So what are we up to this weekend? We’re moving into the longer of long runs. The “short” route is nine miles, the long run is 18, and this is how we’re gonna do it…
Run north up Main Street, give a nod to the Clarence DeMar monument in front of Ell Pond and the history of long running in Melrose that it represents. Bear right on to Green Street, and then turn right at the lights onto the LynnFells Parkway. Follow that into Saugus, through a set of lights, and up to the Saugus entrance of Breakheart Reservation on your left. Run up the road to the Headquarters of the park and find the water stop car. Hydrate up at water stop 1, 3 miles into your run.
Go into the park entrance on the right and run the full loop of the park (stay right at the fork by the pond). You’ll start with the flatter side of the loop and end with the hilly side. There are 5 of them, although there always seem to be more than that. The last one will give you momentum to shoot back into the parking lot for another stop 6 miles into your run.
If you’re running “short”, you’ll return to Melrose Center the way you came. Leave the park, take a right on the LynnFells Parkway, turn left onto Green and merge back onto Main to finish up your 9 mile run.
If you’re running long, you’ll be now running on what used to be the Wakefield version of the Law Enforcement Memorial Half Marathon, which ran for a few years after the race left Melrose and before the race moved to Boston to become the Run to Remember Half Marathon. You’ll do this by leaving the park, then take a right on the LynnFells Parkway, then turn right at the set of lights at Main Street in Saugus. This road will take you into Wakefield where the name of the road changes to Farm Street. Stop at Wakefield High School for water stop 3 at mile 9.
From here you’ll continue on Farm, take a right at the end of Farm onto Water Street, crossing over and taking your first left onto Montrose. This road will take you up to Salem Street at the end, where you’ll turn left. Salem Street will bring you to a fork at a Prime Gas Station where you’ll bear right onto Lowell Street. It’ll look like this:
Once on Lowell Street keep running straight, it’ll bring you to Lake Quannapowitt. Stay right at the Lake and turn left onto Quannapowitt Parkway at the north end of the Lake. You’ll come up to the Comverse Building. There will be a water stop in the parking lot of the office park, aout 12.5 miles into the run. Keep your eyes on the look out, the position of this water stop tends to vary.
Continue along Quannapowitt Way out to North Ave, where you’ll turn left. Follow North Ave to the softball fields at a set of lights where you’ll turn left on to Church Street. This will bring you to a church, where you’ll turn right onto Common Street, next to Wakefield Common. This will merge you on to Main Street (which will not bring you to Maine). It will bring you to Nick’s Pizza on the corner of Nahant Street where you’ll find the final water stop of the run at mile 15.
Three miles left! And they’re all straight south along Main Street. When you hit Melrose Center you are done!
Ok, water stop help. I need quite a bit of it. Two volunteers would make this route much easier to handle, although we could pull it off with one volunteer. We’ll work the water stop at Breakheart, then one person will move up to the third stop. After the last runner comes through the first water stop will move to Lake Q. After the last runner comes through Wakefield High School, that person moves to Nahant. That’s where the timing gets tricky if the fastest runner gets 15 done before the last runner gets 9 done. It’s rare, but it has happened. So who can help?
And that’s the plan for this week. Who’s in? ROLL CALL!
Judi and IRIFTF. Thanks Jim.
In for the full
Hi Jim, Julie and I are in for the short please. Thank you
That was nice of the Wakefield DPW to paint that giant arrow in the road to guide us through our run ????
Yellow Monster in for the miles through the second water stop then I’ll be veering off. Thanks Jim Morial!! Hope the water stop at Breakheart has salami.
In for the salami
In for the half/fullish.
Just remembered, I have to get back to the Knights for the half route runners, so I definitely need a couple of water stop volunteers. Who can help?
Make it three weeks in a row for this gal. IFTF!
Let me know where you need me Jim
Will join in at the first water stop for just the Breakheart loop.
Iftf!!! Rob and Riley volunteer for the lake water stop? Let us know where he can pick up supplies and what time.
IFTF Jim!! Thank you!
In for the full!! I can offer up my car for a water stop if needed! Let me know when and where to be!
In for the full!
In for the full monty, ahem, run 🙂
In for the full, if Dan goes full monty
In for the full. Thank you!
In for the short and bringing 2 others along for the fun!
In for the half with Audrey H and Maryanne
In for the half. Thank you!
In for the full run. Thanks!!!
In for the first 15!
In for the full…ish
In for half of so – thanks.
In for the full
Jim, I can do a stop if you still need help. Let me know.
In for the half and maybe to nahant street
Will attempt the full although I live near mile 14 and it may be tempting…..
I believe I’m in for the half.
In for the full
In for the half, plus a couple extra miles.
I’m in for the fullish. May take a short cut at the lake.
In for half … hope I live. This will be my longest run …
The water stop plan. I’ll kick off the run at the Knights. I’ll swing by Nick’s Pizza to drop off supplies at Lois’ car and drive her to Breakheart. Will be there by 8:20 to support the stop. Brian and Jessi’s husband and daughter (Rob and Riley) will meet me at Breakheart and pick up supplies. They’ll go to man their water stops, Lois will jump in the run at Breakheart, and cut over to her water stop from the Wakefield High School stop. I’ll return to the Knights after water stop 2 is complete to reopen it for when the runners come back.
See you all in the morning.
In for the half-ish with my pup.
In for the full!
In for the full-ish.
In for the half…thanks Jim!
In for the Breakheart half!
Christina and I are in for the half. Thanks
In for the full!