Rich on Running: This Harbor is a Good spot for a Gloucester beach run

With the approach of spring, the beaches of the North Shore seem more appealing as a running spot. On Saturday, it was time for a trip to Cape Ann and one of the crown jewels of its coastline, Good Harbor Beach in Gloucester.Described on the Town of Gloucester website as “a beautiful beach with lovely, white sand facing the Atlantic,” Good Harbor is one of several Cape Ann beaches I’ve run or walked, with others including Wingaersheek Beach in Gloucester and Singing Beach in Manchester-by-the-Sea. While Wingaersheek is noted for its rock formations and Singing Beach for the sand that squeaks ? or sings soprano ? beneath your feet, it was Good Harbor I suggested for a weekend drive.The beach greeted me and my girlfriend Laura with gusto, as gusts of wind had us wondering whether we should go somewhere else. However, Laura found a spot near the dunes, where it wasn’t as windy, and we (and our terrier Daisy) sat down for a fisherman’s platter.Laura walked Daisy to the shoreline and back and said that the winds were strong on the return trip. Still, the beach drew a few runners, including one person who ran backward. After enough time had passed since the last fried clam, I decided to go for a run along the sand.Farther away from the shoreline, the sand felt uneven, but closer to the water, it felt a little more level. However, I felt a soreness in my knee, and wondered how good of an idea it really was to run in my regular shoes instead of my trusty New Balances. I thought about running barefoot, but decided to keep my shoes on.Beyond the surf lay Salt Island, which you can walk or run to when the tide allows. I ran to the “land bridge” between the tides, but at that point it was a bridge to nowhere, as the tide had not sunk low enough to go all the way to the island. I headed back in strong winds to join Laura and Daisy, spotting one more runner going in the opposite direction.A beach run can be a refreshing way to start your springtime running. There are certainly plenty of options on the “Other Cape,” Cape Ann. Route 128 will get you toward many of them if you’re driving, but there are also CATA buses and the Commuter Rail.When running on sand, watch out for uneven surfaces or beach debris, and keep an eye on the direction and intensity of the wind. Whether you’re a sailor or a runner, it can feel encouraging to have the wind at your back ? and frustrating to have it in front of you.Once you’ve finished your run and have sunk back onto your beach blanket, there’s no better reward than the sound of the surf. And, perhaps, another fried clam or two.Curtain rises on MarathonGood luck to all the North Shore entrants in the Boston Marathon, which is edition No. 117. I hope your training will help you reach the finish line, and that you run safe and injury-free.Rich Tenorio can be reached at [email protected].