Running New England Book Test Drive #2

   I have been working for five years on getting the green light from a publisher for a running/health/travel book I am calling Running New England.  It will feature fifty of the most beautiful running routes in New England.  It will include details of the running route itself, where to start, where it goes, what you will see, and photos from the route.  It will go deeper and share other nearby attractions, where to eat, places to stay, nearby road races, and some general history of the town where the running route is.  

   In order to pitch the book to some of the larger publishers I first need a literary agent.  Many of them want samples from the proposed manuscript sent along with a query.  That being said what follows is another example of a 'chapter' from the possible book. I am creating three, this is the second, which I will then send to various agents and see what happens.  I hope that you enjoy this taste of what I am hoping to create in the near future.

Running New England

A Guide to the 50 Most Beautiful Running Routes and more

#2 - Ocean Road, Narragansett, Rhode Island

Starting Line: 1460 Ocean Road (GPS: 41.362047, -71.480905)

The Basics: This run is just over 11-miles in length and travels along historic Ocean Road.  It is of moderate difficulty due to two gradual hills located within a mile of The Towers.  The route is relatively flat once it approaches Scarborough State Beach.  The length of the route is part of what adds to the difficulty as well.

 

Point Judith Lighthouse

The Route:  
   This run begins at Point Judith Lighthouse at the southern end of Ocean Road.  The route is wide open for the first two miles, then it becomes sheltered from the ocean breeze for the next two to three miles.  The views of the ocean are everywhere along the run.  Even when the road becomes sheltered directly from the ocean you can still catch glimpses of it in between homes. 

   There are a few long climbs but nothing overly steep.  The route out to The Towers is more of the incline whereas the return to Point Judith is a decline and a bit faster.  The road has several long straight stretches, but also a few dangerous curves noted by signs and flashing lights.  You should be aware of these as approaching vehicles may not be paying as close attention to runners.  It opens back up as you approach The Towers.   It is a simple straight out and straight back route.

Attractions: 

Point Judith Lighthouse: 1460 Ocean Road – Built in 1857 and standing fifty-one feet tall this structure sits on the grounds of a Coast Guard Station and is well known after being featured at the beginning of a recent Marines television advertisement.  (GPS: 41.362047, -71.480905)

Ocean Road Historic District:  This stretch of the route is filled with beautiful and expensive mansions many of which were built as summer homes.  There are forty-five homes making up the district, most of them were built in the latter half of the 19^th century and early 20^th century.

Scarborough State Beach:  970 Ocean Road - This is widely recognized as Rhode Island’s most popular beach.  It is about a half-mile in length and has several pavilions on the shore which gives it more of a West Coast feel. (GPS: 41.389949, -71.473659)

Scarborough State Beach

The Towers:  35 Ocean Road -  This impressive structure looks like part of a medieval castle but it was originally part of the Narragansett Pier Casino opened in 1886 before most of it burned to the ground in 1900.  It stands as a sort of gate to Ocean Road as one must drive underneath it to continue.  (GPS: 41.430489, -71.455766)    

         

Food: 

Crazy Burger Café & Juice Bar: 144 Boon Street - Renowned burgers made from beef, lamb, salmon, turkey, chicken, and more.  It was featured on Food Network’s show Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives in 2010.

Coast Guard House: 40 Ocean Road – A prime dining location within sight of The Towers. Originally opened in the 1940’s it specializes in steaks, seafood, and an award-winning wine selection.

The Towers

Monahan’s Clam Shack by the Sea: 190 Ocean Road – Very popular causal waterfront dining with fresh seafood, clam chowder, clam cakes and ice cream along the Narragansett seawall.

George’s of Galilee: 250 Sand Hill Cove Road – Located on Block Island Sound this spot has been satisfying patrons since 1948 with seafood, steaks, lobster, and specializing in boat-to-plate seafood and farm-to-table vegetables.

Lodging:

The Break: 1208 Ocean Road – A 16-room luxury hotel on the beach with a retro-design.  It has an onsite restaurant Chair 5 and has been enthusiastically reviewed by Forbes.  TheBreakHotel.com

The Anchor Motel: 825 Ocean Road – Overlooking Scarborough State Beach this 15-room motel has two bed & breakfast rooms opened year-round.  It has been highly rated for the last ten years. TheAnchorMotel.com

Nearby Races:

Ocean Road 10K: Narragansett; Held at the beginning of October this race takes places along Ocean Road.  Voted the Best 5K/10K in the Northeast in 2016 by Competitor Magazine the 5^th annual event occurs in 2017.  There were just over 1,000 runners in the 2016 race.  OceanRoad10k.com

Gansett Half Marathon: Narragansett; Held in late October this race takes place along Ocean Road.  There were just over 550 runners in the 2016 race.  Growing in popularity yearly 2017 will be the 4^th annual event.  GansettHalfMarathon.com

 About Narragansett:

          Narragansett is a town on the south-central coast of Rhode Island bordering Narragansett Bay.  A summer vacation destination its population traditionally more than doubles during the season.  The popularity as a summer destination took off with the construction of the Narragansett Pier Railroad in 1876.  The town is named for the tribe of Native Americans which once lived there.  It was incorporated as its own separate town in 1901.  In addition to the aforementioned attractions it is also the docking point for the Block Island Ferry.  

The Narragansett Route