I'm in it for the swag

A change is occurring in the drawers of my dresser. Slowly, ever so slowly, the contents within  are being subsumed. My button-ups and band tees are finding their way to the shadowy corners of each drawer. 

What’s replacing them? 

A growing collection of swag from running events. 

I run for many reasons. For my health, for my mind, for the lolz. But I also run for another reason altogether. I run for the swag.

I never thought I’d be one of those cats, the type to don a dated tee commemorating a past event. Back in the day, I shunned athletic wear and the endeavor of physical activity altogether. That choice made sense at the time. The mentality, I mean. But as time passes and as my mind shifts paradigms, it grows harder for me to recollect the exact feelings that inspired that sentiment. 

Regardless of the temporal and mental mechanics, I’m here now, and yes, I love the running swag. 

Each piece of clothing is a memory. 

When I look at the shirt from the Folsom Blues Breakout, my first race and a half marathon held in Folsom, Calif., I can viscerally recall the wave of emotions I felt throughout the event. 

The shirt that started it all

I can recall the optimism I felt on that cool early morning during the race’s first few miles. I can feel myself hitting the wall and getting internally angry at a pair of people happily chatting while they strutted past me. How can they be having fun running 13 miles? was all I could think at the time. And finally, I can feel that amazing high of accomplishment I felt as my soar legs carried me across the finish line. 

And so, my running friends, I get it now. And I’m all for it.

Okay, maybe I'm not running solely for the swag. But it is a nice perk :)   

Swag from my first 50K