided to give you a break. It will be above freezing for the start of the run, for the most part sidewalks are clear, and your run gets a little shorter, recovering from the hills and miles you conquered last week.
The Route this week takes you in to Wakefield, and if you’re running the full route, around Lake Quannapowitt. We’ll leave Brueggers at 8AM, heading north on Main Street past Ell Pond. New to the MRC SLR? Keep an eye out for the Clarence DeMar monument as you pass Ell Pond. Clarence lived and trained on the roads and hills of Melrose in the 1920s when he started his string of 7 Boston Marathon victories, the most by any one athlete. It has been an MRC SLR tradition for someone to tap the monument on the way by to honor the great runner… and ask for a little good luck on our journey to Boston. Continue up Main Street, into Wakefield, to the intersection of Main Street and North Ave/Nahant St. There you will find the Water Stop in the parking lot of Nick’s Pizza.
From there you’ll either turn around and head straight back to Brueggers along Main Street to finish your 10K. If you’re running long you’ll continue on Main Street, through Wakefield Center, staying to the right to continue along the eastern side of Lake Quannapowitt. Bear left on Lowell Street, and turn left on Quannapowitt Way to continue along the lake. In the Comverse parking lot you can either run along the lake if the path is clear, or run along the office building parking lot, either way continue out of the other side of the lot turning left on North Ave. At the set of lights by the softball fields on North Ave, turn left on Church Street and run to… wait for it… a church. Turn right there on Common Street along… wait for it… Wakefield Common. You’ll merge on to Main Street and run to Maine… just kidding… just run back to Nick’s for another Water Stop.
After that water stop you’ll head back to Brueggers along Main Street to finish up your 10.7 mile run.
Water Stops will all be at Nick’s and hosted by myself and Hank and Tom if they want to come help. Simple.
Roll Call! Who’s in for a nice, flat, reasonably temperatured Sunday Long Run?
IFTH!
Hi Jim
In for the short please! Thank you
In for 6 or somewhere thereabouts
In for the full!
In!
IFTF…thanks!
IFTF. Thanks!
IFTF! Thanks!
In for full along side Julie and Kelly. Thanks Jim!
Jess and I are in for the full. Thank you!
In for the Main Street full 🙂
Full
Audrey and I are in for the short plus a little. Thanks!
IFTF. Thanks!
In for the full thanks.
In for the full!
In for the half
Thanks!
IFTF
I’m in for the full
Iftf!!
IFTF Thanks Jim.
Full for the win! With some early morning extra with the non-poop Judi! 😉
IFTF
IFTF.
I’m in!
I’m in for half! Thanks!!
Full!
IFTF
IFTF!
Charlotte will do the half, Nicola might join in too.
Oops, I’m doing the half too
In for the full.
1 FTF + 1 FTH!
Boing! Full please.
In for the full too. Thanks.
In for the full thanks Jim and his extremely capable helpers
I will be in for full
Full
IFTF…thanks JC!
Happy birthday Dan ????
IFTF. Thanks!
IFTF. THANKS!
I am in for the long run – thanks
IFTF for real this time
I’m in for the full!
In for the full 🙂
In for the full
Yaaayy!!! Full please!!!
IFTF. Thank You!
Doing the half. Thanks!
In for full please!
In for the full
Full please. Thank you, Jim.
New to the club. I am in for the half!! Look forward to meeting everyone