By VICTORIA HILLS ’14
Co-Editor in Chief
The days are slowly warming. Deep inhalations no longer burn your throat and lungs. As the days lengthen and paths begin to dry, the outdoors finally become survivable, and runners of all skill levels who value warmth can resume exercising under the open sky.
Runners at Wellesley College are lucky to live in a partially wooded suburb that offers ample miles of both paved and unpaved run routes. Here are some favorites:
Crosstown Trail: up to 11.8 miles
This route can be entered at the side of Weston Road beside the east side walking entrance.The path winds through miles of forest to Newton, with a few gentle hills along the way. From end to end the trail is 5.9 miles, ranging from Morses Pond to the Charles River, although the Weston Road entrance is a little over a mile into the route.
Guernsey Path: 4.4 miles
This trail begins at the entrance to the Crosstown Trail, described above. The short, relatively flat path skirts alongside the Charles River and passes the Waban Arches, a local historic landmark that dates back to 1876. Though the path itself is 2.2 miles, running to the end and then back to Wellesley offers a pleasant 4.4 mile route.
Pond Loop: 3.4 miles
Take a left as you exit the west side of campus and run down Central Street, then take another left onto Pond Road. Pond is hilly, bordered by forests and the occasional tree; one part of the road passes close to the path around Lake Waban and offers a stunning view of the campus. At the end of Pond, take a left onto Washington Street. The entrance into the east side of campus will be on your left.
Extended Lake Loop: 3.0 miles
If you love running around Lake Waban but want to stretch out the distance a bit, run to the west side entrance of campus, take a left onto Central Street, and run until you’re in a slight valley with a hill behind and in front of you. To your left will be an on-campus paved path that briefly doubles back in the direction you came from before taking you around the College’s outdoor track. Follow the path over a small bridge and then turn onto the dirt path that circles the Lake.
Although Wellesley and its neighboring towns are largely crime-free, never take your safety for granted, especially when exercising in wooded areas. Consider running with a friend, and always make sure someone knows where you’re going and roughly how long you’ll be gone. Run with a phone.
Information on the many other excellent trails near Wellesley College can be found on the Town of Wellesley website: http://www.wellesleyma.gov/pages/wellesleyma_trails/.
