Sunday Run

After last week’s extravaganza we get back to normal. Those running Boston have hit their taper, where muscles are allowed to recover for the big race. The first taper run is slightly under 15 miles. Yeah, you’re in such good shape that an easy recovery run is 15 miles! The rest of  you run whatever you need to for which ever race you have coming up. If you need extra miles, typically a car will be back at Brueggers with supplies so you can refuel before tacking on a few more miles by running the MRC summer route or looping around Pine Banks for some miles.

You’ve experienced one of the snowiest, coldest training periods in recent memory. Just to put an exclamation point on that Mother Nature coated us with the white stuff one more time, although I think it’ll probably be just a memory in Melrose by Sunday Morning. The route this week takes us through the area we ran on the snowiest run of the season, Swains Pond. You’ve run this route a few times this winter: Up to Melrose Common, around Swains Pond, Lebanon to Forest and the first water stop at the Citizens Bank. From there you head out Glenwood St (the map says Greenwood, someday I’ll fix that) to the Fellsway East. Head right, through the hills, past Grimsby’s to the Melrose High School. Water stop 2 will be at the knoll. Then continue on the Fellsway, take a right at Main St in Saugus and continue onto Farm St turn left on Nahant, which will take you to Main St in Wakefield where Water Stop 3 will be at Nick’s Pizza. Head back Main St and taper run number 1 will be done!

Water Stops. I believe Barry will be there (although he’ll be celebrating his birthday into the wee hours the night before the run). I’ll be there, but I might have to leave early. Anyone else helping?

Who’s in this week? Roll Call!

Here’s where you get completely overwhelmed by how much I over organize this.

Here is the link to the route for those running it.

THE ROUTE

Memorize it well. If you get lost out here we’re in BIG TROUBLE! For the most part it is straight. Rte 135 to Rte 16 to Rt 30. If you think you’re supposed to turn, you should be at the corner of Washington St and Comm Ave in Newton.

And here is thetransportation and water stop plans. Its got a lot of info to make sure we don’t lose anybody tomorrow, and that you’re all well supported all day long.

THE PLAN

Oh good, I see Haecha is coming too. That’s one more car, one more driver, and a few more seats for runners in case we have any other additions.

Speaking of cars and drivers, remember that Hopkinton is 45 miles from Melrose, that BC is 21.5 miles from Hopkinton, and Melrose is at least 15 miles from Boston College. Also remember that gas is closing in over $3.50 per gallon. Feel free to tip your driver.

Any questions post them now, otherwise see you before 7AM tomorrow behind Brueggers.

Hills are your friends. Love the hills, they’ll love you back.

You had your first trip to Breakheart last week, this week we take our last trip through. Typically 5 routes bring you through the string of hills through the winter but the snow spared you of that intense hill training this year. As you’re running through them tomorrow don’t complain, don’t whine, don’t swear at me. Instead embrace the hills. They are just one of the many friends helping you get ready for your big race coming up. Love the hills tomorrow, love them while you’re going up them and they’ll love you back as the push you effortlessly back down. Love the hills tomorrow and they’ll love you back on race day when that hill the race directors have put in front of you seem small and short, nothing compared to Breakheart.

This week’s run is similar to one we took a few weeks ago in a snow storm. We’ll head up West Foster Street and turn at Melrose Common and find yourself on Swains Pond Ave. Last time this area was decorated in white fluffy snow, this time you’ll see no snow, bright sunshine, and cool crisp air. Swains Pond will loop around to Lebanon St where you’ll go right and then left at the first set of lights onto Forest St. You’ll run past Oak Grove to water stop 1 at the Citizen’s Bank on Main St in Malden.

From there you’ll run Winter St past the Oak Grove MBTA stop, through a big intersection straight onto the twists and turns of Glenwood St popping out at the rotary at Highland Ave and the Fellsway where the newspaper boy sits. Turn right there and follow the Fellsway East onto the LynnFells Parkway to the knoll across from the Melrose Middle School where water stop 2 will be waiting for you.

Leaving water stop 2 you follow the LynnFells straight out to Breakheart’s Saugus entrance where water stop 3 is. A loop of Breakheart counter clockwise (to the right first through the flatter section of Breakheart leaving the hills for last) and you’ll pop back out at the same water stop again. There you’ll head back along the LynnFells to the knoll where the next water stop will still be waiting for you. Leaving there you’ll follow the LynnFells to Grimsby’s, turn onto West Wyoming, turn left on Main St and BOOM, you’re back at Brueggers.

Before I get to the roll call we need to take care of some business for next week, our road trip to Hopkinton. he way that run works is we all meet at Brueggers at 7AM. We carpool to Hopkinton, take a group picture in front of the doughboy statue near the start, then start the run to Boston at 8AM. Water stop crews move the cars, support the water stops, leapfrogging all morning long. Some runners don’t run the whole course, somewhere in Wellesley we pick  them up and a new set of short route runners head out on the course. We all end up at BC with all the cars and runners, lounge in the sunshine near the steps of the church at BC, take a big group picture and head back to Melrose. Typically most of us end up at the Dockside and celebrate the start of the Boston Marathon taper for most of the afternoon. Now I need to know who has a car they can contribute to the mix, who can support water stops, and who plans on running what next week. I’ll take that info and through the week we’ll plan out the day with posts and replies on this blog.

So…. who’s in tomorrow and for how much, and who’s in for next week and how? ROLL CALL!!!