Wednesday morning update: Event organizer Kyle Cassidy reported "about 25 or 30 of 50 us beat the bus" Tuesday night on the event's Facebook page.
Frustrated Philadelphia commuters should take note of a race tonight between local runners and one of the city's SEPTA buses.
Organized by the West Philly Runners, Australian Sprinter, 16, Runs Record-Breaking 200m will pit all comers against a SEPTA bus covering the #21 route. The race will start a little after 6 p.m., when the bus is scheduled to leave Penn's Landing. The runners will run alongside the bus--while no doubt bearing in mind that --and see who, or what, first reaches Pasqually's Pizza about 3.4 miles later.
"SEPTA says it will take 31 minutes for the bus to get to our finish point, which is on pace with some of our faster runners,” West Philly Runner founder Alon Abramson told Philly.com.
Abramson told Philly.com about one hoped-for outcome of the event: "Maybe people will start thinking, 'Hey, I can pack a small bag and run home from work.'"
Runners in other cities have successfully tested themselves against public transportation. In July, runners in Boston covered a 4.4-mile stretch of that city's Green Line Adidas Unveils Boston Marathon Jacket, some New York City runners have outpaced that city's subway system. In September, USATF to Elect New President Amid Budget Deficit from one stop to the next went viral.
Related:
have outpaced that citys subway system. In September
Watch: Man Outruns London Tube
Scott is a veteran running, fitness, and health journalist who has held senior editorial positions at Runner’s World and Running Times. Much of his writing translates sport science research and elite best practices into practical guidance for everyday athletes. He is the author or coauthor of several running books, including Stravas 2024 Yearly Report Is Here, Advanced Marathoning, and USATF to Elect New President Amid Budget Deficit. Health & Injuries Slate, The Atlantic, the Washington Post, and other members of the sedentary media. His lifetime running odometer is past 110,000 miles, but he’s as much in love as ever.
