The pre race party

I went to pick up my packet for a half marathon tonight.  The place was swarming with runners juiced with equal parts excitement and pre-race jitters.  I feel lean and fit just hanging out with a thousand runners who are trained and primed and ready, all sinew and muscle underneath their dri fit clothing. 

It is a strange ritual, if you think about it.  We have all carbed, fibered, and hydrated.  We collect the goodie bag, check our assigned number, and reassure ourselves that it is a lucky one indeed.  We try on the race tee to make sure it fits, while knowing deep down that our ability to wear it with pride depends on how things go in the morning. We are a random assortment of people, each with his or her own reasons for being there, at different stages of life, fitness, and training, coming from all over to run the same roads for a few hours.  I have to shut out thoughts of the actual race or I will probably throw up my spaghetti, but for tonight it is cool just to be here and part of something big. And it's always fun to hang out with runners.