Ready, Set, Run: Parks, Paths, Trails And Tracks Abound For Runners In Philadelphia

A few marquee competitions, as well as hundreds of other large, small and mid-sized races held in the region during the spring, summer and fall months are just part of the reason why Philadelphia is so popular among competitive runners. For casual runners, Philadelphia boasts a rich network of pocket parks, charming shopping districts and narrow, pedestrian-friendly streets that link up to long, bucolic stretches of rural landscape, making downtown Philadelphia appealing to those of all fitness levels.

Recreational Running:
Casual runners should consider a jaunt through the streets of the Italian Market, along the Avenue of the Arts and up the “Rocky steps” of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Those craving a bucolic trip through leafy landscapes and gurgling creeks will find miles and miles of uninterrupted trails and hundreds of acres of leafy parks and preserves. It’s also Philadelphia’s vibrant downtown that makes this region so special for people who love to run.

Insider favorites include Fairmount Park, with its miles and miles of trails, 9,200 acres and the famous eight-mile loop that starts at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, winds up Kelly Drive to cross the Falls Bridge and then hugs the river along Martin Luther King Drive, which is off limits to traffic every Saturday and Sunday during running season. Runners can also continue up Kelly Drive toward the wilderness trails that hug the Wissahickon Creek, link to the recently expanded Schuylkill River Trail and wind up in runner heaven, Valley Forge National Historical Park.

The Big Races:
Philadelphia’s top races are nationally recognized. Named one of the fastest 10-mile courses in the country by Runner’s World, Philadelphia’s famous 27-year-old Broad Street Run kicks off at Central High School in Olney and stretches up Broad Street, passing North Philadelphia, Center City and South Philadelphia before ending along the Navy Yard’s waterfront. An even bigger challenge is the 30-year-old Philadelphia Distance Run. Attracting the nation’s best runners, it is the premier half marathon in the U.S. The Philadelphia Marathon, a qualifying event for the U.S. Olympic trials, is renowned among runners for its beautiful course, and The Philadelphia Triathlon, now in just its second year, is already dubbed one of the top five triathlons in the country and “worthy of cult status” by Triathlon Magazine.

Experts Weigh In:
The following experts give insight into Philadelphia’s running scene:

Lisa Buster, manager of world-class distance runners from all over the world, (610) 948-5966
“My runners love it here, so much so that when they start businesses back home (in Kenya), which they typically do, they’ll often name their new enterprises after this area. I’ve seen trucks named Norristown, for instance, and a housing development named Valley Forge Estates. They like to run on grass, and here, they can run for miles, on beautiful terrain, without being interrupted by traffic.”

Norm Green, USA Track and Field long-distance running chairman, (610) 647-2201
“Philadelphia really does cater to outdoor exercise by closing the drives. I do a lot of my running out on the Schuylkill bike path, the river drives, or at Valley Forge park, where I run the five mile loop.”

Emily Kroshus, winner of the Philadelphia Marathon and now a contender for the 2008 Olympics, (610) 772-6061
“I love to talk about running in Philly. I moved here for work, and came here thinking it wasn’t going to be great for my running, but it’s turned out to be quite the opposite. The trails here are amazing. I can run down the street for a trail, where I can do a two-hour run on Mountain Goat trails the whole time, all in a beautiful natural setting.”

Ted Trocky, captain of the GlaxoSmithKline corporate women’s running team, which just beat an international field of 1,500 corporate teams to win the JP Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge, (215) 751-7466
“With places like Fairmount Park and Valley Forge, we’ve got one of the best resources for running of any urban area, which is certainly one reason why we have such an incredibly deep field of talented runners here. There is Valley Green, the trails; and the cross-country course at Belmont Plateau is one of the best in the country. It’s just a great environment to train in.”

Bart Yasso, columnist for Runner’s World Magazine, (610) 967-8276
“To have that eight-mile loop, that’s what runners live for. It allows you to run continuously, without having to hit intersections and stop lights. The path literally starts right downtown, which is unheard of in most places, and connects all the way up into Fairmount Park trails. It means that if you live downtown or stay in a downtown hotel, you don’t have to drive somewhere to start your run. Philadelphia is really pretty unique among most big cities in that way.”

Joseph Callan, Fairmount Park special events manager and Philadelphia Marathon race director, (215) 685-0060
“Besides being the ‘green oasis’ of Philadelphia, Fairmount Park is also the athletic foundation for 36 runs, 16 biking events, 23 regattas, 48 various walks and four triathlons. Some of the events represent the largest participation in their event category in the United States. The Dad Vail Regatta is the largest college regatta, and the Stotesbury Cup Regatta is the largest high school regatta in the nation. The Broad Street Run, Philadelphia Distance Run and Philadelphia Marathon are all in the top 10 in their respective categories.”

Mark Zenobia, Envirosports Inc., California-based producer of the Liberty to Liberty triathlon, (732) 381-0318
“One thing about Philadelphia, it’s a great place for athletes, and people don’t really know that. Fairmount Park is an absolute gem. It’s one of the greatest city parks I’ve ever seen, and I work in a lot of cities.”

Adam Zocks, general manager of the Philadelphia Distance Run, (615) 456-1660
“Philadelphia is by far the most beautiful course of any of our races. It’s also one of the fastest and most competitive in the country. Olympic bronze medalist Deena Kastor broke Joan Benoit Samuelson’s U.S. record here last year.”

Chris Tatreau, logistics manager, Chase Corporate Challenge Worldwide, (215) 628-1981
“I could name at least a dozen great places to run, between Fairmount Park and Valley Forge. Also, the club system here has been really very successful. Not only is there a very large and active running community, there is also a whole social component to the Philadelphia running scene that you don’t typically see in other cities.”

Get Running:
Philadelphia’s running scene has plenty of running groups, regular club runs and annual events that are open to anyone. Here’s a look:

• Bryn Mawr Running Club, www.runbmrc.homestead.org
• Delaware County Road Runners Club, www.delcorrc.org
• Fairmount Running Club, www.runfairmount.org
• Fast Tracks (Women), www.fasttracks.homestead.com
• Frontrunners (Gay), www.frontrunnersphila.org
• Haddonfield Running Company, www.runningco.com
• Northeast Road Runners, www.nerrc.net
• Philadelphia Track Club, www.phillytc.com
• Philly Runners, www.phillyrunners.org
• Valley Forge Striders, www.valleyforgestriders.com
• Wissahickon Wanderers, www.wanderersrunningclub.org