Blog 3: Favorite Philly finds –restaurants, bars, places to relax, perfect date, etc.
Student Teacher Self-Care: Running in Philly
The UPenn Urban Teacher Residency Program (UTAP) packs a lot of courses and experience into one year, so there is a lot of time spent in class, at school and doing work for classes. Running is one way that I have always practiced “self-care” -taking care of my mind and body so that I can keep my anxiety in check and be a strong student and student teacher at my school.
I moved to Philadelphia from DC, so running around the city has also been a great way for me to explore new neighborhoods, views and stumble upon things that I would not have seen otherwise. I am still exploring,but check out the few spots below for some run/walk inspiration!
- Boathouse Row/Kelly Drive
Boathouse Row, the iconic row of crew boathouses along the banks of the Schuylkill River, has a winding path that follows the boathouses down the river. The trail starts at the Philadelphia Waterworks (another beautiful Philadelphia landmark) and goes towards the Philadelphia suburbs. The trail is next to the water for the whole time, so you get to see crew boats, solo rowers, and fellow runners and bikers throughout the trail. The river is bordered by trees and rock formations, so it almost feels like you are running outside of the city. I am looking forward to running the trail as the fall leaves change color!
- Broad Street
I first ran down Broad Street during the Broad Street Run in 2015, an annual 10-mile run starting in the Olney neighborhood in Philadelphia and ending at the Naval Yard. I definitely don’t run the full 10-miles regularly, but I love running down Broad Street from City Hall to South Philadelphia to see the beautiful architecture of City Hall and Center City, and murals and other artwork as you run down towards the Avenue of the Arts. Each time I run down Broad, I feel like I see something new. It may be a straight line, but it never gets old! I highly recommend taking a walk or run down Broad, especially if you are new to the city and learning more about the area.
- Benjamin Franklin Bridge
Running on the Benjamin Franklin Bridge is my favorite Philadelphia running route so far. I start in Old City (where the Liberty Bell and Betsy Ross’s house, among many other historical landmarks are) and eventually get to the start of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge path. As you run along the bridge, you can see the skyscrapers in Center City Philadelphia and low slung, repurposed factories and warehouses along Race St. behind and to the right of you, and Camden, NJ in the distance. To me, the bridge has some of the best sunset and sunrise views in the entire city so if you are an early-riser or pre-dinner runner, you are sure to see some amazing views.
