March 20th, 2014 marks the first day of spring, although the dismal view outside of my window implies otherwise. Is there even a sun anymore? Regardless, spring fever will be here soon enough, and Lewisburg, Pa. is conveniently full of remedies.
If you’re like me, your legs have been craving spring for what seems like an eternity. Right before spring break, I tried to run the Buffalo Valley Rail Trail (located about 1.5 miles from campus—you can walk there!), but it was covered in ice and snow (it turned out to be a terrible run, but a humorous spectacle for anyone who might’ve seen me…).
But now that spring is officially here, it’s time to stop waiting in line for a treadmill at the KLARC and get outside. I have some recommendations of the best places to run for a Bucknell student!
Check Out the Buffalo Valley Rail Trail
It’s about nine miles long, and it’s a straightaway. No inclines, just a combination of pavement, gravel and dirt road. There are some truly beautiful views of farms and quaint country houses, and if you run far enough, you’ll make it to Mifflinburg! Since it’s a straightaway, you can turn around anytime and double your distance. It’s great if you’re looking for a long, slow run. And for whatever reason, people are super friendly! I’ve been encouraged and high-fived multiple times by strangers on this trail, so I highly recommend it for anyone who needs a little motivation. Be warned: the view of farms and animal life comes with the overpowering stench of manure. I’ve gone on runs when I don’t smell it at all, but other times, I regret not wearing a mask.
Where is it? Just walk behind the Lewisburg Professional Building until you see signs for the Buffalo Valley Rail Trail. (On the corner across from Lewisburg High School).
Discover the Hidden Treasures of Downtown Lewisburg
Running through the streets of downtown Lewisburg really helped me become acclimated to the area when I was a freshman. Running up and down each street stemming from Market Street makes it really easy to get fast mileage. Although the terrain is flat pavement, if you go up Walnut Alley onto St. Catherine’s street, you will get a beautiful view of the Susquehanna River and a slight incline.
Where is it? Starting anywhere on Market street, you can go up and down several streets, corners, alleys, etc. The bridge over the Susquehanna offers a slight incline and a wonderful, breathtaking view.
Test How Well You Really Know Your Campus
When running on Bucknell’s campus for the first time, what I realized was that Bucknell is big. Really big. I was able to log a 10 mile run by starting around the Bucknell Golf Course and just running across and around Bucknell’s main campus, and venturing behind, uphill, downhill, etc. To lengthen your runs across campus, aim to run part of it around the Golf Course and Mods (Bucknell West, where the soccer and field hockey fields are). There are a bunch of short residential roads with short inclines that will add endurance and strength to your runs. The roads will also guarantee that you won’t get lost! There are several huge inclines on campus (from the downhill side to uphill near the Quad), which can either be included or avoided if desired.
Hit the Web
More recently, I’ve used www.MapMyRun.com to scope out some of the 3,519 Lewisburg running trails available. It’s really useful and easy to understand, and the trails are contributed by local runners. The distance, elevation, texture and any other key information is included, and you can also map your own runs privately or publish them for other people to use!