A new home for the Trail Animals Running Club! Hale Reservation’s 1,130 acres will allow us to stretch our legs and go long as the locale for the next TARC 100. Views of Boston and smooth trails that wind through woods and fields await. Meander around ponds and lakes with that nostalgic summer camp feel. The hills are rolling and you’ll find a few steep climbs but overall not a rough run.Besides being an expansive park the reservation has an important mission as year-round outdoor educators. The camp provides services to over 7,000 children a year with almost half of those attending with financial aid. In teaming up with Hale we can help them out in their goals and share their beautiful facilities!

More information and a trail map can be found through the Hale Reservation website : http://www.halereservation.org/vh_trails.html

The Fells is a park right in Medford, MA with plentiful options for mountain biking and trail running. Routes of various difficulty and length can be run here, though not much climbing is to be found. The park can be utilized from many entrance points as the main trail loops are never far from the boundaries of the Fells.The main parking areas are usually open from 7:30ish to dusk. Several other smaller lots which fill quickly can be found around the perimeter.

More information available via the Friends of the Middlesex Fells : http://www.fells.org/

A gentle loop around a quiet reservoir awaits you on this trail! A great place for a beginning trail runner that offers an introduction to New England root systems and gentle climbs.

The Skyline trail is the toughest in the Fells. A rugged trail with roots and rocks to trip you aplenty. This may not be the best place to start if you are easing into trail running. Though, after you gain some comfort in the woods it’s an excellent place to train and can be a lot of fun! Expect to go a lot slower than you normally would with a few pauses to scramble up and down rocks.

A 20 minute ride south of Boston can find you in 6,000 acres of wooded terrain and taller climbs. The Blue Hills offers an even greater variety with gentle jaunts and sustained scrambles. A ski slope offers painful repeats in the summer with a jump in Houghton’s Pond as a reward. Seasonal Bathroom facilities offer a luxury not seen too often. With 125 miles of trails there are countless combinations for meandering.More information available via the Mass.gov site : http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/massparks/region-south/blue-hills-reservation.html

A great training route for more rugged races. The whole route spans a total of 15 miles from the west end of the Blue Hills to the East. This well marked and easy to follow trail will slow you down and challenge you. If scrambling up boulders and rocky hills is your thing, this trail is for you. Views of Boston can be had several times as you top the summit of the hills. Add some vertical gain to your weekend in a convenient location.