Morristown Group Runs, Something for Everyone!

 

Day
Time
Information
 
Wednesday
6:15 pm
 All abilities welcome! Most of the runners run around 7:30-8:00 minute/mile pace. Slower and faster runners sometimes come along too. The run is 5 miles long and starts/finishes at the store.
 
Thursday
6:00 pm
 Beginner Group. A slightly more leisurely run at about 10-11 minute/mile pace. We usually do about 3 miles and walking breaks are allowed!
 
Saturday
9:00 am

A 5 mile group run for ALL abilities! Free bagels after the run!

 

 

EXTRA SPECIAL, COOL MAYBE EVEN AWESSOME RUNS AND EVENTS

 
 
 
 
We will also host some "Prediction Runs" with Brooks, the first one being June 19th.  More details to come, but the general idea is to keep it fun, no watches allowed, and predict the time of the run...it could get competitive for some or it could involve deliberate sandbagging.  It will involve Brooks support with some giveaways, food and drink.
 
 
 
Once each month our running specialist man from New Balance will join us, bring some giveaways (water bottles in April) and a full size run of shoes to try on.  Anybody is welcome to not just try, but take the shoes on the run.  Anybody who tries a pair on puts their name into the hat, and a free pair of New Balance shoes goes to the lucky winner at the end of the night.  There will also be some post-run food and drink.

On Wednesday, June 9th, The 2nd Cluck U Run will take place for those who like to eat fire and have iron innards.  Details and rules can be found at www.grotepoll.com   This involves running about 5 miles to Cluck U, carrying money for food with you, purchasing at least 6 wings of the 2 hottest levels, not drinking anything, consuming the wings, and running back, still without liquid refreshment of any sort.  Cluck U requires a waiver to be signed for the hottest level, The 911 Challenge. 

 

PLACES TO RUN

Morristown is a tremendous place to run.  Within minutes on foot of the store you can find yourself on scenic, hilly backroads or in a number of different parks with paths, trails, and so on.  There are great options in pretty much any direction from Morristown Running Company.  Feel free to come in and ask us about some of our favorite routes. 

Only about 1.5 miles to the east on South St. is Loantaka Park, a great option that we use for our weeknight group runs when daylight permits. 

http://www.morrisparks.net/aspparks/loantakamain.asp

Loantaka Brook

What you see there is one of the paved paths that run about 4 miles to the south/east from South Street.  You also see trees.  Loantaka is a nicely shady spot, particularly on hot summer days.  There are pretty smooth, crushed stone bridle paths that run near the paved path through the woods, along streams, as well.  These are a nice option when the bike paths are crowded with...bikes...or rollerbladers.  There have been sightings of snakes...not horribly unfriendly snakes, but snakes nonetheless.  The main bike path is marked and measured, while the bridle path is not.  Garmin 110's, 405's or 310's can solve this vexing mystery for you.  Through the park there are a couple of safe road crossing, and access to parking and bathrooms on the South Street side.  There are a few nice ponds, I wouldn't advise running in or too close to the ponds...many geese which can be less friendly than the snakes.  Generally, Loantaka is pretty flat, pretty safe.  Its very close to Ginty Field, location of our St. Patty's 5k each March, as well as the new Superhero Half-Marathon, which uses a little over 1-mile of the aforementioned paved bike path in each of two loops.

 

Head east from The Green on Washington St. towards Mendham on old Rt. 24, you'll pass Delbarton, where Pat Schellberg, winner of the 2010 Millrose Games and Penn Relays high school miles, goes to school.  A bit after that is Lewis Morris Park.  To the left is Sunrise Lake, home to a few triathlons.  To the right is a small gravel lot with parking for Patriot's Path and Lewis Morris Park.  This is a busy spot on weekends when weather is good, as mountain is allowed in the park and on the path.  Unlike Loantaka, Lewis Morris is hilly, with some rocks and roots on singletrack, but also some wider carriage road types of trails. Patriot's Path is a little more even, less hilly and easy to follow.  You can pick it up from Speedwell Ave. in Morristown and follow it west all the way past Mendham.  At Sussex Ave, it becomes unpaved, and is 7 miles from there to Mountain Ave. in Mendham.  There are a few places to jump off and loop back to town on roads or some trail through Fosterfields Park.  Use caution in the winter months, December through February, and be sure not to wear your antler hat on Wednesday's, as controlled deer hunts are common.  Other than that, its a great spot to get on some soft surfaces and hills.  Snakes are rare. 

 http://www.morrisparks.net/aspparks/lmmain.asp

 

That right there is a link to more info and maps on the park. 

 

Bordering Lewis Morris Park is another huge network of trails and one of my (Grote) favorite places on the planet, Jockey Hollow.  This is part of Morristown National Park, and has trails that date back to General Washington's troops in The Revolutionary War.  Its very hilly, well marked with many options.  It is not difficult to run 10 miles or more without repeating anything.  You can reach the park driving west on Western Ave. from the courthouse in Morristown, or approach via Tempe Wick Rd. off of Rt. 202.  The main visitor center is off of Tempe Wick, but there is another one on the east end of the park from Western Ave.  Both have bathrooms and some maps, although only the Tempe Wick one has park employees dressed up in Revolutionary era garb.  Mountain bikes are not allowed on the trails, but horses are.  Generally its a quiet, peaceful spot.  The tour road encircles the inner part of the park and is a good benchmark for navigation.  On a nice, clear day, there is a lookout/bluff with a marker from a General Stark from the Revolutionary War.  Look east from this spot and you can see traces of the Manhattan skyline.  Good lookout point for the troops to keep an eye on the British.  Although, I'm reasonably certain that the Empire State Building wasn't around then...even though I only have an English degree. 

http://www.nps.gov/morr/index.htm

http://www.nps.gov/morr/planyourvisit/upload/TTrail_Guides_10_03_02-2.pdf

 

Those right up there are links to the main Jockey Hollow website and then a map of the trails.  Please contact me with any questions about this spot (Ryan Grote  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ).  This sounds absurd, but I would guesstimate that I have run over 20,000 miles on these trails.  At least 1000 miles every year dating back to my Bernards HS days (6miles from visitors center, trails across Tempe Wick).  I have a tattoo on my right shoulder of the Jockey Hollow/Patriot's Path emblem and the words "The Hollow Man" encircling it (English major, double meaning with TS Eliot poem).  I am a big fan of the place and very familiar with it.  Check it out...

Also, keep checking in with us for some exciting options for summer runs for high school/college types training for x-c on some of the aforementioned trails.