Thinking of taking the plunge... (Read 1134 times)

Hi all, New runner here. Started C25K in September, never really planned on racing - but the great community on here certainly makes it tempting. There is a 6K at Breakheart Reservation this Saturday, and I regularly hike and walk there - so it is tempting. The course is mostly flat, asphalt paved road. The downside is that I have been an almost exclusive treadmiller (4% incline), and I'm told there is a learning curve. I'm hoping I have enough treadmill miles to serve as a base for this small race. Not looking to set any records, though a first race is a PR by default. I'm thinking of doing a slow run of the course on Wednesday night to feel how I react to the hardtop and moving scenery. Since I've started running, I've finished C25K and One Hour Runner, and since then have just been slowly adding to my mileage and have reached a point of "Where do I go from here" training-wise. I've opened up my log so feel free to dive in and expose my ignorance. What I don't know about running could fill a book. Thanks in advance.

Hi all, New runner here. Started C25K in September, never really planned on racing - but the great community on here certainly makes it tempting. There is a 6K at Breakheart Reservation this Saturday, and I regularly hike and walk there - so it is tempting. The course is mostly flat, asphalt paved road.

Umm... I live in Melrose and that course is in NO WAY "mostly flat". You start at Wakefield HS and the first couple hundred yards are up hill. You have a quarter mile maybe of flat getting into Breakheart Reservation and then head down the right side of the bike trail where the hills are just freaking brutal. After the turnaround the hills are not as bad but still rolling throughout. The end is nice though because the last quarter mile is flat and then a good downhill to the finish back at the HS. Not trying to discourage you, but you should definitely walk it so you know what you are in for. It is a tough course with steep uphills and steep downhills. From what I remember (been a few years since I ran that race) it is very well run and they had lots of raffles and some kids races as well. If you are looking for a flatter race to do you could try the Wed. Nite 5Ks held at the Lord Wakefield Hotel by the Mystic Runners. Or head up to Lowell on Tuesdays for BadDawg's (hey, note the plug) race series, which he says is very flat. Best of luck Jeff

Umm... I live in Melrose and that course is in NO WAY "mostly flat". You start at Wakefield HS and the first couple hundred yards are up hill. You have a quarter mile maybe of flat getting into Breakheart Reservation and then head down the right side of the bike trail where the hills are just freaking brutal. After the turnaround the hills are not as bad but still rolling throughout. The end is nice though because the last quarter mile is flat and then a good downhill to the finish back at the HS.

Ah... OK... my confusion... I always enter from the Saugus side where the right side of the outer loop is fairly flat (by hiking standards). Just to make sure I get it right - it starts at the High School, heads down past the Vocational School and follows the outer loop counter clockwise and back to start? Malden, here... glad to see another local. Any chance anyone from RA is running this?

Hi all, New runner here. Started C25K in September, never really planned on racing - but the great community on here certainly makes it tempting. There is a 6K at Breakheart Reservation this Saturday, and I regularly hike and walk there - so it is tempting. The course is mostly flat, asphalt paved road. The downside is that I have been an almost exclusive treadmiller (4% incline), and I'm told there is a learning curve. I'm hoping I have enough treadmill miles to serve as a base for this small race. Not looking to set any records, though a first race is a PR by default. I'm thinking of doing a slow run of the course on Wednesday night to feel how I react to the hardtop and moving scenery. Since I've started running, I've finished C25K and One Hour Runner, and since then have just been slowly adding to my mileage and have reached a point of "Where do I go from here" training-wise. I've opened up my log so feel free to dive in and expose my ignorance. What I don't know about running could fill a book. Thanks in advance.

If you are running at 4% incline on the treadmill, the transition to outside shouldn't be that tough. You will take a little more pounding from the asphalt/concrete, but one race won't kill you. You will quickly forget about the treadmill once you get over the initial fear of the road.

What I don't know about running could fill a book. .

The most important thing you havent learned yet is that running outside is soooooooooooooo much better. Dreadmill is what I use to punish myself for not getting up early enough to run outside. DO IT!!!!!

Hey! DH almost exclusively trained for a marathon on the treadmill.... the only time not was on our Saturday long runs. I think for a 6K, considering you are throwing in some incline, you should be ok...but I agree with the others who told you to run outdoors (if you can).

Hi! I do a lot of my running on a treadmill since I tend to run in the early morning and I run alone a lot. Not ideal for outside running. This was my "training" for my first 5k and it was fine--and I was much faster on the road, btw--hopefully you'll discover the same! But yes, running outside is much more fun, so I hope you'll get some outside running in soon, especially as you increase your mileage. You know you have to post a race report, don't you?

Plunge McRat, plunge. Races are a blast, and for me at least they're pretty addictive.