“A cry of defiance, and not of fear,
A voice in the darkness, a knock at the door,
And a word that shall echo for evermore!
For, borne on the night-wind of the Past,
Through all our history, to the last,
In the hour of darkness and peril and need,
The people will waken and listen to hear” ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
For months my brother and I have been talking about doing the Freedom Trail Run. It is a three point two mile run that follows pivotal landmarks during the Revolutionary War. As a buff of the period and an avid runner, I was longing to do it the last few times I have visited Boston.
Yesterday I finally did it!
Boy was it well worth it! The only thing I have to say, is I wish I had done it earlier.
We met in Boston Commons between Tremont and Park Streets, the beginning of the Freedom Trail. It was an eclectic mix of runners, mostly tourists itching for a bit of history.
And history we got!
The tour guide, Ginger, was as much a seasoned runner as she was history buff. Not knowing what to expect, the 5K was a nice well thought out blend of both.
We followed the red and grey bricks as we ran up the hill to the Massachusetts State House, the site of what was once John Hancock’s now torn down mansion. From there we traveled to Park Street Church and Granary Burying Ground, the resting place of such Boston rebels as Sam Adams, Paul Revere, and John Hancock himself.
After an hour and a half of roughly sixteen stops, we crossed the bridge connecting Boston to Charlestown (If you are thinking The Town, you would be picturing it perfectly just don’t use Ben Affleck’s over acted accent) running up to the Bunker Hill Memorial. Which in all actuality is really Breed’s Hill. From there, we ran down to see the USS Constitution, which was out of water for renovations, but still awe inspiring as the oldest still operating military vessel in the world.
We ended it with a quick ferry ride back to Boston’s Long Wharf guaranteeing a quick mermaid fix on a boat, as well as an exquisite view of Boston Harbor. (And this is where I would cue Lonely Island’s: I’m on a Boat.)
We ran from one landmark to the next, gobbling up history, and barely breaking a sweat. As a 5K it was fairly easy, especially for moderate to advanced runners. The constant going and stopping at historical sites, made for many breaks to catch breaths that didn’t even reach a pant, and pose for photo opts, all without losing the runners stride. The whole trip was touted as two hours, but we over achievers, ended up finishing a few minutes early. In the tour guide’s words we were one of the faster groups she has had.
It wasn’t a traditional race, but it is definitely a run I recommend for every avid runner, tourist, and History buff if you are ever in Boston. It was a fun creative way of learning about a period that I enjoy so much, and a city where the beginnings of a nation was built.
