Train-ing Run

Running during a time of coronavirus has become an interesting challenge.

On the one hand, there's an abundance of facts and findings that continuing to exercise, maintaining your health, and breaking the monotony of home-bound activities is critical to your well-being.

And then there's that social distancing thing, maintaining your six feet of space between one another, which is critical to all of us beating back this pandemic.

Luckily, the great outdoors lends itself quite nicely to fill both those requirements.

This morning, the E Streeters proper took to the lesser-populated trails and roadways of Westford to log some decent mileage, take in the sights of the always-pleasurable East Boston Camp trails, and at the same time, do our part to stay healthy and keep one another healthy while doing so.

Today's run provided quite a bit of training.  Both physically, and literally.

People starving and thirsting, grain elevators are bursting

Oh, you know it costs more to store the food than it do to give it

They say lose your inhibitions, follow your own ambitions

They talk about a life of brotherly love

Show me someone who knows how to live it

There's a slow, slow train comin' up around the bend

- Bob Dylan, Slow Train

Now I swing a sledge hammer on a railroad gang
Knocking down them cross ties, working in the rain
Now don't it feel like you're a rider on a downbound train

- Bruce Springsteen, Downbound Train

It's all well and good until a train comes along and makes you detour your running course

Well, the only thing that makes me laugh again
Is a southbound whistle on a southbound train
Every place I want to go
I never can go, because you know
I got the freight train blues
Oh Lord mama, I got them in the bottom of my rambling shoes

- Bob Dylan, Freight Train Blues

Out of my brain on the train
Out of my brain on the train, on the train, out of my brain
Woo
Out of my brain on the train
Here it comes
Woo
Out of my brain on the train, on the train
Out of my brain on the train
Why should I care?
Why should I care

The Who, 5:15

Father son, running down the tracks

This train carries saints and sinners

This train carries losers and winners

This train carries whores and gamblers

This train carries lost souls

I said, this train carries broken-hearted

This train thieves and sweet souls departed

This train carries fools and kings

This train, all aboard

I said, this train dreams will not be thwarted

This train faith will be rewarded

This train hear the steel wheels singin'

This train bells of freedom ringin'

- Bruce Springsteen, Land of Hope and Dreams

Andrew found himself waist deep in the Big Muddy at one point of this adventure

Six more weeks of winter on the way for Westford

All about them as they lay hung the darkness, hollow and immense, and they were oppressed by the loneliness and vastness of the dolven halls and endlessly branching stairs and passages. The wildest imaginings that dark rumour had ever suggested to the hobbits fell short of the actual dread and wonder of Moria."

 J. R. R. Tolkien, the Fellowship of the Ring

Andrew is on the lookout for orcs.

With the heavy rains of the past few days, it made for some interesting stream and brook crossings during our wanderings.

Luckily, John stood ready to capture said crossings on film, just in case someone happened to fall in.

Carlos and Tommy took the lead to make sure the bridge would hold

20 years of running the rivah prepped Scott for any wet conditions

Barry thought it would be good to use a staff for balance.  Unfortunately, his rod came up short.

You shall not pass!

- Gandalf the Grey

Andrew?  He was all in, sprinting across 

By now, most everyone has seen the famous picture of Bigfoot, captured on film decades ago.

This day, we were able to catch him crossing a stream in Westford.

That's him, way off in the distance in the neon yellow running jacket.

Hoping this blog post finds you and all of your loved ones well during these tumultuous times.

Rest assured, my fellow E Streeters and I maintained our social distancing throughout the run.

We were also hyper cognizant to keep safe distance from the dog walkers we came across during our run.

It was heartening to see so many folks still getting out there for some exercise during these trying times.

Stay hard, stay hungry, stay alive, everyone.

This train is bound for glory, this train.

This train is bound for glory, this train.

This train is bound for glory,

Don't carry nothing but the righteous and the holy.

This train is bound for glory, this train.

- Woody Guthrie, This Train is Bound for Glory