I love my Sunday mornings. On Sundays, I have a standing running date with a group of friends. Every week we meet at the Ginger Ale Plaza in Chelmsford Center, on the corner of route 110 and route 4. The plaza is on the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail, which is a great place to run, especially with a group.
The trail, when completed, will follow the route of the Old New Haven Railroad Framingham and Lowell line, and will be a 25 mile route, starting in Lowell and going through Westford, Carlisle, Acton, Concord, Sudbury, and Framingham. The entire trail hasn’t been completed yet, but 6.8 miles running from Lowell to Westford is open.
I’m out of the house before my kids awake, which isn’t too difficult because they’re teenagers! I get my exercise in, enjoy some social time with friends, and I’m back home before the kids are even out of bed. I feel a great sense of accomplishment. I don’t know about you, but with kids in the house and chores, if I don’t get my exercise in first thing it’s a challenge to fit it in. Because I have a commitment with friends I don’t find excuses to skip it. Statistics tell us that people who exercise with friends are more successful at exercising consistently. Knowing that someone is waiting for you to exercise with them can be great motivation to show up and get it done!
An added bonus to our meeting spot is that we all get together for coffee and a snack afterwards at the Java Room, which is right in the plaza.
Exercise and good company. What a great way to start the day!
You can check out the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail at http://www.brucefreemanrailtrail.org/, or look for other rail trails closer to where you live.
A few that you might want to look at are the Minuteman Rail Trail which runs from Bedford to Cambridge, the Nashua River Rail Trail from Ayer to Dunstable, the Assabet River Rail Trail from Marlborough to Acton (all sections may not be open), the Battletrail in Concord, the West Boylston Rail Trail, and the MA Central Rail Trail which runs from Boston to Northampton (all sections may not be open). Some of these trails pass through town centers where you can stop for a snack and some even have playgrounds and picnic areas along the way and are very family friendly.
by Lorae McCall
Fitting Fitness In Personal Trainer