"Find a penny pick it up, all day long you'll have good luck." Will a quarter bring me 25 times the good luck? I guess you could call me a little superstitious!
Call them superstitions, call them rituals, most runners have them. For example, seasoned runners never wear a race shirt prior to running a race or at the actual event. Is it for luck or to be cool?
Do you plan your race outfit prior to the morning of the event? I do. I leave nothing to chance. I actually check the weather forecast the week before my race, so I can begin thinking about what I want to wear.
Do you think that a particular piece of clothing could bring you bad luck? I had a disastrous run at the 2011 Chicago Marathon, and the shirt I wore to that race will never touch my body again!
Leg cramps at mile 14! Oooh! |
What about fueling during the race? Do you bring your own or leave it to chance? I always do Clif Razz Gel, walk through the water stations, and never drink the gatorade (a near disaster at one race for me).
Altho you may have to fuel with whatever is available on the course, like this guy! |
I never wear new shoes to a race. Or new socks, for that matter. I have black champion underwear that I always wear under my tights.
What about music? Does a certain song bring to mind an amazing run? Do you plan your playlists around a specific race? For me, music can be the one factor that will make or break me, especially towards the end when I start to feel tired and self-doubt creeps in. About a week prior to a race, I begin thinking about what kind of songs I want to listen to. Most are culled from the current list of songs I am listening to on my runs. Right now, I will most certainly include Eminem's 'Till I Collapse, Fort Minor's Remember the Name, Fitz and the Tantrums' The Walker, and Pharrell's Happy.
Runners aren't the only athletes with superstitions. I read that tennis great Serena Williams wears the same pair of socks during an entire tournament. Michael Jordan wore his UNC shorts under his Chicago Bulls uniform throughout his career. Hockey players are well known for growing beards during playoff season.
Do you avoid sidewalk cracks when you run? What if a black cat were to cross your path? What then?
I better stop here before I jinx myself! Time to go knock on wood!
In all seriousness, do you have any prerace or prerun rituals that you never miss? Are you superstitious?