Superstitions?

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turd ferguson
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Superstitions?

Postby turd ferguson » Fri Dec 07, 2007 5:14 pm

Do you have any running or racing superstitions?

I'm not talking about actual race prep, stuff that actually makes sense (i.e. always start slow and finish fast). I'm talking the pure superstitions, voodoos, quirks, goofy stuff. The stuff that doesn't actually make sense but works for you.

I have three:

- timing chip ALWAYS goes on the left foot
- I never wear matched socks (right now its one white, one purple)
- I never wash my running hat (that's where I store the mojo)

Anyone else?
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Jo-Jo
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Postby Jo-Jo » Fri Dec 07, 2007 5:25 pm

I refuse to put my timing chip on my shoe...dh has to do that. Or my dad.
My complete obsession with this "rule" became apparent when I went to Montreal in September by myself to run the HalfM. No dh, no Dad :shock: :shock: No Maniac to help me :shock:
Solution: Taking the metro to my hotel after race kit pickup I spotted a family where the dad had a race kit. I went over and said..."I know this may sound wierd but I have this superstition...could you please put my race chip on my shoe"
He totally understood...and was happy to do so.
Runners...a nice bunch :D
My dh was totally not surprised that I asked a total stranger to do this. :roll:
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Postby FishPants » Fri Dec 07, 2007 5:28 pm

I have certain socks that I call my "Race socks" and I always wear them.

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Postby ultraslacker » Fri Dec 07, 2007 7:21 pm

yeah I have a pair of "lucky" socks but I don't know why I think that since I wore them at OIM and had a brutal race... but anyway... I still wear them for important races. lol

And of course the "don't wear the race shirt until you complete the race" thing.

I think that's it.
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Postby MINITEE » Fri Dec 07, 2007 7:27 pm

I always wear new socks... :shock:
Never wear the race shirt until after the race...
Since I received it last Christmas (from my Maniac Secret Santa) I always take my lucky "Reach for the Stars" stone with me...

I have my own chip, firmly attached to my right shoe :wink:
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Hey, be careful around me, apparently I'm a chronically offended kind of person... ;)

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Postby amesy » Fri Dec 07, 2007 8:14 pm

klewlis wrote:
And of course the "don't wear the race shirt until you complete the race" thing.



Yeah, me too. I feel like I'm cheating or something. I have never worn the shirt before race. Only post- race.
Breath... it's what you do best.

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Postby deerdree » Fri Dec 07, 2007 8:25 pm

i have a general superstition in life which i suppose you could say carries on to races -- i always put my right shoe on first. always. (some call it ocd :oops:)

for races i like to wear my yellow livestrong bracelet. saw jo-jo wearing hers at ATB so i put mine on and had a great race. i've worn it ever since.

and then of course there's my lucky egg...

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Postby Jo-Jo » Fri Dec 07, 2007 8:35 pm

deerdree wrote:i have a general superstition in life which i suppose you could say carries on to races -- i always put my right shoe on first. always. (some call it ocd :oops:)

for races i like to wear my yellow livestrong bracelet. saw jo-jo wearing hers at ATB so i put mine on and had a great race. i've worn it ever since.

and then of course there's my lucky egg...


Dee...a little story about my livestrong bracelet.
At the start line of NCM HalfM in 2005 a Maniac (Nasim...who does not post much) handed me the bracelet and said..."you probably have one of these but I wanted to give you something" I was thrilled because I did not have a livestrong bracelet...and Nasim had given me a Junior size one...so it actually fit.

This was before RM got started...some of us had met in cyberspace on the RR site and decided to meet in real life at the NCM Friendship run.

For me it was my first running M&G :D

BTW...Irongirl and ironboy were there...along with Running Diva. Hmmm..maybe bunsontherun...

Tell us about the egg :D
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Re: Superstitions?

Postby Dr. S » Fri Dec 07, 2007 8:58 pm

Al Gore wrote:- I never wash my running hat (that's where I store the mojo)


Oh wow! I sweat so much that I have to wash my running hat...

I surpringly have no running related superstitions...

I did have one for chemistry exams during my bachelor and it sounded like yours Mike. I wore the same wool sweater for all my bachelor's exam and never washed the sweater in 3 years.... I know very gross. I still own it but it's not in a very good shape now!
Sonia

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Postby MoeMan » Fri Dec 07, 2007 10:52 pm

On my regular run, at a certain sign post I run on the out side of the post.
My fun thought was that it would insure a good run. I always told myself that it was not superstitious just a fun thing to do.
However, last week as I appraoched the post I saw that the curb was full of snow. It was about 2 feet high from the plowing of the roads.
Now this was a test, do I just keep running on the sidewalk or somehow pass on the out side? At the last moment I hopped on the snow bank and passed the pole on the out side. I wonder what I looked like to the cars passing me? Oh, - I did the same thing on the way back.
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Postby Madame Bourette » Fri Dec 07, 2007 10:59 pm

I sacrifice a goat before the race because it's hard to buy a virgin for sacrifice these days.
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Postby getfit » Fri Dec 07, 2007 11:00 pm

I run with a friend 2 days a week. When we run together I always have to be on the right and she's on the left. If by chance we start on the wrong side it always just feels weird and we switch by the second block. When I run with other people it doesn't seem to matter :?
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Re: Superstitions?

