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SmartSherbet t1_iurthif wrote

It's tough in Worcester because this city doesn't invest in safe pedestrian infrastructure. Anywhere you run, you will have to deal with rageful drivers and ankle-breaking potholes, even on what few sidewalks exist. Feel free to DM me for suggestions, I run a lot all over town.

From where you live, I'd suggest the following route. It's a little complex but decent enough and if you follow your instincts and/or bring your phone the first time so you can see the turns on a map, you'll be fine. Here's a link to the route.

  1. From Indian Lake, at the intersection of Holden St and Grove St, head up Nelson Place and into Assumption College by going around the yellow gate at end of Nelson Place, which is the back end of campus. Run through campus down to Salisbury St.
  2. Head left on Salisbury and after just a couple hundred meters, turn right on Flagg St. The sidewalk is in very bad shape for the first bit here but improves after that. Take Flagg St. (which turns into Richmond Ave.) all the way to Pleasant St. You're about 2 miles into the route when you reach Pleasant.
  3. Head left on Pleasant, then soon after turn right on Howland Terrace. Take Howland Terrace until it ends at Hadwen Rd. Take a left and connect down to June St. Turn right on June and continue a couple blocks to Chandler. At Chandler you're 3 miles in. Keep going on June St. to Mill St. It's another mile to get there, putting you at 4 miles.
  4. Turn right on Mill St. This is a fast, busy road that's not great to run on, but it has a shoulder and a sidewalk. Both are often occupied by parked cars but by moving between them, you can manage. Continue on Mill St. about a mile, bending to the right, until you get to a stoplight. You're now back at Chandler St. and just over 5 miles into your run. You could turn around here for an out and back 10 miler if you want.
  5. If you don't want to do the out and back, turn left on Chandler and continue to the next intersection. Go straight through it and then take a right on Tory Fort Lane. This is a small, one lane road that goes through a secluded area. No sidewalks but plenty safe. Continue for almost a mile on Tory Fort lane and follow the path you see on your left after the intersection with Caton Rd. Follow the path through a short stretch of woods and it dumps out onto a gravel road. Take the gravel until you can turn left. Turn left and you'll come out onto Olean St., a wider concrete road. You're about 6.5 miles in now.
  6. Turn left on Olean St. and take it back to the intersection of Chandler and Pleasant, reaching 7.5 miles. Head left on Pleasant and continue back to the intersection with Richmond. Pleasant isn't great for running but it's not terrible iether. Now you're at 8.5 miles.
  7. Continue back the way you came (Richmond to Salisbury to Assumption College, around the gate at the back and down the hill to Indian Lake. You're now back where you started, and you've run just under 11 miles.
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