So I am preparing for a long run in the morning and I started thinking about what I want to do to mentally and physically get ready or it. I usually do my carb load the night before chased down with Gatorade. And I do all of the things that I am supposed to do but I started thinking...what quirky things does anyone else do? For example, I always lay out what I am going to wear. I get my iPod charged and ready to go. I make sure my contact lenses are going to go into the right eye at whatever ghastly hour.  Finally, I shave my legs (you got it easy boys!!). I crawl into bed and tell myself good thoughts about my run. I fall asleep thinking about how awesome I am going to run. When I wake up in the morning I eat my pancakes with peanut butter chased down with Gatorade. I get dressed and I walk out to my driveway. Now, my driveway is not large by any stretch of the imagination but it serves as a visual focal point that allows me to realize that I am starting here and guess what...I am finishing here and whatever happens in the middle well, that is between me and the road.

But back to the quirky things. I have spoken to many a runner and they all have a different way of "getting their groove on" It's kind of funny in a way. Here we are all doing the SAME thing yet totally different and unique. I have spoken to runners who sleep in their clothes they are going to run in. Some have to eat at exactly the same time or else their stomachs will explode (or whatever they think will happen). For me, I know that I have a set of "magic socks." I only pull them out in extreme and dire situations. These socks will almost always guarantee me a successful run so I do not abuse them and use them only when I got a case of the "kerplutters" (um...that is when my running performance is not up to par...kinda like a golfer gets the "shanks".).

And what about what about after the run? Any ritualistic things going on there?  All I can say is...HOT FUDGE SUNDAE!!!

CARRY ON.....