Archive for August, 2015

Week 8 – Half Way to October Races

Friday, August 28th, 2015

Thanks Lois, Liz, Jessie, and Elaine for helping the runners get through their miles.

As we move into week 8, those of you running a fall marathon or half are now halfway through the training program. We celebrate that with an 18 mile run for the marathoners and a 9 mile run for the half marathoners!

Starting from Brueggers, this week we’ll head up Main Street, bear right onto Green Street, and turn right onto the LynnFells Parkway. Follow that all the way up to Breakheart’s Saugus Entrance. There you will find water stop 1.

Run around the outer loop of Breakheart and return to the Saugus side’s parking lot for water stop 2.

Head back along the LynnFells Parkway towards Melrose. Running short, keep heading back to Green Street where you’ll take a left  and run onto Main Street back to Brueggers. Running long, your run on the LynnFells will be shorter, as you turn right at the corner of Main Street in Saugus and continue running as it turns into Farm Street and heads to Wakefield High School where water stop 3 will be.

After that water stop you’ll continue on Farm Street to the end and turn right onto Water Street. Cross over and take a quick left onto Montrose Ave. Run the full length of Montrose to Rte 129, Salem Street in Wakefield. Turn left onto Salem Street and, as you move along make your way to the right side of the road. Salem will hit a fork, where Salem goes left and Lowell goes right, you want to bear right onto Lowell Street, which will take you up to the north end of Lake Quannapowitt. Turn left into the Comverse parking lot and look for water stop 4.

After that water stop continue through the Comverse parking lot to North Ave. Turn left onto North Ave and run up to the softball field and take a left on Church Street. This will take you to a church, where you want to turn right onto Common Street, along Wakefield Common. Common Street will run you into Main Street. Continue running on Main to Nick’s Pizza for water stop 5.

After that water stop all you have to do is run along Main Street back into Melrose to finish up your 18 miler!

Ok, that’s a lot of water stops. The good news is I’m home this weekend. The bad news is my car is in the shop. I’m looking for quite a bit of water stop help. I’ll supply the supplies, but I’ll need a few drivers to keep the runners hydrated. One car will be water stop 1/2, another car will be water stop 3. The first car can then move to the Comverse parking lot for water stop 4, and the other car can move from water stop 2 to Nick’s pizza for water stop 5. The timing for all this gets kind of tight so if a third car is available that would be great. So at least 2 volunteers would be helpful, 3 would be awesome.

Ok, Who’s in? Who’s helping? ROLL CALL!

Week 7 – The Old Melrose Half Marathon Route

Friday, August 21st, 2015

Last week we had a hot and humid 16 miler that took the winds out of some people’s sails, so the goal this week is to regroup and get some quality miles back under your feet. We’ll be heading out onto what used to be the Melrose Law Enforcement Half which eventually became Boston’s Run to Remember.

The route will start up Main Street, turning left on Melrose Street and a left again on to the LynnFells Parkway. Here you’ll cross what was the starting line of the Melrose Half in front of Melrose High School. If you’re running short you’ll continue on the LynnFells Parkway. If you’re running long you’ll fo a lap of the neighborhood along Ell Pond. Turn left on Tremont, left on Lake, left on West Emerson, left on Main, left on Melrose, and left again on the LynnFells Parkway. This time continue on along the LynnFells Parkway. You’ll find a water stop at Grimsby’s.

After the water stop continue on the LynnFells Parkway and onto the Fellsway East. This will take you through a few hills and into Medford. Turn right onto Highland Avenue and head towards Spot Pond. Stop at a water stop at the far end of Highland Ave.

After that stop, if you’re running short stay right to the front side of Spot Pond. Turn right on Pond and head past Grimsby’s onto West Wyoming. This will bring you to Main where you turn left and finish.

After that stop, if you’re running long stay left to run the back side of Spot Pond. That’s Elm Street, to a right onto Main Street (Rt 28). Run under I93, then run over I93, then turn into a parking lot on the Friendly’s side of Spot Pond. There will be a water stop there for you. After that stop continue running around the pond, past the Stone Zoo and onto Woodland towards the Flynn Rink. At the rotary head over to Highland back to the water stop there.

After that water stop, turn left off of Highland onto East Border Road. You’ll come to a set of lights where you turn left back onto the Fellsway East back the water stop at Grimsby’s. Continue onto the LynnFells Parkway, up past Melrose High School where, if this were the Law Enforcement Half, you would be done, but it isn’t, so you’re not. Keep going up to a right onto Melrose Street, and a right on Main. Follow Main back to Brueggers to finish up your run.

As far as the water stops go, I’ll be doing college drop off in Biddeford, Maine Sunday Morning, so I’m passing my organizational duties to the fabulous Lois Parker Carmona. You’ll be more than fine in her hands. I believe Liz will help her, and Jessi’s car will serve as the water stop at Straw Point. There may be others pitching in here and there if needed but I think that should cover it. Have a great run this week!

Ok, who’s in? ROLL CALL!

