Pillars.

Along with the rest of Fit Philly, I cross train at the Art Museum Steps.   They (the steps) are majestic, captured by movies and a tourist's destination.  But They (the steps) are steep, narrow, plateau at all the right intervals and a damn good workout.

There is a place just beyond where a hooded Rocky ran, arms up against the sky, about 50 yards and  a fountain away, where another set of steps takes you up and through 6 pillars.  If you turn to face the city again, from in between pillars 3 and 4, drop and do pushups with your head focused forward - the city is cut in half and you are on top of the world.

I have stood on these steps at 6PM on a cold January night, watching the stars pop, wondering how I would muster the strength to finish my 3 mile run and I've worked out on these steps in the July mid-morning heat - to the point of exhaustion.  No matter the month; no matter the time of day or what kind of shape I happen to be in, this place, with its steady strength, removed from the city center, shadowed, quiet and safe, is an escape.  Plain and simple.

Go here, work to the top, turn and realize how far you've come, breath it in for a long moment and don't rush back.  Trust me.