Joining the group from Boston

Hey,

Welcome to Boston.  Regarding swimming, open waters in New England don't warm up until the summer.  Your best bet is to join the YMCA.  Depends on where you live, the Ys closer to the North Shore a a bit cheaper, but those closer to town give you more flexibility in term of using the facilities at different locations.  Most pools are in 25 yards (wish they are in meters).

Off the topic, any know some good instructions for a road bike newbie?  Just got my first road bike and found myself can barely ride on it.

--DK

I lived in Boston for two years.  MIT has a two-year old BEAUTIFUL Olympic size pool.  I can't remember what the fees are for someone not affiliated with MIT, but I know a lot of the guys who swam with the masters class were not affiliated at all.  At least look into it!  It's VERY accessible by public transit.  Also, while I was there, they ran a swim course over the summer of '03 SPECIFICALLY geared to triathlon.  The coach had done several ironmans.  Maybe they are still doing it?  Otherwise, yeah, there are several Y's around.  Really depends where you are located, what is convenient to get to, if you have a car, etc.

As for training runs, there is no shortage of running real estate!  Take the Green B line out to Boston College and start running down Commonwealth Ave going WEST.  After a mile you are out of the city, into residential Newton and on the famed Boston Marathon course!  Heartbreak hill is not too far out from BC (like half mile?).  Every Sunday you'll see dozens of people out here running.

The other good running place is the Charles River.  Paths run up and down both sides of the river from the Boston Museum of Science all the way out...uh...about 9 miles :-)  The whole path is 18 miles roundtrip...but you can pick any distance loop you want by going over any of the MANY bridges.  Where the path intersects the Harvard Bridge (which goes to MIT, not Harvard...don't ask) is only a quarter mile from that pool at MIT I was talking about.  Very handy!

Enjoy Boston!  The best way to get to know the city is to run around....literally.  I used to run to and from work.  It is a runner's paradise once you learn how to dodge traffic!  And have some Sam and Harpoon beer for me, will ya?  *sigh* I miss that place!