Friday Night 5
| Vital Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Town | Hyannis |
| Where | Hanlon's Shoes, Main Street, Hyannis |
| Distance | 5 miles |
| Surface | Paved road |
| Last Visited | 13 February 2009 |
About The Course
Cape Cod's longest continually run weekly gathering of runners, the Friday Night 5 has been run by at least 1 runner for over 15 years. The course has deviated only slightly over the years as 'sponsors' shift. Islands at the west end of Main Street served as the focal point for a few years but Hanlon's Shoes across from the Hyannis Town Green currently serves as anchor. Sometimes the course is cut short depending upon how anxious folks are to make it to the 19th Hole for some refreshment. While the crowd is usually laid back and moving at a conversational pace, grudge matches have been known to develop and in the 70's and 80's, some hard-fought battles were waged around this course. The course record from that era probably hovers between 26 and 27 minutes for the men and around 29 minutes for the women but no detailed results have been kept over the years. The first 5 male and first 5 female finishers are reported in to the Cape Cod Times for publication in Saturday's newspaper.
After clearing the congestion of Main Street, the course heads out to Hyannisport and runs along the edge of the Kennedy Compound, skirts the water along Ocean Avenue, passes Veteran's Memorial Park and Hyannis Harbor, and returns to Main Street. Night gear is strongly encouraged due to the traffic along certain sections of the run.
The Course
Start in front of Hanlon's Shoes facing west on Main Street. Continue straight on Main Street to the West End rotary and stay to the left on to Scudder Avenue. Traffic Advisory: Main Street through the West End rotary can be extremely busy, especially during the summer months - travel with caution. Proceed straight along Scudder Avenue, through the 4-way intersection and up to hill towards Hyannisport. After cresting the hill, turn left on to Irving Avenue just before the Kennedy Compound. Bear left on Iyanough Avenue and then turn right on to Hyannis Avenue. Take your next right on to Ocean Avenue and follow it around past the park. After a few steps on Sea Street, turn right on to Gosnold and follow it to the end where you'll turn left on to Ocean Street. Follow Ocean Street past Hyannis Harbor to a major intersection. Bear to the right about 30 degrees on to Old Colony Road and follow to the intersection with Main Street. Turn left on Main Street and finish just past the Hyannis Post office and a few paces before the Sturgis Charter School.
Getting There
Take Route 6 to exit 7 and head south on Willow Street. After the intersection with Route 28, bear right on to Yarmouth Road and then turn right on to Main Street. Go straight through two stop lights and Hanlon's will be on your right across from the Hyannis Town Green. Limited parking is available on Main Street. You can access additional parking behind the Main Street stores by turning right on Barnstable Road (just before Hanlon's) and then turning left on North Street.
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