RunBoston's Rules of the Road

1. Watch where you're going already! Boston's streets are crooked, careening, and just plain old. Cobblestones can be especially treacherous, but many a runner has taken a faceplant due to a lone brick poking up from the pretty Freedom Trail sidewalk, or the slight edge between bridge grid and sidewalk. So watch your feet!

2. Obey the rules of the road, and the directions of your guides. While Boston is well-known as one of the few cities in which jaywalking is actually a way of life, that doesn't mean drivers will see you. Be sure to look both ways, watch for oncoming car or foot traffic, and Yankees fans. Listen to your guides—they've been here before.

3. Bring your own fuel and water. The last thing you want on the greatest tour of Boston ever is to get parched or hit a wall, whether at 1 mile or 9. While there is a water fountain along the river, there really is only that one—and its shut off in all but the summer months. And trust us, you won't want a sip of the Charles.

4. If you need or want a break to walk, talk, stretch, grab a drink, take a picture, or just plan take in the scenery, say so. Some parts of Boston are just plain meant to be ogled, and we're not in a hurry to get anywhere.

5. If you see a duck boat, quack. Tourists come from far and away to ride around Boston in these World War II amphibious vehicles. Lord over them that you're bipedal—but do it with a quack. We promise they'll quack back.

6. If you see another runner, wave. Come on. It doesn't hurt. (And it's not actually a mandatory rule, either. It's just nice.)

7. Support the Red Sox. Or any other team and the Red Sox. Just not the Yankees and the Sox. And don't make fun of the Sox if you don't like them. Insubordination will not be tolerated!

8. Leave your iPod at home. If you're on a tour with us, we want to wow you with our amazing store of Beantown knowledge. Leave the podcast and Yanni in your suitcase, and let us free your mind and ears.

9. Bring fare for the T and pay the man. If you're meeting the guides somewhere, be sure you've got the fare to pay your way to and from the start and stop of the run. If you choose to pay for the tour at the time of the run rather than online, be sure to bring the appropriate amount. We can't make change—it's hard to carry rolls of quarters in a fuel belt.

10. Dress for success. Make sure you're layered appropriately for cold weather or rain—and be aware that it's always colder along the river. In warmer months, wear sunblock. (And we always find that a Sox hat goes with everything.)

11. Don't be afraid to deviate from the beaten path. It happens. You're running merrily along on your predetermined tour course when you see it—something unexpectedly and irresistibly cool and interesting. Don't just run past—tell your guides and make a detour. Turn left instead of right. Rebel. But only after conferring with your guides.