Sunday Run

Last week we improvised a new route and got 18 miles under our belts. This week we notch it up again and go for 20. We’ll keep to the prescribed route this time and hope for the best. Most of the roads are major roads and wide enough to accommodate our single file line of runners.

This week is a big test for your goal race. I’m sure we’re not expecting it to be in the 30s on your race day, and hopefully we still don’t have giant snowbanks about, but other than that you should try to make Saturday and Sunday just like race day. Saturday you should test out your prerace meals, maybe some Chicken Carsonara tonight, and some scrambled eggs and peanut butter in the morning… those were my prerace meals. I’d tell you to get the same time of sleep you would on race day, but two things will make that not happen: 1) we move our clocks ahead Saturday night so you lose an hour of sleep, 2) you’re not as nervous as race day so you’ll only lose that one hour of sleep instead of the multiple hours. Try to wear your race day shoes tomorrow, and if you think you’ve been wearing your race day shoes all along take a look at the soles and realize they might not make it to race day. If you like this pair start a new pair of shoes for your shorter runs over the next 5 weeks. If you don’t like this pair start breaking in your race day shoes now. Race day socks matter, Sunday will be a good day to see if they tend to cause blisters when the miles go over 20. Speaking of blisters, a tip from my foot doctor years ago: blisters are caused by wetness on your feet, try putting antiperspirant on your feet to keep the sweat from getting the skin moist. It worked for me.

The run starts our like last week, head south on Main Street and turn right on West Wyoming. Go past Brueggers and up Pond Street to Spot Pond. Turn right at the pond this time, heading past the Stone Zoo, past Friendly’s, past the onramp to I93 to a set of lights where you turn left on Marble Street. On Marble watch for the water stop, it would normally be over I93 on Eugene but due to snow banks we’ll probably be on the right on the corner of Hill Street where we have a little more room.

From the water stop both Full and Half runners continue on Marble, over I93 and straight onto Forest Street in Winchester. A downhill will take you a left on Highland Ave. Up a hill, past the Winchester Hospital, stay on Highland all the way to the end, unless you’re running the half route.

Half route turn right on Eaton Street, there’s a park on the corner that makes this street look different, although now it’ll look like a block of snow like everything else. The rest of your route is a right on Washington Street at the bottom of Eaton. Follow Washington to Forest Street, an intersection with a set of lights and a Gingerbread Construction Company. The right will bring you up Forest back to the first water stop. After you stop there again head back the way you came. Turn right on Park Street, past Friendly’s and the Zoo to the right on Pond. Pass Grimsby’s and follow West Wyoming to Main Street. A right on Main will get you back to Brueggers with your first 10 mile run of the season done!

Full route runners, you’re still on Highland Ave. Keep going until you get to the water stop at the end of Highland. After that stop you’ll go right on Main Street, Rte38, into Medford. Cross the road when you see a cemetery on the other side. At the corner of the cemetery you’ll take a right on Playstead Rd. This will take you to High St, Rt 60, by a commuter rail station. If you need to use a restroom the Dunkin Donuts on High Street has always been very friendly. A right on High Street will run you towards Arlington. There is a fork along the way, you want to make sure you stay left on High Street. You’ll come to a bridge, don’t go over it, turn right on Mystic Valley Parkway. Follow this past the Mystic Lakes to the end, where you turn right on Bacon Street. Take your next left onto the Mystic Valley Parkway again. Along the Mystic Valley Parkway you’ll find another water stop near Winchester Center.

After that stop you’re halfway there! Keep going on the Mystic Valley Parkway and take a left on Washington, I believe the second set of lights after the water stop. Stay slight right through a 5-way intersection to stay on Washington Street . You’ll go by a church if you’re going the right way… a church that has a nice bathroom in the side entrance on the far side of the church if you need one. Washington will take you to the Gingerbread Construction Company intersection with Forest Street, turn right there and head up the hills to the next water stop (same as the first).

After that water stop go right at the lights on Park Street and continue running to Friendly’s (another bathroom stop if you need it). You’ll go right at Friendly’s and run the back side of Spot Pond, turning left on Elm Street up to the rotary at Highland Ave in Medford. Go right on Highland and you’ll find the last water stop of the run.

After that stop go all the way down Highland to the rotary at the Fellsway East. Turn left on the Fellsway East and through the hills to Grimsby’s. Assuming you don’t want to run an extra mile at that point, turn right on West Wyoming to Main Street. The left on Main will bring you up Main Street to Brueggers and a 20 miler to your name!

Water Stops: I think I have Jannel, Jackie, and Paul helping again this week. If that’s true that’s awesome! If its not, I need volunteers! The first water stop will see action for a long time this week since its also the fourth water stop. The second water stop will move to the fifth water stop when they’re done, so that one isn’t quick either. The third water stop is only the third, at mile 10.something. So if you’re in for water stop duty, you’re in for a full morning, let me know if that’ll be a problem. Any helpers interested?

That’s it for this week’s pre-cap. Who’s in for the first of the really long ones? Roll Call!

This entry was posted on Saturday, March 7th, 2015 at 8:02 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.