Boston Globe

I was prepared to write a testament to the glories of running in New England, but as I faced the dual challenges of an unrelenting winter and its effects on an aging body, I reflected on my older daughter’s recent comment: “We must be insane to live here!” I have to admit that after 46 years of running through the daily, and sometimes hourly, surprises that New England weather presents, I wonder myself why I don’t just retire and go jogging in Florida. How boring would that be? The truth is that despite the challenges of traffic, climate and terrain, for a runner, New England is the place to be. I’ve had the good fortune to both train and compete in every inhabitable continent over the years and for me, there’s no place that compares to this for great running. Most of the 125,000 plus miles I’ve run in those 46 years were put on in New England (time to trade me in!). So here’s a list of some of my favorite places to run, see the incredible beauty of the place we call home and to create memories we can reflect on when time and the weather will finally win.

--By Bill Rodgers and Elise Rodgers