Top running routes in Boston
Posted June 13th, 2007 at 4:15 PM by Warwick Ford
Section: Running & Training, Columns, Fun on Foot
Warwick Ford is a guest contributor to The Final Sprint and author of “Fun on Foot in America’s Cities” and “Fun on Foot in New England,” the books that describe and map the best on-foot routes in U.S. cities. Check out FunOnFoot.com for more information and to purchase the book or maps.
Boston is a city of the young (the region is host to way more than its fair share of the nation’s top colleges) and the young at heart. This makes it a dream city for running, jogging, or walking. There is a massive foot-mobile population, so if you feel like a jog almost anywhere here you will rarely feel out of place.
However, wise choice of route always makes a run or jog more enjoyable and easier to embark upon and finish. For a training or recreational route to be motivating and enjoyable, the Fun on Foot model says it needs to have four attributes: Comfort from both the safety and underfoot perspective; Attractions to make it interesting; Convenience to city center and public transit; and a worthy Destination to help motivate you to finish the route.
In “Fun on Foot in New England” we applied this model to Greater Boston and came up with 13 excellent routes. Narrowing this down, here are the very best routes that are just too good for any outdoor exerciser to miss:
Boston-Cambridge: Charles River and Back Bay (choose your distance)
The Charles River is blessed with the Dr. Paul Dudley White Bicycle Path, a paved loop stretching from the Science Museum upstream nine miles to Watertown on both sides of the river. There are several bridges, allowing you to construct your own route of virtually any distance from three to 18 miles. The most popular running place in Greater Boston is the section between the Longfellow Bridge and JFK Bridge near Harvard, with Boston on one side of the river and Cambridge on the other. It is convenient to MIT, Harvard, and Boston University, and to hotels in the financial district, Back Bay, and Cambridge.
One example of a route for someone staying downtown is as follows. Start at the Boston end of the Longfellow Bridge. Run upstream on the Boston side through the Esplanade, past Boston University, to Harvard. At Harvard, cross the river and return downstream on the Cambridge side, to the Massachusetts Ave. bridge. Cross the bridge to Back Bay. From this point, you can conveniently follow the pleasant Commonwealth Ave. mall to the Boston Common, close to the shopping, financial, historic, and theater districts.
South Boston: Shore, Sugar Bowl, and Core (7.9 miles)
This is the best seaside running convenient to downtown Boston, and its historical and cultural attractions make it irresistible. Take the subway (the “T”) red line to JFK/U Mass station. Exit towards the east and bear right along the sidewalk of Morrissey Blvd. Cross the pedestrian overpass and continue to the main entrance road to U Mass where you find the start of the waterfront trail.
Follow the shore around, past the university and the JFK Library and Museum. Continue around to Carson Beach. Continue further along the beaches to City Point to the Castle Island or “sugar bowl” area. Go around the causeway that circumnavigates Pleasure Bay. Pass old Fort Independence. Continue around to Farragut’s statue, which marks the start of Broadway, the main east-west route through historic South Boston. If you are ready for a drink or snack, there are some great Irish Pubs around here. There are various choices of ways to get back to downtown Boston, including on-foot, the T from Broadway station, or bus.
Newton-Brookline-Back Bay: Finishing the Marathon (9.7 miles)
The Boston Marathon, the oldest annual marathon in the world, is well known to us all. However, not all of us are ready to take on a 26-mile on-foot journey as an exercise outing. The good news is that we can construct a comfortable and exciting 9.7-mile exercise route that takes in the final part of the marathon route, including such famous stretches as “Heartbreak Hill” and the “Haunted Mile.” Catch the “T” green line D branch from downtown or Back Bay to Woodland station.
The ride takes about 35 minutes from downtown. Follow the sidewalk of Washington Street to the right. At Commonwealth Ave., turn right past the fire station. This four-mile stretch of Commonwealth Ave. through Newton is wide, lightly trafficked, and very pedestrian-friendly. Expect plenty of other runners here, especially in early spring in the lead-up period to the marathon. This stretch includes “Heartbreak Hill,” the only significant uphill part of the marathon course. After Boston College, you can divert around Chestnut Hill Reservoir, or keep to the marathon course, bearing right into Chestnut Hill Ave. to Cleveland Circle. Then follow Beacon Street to Kenmore Square. Follow Commonwealth Ave. into Back Bay and optionally continue to downtown.
Swampscott-Lynn-Nahant: Lynn Shore and Nahant (10.6 miles)
This route is further out of the city, but is breathtakingly beautiful and an outstanding training run. You can drive and park on Lynn Shore Drive, or take the “T” commuter rail from North Station to Swampscott.
Pick up the seaside trail heading south from Swampscott. Follow it along the causeway out to Nahant, enjoying the sea breezes and the rest of the environment. Follow the Nahant streets out to Lodge Park, with its scenic views, at the tip of Nahant. Return through Nahant streets to the causeway, and retrace your steps to the start.
© Warwick Ford 2007 and © The Final Sprint, LLC 2005-2007
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[…] Wake Forest University Link to Article Top running routes in Boston » Posted at The Final Sprint (TFS) | The Internet’s Premier Running, Fitness, and Nutrition Publication on Wednesday, June 13, 2007 Warwick Ford is a guest contributor to The Final Sprint and author of “Fun on Foot in America’s Cities” and “Fun on Foot in New England, … for more information and to purchase the book or maps. boston running routes fun on foot warwick ford thefinalsprint.com Boston is a city of the young (the region is host to way more than its fair View Entire Article » […]
June 13th, 2007 at 11:41 pm