Sunday Run

Seven weeks into training for Baystate, at the end of this run you’ll be halfway trained. To mark that point in your training we’ll be running the old Melrose Law Enforcement Memorial Half Marathon. Back in the day, when Marathon Sports-Melrose was Runners’ Edge, the Boston Run to Remember was the Melrose Half. We’ll be running over to the start and then following the course almost in its entirety. Starting out Main St we’ll head up past Ell Pond, turning left on Melrose St and then left on the LynnFells Parkway. As you pass the High School you’ll cross what was the starting line for the Half. Continuing past the Middle School you’ll hit a set of lights at Tremont St. If you’re running the short route continue straight (you get to take the lead this week), if you’re running long turn left on Tremont, then circle Ell Pond by taking lefts on Lake, W Emerson, Main, Melrose, and LynnFells, putting you back at the start line. For the record I didn’t make that part up, it was part of the race. When you get back to the corner of Tremont, now you go straight and chase the shorter route runners. The first water stop will be at Grimsby’s, with Brian Walfield happily pouring refreshments for you.

The next leg of the run continues on the LynnFells and onto the Fellsway East. You’ve been here before, a few long hills through this quiet wooded section of the run and you’ll end up at the rotary at Highland Ave where the newspaper boy sits. Turn right onto Highland Ave and head up to water stop 2 at the other end of the road.

From the water stop, if you’re running short go straight around the front side of Spot Pond to Pond St and back past Grimsby’s. If you’re running longer go left at the rotary onto Elm St. Circle Spot Pond by taking rights on Rt 28 (Main St), and through the Straw Point parking lot cutting the corner where Friendly’s is. Run past the Stone Zoo, up past the hockey rink, through the rotary back to water stop 2, which is now water stop 3.

From there you head over to the left on East Border Road, up the hill where you’re allowed to curse me to your hearts content, left back onto the Fellsway East, and back to Grimsbys for yet another water stop.

Keep going on the LynnFells Parkway up to the high school. If this were the 1990s you would have cut into the field by the high school and circled the track while all the spectators watched you cross the finish line in agony. Well, the track isn’t there anymore so we’ll head back to Brueggers instead, past the high school, right on Melrose St, right on Main, and stop at Brueggers Beach for some coffee and sunshine.

Brian and I will handle the water stops. Regarding future water stops, I’ll be away for each Sunday in September so I need help coordinating water stops over those weeks. Please take a look at the runs over that time period and plan on pitching in at least once. These stops have been there for you every Sunday, for some of you for many years worth of Sundays, please take the opportunity to give the support back. You can still run, just plan on dropping your car at a stop. I would like groups of 3 or 4 people to step up and volunteer for a week. Talk to your running buddies and sign up for a week. There will be a sign-up sheet at Brueggers over the next few weeks.

So… Who’s in? ROLL CALL!

ADDITION: Ooops, I just realized my directions left all the shorter loop people standing at Grimsby’s. The 7 mile route will take you down W Wyoming, from there you take left on Main St and finish at Brueggers. If you want to run 8 miles, take the LynnFells to Melrose, to Main St and finish up that way.

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