Sunday Run

When training started back in early July I neglected to verify the date of the Baystate Marathon, this resulted in an extra week of training for those running Baystate. This week we run the extra week’s route by repeating Week 6’s route. Typically we step up two weeks in a row at this point in the training, but this allows for a step back week if it’s Baystate you’re running this fall. The route itself was a challenging hilly run on a very hot day, leading to a lot of long faces back at Brueggers. Tomorrow the hills will still be there but the distance should be a bit easier for you and the temperatures are going to be much cooler, with a possibility of a little rain. This will be your first taste of what should be expected for a Fall race.

The route is going to start up Main Street past Ell Pond. Continue up past Whole Foods, taking a left onto Franklin and heading into Stoneham. After passing Stoneham High School, take a left at a set of lights on to Summer Street. Follow that as it curves around to the right and crosses Main Street in Stoneham and becomes Marble Street. This will take you through a set of traffic lights and up and over I93 to Eugene Drive where water stop 1 is.

If you’re running short, after the water stop turn back over I93 and turn right at the first set of traffic lights onto Park Street. This will bring you past the I93N on ramp, around to Friendly’s in Stoneham. Keep following this road past the Mobil station, past Stone Zoo to a left down Pond Street to Grimsby’s. Go left at Grimsby’s onto the LynnFells Parkway, past Melrose High School, right on Melrose Street, and right on Main Street to complete your 8 mile run.

If you’re running long, after the water stop continue down what is now Forest Street in Winchester. Turn left onto Highland Ave, and turn left across from Winchester Hospital on to Reservoir Road. Follow Reservoir along the edge of the Fells as it loops back down to Highland Ave. Turn left to continue along Highland to the end where water stop 2 will be.

After water stop 2, turn right on Main Street (Rt38) and head up to a rotary. Go around the rotary to the right leaving it at the first major road with the Symmes Farm sign on it to stay on Main Street in Winchester. Stay on the right side of the road and veer off at the fork to get on Washington Street. You’ll come to a 5-way intersection, crossing Mystic Valley Parkway and heading off to the right to stay on Washington Street, passing churches. If you pass Winchester High School you’ve gone the wrong way, head back and try again. Washington Street will continue straight, bringing you to a set of lights at the intersection of Forest Street where you’ll see the Gingerbread Construction Company. Turn right here to run up the Forest Street hills to bring you back to Eugene and another water stop.

After water stop 3, take Forest back over I93 and turn right at the first lights at Park Street. Follow this road to Friendly’s and turn right on to Main Street. This will bring you around the backside of Spot Pond, continuing on the road without getting on to I93 (don’t follow the ramp on the left). You’ll go over I93 and then under I93 and eventually will get to the place you turn left onto Elm Street. If you make it to Roosevelt Circle over I93 you went to far, turn around and try again. Elm Street will climb up to the rotary at Highland Ave in Medford where you’ll go left and find another water stop at the Flynn Hockey Rink.

After the final water stop you’ll have about 2 miles left to finish up. Follow Woodland Road along the front side of Spot Pond, turning right at Pond Street down to Grimsby’s. Run straight down West Wyoming to Main Street in Melrose, turning left to get to Brueggers.

Water Stops: Hmm, not sure if Hank is around to help. If anyone wants to help me out, let me know.

Roll Call: Who’s in?

This entry was posted on Saturday, September 2nd, 2017 at 9:05 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.