It happens every time I travel to run in a race. “What did I forget?” On the eve before I pack up the family to spend 5 well earned days in the California sun (and smoke), I know I’m going to leave something behind. I procrastinate and pack the night before (opposed to my wife whose been packed for 3 weeks). This always leads to me scrambling to get my running gear together.

[x] Shoes
[x] Socks (different kinds for different conditions and moods)
[x] Shirt and shorts (warm and cold options)
[x] Band-aids and Vaseline
[x] Garmin and sunglasses
[x] Clif shot gels and Tiger’s Milk energy bars

Yep, I’m ready…or am I? I’ll lose sleep over it tonight although I know that anything I forgot will be readily available at the expo. Feel free to comment if I forgot something obvious. I’ll be back on Wednesday with race reports of Mickey’s Main Street U.S.A. 5K and the Disneyland 1/2 Marathon.

I’d like to introduce you to one of my best friends in the entire world. Meet the Band-Aid Extra Wide Sport Strip. After years of searching for the perfect running confidante, I’ve finally found them.

As a runner, I find it highly amusing when I start talking to non-runners about how sensitive guys nipples get when running (I can’t speak for the ladies and I don’t think I would if I could). You see, there’s something magical that happens when you’ve been running for a couple of hours – your nipples and specialized sweat wicking technical shirt get very well acquainted. The results can be…well let’s say…devastating!!!

I for one have never reached the blood soaked shirt that some of my other running brethren have but I’ve come extremely close on occasion. Close enough that I’ve not been able to comfortably wear a shirt for a couple of days.

Until some scientist comes up with a way to genetically defeat this male dominated malady, you can bet me and my Band-Aid Extra Wide Sport Strips will be covering countless miles in breast bliss.

If you’ve never seen Andy Bernard’s 5K scene from The Office, please enjoy.