The Tradition

Creature of habit, that's what I am.  Don't ask why it started or how it started, but the week before a race it's my tradition to stop shaving.  Then the day before the race, shave and get a hair cut.  I tell everybody it's so I'll be more aerodynamic.  Maybe I believe that, honestly, I like to think it's more about being lazy.  Never change anything come race day, so that's the tradition, deal with it!

Nothing wrong with tradition, well except when you wait until 8 pm the night before to shave and find out that there's no shaving cream in the house and you have to get up at 4:30 in the morning to get to the race.  Looks like my tradition is coming to an end.

Getting up early, driving three hours for a race is my limit.  Granted, I had to run scruffy, but I think the car ride had more to do with my tired legs than the drag from my beard.  At mile two, I felt pretty good.  I tried to stay in control though and stay at my pace.  At the turn around spot, I had caught most of the people who I targeted, but I was also getting tired.  Mile nine, I was slightly slower than the pace I wanted, but I also knew it was over, no goals today.  By mile eleven, I was done, happy simply to finish and call it a day.  Completely a different finish than previous half marathon.

The course was the most boring route to date.  Out and back on an almost straight trail with very little to look at.  Six hours round trip to drive there and back, under two for the race, made for a long boring day.  I don't think even my tradition could have salvaged the day, but my razor's happy!