Summer in NYC is HOT. And July always seems to descend with a vengeance. It’s as though July 4th must be synonymous with brutally thick, humid weather, and the city becomes a sticky hotbox.
I’m a morning runner, preferring to start my day with a jaunt along the Hudson River, which can be extremely refreshing on the nice days. Lately, even my 6:30am runs turn me into a sweaty mess within minutes. As much as I’ve always resisted running in such intense humidity, I’ve been pretty proud of myself and felt like a real trooper lately with my ability to handle the heat. I think I’ve just succumbed to the fact that I will be drenched within a mile or two, and just keep repeating the mantra “You probably won’t die. You probably won’t die,” as I continue along during my longer runs. And I have to admit, the feeling of completion and accomplishment after a long, hot, hard run is prettttty amazing.
Thankfully, Riverside Park along the Hudson River on the west side of Manhattan has some unique artistic distractions to take in as I sweat, like:
the (big) apple engagement ring, which is my personal fave;
the stream-dancing metal ballerina, who always reminds me of my mom, who was a NYC ballerina once upon a time;
and the cool metal fish in the sea (which always makes me wish I was at an island, or in the ocean, rather than sweating through a humid July morning).
This is one of the many things I love about my city, the massive random art pieces scattered all about. There are so many talented individuals in The Big Apple, and I love how different pieces are showcased in different seasons. I run this river route on a regular basis and come to see these pieces as landmarks along the way.
Makes me feel pretty lucky to live in such a cool place…and makes my runs much more aesthetically enjoyable. 🙂
Question: What makes your running route unique?
runthisapple.wordpress.com 
I think I want to move to nYC.