Knock on Wood When You Call Me Superstitious

I’m really nervous right now. I have a 10K race tomorrow. But that’s not really why I’m nervous. No. The problem is that someone last night asked my projected time for that race. And I told them. In writing. On a Facebook response. So right there on social media, I said what I’d hoped my pace per mile would be for tomorrow’s 10k. I don’t know about you, but simply putting that goal into writing is just asking for it. It means I risk any number of problems occurring tomorrow morning. Will it be ice on the paved trail? High winds remaining from today’s storms? Or something more personal? Would my IT band dare rear its ugly head? Or my left hamstring? Or… don’t say it – don’t say it – GI issues?

At this point, you are probably saying that I’m being silly or even superstitious. If the latter, then you would be correct. Now typically, I’m not one for superstitions. I don’t think about black cats or avoid walking under ladders. I’ve stepped on a lot of cracks over the years and my Mother’s back is just fine. But when it comes to races, I confess to holding a number of superstitions.

Why would a rational individual such as myself hold such nonsensical concerns? It’s because there are only three kinds of races. Good. Bad. And Meh. While there are varying degrees of each, a Good Race is defined as one that has you feeling positive afterwards. You achieved or exceeded some goal or gained something of personal distinction. It’s a race that makes all the work leading up to it worthwhile. A good example for me was last year’s IMT Half Marathon in Des Moines. I exceeded my personal goal by about two minutes, feeling comfortable for most of the race. The songs on playlist perfectly matched the scenery and the weather could not have been better.

As for a Meh Race, it’s just that. Not great. Not awful. Just a race. Red Flannel in 2019 is a perfect example. I did okay. But my time and place were nothing to write home about either. Just something to build on and improve in the future.

A Bad Race is the opposite of all that. Despite all the preparations, things do not go as planned and you’re left with a lingering frustration not only afterwards, but for some time, usually until the next race. A prime example for me was the virtual IMT Half Marathon in 2020. (BTW, did anything good happen in 2020? Just asking.) Cold winds of 20 mph were bad enough on this dreary mid-October day. But despite this, I had a decent pace going with only three miles remaining when my IT band flared up on my left knee. It was painful enough that I had to stop and walk the rest of the way. Although it was a virtual race – meaning no one else knew I was running for time – every step was a personal embarrassment and that synth-heavy playlist I’d so looked forward to hearing sounded cold and empty.

You never want to have a Bad Race. To avoid that, I do whatever it was I did to have a Good Race. And that’s what leads to the myriad running superstitions that I carefully adhere to leading up to any event. Let me share some examples.

• Never Make Predictions And If You Do, Undersell It. This is why I was so nervous answering that innocent question from another runner on FB. Silly as it sounds, it took me several minutes to finally offer a pace. And of course, I offered a pace that I hope I do exceed. And if not, my ankle better be swollen like a balloon ready to burst or my hamstring on fire.

• Stick To My Pre-Race Ritual, Part 1. No one wants bodily issues while running. For me that means getting up early enough to take care of that. This includes just the right amount of coffee at just the right time. Not too early and for heaven’s sake, not too late.

• Stick To My Pre-Race Ritual, Part 2. This is what happens when arrive at the event. If it’s a one mile warm up, then I complete it at least 30 minutes prior to the start of the race. It also means doing the proper stretches and staying warm – but not too warm – before the race. It also means not waiting too long to make that last trip to the porta-potty!

• Never Listen To My Playlist Before Race Day. Music is a crucial part of a race for me. Great care goes into determining what songs I hear and at which part of the race I hear them. I will listen carefully to a number of songs before making that final determination. But I never – and I mean never – listen to the entirety of that playlist before warming up for that race.

• Have My Racing Attire Ready The Previous Night. For me, indecision is simply tempting the fates for a Bad Race. To avoid that, I review the weather forecasts and determine ahead of time what it is I will wear on Race Day. (I know full well that changing from my Nike stocking cap to that Smartwool one at the last minute was why my IT band acted up during that virtual half marathon.)

• Never Wake Up Amy. My wife is blessed with incredible patience and understanding to put up with me and all of this. She claims that on the nights before races, I seem to run the race in my sleep, making me a less than wonderful bed partner. As a result, when I do get up to commence all of this, I tiptoe with the greatest of care, keeping our dogs as silent as possible so that I don’t wake her. That way, if she wakes up on her own just as I’m leaving, that kiss for “good luck” is genuine and I’m all but guaranteed to have a Good Race.

There you have it. More of the quirks that describe me as a runner. But surely I am not alone in this. I suspect all of us have habits, rituals and even superstitions that we take to our hearts. Don’t be shy about sharing them. And by the way, I typed this with my fingers crossed.