Postby turd ferguson » Fri Dec 07, 2007 11:05 pm

solo_running_chick wrote:
Al Gore wrote:- I never wash my running hat (that's where I store the mojo)


Oh wow! I sweat so much that I have to wash my running hat...



I sweat like a diseased yak in a steam room but its still my superstition.
"Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so." - Douglas Adams

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Postby amesy » Fri Dec 07, 2007 11:09 pm

Iron Terrible wrote:I sacrifice a goat before the race because it's hard to buy a virgin for sacrifice these days.


:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Damn, man, I hope yer kiddin', right? RIGHT?!? :roll:
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Postby Robbie-T » Fri Dec 07, 2007 11:20 pm

chip always goes on right foot, thats my power foot, and the dominant one too so it can carry the extra weight.

RoadId neck chain always gets swung around to my back

safety pins on the bib, top two are vertical to the ground, bottom two are horizontal. Bib gets put on the shirt as early as possible then folded neatly in my shirt until race time. This stores the power and bonds the number to the shirt. I saw Joseph Nderitu do this once a couple years ago, good enough for Joseph good enough for Robbie-T.
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Postby Doonst » Fri Dec 07, 2007 11:22 pm

"When you believe in things
that you don't understand,
Then you suffer,
Superstition ain't the way"
next up:


This broken wing will fly again
One fine day
This blackbird's mute gonna sing again
One fine day

So all you sinners come out
And all you drunkards crawl out
Come into the light of one fine day

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Postby trixiee » Sat Dec 08, 2007 8:06 am

Doonst-in-space wrote:"When you believe in things
that you don't understand,
Then you suffer,
Superstition ain't the way"


Earworm!
:P

No running superstitions, a few driving superstitions though! I *know* that when I hit a certan traffic light, and it's green, it'll be a good day. If it's red, I have to be careful, it just might not be my day!
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Postby Sir Crashalot » Sat Dec 08, 2007 11:21 am

Not really a superstition, but I always have to trying something new on race day. Adds to the thrill & challenge of the day I suppose. Whether it be new socks, shorts, shirts, shoes, cycling stuff like a new saddle, pedals, bike, position adjustments,.... anything really :D
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Postby Samantha » Sat Dec 08, 2007 11:23 am

deerdree wrote:i have a general superstition in life which i suppose you could say carries on to races -- i always put my right shoe on first. always. (some call it ocd :oops:)
.


I always put my left shoe on first.

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Postby Samantha » Sat Dec 08, 2007 11:25 am

Iron Terrible wrote:I sacrifice a goat before the race because it's hard to buy a virgin for sacrifice these days.


:eh: Clearly you aren't in the loop on the human trafficking problem :shock:

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Postby Jo-Jo » Sat Dec 08, 2007 12:53 pm

Samantha wrote:
Iron Terrible wrote:I sacrifice a goat before the race because it's hard to buy a virgin for sacrifice these days.


:eh: Clearly you aren't in the loop on the human trafficking problem :shock:


Bad Sammy...Bad Sammy :shock: :wink:
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Postby GK » Sat Dec 08, 2007 1:59 pm

I am shocked that I have no superstitions.

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Postby Size5 » Sat Dec 08, 2007 2:32 pm

I'm in the camp that you never wear a race shirt until the race is done. In fact, I've been known to leave it in the bag until the race is done and not even look at the thing :roll: .

Beyond that, I'm not sure I have many other superstitions. I don't have a shoe pattern that I'm aware of such as the right foot first. I have no issues with timing chips going on any foot. I'll wear whatever socks I can find but generally I now try to wear orange to a race....

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Re: Superstitions?

Postby Dr. S » Sat Dec 08, 2007 4:29 pm

Al Gore wrote:
solo_running_chick wrote:
Al Gore wrote:- I never wash my running hat (that's where I store the mojo)


Oh wow! I sweat so much that I have to wash my running hat...



I sweat like a diseased yak in a steam room but its still my superstition.


LMAO! I hope for you that the hat is white so the sweat layers don'T show too much! haha
Sonia

7 marathons (PB 5:01)
31 halfs (PB 2:10)
----------------------------
The plan for 2014: 10K des glaces & Apocalypse 5K
2015: No plan at all!

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Postby SusanD » Sat Dec 08, 2007 5:13 pm

Size5 wrote:I'm in the camp that you never wear a race shirt until the race is done.
I thought that was a given. And if you don't run it you can't wear it. Isn't there an unwritten law to that effect somewhere? :P

Chip is always on the right ankle but I never considered that a superstition, just the way it should be. :)
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