While we’re feeling the heat of summer, it’s time to start training for those long fall races. This week starts the Melrose Running Club Sunday Long Run Program… on Saturday. Yes, due to the fact the MRC Summer Party is Saturday night, and we don’t want a bunch of runners heading home early so they can get up to train in the morning, we’ll be running on Saturday morning instead.
If you’re new to the SLR, click on the About link to the right for details on how this works. In a nutshell, look here after Thursday to see what the plan for the week is, reply and let me know you’re coming so I have enough waterstop supplies, memorize that week’s route, show up at Brueggers before 8AM on SLR day, give me a dollar if you’re running short, two if you running long, I’ll remind you where you’re running, run, see me or some other water stop volunteer along the way, finish, have a coffee and a bite to eat at Brueggers afterwards, chat with other runners, repeat each week.
Brueggers has been kind enough to allow us to meet there for over 10 years now. Please be kind back,: stay clear of the service area, make way for their customers, keep your voices down, patronize their business, and don’t bring food in from their competitors.
The route this week will be Farm Street for the long runners, Howard Street for the shorter route. Both start by heading north up Main Street past Ell Pond after which you’ll cross and bear right onto Green Street. At the intersection of Green and the LynnFells Parkway turn right at those lights onto the LynnFells. Follow straight along the LynnFells to the next set of lights where you’ll turn left on to Main Street in Saugus. This is where the two routes split.
Running shorter, turn left at the first set of lights onto Howard Street. There we’ll have a small water stop for you. Take a quick sip and continue on Howard until you find the intersection with Green Street. Turn left on Green, follow that back to Main Street, and follow Main back to Brueggers, and you’re done!
Running longer, continue on Main Street as it becomes Farm Street. You’ll look for a water stop on your right at Wakefield High School. After that stop you’ll continue on Farm Street to the end where you’ll turn left on Water Street. This will take you into Wakefield Center where you’ll turn left onto Main Street. Follow Main Street back to Melrose, back to Brueggers and you’re done!
This season we’ll be introducing a theme to each run. Check in here to see what it is and we’ll see how many people are paying attention. This week’s is Singlet Saturday. Wear your running club singlet if you have one, be it Melrose or Mystic or Greater Lowell, or Somerville, or some other club. If you don’t have one, wear a purple or black singlet. If you have multiple running club, wear your Melrose one. This will give us a good sense of who’s from where.
OK, who’s in? Roll Call! (Let’s make sure we have enough water)