Like my old friend (in my dreams) Stevie Wonder always said:
“When you believe in things
That you don’t understand
Then you suffer
Superstition ain’t the way”
His song has had a spot in my running music repertoire seemingly forever. Despite Stevie’s warning, I have to admit I have some running superstitions:
Orange is a good luck color for masters runners. I wasn’t aware of this until I unwittingly wore an orange tee to my 2nd marathon–the one that turned out to be the magical BQ performance. Since then I always make sure I have something orange on when I race.
The song that comes up on my iPod dictates the overall tone of the race. When I did the Soldier Field 10-miler, Depeche Mode’s Precious came up at the starting line:
“Things get damaged
Things get broken
I thought we’d manage
But words left unspoken
Left us so brittle
There was little left to give”
I ended up badly spraining my ankle right at mile 5 (furthest point from the finish of course) and had to make the executive decision to either hop on the sag wagon or run/walk it in. Any guesses what I did?
Most of the time I don’t race with tunes. This is probably a good thing!
Before a race I tie my shoes one time and one time only. Anything more than this and there’s trouble. Not sure what exactly or where this one came from but there it is.
I always eat the same thing before a long run.
I always wear my Lift My Sole necklace on any runs
I always put my contacts in last
I always wear my road ID tag on my right shoe
But I am not superstious… 🙂
I do not have any superstitions yet but I think I should wear orange in my next race 🙂
I really don't have superstitions related to running.
Hi Marcia,
I don't have any real running or racing superstitions. One thing that I always do before crossing a road is look both ways twice…just to make sure there are no cars and that I won't get hit. Happy Wednesday Marcia:)
i don't really have any superstitions per se but i know i have a set routine before running and i feel weird if i don't do it but so far it hasn't turned into a MUST to thing
and i feel lucky (anytime not just running) when i have on an outfit that i know i look good in. then i feel like i can do anything!
No superstitions here! But I love yours! Maybe if I had some lady lucky would make me faster? Hmmm….
Funny…. no real superstitions over here. (Boring, I know.)
I don't think of myself as superstitious but I am a creature of habit. I always eat the same things before I run, I wear the same hat, drink cytomax before and check my shoe tightness. I don't like surprises.
oh, I'm so glad I'm not generally superstitious…but now knowing the whole orange thing might change that. oy! I do have one really cute orange running shirt…
Hmmm I don't really have any yet, but I'm sure I will acquire some over time, just my personality! 🙂 Like the idea of something orange.
I always say that I'm not superstitious, but then usually follow up that statement with some pronouncement that sounds decidedly superstitious!
I would not wear my Boston celebration jacket (thanks again, Marcia!) until I had crossed the finish line. But of course, I'm not superstitious.
I'm sending you my orange shorts!!!! They have failed me a few too many times so I need you to wave your magic wand on them and then I can wear them again in a race!
I haven't run any races yet so I don't have any superstitions.. I'm sure I'll develop some over time haha!
I love your new layout by the way 🙂
I dont know if I have superstitions or lucks…I hate running in shorts without pockets, and I have to have my headphone cord tucked through my shirt.
First, I love both of those songs. Second, I used to always wear a certain necklace when I raced. Then I forgot it and ran well and now I wear it or not.
I love orange. So, I think you should stick with it for all your races.
I am not superstitious, but I wore the exact same outfit at my first 3 marathons (except for the shoes, all Saucony though). I just knew that it was the outfit that got me across the finish line. I have since changed most of my outfit. I still wear the same sports bra (still in good condition), wear my road id on the left shoe and the chip on the right shoe. Hey, it can't hurt!
I used to be a gymnast and we were crazy superstitious, like if you had a great warm up you were destined to fail during the actual gymnastics meet, so you wanted the warm-up to just be plain awful basically…. With running and life I am not sure if I am superstitious or O.C.D. ha! but I always kiss my kids and my husband twice each and then they kiss me..once at the starting line I absolutely do not look behind me I don't know or care what is there and then I do three little leaps before I take off running and away I go…
Firstly (is that a proper word), how eerie about the song that came on and your ankle sprain. What an omen!
I used to have a favorite orange hat I wore anytime I ran. It was borrowed (read: stolen) from my husband's friend. It is cotton and got really nasty and my husband told me it's ugly, so I bought a new (actually made for running) Carolina blue hat. Maybe I should switch back to the orange one for luck?!
um, have you seen my socks? I DON'T race without them
I guess I'm pretty boring too b/c I don't have any superstitions either.
No real superstitionsbut I do eat the same thing before a race, carry the same gels with me, and have outfits that just make me feel better.
i crinkle my race bib up before a race. other than that i don't have any traditions/superstitions 🙂
I stick with the "no new is good new" mantra and it has served me fairly well over the years.