Training for my third marathon is very different than my first. There isn’t the novelty factor or the excitement since I’ve run all the distances before. I miss finishing a long run feeling invincible because I ran a new distance, never before fathomed.

In hopes of avoiding burnout and boredom this year, I’m figuring out new ways to keep the experience fresh and fun. Running in different cities helps immensely as there is excitement and I find the miles fly by as I lose myself in the scenery. Signing up for races on the weekends can also help break up the distance. When we are in Seattle next weekend we are running a 10 mile bridge race across the Narrows as part of our 16 miler. The middle ten miles will be filled with people, excitement, new sights, and energy while also allowing me to practice pacing and running without stopping since I won’t have to deal with traffic or lights.

Earlier this week when Meghan and I were talking about our long run I suggested we run to the George Washington Bridge. Located on the Northwest end of the Island the bridge connects New York and New Jersey while spanning almost a mile across the Hudson. On a clear day the views are breathtaking and on a steamy, hazy day like yesterday the bridge provides some much needed breeze.

The best part about this route was that it was a Westside Highway or Hudson River Greenway PDR and took me further north than I’ve ever been! Knowing that we had a landmark goal made the run north more fun and motivated us to keep going versus possibly turning around early. The route also challenged us with hills in the second half, great practice for our hill filled marathon.

So while none of my distances this time around will be new, one of my keys to a fun training season is finding something new in each long run whether it’s a bridge you’ve never crossed, a hill you haven’t conquered, a new path, negative splits, or a new running partner.

How do you keep your training schedule fresh and exciting?