Rich on Running: Transition time at Lynn Woods

September is a “bridge” month at Lynn Woods. And no, I?m not talking about any of the bridges, manmade or otherwise, that cross country runners occasionally go across.This is the final month of the season for the free Wednesday-night Lynn Woods Summer Cross Country Races. There are still four Wednesdays of racing for trail runners in the Woods, starting tonight at 6 p.m., with a short race of 2.8 miles and a long race of 5.7 miles.Meanwhile, the high school cross country season is getting started. And there might be a bit of overlap between the Woods summer races and those for high school cross country athletes.?I may have a few kids at Lynn Woods Wednesday, to give the short race a try,” said Tech coach John Hogan, whose goal is to instill “a career, lifelong, of being a runner.”The Tech program is in its third year after a decade without one. The St. Mary?s program is also in its third year after a similar absence.Classical coach Chris Hayward noted that “with Lynn Tech and St. Mary?s, all the Lynn high schools have cross country teams again.”An informal start to the season will take place on Friday with the Lynn Invitational at the Woods. The second-year event will start at the Pennybrook Road entrance “probably” at 3:45 p.m., said St. Mary?s coach Dom Finelli, who designed the course.?It does several loops,” Finelli said, “with rolling hills throughout and one decent-size hill. Pretty much everything is on dirt roads or paths. It?s a pretty straightforward course. I don?t really think there will be too many lefts and rights. There will be an arrow on each turn.”Four different races will take place, girls and boys varsity (2.87 miles) and girls and boys novice (1.67 miles). This year, the top six runners in each race will receive “top participant” ribbons, while anyone not in the top six will receive a participant ribbon.?We hosted the league meet in the CCL last year on it,” Finelli said. “There were nine teams in varsity and novice races, and no problems.”One area the course does not go near is a trail well known to summer cross country runners.?No Goat Path,” Finelli said. “We don?t have anything like that. The Goat Path is a pretty fun part of the other side. I?m sure some people enjoy it, some don?t. It?s one unique feature of the other side.”