Crossroads

My new favorite obsession is Crossroads. No, not the super awful Britney Spears movie, but the Thursday night pub runs.

The night starts out with everyone meeting at the pub to go for runs. The distance is up to the runners, but with almost everyone there getting read for Boston, the 9 mile course wins. As I live very close to the start of the course and the run leaves at 5:45, I have not justified making it into the bar to just head back out. Instead, I now do my own route leaving from my house and onto the course. The run may cut out about .5 miles, but I still get my 8+ in for the evening.

This run has surely become one that I look forward to all week. We head out down Comm Ave and pass through my 'hood. As we turn onto Beacon through Cleavland Circle, the bars and restaurants of my youth pass by. The run goes right by Winthrop in which I always smile while looking up the hill. It takes us further into Coolidge Corner where another smile erupts as I glance down Harvard towards another landmark in my past. Finally, it runs past the best dentist in the world. From his door on Beacon to the bar is one mile. About a quarter mile after passing his office, the marking for mile 25 water stop is still emblazoned on the street. Nothing gives me more strength than seeing that! On on up over the Mass Pike and through Kenmore Square with a short jaunt to the front door.

Once inside the bar, they shower us with water and free pizza. Add to this the ample space to stretch, it being socially acceptable to be in running tights and the camaraderie and you've got the night. So yes, I do replenish the calories lost right away, but I also get to learn more about those I run with and enjoy a different type of night.

I won't lie, I am going to miss these runs when this is over, but luckily the bar continues the runs almost year round. This means that despite the team ending on April 16th, I will still try to make appearances.