Sunday Run

Ok, here we go. It’s time for the Big Run. For those training for Baystate its your 22 miler. For those running the associated half marathon, its time for 11 miles.

These distances sound overwhelming, but don’t let them be. Any job seems overwhelming when you look at it as a whole, but chop this down into its components, water stop to water stop, and  you’ll find that ita just one more water stop than what you’ve done in the past. Remember to test out race day as much as you can, clothes, food, rest, as well as running… but don’t race this one. You’ll find, like most long distance runners, that its hard to fight back the urge to run this run just like its your marathon. You’ll also learn that this may just be your best run of the season if you race it. For this run get the feel for the miles, but don’t try to set your PR. Hold back a little. Keep the great run for a few weeks from now.

Ok, the route. Its very similar to the 2o miler but kind of in reverse, so no big surprises. Start out  Main Street up past Ell Pond, tap Clarence for good luck, and then turn onto Melrose Street, then left on to LynnFells Parkway. As you pass the high school give a thought to Greg Moss, a young Melrose High School English teacher, and a supporter of Melrose Track and Field, who died unexpectedly earlier this week. Continue along the LynnFells past Grimsby’s onto the Fellsway East. Take those hills and ride them down to the rotary where you turn right onto Highland Ave. You’ll find a water stop along Highland.

Turn left onto Elm and right onto Main Street towards Stoneham along the back side of Spot Pond. If you’re running long, at Friendly’s take a left, and run up to a set of lights, turn left onto Marble, cross over I93 and look for the water stop at Eugene on your left. Running short, cut through the parking lot at Straw Point and continue circling Spot Pond until you get back to Highland where you’ll take you’re next water stop.

Shorter route runners will finish up by turning left on East Border Road, left back on to the Fellsway East, turn right onto Ravine Road and right onto West Wyoming. When you get to Main Street turn left and finish at Brueggers.

Longer runners, continue on Forest into Winchester, turn left onto Highland Ave past Winchester Hospital, all the way to the end where you’ll find water stop 3.

Left on Main Street in Medford out to the right at Playstead Road, turn right onto High Street at the Dunkin Donuts, and follow that up to Mystic Valley Parkway. A right there will run you along the Mystic Lakes. You’ll turn right onto Bacon at the end, then a left back onto Mystic Valley Parkway to a water stop.

From the stop you continue on to a left onto Washington Street. Follow Washington to the Gingerbread Construction Company where you turn right onto Forest Street. This will climb back up to the water stop at Eugene.

Still going forward over I93, turn right on Park Street, straight past Friendly’s towards the Stone Zoo. After the zoo turn left onto Pond Street down to Grymsby’s. Turn left at Grymbsy’s on to the LynnFells Parkway. Up past Melrose High School to a right on Melrose Street, a right on Main Street one more tap on the Clarence DeMar monument as you finish your run at Brueggers.

Water Stops. There will be a need for several helpers. There are 4 water stop locations needed continuously through the day. That’s me and three helpers. Any takers? Please?

Ok, who’s running? Roll Call!!!

This entry was posted on Thursday, September 24th, 2015 at 1:34 pm 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.