Like most runners, I have my favorite places to run. In years past, Sharon Woods Metro Park was my location of choice for leisurely runs as well as race training.  More recently, the Olentangy Bike Path has been a favorite site for exercise (both running and biking) along with Heritage Park in Westerville. But every now and then, I appreciate the opportunity to run in a new environment and enjoy a change of scenery.

On two occasions this year, the Schuylkill River Trail has provided such an environment to me. This trail runs 120 miles between Frackville, PA and Philadelphia.  During visits to Conshohocken, PA (14 miles west of Philadelphia) in January and the first week of May, I ran and/or walked over a 6- or 7-mile stretch of this trail. According to the trail’s home page, it runs through rural and pastoral landscapes, but the area I saw was mostly commercial and industrial. Departing from the Grande at Riverview Apartments and heading toward Philadelphia, I passed truck terminals, businesses, restaurants, parking garages, and at least one hotel.  On my right, maybe 30 feet away, were the tracks of Philadelphia’s rapid transit system. A weather-beaten wooden fence separated the tracks from the trail.

Going away from Philadelphia toward Plymouth Meeting, the trail splits into two separate paths. The lower path offers more natural beauty. During a recent walk down this path, I noticed lots of wildflowers and shady trees. There’s also a rushing brook that flows beneath an overpass. To be sure, signs of civilization, including discarded COVID masks, are present, too. It’s worth noting, the lower path is  less used by fast-moving cyclists, making it a relatively safe place to run or walk. For its part, the upper path has sections of pastoral landscape interspersed with areas of industrial activity. During a January run through this part of the trail, I passed a lot filled with pick-up trucks. They seemed to be involved in some kind of construction project.  Farther down, a freight train rumbled just a few feet away from me. Now and then, during this winter run, I bounded under arches made out of steel I-beams. These beams, about 20 feet overhead, were held aloft by steel girders. No one I asked seemed to know the purpose of these I-beams. Perhaps the most noteworthy feature I saw on my run had nothing to do with trains, trucks, or any other commercial venture. It was a makeshift memorial, made out of rock configurations, to a police officer killed in the line of duty.

I enjoyed both running and walking on the Schuylkill River Trail not only because of the change of scenery but also because the pavement is wide and well maintained. There are benches where one can take a brief rest and markers at half-mile intervals that make it easy to measure distances covered. Ironically, the Schuylkill River itself can seldom be seen from the trail due to tall buildings and other obstructions.  But that doesn’t matter to those who use the trail. It is obviously well liked not only by runners and cyclists but also by roller-bladers and walkers with and without dogs. Speaking of cyclists, my one complaint is the fact they rarely give warnings when passing people on foot. I’ll appreciate such warnings all the more, once I’m back in Worthington, riding on the Olentangy Bike Path.