Runner's World

One of my family routines growing up was my dad taking all of us to the local community college track on Sunday mornings to run laps. This went a long way to growing in me a love and appreciation for running. So it is natural that I want to do the same for my kids. So yesterday morning, I took them to the nearest track, on the Penn campus, which happens to be Franklin Field, home of Penn Relays. It's up there with the most famous and hallowed tracks in the world, and it excites me that my kids will learn to run recreationally there.

The summer schedule is a bit of a crap shoot, as their website said one thing, and the bulletin said three different things. When we arrived, the door was closed but unlocked, so we went in, ran a lap, and then headed out, lest we get into trouble if in fact the track was off-limits. A maintenance guy came by as we were heading out, and I asked him if the track was open, and he shrugged his shoulders and called his supervisor. It turns out it was closed - oops! - and I didn't get much more guidance as to which source of information was reliable as to if and when it would be open over the summer. So maybe it won't be at Franklin Field, but I will find a place for the kids to get their run on.