Yeah, I'm a bit of a pack rat and I typically have a hard time getting rid of things, mostly because I have this silly habit of attaching some sentimental value to whatever it is I have. Case in point, I still have a pack of cigarettes, Russian cigarettes, I picked up in East Berlin (yeah, when the city was divided). I don't even smoke, with the exception of an occasional cigar a couple times a year, but I picked these things up back when I was 18 while on a trip to Berlin, all by myself. I'll skip the details but suffice it to say I get attached to things pretty easy.
Another case in point, my running shoes. Yeah, I know, weird. For those of you who know me I've been a runner for MANY years with lots of races under my belt. I can't begin to count the number of shoes I've had and nearly all have shared some great experience with me. Since 1992, I've completed 30 marathons, a couple of Iron distance triathlons, several dozen smaller triathlons, a couple of ultra marathons, countless half marathons, 10ks, etc. When it comes time to put my old shoes to pasture, it's a little hard sometimes. I look at those shoes and I'll have vivid memories of a particular race - across the lonely desert floor, through a torrential downpour, along the pristine California coast. It'll bring back emotions, smells and tastes that I experienced during the event. Some of them pleasant, others not so much. But the bottom line, every pair of shoes I've worn during a race has carried me over the finish line and for that they hold a small place of honor with me.
I wouldn't expect many of you to understand and that's not a judgement. Honestly when I step outside myself and look at my own behavior I think "what a freak!" I would guess my running buddies would understand. Birds of a feather.... Well, I've got my new mounts (shoes) and it's time for a changing of the guard. I'm all set for this weekend's race. A bit nervous and very anxious. I'll have more to say on that topic later.
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