Sep 5, 2014

Five Race Day Rituals | Friday Five


Let's go racing! Ok, maybe not right this second, but let's pretend we're going racing. Let's walk through that day. What does that morning look like for you? Are you a simple piece of toast, run like a maniac, have your free bottle of water and banana and you're done? Or do you have a routine the resembles a MLB player stepping up to bat? The Friday Five linkup looks to examine that phenomenon this week. This week's topic is

Five Race Day Rituals (of my brain)

Race Day Rituals
Not to be confused with Brian

1. Why am I awake at this senseless hour?

That would be the first thought I have after the alarm goes off at half past too damn early. Heaven help you if you need to drive any substantial distance to get to your race as well. When doing the Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Run, I had to drive to the metro then ride it into D.C. I was so early driving that even the lights at the Dunkin Donuts were off. It wasn't even "time to make the donuts".

2. I know I need to go, but I don't need to go.

Ah, the ever endless battle leading up to race time.  With early morning, beat the rooster, forget the bugle, wake up call, of course your body is out of sorts. You know you need to get the morning bathroom break out of the way and yet of course you don't feel ready too. Don't feel uncomfortable talking about it, everybody poops. I mean, who doesn't want to have to go a mile and a half into a 13 mile run?

3. Crap, what did I forget?

No matter how many times you checked your bag the night before... No matter how many times you checked again before you left the house or hotel... No matter how many times you checked yourself before your wrecked yourself... you always feel like there has to be something you're overlooking, but you can never figure out what, that is, until it's too late. Hope those safety pins weren't important.

4. Why did I pay to run this far?

This one is exclusive to the longer distances. At some point, looking at the daunting task ahead, I can't help but think "What am I doing? Why would I volunteer to run that many miles on a Saturday, for fun? Not just volunteer, I PAID them to do it! Why?" Generally, that is luckily just a fleeting thought before hand. On hard runs, it may come back for another visit or two.

5. Man, that sucked... when does registration open?

No matter how hard the race itself is, runner's memory always kicks in. You may be exhausted, tired, sore, busted, broken and falling apart, but you'll be ready to sign up again.

Another Link Up Opportunity

Do you love Disney? Do you blog? Do you want to blog about Disney? Why not come join my new link up starting this Monday: Mickey Monday. The requirements are simple, just write about Disney. It can be runDisney, the parks, the food, the characters, the channel or the mouse himself. All that matters is a Disney post and a desire to link up with others who love Disney. I'll be starting the first official link up this Monday right here and co-hosting with Adventures by Katie, so please come on by to add a link or read what others have to share.

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Linking Up

Check here for some links out to others sharing, staring with our three lovely hosts: CourtneyCynthia and Mar. Check their posts (Eat Pray Run DC, You Signed Up for What?! and Mar on the Run to see the full set of links). I will add some others, usually randomly, as I read them to share the love. Go visit and keep reading!

Our hosts:

Eat Pray Run, DC

You Signed Up for What?!

Mar on the Run

Some other good reads, pulled from the link up

Deborah @ Confessions of a Mother Runner

Sue @ This Mama Runs for Cupcakes

Tara @ Running 'N' Reading


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31 comments:

  1. The "what did I forget" is pretty funny - and so true! Since it's (hopefully, usually) only one thing, I feel better as soon as I figure out what I forgot and how to deal with it (usually go buy it, sometimes do without). Happy Friday!

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  2. Haha these were hilarious!! #4 and #5 always go through my mind.

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    1. Glad they gave you a laugh and also that I'm not alone on some of these thoughts.

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  3. LOL hilarious! I always think I forgot something too. Funny how racing makes us so OCD. Happy Friday

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    1. Glad you enjoyed them. Running can just have a "way you do that" and any other way feels wrong, haha. Need all the pieces in place.

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  4. These all sound like the things I think of on race day too! Your link up sounds fun. I might have to stop by. Is linking up a disney post that I already wrote okay?

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    1. Yeah. There's no problem with that. I just wanted to share some Disney love each week, and felt, why not get together with others too. If it's Disney, it works.

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  5. Okay, I am really laughing out loud. At my desk. While I'm supposed to be getting some work done (it's Friday, though). "Man, that sucked...when does registration open?" CLASSIC! Only runners can understand this phenomenon! Thank you for sharing your list, and I hope you have a great weekend!

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    1. Glad it made you laugh. It's Friday, there's always plenty we should be doing. Hope you have a great weekend too.

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  6. haha I love the approach you took to the this week's theme. I have those exact same thoughts! too true.

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    1. I dont have a lot of actual rituals, so I thought this was a good way to take it. Glad you liked it.

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  7. This is great! I've had many races where i've thought the exact same things.

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    1. Yeah. It's one of those things that just happens to runners.

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  8. Haha, this is great. I think the same thing when my alarm goes off every weekend at 4:30am so I can go run an ungodly amount of miles! But yet we STILL do it...odd isn't it?

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  9. Oh number 2... Am I hydrated enough? Bladder says too much, throat says too little...

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  10. I'm always cursing myself when the alarm goes off. 'I mean, why did I sign up for this race again? You know how much you hate waking up in the morning...'. And yes, even when a race is horrible (on my part), I seem to easily forget and register again when it opens up haha.

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    1. Yeah. I think if the race is horrible on my part, sometimes that even fuels me to want to do it again and do better. The brain does quickly forget that pain for registration gain.

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  11. oh yes - always thinking why i chose to do this. lol. great post and good luck with your new linkup!

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  12. I always feel like I am forgetting something!!!
    And why did I pay for this? I could be sleeping!! Ha
    Great post!

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  13. Great list ! Love four and five, I can relate.

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    1. Thanks. I think some of them are just those things that happens to a runner. I think the forgetting and registering again is part of the brain being shaken during the course of actually running. Now, I'm no scientist, but I have stayed in a Holiday Express (but not recently).

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  14. Replies
    1. That alarm is a beast. Always try to get myself excited in some way to get over that "it's 4 am" hump.

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  15. Replies
    1. Glad you enjoyed. I love taking part in the link up. Sometimes these themes just give me the right thing to think about.

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  16. This was my favorite post of the race rituals linkup. I love your humorous approach!

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