Week 6 – Winchester Highlands

Saturday, August 15th, 2015

Last week runners were treated to cool temperatures, dry air, and an overcast sky. Most people would complain that their summer Sunday morning was like that, but not runners. The group embraced the opportunity for a run unencumbered by the heat of summer and ran strong with glowing smiles. The running we’ve done in the heat has shown to make us stronger, and it shows when the weather turns cool. This past week was a nice tease for what to expect in October half marathons and marathons… or even Iceland. This week won’t be as cool, but its August so…

Our route this week starts out heading to Winchester via Franklin Street. Take Main Street north (say hi to Clarence DeMar as you pass Ell Pond, our patron saint of running) to a left onto Franklin. Follow this through Franklin Square, up a big hill, past Stoneham High School to a set of lights at an intersection with Summer Street. Turn left there and wind your way over to Main Street in Stoneham. Cross Main over to Marble Street. Follow that as it crosses over I93 and becomes Forest Street in Winchester. Look for the water stop on your left on Eugene Street.

Going short? Turn around and come back over I93. Turn right at a set of lights onto  Park Street. Follow Park until you get to Main Street where Friendly’s is. Turn right here and run the backside of Spot Pond following Main over I93, under I93, through a few hills to where you’ll turn left onto Elm Street, your first major street intersecting with Main Street. Follow Elm up to the rotary at Highland and Woodland Street. Hug the turn left at the hockey rink and run the front side of Spot Pond to Pond Street. Right on Pond, continuing onto West Wyoming at Grimsby’s and a left turn on Main Street will get you to the end of your 8.2 mile run.

Going long? From the water stop you’ll continue on Forest Street and turn left onto Highland Ave at the Winchester Hospital signs. Highland will bring you up to the hospital, turn left onto Reservoir Road and run along my favorite street of the SLR program. This road will loop along the fells and drop you back onto Highland where you turn left. Follow Highland all the way to its end. In there is a 5-way intersection that sometimes causes confusion, you want to go straight through. At the end of Highland will be a water stop. Enjoy.

After that water stop you want to turn right on Rte 38, Main Street in Winchester. This will take you to a small rotary, here you want to run around it counterclockwise, as if you’re driving it, skip the tiny first road and turn onto the next major road. There is a historic sign for Symmes something-or-other there to continue on Rte 38. You’ll bear right at a fork which will put you on Washington Street. At another 5-way intersection you’ll cross Mystic Valley Parkway and bear right onto Washington Street. If you find yourself running past Winchester High SChool you’re going the wrong way. Follow Washington Street to Forest Street, where Gingerbread Construction Company is. Turn right onto Forest, up some big hills back to the first water stop.

Now you’ll follow what the short route runners did. Follow Forest to Marble, turn right at Park, right at Main Street in Stoneham, left on Elm, left at the rotary by the hockey rink, right on Pond, left on Main and you’re done. (read the short route paragraph if you want more detail).

Water Stops. Two helpers besides myself would be useful. I know AJ was thinking of it. AJ? Anyone else?

ROLL CALL! Who’s in?

Week 5 – Hills of Breakheart

Friday, August 7th, 2015

I trust you all had a great run last weekend in my absence. Thank you Courtney for keeping things going, out and around Horn Pond. This week we head to the east, into Saugus for some hill training in Breakheart. The run will start from Brueggers promptly at 8AM and head up Main Street, bearing right on to Green Street, and a right onto the LynnFells Parkway. Follow the parkway into Saugus until you reach the Saugus entrance of Breakheart. Turn left into the parking lot and look for a water stop car.

After the water stop, if you’re running short, turn around and go back the way  you came to finish up your run. If you’re running long, run a loop around Breakheart, entering on your right, bearing right at the pond following the outer loop of Breakheart. You’ll eventually wind up back in the parking lot for another stop at the water stop car. After that stop head back the way you came to finish up your run.

Didn’t quite get this right. You’ll be going to Breakheart but in the Wakefield side. S0… go up Main St to Green St right onto the LynnFells Parkway. At the set of lights turn left on Main Street in Saugus. Follow this onto Farm Street in Wakefield. Stop at Wakefield High School for a water stop.

Head up the hill into Breakheart and do a full lap counter clockwise around Breakheart. When you hit the lake go right to get back to the Wakefield side. Come back down the hill and back to the water stop.

From there go right on Farm, left on Water, left on Main and back Main Street to Melrose til you get to Brueggers.

Running short? Follow the crowd out to Main Street in Saugus. Loop back along Howard Street. When you get back to the LynnFells Parkway follow it across Main Street, past Melrose High School up to Grimsby’s. Turn left there and go back West Wyoming, left on Main Street and on to Brueggers.

An alternate short loop is drive over to the plaza at the corner of the LynnFells and Main Street in Saugus. Hop in there and run up to Wakefield High, around Breakheart, and back to your car.

AJ, I will use your help for a bonus water stop. Thanks.

I’ll handle the stop. Who’s in? ROLL CALL!

Thanks Paul for catching my mistake!