Where is the closest quarter-mile track to South Philadelphia?

March 15, 2010 2:08 PM

Where is the closest quarter-mile track to South Philadelphia?

I'm looking for a track (i.e. for running, not a train) that is open to the public, free to use, and within a 20-minute drive from South Philly (19148 to be specific).

posted by hpliferaft to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (4 answers total)

Atco Raceway Sunday Sunday Sunday!
posted by fixedgear at 2:11 PM on March 15, 2010

Here and here are some very good runs throughout the city. Unfortunately besides the track at U Penn (which I have never attempted to run on) I don't know of any tracks that are open to the public. Of course I hope that by me saying that I've never come across one personally, that at least two or three will rise up from the ether within the city limits just to remind me that I am old enough to not know everything. Good luck, and let us know if you come across one.
posted by chosemerveilleux at 5:25 PM on March 15, 2010

You know I've used Google Maps to look for tracks in cities I have lived in. They look so distinctive that you can search a lot of the city pretty quickly. Set it to satellite view.
posted by OmieWise at 5:07 AM on March 16, 2010

There's a track surrounding the football fields near 10th and Bigler. This forum thread suggests that it's open to the public but only at inconvenient times. (Also, it's right near the Schuylkill Expressway, which may be unpleasant...)

If you do what OmieWise suggests and look in Google satellite view, you won't see it; that's because it was recently constructed.
posted by madcaptenor at 5:28 AM on March 16, 2010