Rich on Running: Lots of running room ‘down by the banks of the river Charles’

If I told you this week’s running column was about something that runs from Hopkinton to Boston, you might say, “But the Boston Marathon was a month ago.”Yes ? but I’m talking about something that runs from Hopkinton to Boston every day: The Charles River. And with a distance of 80 miles from Echo Lake to the Harbor, it’s over three times as long as the Marathon.If you North Shore runners haven’t made it “down south” to the Charles, it’s worth a visit, especially if you go on Sundays when a lot of the parking rules aren’t in effect. For the river immortalized by the Standells is a memorable place to run.On Sunday I stopped by “the banks of the river Charles,” near Longfellow Park in Cambridge. (Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s house lies nearby, on Brattle Street.) Across the way lay Harvard Business School, alma mater of George W. Bush and Mitt Romney. A kayaker paddled through the water to create a landscape right out of “Good Will Hunting.”Runners have an option of concrete footpaths and dirt ones. I chose the concrete paths for three barefoot sprints. In general, the ground felt hard and clean beneath my feet (save for a stretch of concrete that was torn up, which I avoided).One good feature about the Charles is the landmarks. From the trees that line the sidewalks to the traffic signs, you have plenty of reference points. There are also the famous footbridges, such as the Eliot, the Weeks ? and, should you keep following the river toward Boston, the infamous “Smoot Bridge” where an MIT student used himself as a measuring stick for the bridge.Chances are, you’ll have plenty of company if you run along the Charles ? yet for some reason, Sunday’s run didn’t feel congested. Maybe it was because runners could choose from multiple paths, or maybe it was because there was a road race taking place in Harvard Square that day (the first annual “Tory Row Run 5K”). It felt peaceful enough for me to want to return soon.Congratulations to the winners of the Lynn YMCA Spring Fling 5K, which took place Saturday at Lynn Woods and benefited the Y. The overall winner was William Hathaway in 19:18. Tara Green was the top women’s finisher; she came in fifth overall at 23:44.Get ready for the start of the 42nd annual Lynn Woods Summer Cross Country Races. The first race is tonight (6:30 p.m.) at the Great Woods entrance. The races, which are free, take place every Wednesday from May 25 (tonight) to Sept. 28. Each Wednesday, there will be three races: long, short, and kid. For more information, contact Bill Mullen at 978-535-3905 or [email protected] Tenorio writes a weekly column on running for The Item. Email him at [email protected].