Originally Posted by
fendertweed
Blumie, my wife's a runner (my knees are shot), so I'd appreciate info on the running route I can pass on to her.
Both hotels you're considering sit near the Cambridge reservoir, which is the public water supply for the City of Cambridge. Running around it is very nice, particularly the parts of which are in the neighboring town of Lincon.
Shorter version: From either hotel, run down Third Avenue to where it intersects with Totten Pond Road/Winter Street. (If you turn right, you're on Totten Pond Road. If you turn left you're on Winter Street.) Turn left onto Winter Street and cross over Route 128. Continue on Winter Street past the Doubletree Suites hotel, and shorty you will see the reservoir on the right. Continue to follow Winter Street around the reservoir. When the road narrows substantially and becomes much more of a country road -- in about a mile -- you will know you will have crossed into Lincoln! At the stop sign, turn right on Old County Road, keeping the reservoir on your right. Proceed about one mile to the next stop sign, and turn right on Trapelo Road. Again, the reservoir will remain on your right, and you'll cross over a beautiful, short little causeway over the reservoir. Proceed up the hill (it's a gentle one!) into a residential neighborhood of Waltham until you cross over the highway. After crossing the highway, go to the next traffic light and turn righ on Smith Street. If you proceed straight on Smith Street, it will become Wyman Street, which will become Winter Street, which will take you right back to Totten Pond Road near the hotels. You can map this out, but my guess is this is about 4 miles or so.
Slightly longer route:
After crossing into Lincoln, instead of taking a right on Old County Rd at the stop sign, continue straight on Winter Street. Proceed about a mile to the stop sign, and turn right on Trapelo Road. Follow Trapelo Road about half a mile or so until it crosses over the reservoir. Then, as above, proceed up the hill into a residential neighborhood of Waltham until you cross over the highway. After crossing the highway, go to the next traffic light and turn righ on Smith Street. If you proceed straight on Smith Street, it will become Wyman Street, which will become Winter Street, which will take you right back to Totten Pond Road near the hotels. This run probably is closer to 6 miles.