Backgrounder

Running Through History In Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA, June 21, 2007 - The Philadelphia region continues to create a regional “runner heaven” with the opening of a new spur of the Schuylkill River Trail and the completion of the Streuble Trail in Chester County. This system of linked greenway trails are a key reason why Philadelphia’s running scene continued its competitive streak this year, generating record numbers of participants in the region’s three marquee events: The Philadelphia Marathon, The Jefferson Hospital Distance Run and the Broad Street Run. These competitions, in addition to the hundreds of other races held throughout the region, help make the Philadelphia region a favorite choice for runners of all levels, from weekend warriors to elite competitors.

Running on Kelly Drive

Photo by B. Krist for GPTMC

Running Through History:
With hundreds of miles of uninterrupted trails weaving through centuries of history and a leafy green countryside, the region offers boundless training ground for those who crave the fresh air and sunshine of a rural landscape. The completion of the Streuble Trail in Chester County, which links historic West Chester borough to Marsh Creek State Park, and the new, four-mile spur of the Schuylkill River Trail, linking Pottstown in Montgomery County to Douglassville in Berks County, add new mileage to the trail network. In the city, a rich network of pocket parks, charming shopping districts and pedestrian-friendly streets make downtown equally appealing.

The city and region offer a wide variety of routes, including a Rocky-style run that starts in the Italian Market, winds up the Avenue of the Arts and finishes atop the “Rocky steps” of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. For those who want a city-to-suburb route, the Schuylkill River Trail, which starts in downtown Philadelphia, takes runners along the Schuylkill River past the museum, the Water Works Restaurant and Lounge and Boathouse Row before ending up at Valley Forge National Historical Park.

There’s also Fairmount Park, with its many miles of beautiful and uninterrupted trails, more than 9,200 acres of historic grounds and its famous eight-mile loop, which starts at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, winds up Kelly Drive and returns along the west side of the river on Martin Luther King Drive, off limits to traffic on weekends during running season.

The Rise of Multi-Sport:
While Philadelphia’s established running events continue to flourish, the region is also becoming known for a fresh list of new and exciting multi-sport events. The Philadelphia Triathlon (June 22), now in its third year, has already been dubbed “worthy of cult status” by Triathlon Magazine. And the Philadelphia Women’s Triathlon (July 8) and the Philadelphia Independence Triathlon (July 30) are attracting a full roster of competitors.

Getting Connected:
According to Runner’s World Magazine, the Philadelphia region boasts more running groups and clubs than almost any other region in the country. These clubs form the core of the region’s running community, sponsoring races, hosting social events and posting regular and varied training runs that are open to anyone who’s interested. Some of the region’s largest and most established clubs include:

Fast Tracks (Women), fasttracks.homestead.com
Frontrunners (Gay), frontrunnersphila.org
Philly Runners, phillyrunners.org
Valley Forge Striders, valleyforgestriders.com
Wissahickon Wanderers, wanderersrunningclub.org

For more information about running trails, events and clubs, visit boundlessphiladelphia.com.

The William Penn Foundation, founded in 1945 by Otto and Phoebe Haas, is dedicated to improving the quality of life in the Greater Philadelphia region through efforts that foster rich cultural expression, strengthen children's futures, and deepen connections to nature and community. In partnership with others, the Foundation works to advance a vital, just, and caring community. Learn more about the Foundation online at www.williampennfoundation.org.

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) makes Philadelphia and The Countryside™ a premier destination through marketing and image building that increases business and promotes the region’s vitality. For more information about travel to Philadelphia, visit www.gophila.com or call the Independence Visitor Center, located in Independence National Historical Park, at (800) 537-7676.

Note to Editors: For photos of Greater Philadelphia, visit our Photo Gallery. On the pressroom, you can also subscribe to RSS feeds to receive updates on topics that are specifically of interest to you: What’s New, Dining, Events, Seasonal Travel, Hotel Packages and Tourism Research.

CONTACT:

Cara Schneider, GPTMC
(215) 599-0789, cara@gptmc.com

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