Although the new Athletic Center is beautiful and fun to work out in, with all this nice weather lately it’s nice to get outside to stretch your legs and breathe. There are so many fun places to run from your dorm, depending on the length you are running for! If your desired run is for 10 minutes or for 10 miles, these are the best loops that you can access right from campus. I hated running when I first got to school as I had only done it with my various sports teams throughout high school, but as I wanted to get out and explore Waterville more and more, I found running was the best way to do so. Slowly, I turned running into a time for reflection and exploration, feeling so gratified that it was no longer a chore and rather a time of my day I looked forward to and really enjoyed.
- For the Short Run
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A nice one-miler is if you start out by the Hillside parking lot and then run up the hill (it’s hard, but it’s so satisfying to run back down at the end) and run to the solar panel field on the right side of the road. Then smile cause you’re halfway there and turn around and jog back! I like this run because there’s a nice big sidewalk and the trees are so beautiful in the fall.
- 5k Loop #1
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This loop is a classic, not that secretive, but a good one to mention. Start by running out on Mayflower Hill Drive, past Runnals on the left and Woodman on the right, and run straight for a little over a mile until you reach Bartlett street and a school on the left. Take the next left turn on to West St. and run for about half a mile and then turn left onto North St. which will take you past the YMCA and Quarry Road trails back up to school!
- 5k Loop #2
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This loop is super fun and gorgeous. Start by running past the athletic center, staying straight towards Rice Rips Road, and taking a left onto Marston Street. Then, when you get over the bridge and the end of the road, take a right onto County Road and then run along there before turning right at the end on to Mayflower Hill Drive and you’re home!
- For the Longer Run (10k Loop)
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This run is a personal favorite of mine, around 6.5 miles. This is such a beautiful run, but you have to be careful of the fast cars, which can sometimes be tricky! You start by running on Rice Rips Road, which is very hilly but if you start this way, then you don’t have to go up it! Then at the end of Rice Rips, turn right, and run along the stunning Fairfield Street which has so many fields and farms, and you are pretty likely to spot some turkeys if you run in the fall afternoons. Run for about two miles and turn right on County Road. Then you run for a while and when the road forks, veer right and run back on Marston Road to find yourself back where you started when you headed out on Rice Rips.
No matter how long your run is, these are such beautiful and fun runs to do that aren’t your typical Quarry Roads or Arb route ! We are so lucky to live in such a beautiful state and have so many pretty places to explore by just going out for a run right from your dorm!