Workouts
Our workouts are geared for all runners regardless of age, experience or ability. We emphasize pacing and heart rate training with a view toward keeping you healthy and happy on the roads. Our members have different levels of fitness and not all run at the same speed. In some workouts we divide into groups according to speed or the distance of upcoming races.
Visit a workout and chat with our coaches about your training. You'll find useful information on the FAQs section but feel free to contact us if you have additional questions.
Spring, Summer, and Fall Workouts
Our outdoor workouts start on the first Monday in April and end on the last Wednesday in Novermber.
- Monday 7:00 p.m. - MIT outdoors track
- Speed Intervals: Workouts total about 3 to 4 miles and usually last about 60 to 75 minutes including warm-up and cool-down runs. We warm-up for about 15 minutes (about 1.5 miles). See below for directions to MIT's Athletic Center (Vassar St. and Mass Ave. in Cambridge, MA.).
- Wednesday 6:30 p.m. - by the Hatch Shell on the Esplanade
- Tempo: We meet at the water fountain the on the path between the lagoon and the Hatch Shell lawn, half way between the first and second bridges. Click here for a Google Map of the meeting place. Workouts take place along the Esplanade and usually total about 3 miles in length.
- Saturday 7 a.m./8 a.m. (See the Calendar; we run at 7 am during the Summer)- meet at MIT student center
- Long Run: long runs do not have a specified distance. Members run anywhere from 3 to 20 miles along the Charles River. Members coordinate to prepare water stops along the route. Some Saturdays before the Boston marathon we do the long runs on the marathon course. Please check out the calendar on the Events section. And don't forget to read the FAQs.
Winter Workouts
Our Winter 2009 indoor workouts will start on Monday, November 30, 2009 and will run through March 2010. If you wish to join us on the indoor track you must contact us at info@communityrunning.org to have access to the MIT track (otherwise you'll have to pay MIT $12 to access the indoor facilities). For directions to the MIT indoor track, click here.
- Monday 7:00 p.m. - MIT indoor track
- Speed Intervals: Workouts total about 3 miles and usually last about 60 to 75 minutes including warm-up and cool-down runs. We warm-up for about 15 minutes (about 1.5 miles). After the workout, we cool down and stretch for about 20 minutes. (Even better, we usually replenish calories at the student center's taqueria after the workout.)
- Wednesday 7:00 p.m. - MIT indoor track
- Tempo: Workouts total about 3 miles and usually last about 60 to 75 minutes including warm-up and cool-down runs. We warm-up for about 15 minutes (about 1.5 miles).
- Saturday 8 a.m. - meet at MIT student center or Starbucks in Brookline (see below)
- Long Run: Long runs do not have a specified distance. Members run anywhere from 3 to 20 miles along the Charles River. Members coordinate to prepare water stops along the route. From Saturday, December 5, 2009 until the Boston Marathon on April 19, 2010, we alternate between the Charles River loop and the Boston Marathon course. Always check the Calendar to learn where we are running on a particular Saturday. On days when we run the marathon course we meet at 8:00 a.m. at the Starbucks in Washington Square, Brookline, across the street from Marathon Sports (see map). There are metered parking spots in the area and some free spots on Beacon St. You can also take the Green Line (C) to the Washington Sq. station.
Directions to MIT
The MIT Athletic Center is on 130 Vassar St. and Mass Ave. in Cambridge, MA 02139. If you need detailed driving directions use this link to Mapquest. The MIT Cambridge campus is minutes away from Boston, Somerville, Brookline and Brighton. The closest T stops are Central Sq. and Kendall Sq. in Cambridge (both Red Line). You can also use the MBTA's trip planner. Enter 130 Vassar St., Cambridge as the End destination. If you work in the Longwood medical area, the M2 shuttle bus is also convenient. Yet another possibility is to bike to the workout. There are plenty of spots where you can secure your bike.
Once you get there, use the map below to find us. Remember that from April to November we train outdoors. In the winter, we use the indoor track. The main entrance to the Zesiger Sports and Fitness Center (a.k.a. Johnson Athletic Field) does not face Vassar St., however, there is an entrance to the athletic complex from Vassar St.
If you see a bunch of people in running gear, ask them if they are with Community Running.
