Places to Run -- Near Holmdel Bell Labs

Unless otherwise noted, these runs start at the West entrance of the Bell Labs building in Holmdel. Alternate versions that start at the East entrance are marked "E".

• Line Loop (5.5)
• Van Brackle (7.2)
• Goldsmith (6.1)
• Beers Crawford (8.6)
• Crawford Hill (7.4)
• Holmdel Village (6.5)
• McCampbell (7.8)
• T-Schanck (5.8)
• Pleasant Valley (7.5)
• Igoe (9.6)
• Convent (11.0)
• Centerville (7.1)
• Telegraph Hill(4.8)
• Middletown Loop (6.7)
• Bowl (6.0)
• Arts Center 1 (6.3)
• Arts Center2 (5.5)
• Galloping Hills (6.4)
• Catbird Alley (4.2); E(4.6)
• American Way (5.4); E(4.2)
• Crawford Corner (4.0); E(4.1)
• Everett (6.5)
• Track (3.4); E(4.8)
• Longstreet (3.3); E(4.7)
• Outer Loop (2.3)
• Inner Loop (1.7)
• Holmdel Park Trails

Line Loop

Total 5.5 miles Point A: 1.5 miles Point B: 3.3 miles Climb: 238 feet Return via a: 6.1 miles Return via b: 5.0 miles Return via c: 5.5 miles When run clockwise as shown, the one big hill is broken up into several gentle slopes.   If run the other way, the hill is much harder. Portions of the road are narrow and winding, with cars driving too fast: not for bad weather.  Add a little onto the Loop by following Line Road to Goldsmith Road, down to Van Brackle (a). Other variations are to come back through Holmdel Park (b), and to come back via Longstreet and Donner (c)

Van Brackle

Total 7.2 miles Point A: 1.5 miles Point B: 3.8 miles Point C: 5.0 miles Variation A (Line Loop) 5.5 miles Variation B (Goldsmith) 6.1 miles Variation C (Beers-Crawford) 8.6 miles Climb: 299 feet A longer version of the Line loop combined with Crawford Hill.  There are two big hills to climb on this run. The variations shown make this shorter or longer, as desired.

Crawford Hill

Total: 7.4 miles Point A1: 2.2 miles Point A2: 5.3 miles Climb: 349 feet This run passes one of the older Lucent buildings in the area.

Holmdel Village Loop

Total: 6.5 miles Point A: 1.5 miles Point B: 3.4 miles Point C: 5.0 miles Return via a (McCampbell): 7.8 miles Climb: 131 feet Relatively flat run through some of the remaining farmland of Holmdel.  Little or no shade, can be tough on hot days.

T-Schanck

Total: 5.8 miles Point A1: 1.5 miles Point B: 2.9 miles Pont A2: 4.2 miles Climb: 257 feet Add on a: 7.4 miles Add on b (to brook): 7.6 miles Another run through farmland, although increasingly less so every year.   Variations include side trips up (a) or down Pleasant Valley Road (b) as desired.   Another possibility is to explore the new developments under construction at the end of Schanck Road (c).  The road now goes through to Igoe, although one section is not yet paved.

Pleasant Valley

Total: 7.5 miles Point A1: 1.5 miles Pont A2: 6.0 miles Climb: 232 feet Another variation on T-Schanck, this run follows Pleasant Valley Road through farmland and forest all the way to the intersection of 520 and 34, then returns via Holmdel Road

Igoe

Total: 9.6 miles Point A1: 2.9 miles Point A2: 6.7 miles Climb: 415 feet Return via a: 8.4 miles The premier "long" run, through forest and farmland on the border of Holmdel and Marlboro.  Shade on the loop portion make it suitable even on sunny days.

Convent

Total: 11.0 miles Point A1: 2.9 miles Point B: 4.6 miles Point C: 6.8 miles Point A2: 8.1 miles Climb: 489 feet Another great long run through the rural areas of Holmdel and Marlboro.  The convent is on Collier School Road, the first right on Pleasant Valley road after Igoe.  Continue through the school grounds, taking the back road leading off to the right.  After that, keep turning right until reaching Schanck.

Centerville

Total: 7.1 miles Point A1: 2.3 miles Point A2: 4.8 miles Variation a (Telegraph Hill): 4.8 miles Climb: 381 feet After climbing to the top of Holland Road, continue down Takolusa to Centerville.  Return via Mount Drive.  There is no way to avoid the steep climb up Telegraph Hill, no matter which way you go around the loop.  But then it is downhill the last two miles. For a shorter run, turn right at the top of the hill and return via a short side trip through the back streets.

Middletown Loop

Total: 6.7 miles Point A: 1.4 miles Point B: 3.3 miles Climb: 375 feet Return via a: 7.3 miles Return via b: 7.3 miles Climbs up and over Telegraph Hill, and drops down to the Middletown AT&T building, then climbs all the way back up to Red Hill.  Because of the hills, this run is more difficult than the mileage alone would suggest.  Possibilities for varying the ending: continuing on Middletown Road and entering the East Entrance (b), or continuing on Crawfords Corner Road, Roberts Road, and entering the West Entrance (a).

Holmdel Park -- Bowl

Total: 6.0 miles Return via a (causeway): 5.4 miles Return via b (skip bowl): 3.5 miles Climb: 330 feet This run through Holmdel Park joins the 5K cross-country course just beyond the lake, and follows it to its conclusion near the park entrance.  On the way, it climbs one of the steepest hills in the vicinity.  An alternate return avoids this climb, returning instead along the stream and through the wetlands.

Arts Center 1

Total: 6.3 miles Point A: 2.3 miles Point B: 4.3 miles Climb: 253 feet This course climbs the highest hill in the area (Telegraph Hill), and descends through the forested areas of the Arts Center.  The route passes by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Arts Center 2

Total: 5.5 miles Climb: 224 feet This goes by the Celebrity house and trail, and then passes by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.  It exits through the commuter parking and the Holmdel roads department.

Galloping Hills

Total: 6.4 miles Point A: 1.4 miles Point B: 4.1 miles Climb: 276 feet Alternative a: 6.5 miles This run is a variation on the Middletown Loop run, trading more steep hills for slightly less distance.  The cross section shown here is omits half a dozen very steep sections, making is more challenging than it appears.  There are numerous variations, one of which is shown here, involving different routes through the maze of residential streets.

Catbird Alley

Total: 4.2 miles Climb: 208 feet Alternate East/Front/Front: 4.6 miles A short run for those days when there is no time to run longer.  Also good for very hot days (plenty of shade), thunderstorms, or snow (sheltered, less traffic).   Can be shortened further if you are really in a hurry, or lengthened by returning via Middletown Road and the East Entrance.  Although it is relatively short, there are several steep hills (not adequately represented on the diagram on the left).

American Way

Total: 5.4 miles Alternate East: 4.2 miles Another short run for bad weather days.   Flat, relatively well sheltered run through residential areas.

Longstreet

Total: 3.3 miles Variation a: add 0.7 miles 4.0 miles Variation b: add 0.5 miles 3.8 miles Alternate East/Front/Front: 4.7 miles Alternate East/Front/Tower: 4.4 miles A short run that is relatively flat.

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