I definitely slowed down during the mile on the trail and was very happy to leave the railroad behind and return to paved roads just before the 2nd mile marker.īack on the pavement I realized that I could see Matt a short distance ahead of me. Parts of the trail were covered with a thick layer of fresh, damp wood chips, which felt a bit like running in sand. If you love local history as much as I do, you can read more about the Newtown Square Branch and see the original, interactive version of the map above at .Īlthough I was excited about the rail trail for historical reasons, it wasn’t exactly a fast running surface for a race. The Newtown Square Branch was closed down in the 1960s, and by the time I was born in the mid-eighties the tracks were gone and all that remained of the line were some old trestles and the right-of-way that we ran on yesterday. I also grew up in and still live in Newtown Square so this particular rail line is especially interesting to me. I love how railroads helped shape the development of communities and how their right of ways still play a role in routing of roads and potential public-use rail trails. This was no ordinary trail, though… it was the old right of way for the Newtown Square Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad! I’m a huge local history buff and I’m not gonna lie… that mile of trail was the primary reason we ran this race. The race began at Haverford Middle School and we wound around a few neighborhoods before spending a mile or so on a long, straight trail.

The 8:30am race kicked off Haverford Township Day, a local festival with a parade, craft vendors, a flea market and live music. Yesterday morning Matt and I ran a mixed surface road/trail 5K in Havertown, PA.

Haverford township day