Race the USA - Virtual 10k Challenge in Massachusetts

When you think of running in Massachusetts, chances are you think about the Boston Marathon. Legendary in its own right, the Boston Marathon is the world’s oldest, beginning in rural Hopkinton and ending on Boylston Street in Copley Square. Any portion of the Boston route makes for an excellent place to complete the Race the USA Virtual 10k Run Series—and you don't have to qualify.

However, you can find tons of other trails all over Massachusetts offering a variety of scenery and surface. The Cape Cod Rail Trail begins at Route 134 in South Dennis and heads northeast for 22 miles to South Wellfleet using the abandoned Old Colony Rail corridor. The paved trail passes through Nickerson State Park and the Cape Cod National Seashore.

If you are looking for something a bit less urban, Maudslay State Park is located in Newburyport and offers four miles of some of the most scenic trails on which to complete your virtual run in Massachusetts. You will race over rolling meadows through the towering pine trees. Here, you will also find some of the loveliest and largest naturally-occurring mountain laurel.

If you feel like making your virtual 5K into a mini-vacation, take the ferry to Nantucket. This historic seaport town and island has a large variety for running including sandy beaches, old cobblestone streets or through the conservation areas. A favorite route on Nantucket is over Baxter Road in Sconset. You will pass by gorgeous homes and coastal bluffs on your way to the lighthouse.

The Norwottuck Rail Trail is 11 miles long connecting Northampton to Belchertown. The last three miles of this trail might be the most serene offering amazing views of Mount Holyoke and cutting through the Brickyard Conservation area and Lawrence Swamp. This multi-use trail is plowed for snow in the winters, so you can enjoy it year-round.

If hills are your jam, check out the Hilltop Orchards Trails in the Berkshires. Combining this network of cross-country skiing trails—open to runners in the off-season—will give you over four miles of hills, hills, and more hills. What makes this an amazing place for your virtual 5K is that you can celebrate with a wine tasting at the winery.

With the plethora of running trails at your fingertips in Massachusetts, choosing a single one is going to be the hardest part of your Race the USA Virtual 10K. Whether you choose the hilly Berkshires, Nantucket’s sandy beaches or the paved rail-trails in the city