Taking a left

At the start of my runs here in Boston, I am faced with an important question: go left or go right?  Either way, I am running by the river, but there are other factors to consider:

1) Going left (west-ish) means that I am heading toward Harvard-Cambridge/Brighton.  There are more streets that need to be crossed, so it won't be continuous.  However, parts of this run are very scenic and you can get away from traffic after a while.

2) Going right (east-ish) means that I am heading toward MIT-Cambridge/Boston.  There is basically no traffic to impede the run because you go underneath any bridges.  However, the start of this route is not as nice because you are running right next to Storrow Drive/Mass Turnpike for quite a while.

Both options offer plenty of shade and nice river views. Rowers are everywhere.  The path is usually pretty clear and while you have to share with bikers, they are generally considerate.

This morning I took a left and to pep things up even more, crossed to the other bank of the river (Cambridge side) for a change of scenery.  On the way back, I opted to run across the Weeks Footbridge just because I could (see photo of Weeks Footbridge below looking toward the Cambridge side).  It was a bit hot and humid, but not terrible, and I found by keeping my pace on the slower side and steady I avoided any problems.

I have to say that there are far worse choices to have to make than right or left.