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My unique pre-race tradition

I'm running a marathon in a week and a half. It's on the likely-to-be-frozen, slushy and/or snowy trails of Indiana. I've been preparing by doing all my long runs on the mostly sunny, warm, dry trails of the Bay Area.

Last Saturday, five minutes before the end of my two-hour run, I carried out a tradition I've managed to uphold for many of my big races. I fell. I tripped over a root (or a rock or maybe my own feet) and instead of catching myself as I usually do, I went down hard. I tore a nice big patch of skin off my elbow. I was otherwise fine, though, and I was able to finish the run.

I've done this many times before. Three weeks before Ironman Coeur d'Alene, at mile 90 of my last long bike ride, I crashed stupidly while going about 5mph and gave my knee a big scab that was still there on race day. And I can remember past races done with scabs and bruises that were the result of tripping over my own feet. I am a klutz.

Best to get it out of my system before race day, right?

November 22, 2005 9:44 PM