Long Run Saturday. That’s my thing now.

I was actually planning on changing up my schedule this weekend and getting my long run completed tomorrow, but then I realized that tomorrow is Saint Patrick’s Day as well as the NYRR New York City Half-Marathon, so I figured that today would be my best bet. I also happened to end up at Artichoke Pizza last night; For those of your who have never been there, one slice is twice the size of my face and it’s very rich with a cheesy, deliciousness.

Anyways, my long run today was a success. The more good long runs I have, the more terrified I am of encountering a bad one. I’m still crossing my fingers that we never have to meet.

I’m a creature of habit, as most humans are, and I run the same exact route basically every time I’ve been doing my long runs. I run from my apartment uptown to the Central Park entrance at 90th street and do the 6-mile loop around the perimeter of the park. I also go at the same time, so I’ve started recognizing some familiar faces.

The major flaw in this habit that I’ve fallen into is that it gets a little boring and tedious after a while.

Luckily for me, the one thing that I didn’t realize when I chose to do my long run today is that today is the New York City Saint Patrick’s Day Parade.

And I ran right into it.

It was sea of green up and down the streets of 5th Avenue. Some people had very creative costumes, and so did a few dogs. The banging of the drums and bagpipes echoed so loud that I couldn’t even hear the music coming out of my earbuds.

I have to admit though, it was pretty cool. It definitely entertained my long run before I actually entered the park. I also can’t complain that it was a relief to have Central Park be so empty today.

Once I passed the parade and was able to actually focus on my run instead of the calamity around me, I focused on my stride and form.

My legs felt great today and I was really working the uphills. I finished strong and once again, felt extremely satisfied with my performance.

Total Distance: 12 Miles
Total Time: 1 Hour 50 Minutes