The beaming sunshine warmed the chilly March air as runners jogged around the park that is home to Syracuse's zoo. We were loosening up to make a run through one of the city's great neighborhoods known as Tipperary Hill. This was the 4 mile trek known as the Shamrock Run. In just five years it has grown from a group of a few hundred on the hill's winding roads to a mass of 2600 speeding through the down hills and pushing to survive the uphill climb.
This run is a kick start to the spring road race season in the Syracuse area. It's just a little more than a 5K. It comes about two months before the signature run of the season which is the 10 mile Mountain Goat. The Shamrock Run offers a varied terrain with plenty of hills, but it's the neighborhood itself that makes it remarkable.
Runners twist through some winding streets that take you past Syracuse's most Irish neighborhood. We pass the traffic light with the green light on top and the Stonethrowers monument. We pass St. Patrick's Church and tightly fit two family homes that are well maintained and often owner occupied. There are just enough young people renting in the area to keep it lively.
The race course took us past eight or ten bands entertaining the runners and the crowds that gathered to cheer us on. We also passed the familiar taverns with names like Coleman's, Nibsy and the Blarney Stone.
The mile long rise just past the two mile mark saps some strength that is quickly refreshed with one more turn into Burnet Park. The slight decline into the finish line refreshes the legs. Then it's all smiles and congratulations to other runners who are finishing too.
My pace was just a few seconds different than the last couple years. That's always a good sign. Now that the weather is breaking it's time to up the mileage to get ready for the tougher ten miler in 54 days.
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