Always after me Lucky Charms!

Brrrrrrr!
Actual temp 2.  Wind chill -11.  Me ... wuss at the gym on the toasty treadmill.  That was the case yesterday and this this morning as I put my final touches on my Austin Marathon prep.  Anytime I can convey the ambient condition outside with one syllable ... that's not good! 

But I did see this cat running on the way home from the gym ...

Somebody braving the cold
(Kinda creepy ... takin' a pic of another dude without his knowledge???)

And these fine fellows enduring the weather...

Cold Turkey ... Hahahahahahahah! (sarcastic dork laugh)

Lucky Charms
Do you carry a good luck charm during a marathon?  As a typical athlete, I've always been a little superstitious.  Not to the point where I thought the item had special powers or anything.  But I guess having some trinket with me (or on me), or a certain pregame routine, gave me a relaxed mindset or comfort level for the athletic event.

In high school football, I wore the same shirt under my pads every game during my Junior & Senior years.  And in college baseball, I always warmed up with the same guy, and went through the exact same pregame stretching pattern.

A few races ago, I started carrying my "Good Luck Puck".   Its a small wooden, laminated disk with a picture of the two best kids in the world on one side, and my hottie wife and studly dog on the other.  The first race I carried it with me was the Top of Utah where I BQ'd.  Since then I have carried it in all my races and I've PR'd twice and not broken a hip yet!

Do I think this thing has magical powers or something?  Heck no!  I'm way too religious for something like that.  But it does feel good to reach into my pocket during a race and see the faces of my favorite peeps, and canine smiling back at me.  It's like a little burst of love-fuel!

Another thing is ... I just feel better when I'm in my favorite light blue Nike running shirt.  I call it "VICTORY BLUE"!  (Michael thinks that's dumb)  But I'm pretty sure it makes me faster. And when I run my marathon in North Carolina, I'll blend right in with the rest of the Tarheels.

What about you ...
Do you have a good luck charm?
Do you have any pre-race rituals?
Do you have a certain "dress-for-success" getup you wear?
...be great today!