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1 Birthday - 16 Main Streets - 16 Miles

Notes from the run.

I was concerned that the weather report of scattered showers with a high of 48 degrees would postpone the run for another day.

6:45 AM –   We should have left the house by now. Time for one quick picture and out the door, that is until I couldn't find my wallet. Finally on the road at 6:55 AM.

7:35 AM –   Provincetown

Just finished running P-town. If New York is the city that never sleeps, Provincetown must be the city that sleeps in! Imagine running down Commercial Street (there is no “Main Street”) at 7:30 AM and seeing only one person and no cars.

The running weather was perfect with a cool fog creating an eerie landscape. On the way to the next stop Arlene surprised me with the soundtrack to Chariots of Fire.

8:15 AM – Truro

This was the most hair-raising (no jokes please) of the runs. It had started to rain but we hit the roads anyway. About a quarter of a mile out there was a flash and a few seconds later aloud bang. No one mentioned possible thunderstorms! We looked at each other, but since we're too young to have learned common sense we forged on. One hundred meters later the flash-bang was almost simultaneous and we made a hasty retreat at a much more rapid pace than desired. After sitting out a downpour we completed the longest and hilliest of the runs – 1.3 miles.

8:20 AM – Wellfleet Pier

Sitting around the harbor waiting and wondering if the downpour will ever end – and then suddenly the clouds part and throw a ray of sunshine on our day.

8:40 AM – Wellfleet Center

Ethan meets us to say happy birthday. This is one of the best runs not only because it is our other home town, but also because everyone knows its also one of the quaintest. Ethan takes our picture.
Only a loyal son would come off the oyster flats to be pictured with a father wearing a flaming pink jacket!

9:20 AM   - Eastham

Eastham doesn't have a Main Street but the village green at the windmill is a landmark worth running around. We did an out and back mile to the bike trail. By now the sun is out and the temp is up to 62 degrees. Running causes us to break a sweat. We chill out by the windmill before heading to our next stop.

10:05 AM – Orleans

Now it is certifiably hot. There's plenty of traffic and we have to wait for a few lights during the run.

Getting ready to forge on.

10:35 AM – Brewster

This isn't a traditional town center but starting and stopping at the Brewster General Store makes it feel
Before leaving Brewster we had an interewsting talk with this man about his hood ornament. He is a WW2 veteran having served in the navy aboard the USS Mississippi. During our next drive we broke out the mint chocolate flavored Gu for an energy boost.

11:10 AM - Dennis

Another hot run and for the first time I feel a little tired. I start to wonder if it might be hard to complete the task. Right now the weather isn't a problem, but the confidence isn't as high.

12:00 - Barnstable

Halfway there! This completes run #8. We run along the bricks of Main Street and through a quiet cemetary. This is one of the stops where I gained a new appreciation for parts of the Cape I usually just pass through. The General Store had reasonable prices.

Arlene and I shared lunch on the steps of the County Courthouse. A walnut/cranberry chicken salad wrap and ice tea hit the spot, our first real food since a 6AM bowl of Wheat Chex.

12:40 PM - Sandwich

A breeze off the water made this run a little cooler. Sidewalks made the run a little safer than some of the towns.

1:40 PM - Falmouth

The rain is starting to catch back up with us.

There was the rumble of thunder in the distance but the streets were still busy. This is one of the few runs where we had to dodge pedestrians on Main Street.

2:30 PM - Osterville

I'd been down to Osterville to watch some summer road races and decided to add them to the list despite the distance from Rt. 28. It has a great Main Street. We are hiding under an overhang because it is still raining.

3:10 PM - Hyannis

Rain - Rain - Rain and my legs are starting to feel like I've just hit the top of Heart Break Hill. It feels like I'm absolutely dragging but there's still four more runs to go.

3:40 PM - South Yarmouth

Not the most appealing spot. I wish I'd chosen a 6A location for Yarmouth someplace around Hallett's Store. The sun still don't shine! Then again, if it was it would be too hot.

4:20 PM - Harwich

Things are quiet in Harwich. For at least one town the tiredness and tightness seems to have subsided. There's still rumbling in the distance threatening to curtail the run.
Still breaking a sweat with two more miles to go.

5:20 PM - Harwich Port

We sat in the car for nearly thirty minutes during another thunderstorm. For awhile there was a question as to whether it would ever let up. When it did, the effects of sitting so long took its toll. There was a brief flurry of activity as we started our run as people were leaving the stores in which they'd been trapped. At this point we were running like 80 year-olds who'd just lost their walkers. I think most of the spectators must have pitied us.
15 down and 1 to go!

5:45 PM - Chatham

I get into my last dry t-shirt for the run.

5:56 PM

We even threw in an extra 200M headed down the last Main Street stretch. I felt OK but the idea of blasting through the last mile would have been foolish. Much better being able to walk under my own power to the Chathan Squire for a well-deserved bowl of lobster bisque.