Philadelphia Story

I had the great fortune to spend two weeks in Philadelphia. Wonderful city, and if you stick to the University of Pennsylvania and City Center areas, a runner's paradise. Early on I went looking, and started running the trail which follows the Schuylkill River (I am told that's pronounced “SHOO-kull). This path runs along a row of historic buildings and statues, past the UPenn “boat house” where their crew teams practice, next to the Museum of Natural History, and gives a great view of the skyline. It's safe because at any given moment you are sharing the trail with dozens of walkers, runners, and cyclists, in this weird little ballet of getting in your workout without killing each other. Somehow, it all flows together, and everyone gets where they're going! It was very much like running on the island that the Wii Fit puts you on- very busy with varied terrain. Every run out there was gorgeous.



I also fulfilled a long held desire- I did the Rocky run! All through the city, and right up the Benjamin Franklin Parkway to take the steps (twice, because who knew when I would be back) and had my picture taken in front of the Rocky statue.

It was weird, because it felt like a culminating event. Like I was at the end of my own montage of training which played through my head for the whole run. I feel like it's time for a new chapter in my running, and I am as curious as anyone to see what that will be!




I also learned what it's like to bond through running. I have mentioned my buddy Jim here (and I hope he doesn't mind if I post his picture). He's been a runner for a long time, and I scoffed about it to myself quite a bit. To myself, because though I have known Jim for over a decade, we'd never met. We started reading each other's G.I. Joe stories on some long dead fansite, and he sent me an email. We got to talking, and just never quite stopped doing it. Since then we've gifted each other's kids, and he gets the yearly “State of the Fosters” Christmas card, while we get the yearly “Jim's family's getting their tree” card. However, we never met face to face, or even talked on the phone.



Jim, it turns out, lives right outside Philly. So, we made the time and I took a train out to a beautiful suburb and for the first time we met. And do you know what we did? We ran together. Now, I slowed him down something awful, and he kicked my ass most of our run, but we did a little over four and a half miles while I weezed through wonderful geek talk about Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, and of course, G.I. Joe. Then we had a great cheesesteak, and I kept his wonderful family (and delightfully tolerant wife Bridget!) up late swapping stories. Great people and a great time. See, I will admit now, I was a little nervous. People can be different than they are in email and that goes for me too!

(Ask my Uncle Lou, oy vey what a story...)







What if they thought I was a jerk in person? We had that run though, and through it, we were talking like the old friends we really were. Can't wait to get him out Arizona way to do some coyote dodging runs!

So, Philly has been great. New runs, new friends, new chapters in the life of the Running Dan.
Now, I need to go get some new shoes. My faithful Nikes are about to give up the ghost. I will keep you posted...

Gonna fly now!