Another work trip and this time I’ve ended up in Chelmsford, Massachusetts. It’s north of Boston, but I won’t be able to visit the city this time around – it’s a quick trip in and out. I have been here before and used the hotel gym, simply because it is no fun (not to mention dangerous) to run in the snow.
But it’s May and the sun is shining and I mapped out a route along some of the roads that I had been driving. However I quickly veered off my chosen path when I accidentally crossed the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail. I first noticed the biking path that was separated from the street by a rail and I decided to check it out. Which was a good thing because I ended up on the trail itself. The first part I ran looked like a bike path and offered no shade.
The Bruce Freeman Rail Trail follows the route of the former Framingham and Lowell Railroad. The trail is well kept and even though I ran early in the morning I met many fellow runners, bikers and people just walking the trail. Once I crossed the intersection in Chelmsford and continued on the path, the route turned into the woods. Lush trees provided enough shadow to make for a comfortable run and the part of the trail that I ran was flat – I believe this is the case for most of the trail.
I am not including a running map this time. It’s easier if you download the latest map from the site.
There are enough mileage signs along the way to show you the running distance although they appear a bit infrequently. I ran my usual 5k because I had to be back in time to shower and get ready for my appointments. Next time I will make sure to run a bit further down the trail.
Happy Running!
