The Running Reporter: Wicked Half Marathon

Running has become more and more important in my life. It has gone from a lacrosse training activity, to a personal fitness/relaxation decision, and next Saturday it will be taking another huge step forward; it will become competitive.

On Saturday, September 25, I will be running in the Wicked Half Marathon, a B & S Fitness event sponsored by Tache Real Estate. The race, which covers over 13.1 miles between Salem and Marblehead, will be my longest run to date, and will be much different than my normal runs through town.

The course starts in at the Bentley School in Salem (25 Memorial Drive) at 7 a.m. It heads into downtown Salem, down Essex St., turning left onto Hawthorne Boulevard at the Hawthorne Hotel. Next it makes a right at Derby St., passing Brother's Deli, the New England Pirate Museum, Salem Beer Works, and the Salem Wax Museum.

It next turns left onto Lafayette St., at Engine House Restaurant and Pizza, which it follows past Winer Bros. and Strega Restaurant and Lounge. It continues on Lafayette St. past Salem State University's North Campus Buildings and into Marblehead, catching a great view of Salem Harbor.

Once in town, the course stays on Lafayette St., passing Gatchell Park, until it reaches Marblehead High School, where it runs onto Pleasant St. It follows Pleasant St. past the Marblehead Inn, making its next right turn at the Marblehead Fire Dept., onto Ocean Ave.

Here the course intersects with a course familiar to Patch readers, The Neck Run from the very first Running Reporter column. It runs past Devereux Beach and across the Causeway, offering another wonderful view out over the ocean.

At the end of the Causeway, the course stays right on Ocean Ave. and makes the two-mile loop around Marblehead Neck, turning back towards town at the rotary-island at Harbor St. Once out of the Neck, it once again crosses the Causeway, passing the beach, and continues out to Pleasant Street.

Here, it turns left back onto Pleasant, following the same path back onto Lafayette St. and into Salem. Once it has covered Lafayette St. for the second time, the race turns right back onto Derby St., following it past the House of Seven Gables, until it becomes Fort Ave. at the Salem Power Plant.

Here the race enters its home stretch, following Fort Ave. down towards the Salem Willows Park. The course makes two more turns, left onto First St. and left onto Memorial Dr. where it finishes back at the Bentley School.

Though the course doesn't have many hills, except for the loop through the Neck, it does offer long-challenging straight-aways, which provide racers with many chances to make passes and over take their competitors.

The course will have "Aid Stations" every 1.5 miles which will have electrolyte drinks and water to keep runners hydrated, while the aid station along the Neck (miles 4.5 and 7.5) will also contain Power Gel packs, Twizzlers, petroleum jelly, and bathrooms if needed.

Registration is still open for this event, for $50. Runners are also encouraged to register as a "Plummer Home Supporter," which includes a $10 donation to the Plummer Home for Boys in Salem, and entitles the racer to compete for special prizes in their age group. All race and registration information can be found at bnsfitness.com.