Lynn Woods, step by step

LYNN – For both first-timers and veterans alike, the Lynn Woods Summer Cross Country Races presented a challenge on Wednesday … as they seem to do each week.The routes offered twists and turns aplenty for runners, as well as an uphill climb on the Dungeon Rock steps during the “long” 5-mile course.Without further ado, here are some stories from the Twilight Zone … the Wednesday-night Twilight Zone, that is.Mastering the stairsPaul Gouthro of Lynn is training for three marathons this year: the Baystate in Lowell in September, the Marine Corps Marathon (Washington, DC) in October and the Soldiers? Marathon (Fort Benning, Ga.) in November. This is week three of his 18-week training for the Baystate, and the long course was his long run.?One of the challenges in the middle was that we had to run up the Dungeon Rock steps,” Gouthro said. “No two of them are even. They?re not steps like your front porch, but pieces of granite here and there.”Race director Bill Mullen said, “We try to do (the steps) at least one time a year, and most runners would say, ?no more than one time a year.?”He added, “For those who have not been there before, it?s a surprise. You run on the trails and climb fairly steep steps getting up to Dungeon Rock.”And, he said, “you can?t really run up, except the best runners. Power walk, be cautious.”Not only did runners have to complete this course, they had to do it in hot summer weather.Gouthro brought two bottles, one of water and the other of Gatorade.?I drank almost all of the two bottles during the run,” he said. “I don?t do well in the heat. I know from experience that you don?t want to wait till it?s too late to rehydrate. You want to stay hydrated. Drink before you need it.”First time?s a charmReporter Cyrus Moulton of Marblehead has been working for the Daily Item for three years, but he was not able to run the Woods races until last night.?In the morning, it was too late to go to the gym that day,” Moulton said. “I figured, all right, I wanted to do it (the Woods races). I hadn?t tried it and always wanted to.”Moulton ran the “short” 2.7-mile course and finished 13th, in 20:33.?It started out hard, but it was a great course,” he said. “It was challenging. It was pretty and good. I really liked it. It was in great condition. They did a good job marking it. I thought it would be a little hard to figure out where to go, but it was fine.”He regretted one missed chance near the end.?I wished I passed the guy who finished in front of me when I had the opportunity,” he said. “On the single-track trail at the end, I had no opportunity then.”Runners will get their next Woods opportunities on July 16, with a 2.5-mile short course and a 6.2-mile long course scheduled.