Here we go into Week 6 of the Wintriest Winter Ever! Well since the Ice Age anyway. But even though Old Man Winter is trying to keep us down, the SLR group is on the verge of its first 40+ runner week. I’m thinking as soon as we get a nice week we’ll break that mark.
This week you’ll go on my favorite run of the whole season. Starting from Brueggers you’ll head up to Spot Pond and go right. That will take you past Friendlies and over towards I-93. Don’t get on the highway! Although the breakdown lane is probably cleared wider than the roads we’ll be running on, I think there’s laws against running on the highway. Instead go to the next set of lights and turn right. This will take you up and over I-93 to the first water stop.
After leaving the stop you’ll head down Forest St into Winchester. Enjoy the wide wooded downhill because you won’t enjoy the same stretch a little later. Taking a left on Highland Ave, climb up to Winchester Hospital and take a left onto Reservoir, what I consider the nicest street of the long run program. Take in the scenic Winchester Reservoir, the woods of the Fells, the large beautiful houses, the gas light style street lamps, and ignore the giant hill in front of you. Reservoir Rd will loop you back to Highland Ave. Take a left onto Highland and follow it all the way to the end for another water stop. Oh yeah, and Highland is named Highland because it ends up in some high lands, so yes there are hills. Love them, they’ll love you back.
At the water stop ask where you’re going next. We’ll try to explain it to you. You’ll take a right onto Rt38 and head over to a rotary. The goal is to come out of the rotart on Main St in Winchester. One trick though, there’s no street sign for Main St. Going counterclockwise in the rotary (with traffic) it will be the second street, the first being a small road, Main St being a bigger road. This will take over to a 5-way intersection crossing the Mystic Valley Parkway. Cross and bear right onto Washington St (look at the map before hand and make sure you understand this). Now it gets easier, follow Washington St back to Forest, turning right at the intersection with the Gingerbread Construction Company. Run conservatively up the hill, as Forest St is a progression of three hills on top of each other that go on for about a mile. This hill is getting you ready for any hill that’s ever put in front of you. Don’t let the hill beat you, you beat this hill, because there’s candy at the top of the hill! You’ll find yourself out of breath but back at water stop 1 at the top.
Now things get familiar again. Leaving the water stop head back over to Spot Pond the way we came, taking a right on Park St. At Friendly’s take a right and run the backside of Spot Pond. Turn at Elm and head up to the Flynn Skating rink. We’ll have a little stop there before you head home to Melrose via Pond St and West Wyoming.
Sounds like a long run, we’re just getting started on the longs one now. Two more months til Boston!
For those running shorter, you’ll be following the same route but taking a short cut in the middle. For those not interested in the full route, there are a few short cuts listed on the map to help you tailor your run. For those running Boston, don’t look at the short cuts.
As for water stops, Barry will be away but I’ll be handling the stops along with my two lovely assistants, Mary and Sue Clough.
Ok, who’s ready for Week 6? ROLL CALL!!!
