THE BEST RUNS ARE LOCAL

​By Chelsea D.​

As a New Jersey native and former member of the University of Pennsylvania cross country and track teams, I have run in my fair share of cities and parks up and down the East Coast. My collegiate running career allowed me to compete with my teammates in England and eventually run in other parts of Europe as well.
 
As I have been competing since middle school, the majority of my family trips and summer vacations included taking time to get in my runs every morning. While most of these trips meant running on a treadmill, I now make my runs a way of exploring the places I visit—most recently when I visited Bali, Indonesia. I have been fortunate enough to travel to and run in so many amazing places across the world, but some of my favorite runs have been more local. When I think back on the long runs and tempos from my college days, Wissahickon was my park of choice.
 
You would think that spending 3-5 days a week at the same park for 4 years would make you sick of it, right? That couldn’t be any further from the truth in my eyes! Although there are the familiar landmarks and mile markers along the main trail, I always spot something new every trip to Wissahickon. Whether you’re doing a tempo or easy run on the main drag, running there via the Schuylkill river path, exploring the many side trails off the main path or doing hill repeats on the paved road offshoots, there is something for every part of your training.
 
If you have never been to Wissahickon, what are you waiting for? You won’t know what you’re missing until you check it out!
 
Chelsea Delaney
Instagram: @awayuntilfurthernotice