Sunday Run

Last Week – Despite many local races we still had a solid core of about 35 runners continuing on their marathon and half marathon training with the group. The icy conditions put the kibosh on running in Breakheart, but we changed up the route and got the miles done. This week ice shouldn’t be a problem with warmer temperatures, but rain might add to the challenge

Map Route Sections – New this season, I’m trying to include Google Maps for your phone to help you navigate the route. You can preview each section of the run here. While running, you can start navigating from that section when you’re at the start of that section during the water stop. Note, navigating will need to be started at each stop, the route will not continue on to the next section.

Start-1 – We start from Brueggers at 8AM heading North on Main Street, passing Ell Pond and Clarence DeMar as we make our way to a left turn on Franklin Street. Following Franklin up a hill and into Stoneham, pass Stoneham High School and Dunkin Donuts, on to a set of lights where you’ll turn left onto Summer Street. Stay single file on Summer as the road narrows at turns, as you make your way up to and across Main Street in Stoneham to Marble Street. Marble will cross over I-93 into Winchester where it becomes Forest Street. Eugene Drive will be on your left with Water Stop 1.

Half-Finish – The half runners will turn back over I-93, back on Marble Street, but at the set of lights turn right at Park Street which becomes North  Border Rd. Pass Friendly’s, going straight to Pond Street, past the Stone Zoo, and following Park left after the Zoo down to Grimsby’s. Turn left onto the Lynn Fells Parkway which you’ll follow past Melrose High School, turning right onto Main Street, past Ell Pond, and back to Brueggers for an 8 mile run!

Long-2 – Long route runners will leave the first water stop and head down Forest Street. Enjoy the down hill, it gets harder after this. Follow the blue H signs to a left turn onto Highland Ave. Highland will bring you up to Winchester Hospital where you’ll turn left onto Reservoir Road. This is my favorite road of the SLR, travelling along the edge of the Fells as it becomes Hillcrest Parkway… oh yeah there is a hill you’ll have to crest here too. After running along the gas lamp lined road and the big fancy houses, you’ll wind back down to Highland Ave where you’ll turn left. Highland will go through a 5-way intersection straight across to continue on Highland. Here you’ll find why its called Highland as your climb through some more hills to the water stop at the end of the road.

Long-3 – The next section of the run will turn right on Main Street, bringing you to a rotary. Enter the rotary and go right onto Main Street where you see a historical marker for Symmes Farm. Following Main there is a subtle fork in the road where you’ll stay right onto Washington Street. Washington will bring you to another 5-way intersection at Mt Vernon Street. Cross Mt Vernon and stay to the right to stay on Washington Street, if you pass Winchester High School you went the wrong way and should be using the navigation map. Washington will bring you to the Gingerbread Construction Company, where you’ll turn right onto Forest Street. Forest will climb back up to the water stop at Eugene Drive.

Long-4 – After Eugene, cross over I-93 and turn right at the lights at Park Street. You’ll be on North Border Rd which will bring you to Friendly’s where you’ll turn right. Follow the Fellsway West around the back of Spot Pond. Don’t go down the ramp onto I-93, go over I-93, past the Sheepfold, under I-93, over to Elm Street where you’ll turn left. Elm will bring you up to the rotary at Highland Ave, but don’t go onto Highland, turn left onto Woodland and look for the water stop in the parking lot of Flynn Rink.

Long-Finish – From the rink you’ll finish up by running along Woodland Rd up to Pond Street. Turn right on Pond down past Grimsby’s to West Wyoming. Continue straight to Main Street where you turn left and finish up at Brueggers for a solid 16 mile run!

Water Stops – There are 4 water stops along this route. The plan is to have Hank at Eugene Drive, Jim at Highland Ave, and Tom at Flynn Rink. There will be Gu available at Eugene Drive. If you’d like more than one Gu along the route, consider donating a bit more to the SLR.

Roll Call – Who’s in?!

This entry was posted on Saturday, February 10th, 2018 at 10:09 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.