Run 52: Run 52: Mt. Auburn

We started our Mt. Auburn run from the grand stairway of Mel and Nick’s place on McGregor Avenue (aka “The Mac House”). Mel and Nick greeted us on their porch with an offering of perfect, tiny pears and a handwritten route of our course.

I thought Mel looked so cute with her “State Avenue Running Club” shirt (a Mel Shaver original) and her big specs!

We were soon joined by another Kayla and her boyfriend Scott, who had run over from their place in neighboring Walnut Hills. Months ago, before I met the other Kayla, Nick was telling me about her and said that she also ran, but that she was “a real runner.” Whhhaattt? What does that make me? I’ll have you know that I have held several nonprofit fundraiser race titles and that I’m a founding member of the State Avenue Running Club.

Eh, whatever, I’m totally over it.

Sort of.

We used a giant Jenga set as a tripod and took a picture of all of us. From left to right you have: Kayla 2.0, Donnie, Mel, Nick, the original Kayla, and Scott.

And the Jenga:

We started up Highland to Dorchester and spent a few minutes in Hopkins Park. Hopkins Park is edged by these beautiful condominiums and townhouses, and the Mt. Auburn House.

Hopkins Park also faces this cool flatiron building and has picnic tables ready for games of chess:

Our next stop was Jackson Hill Park, which has a great view and a long, grassy stretch for sprints:

Here is Nick, taking it all in (and possibly contemplating the difference between real runners and the rest of us):

Here is Donnie, who you may someday see again in a Google Image search for the term “furrowed brow”:

Leaving Jackson Hill Park, we ran up Auburn and then down the steep hill to the site where the Glencoe-Auburn Place Row Houses once stood. We paused for a minute to reflect on the site, which seems smaller than it did when the row houses were standing.

Next, ran past the William Howard Taft Historical Site and Taft’s childhood home, which is unfortunately obscured in this photograph by a telephone pole, wires, and some stoplights. But you get the idea!

As we were running in Mt. Auburn I noticed two themes. First, the architectural details in the old buildings are absolutely stunning. Here are just a few examples:

Second, so many of the houses in Mt. Auburn have gorgeous front yard gardens. I struggle to keep four potted plants alive on my patio, so I was impressed with the flower and vegetable beds that are so abundant in this neighborhood. I wish I had taken more pictures, but here are a couple. Is this broccoli?