Hump Day Giveaway: Home vs. Away?

 

I wish this is what air travel looked like.

 

I know hate is a strong word, but I hate to travel. I hate undressing in front of strangers and having the TSA people wave their wands wherever they want. I hate that everybody treats the gate as their cubicle, gabbing on their cell phones like nobody can hear them. On the rare occasions I don’t have Mr. Can-You-E-Mail-Me-That-Very-Important-Powerpoint-About-Selling-Widgets barking next to me, CNN is blaring at volumes usually reserved for senior citizen homes. I hate that, even if I pack a 2,000 calories worth of healthy snacks, I must buy crap that usually involves a pack of M’n’M’s that cost $2.50. Most of all, I hate that, in order to have my knees not in my mouth, I am supposed to fork over $40 or so for a “premium” seat with a tantalizing three or so extra inches of leg room.

O.k., done bitching. As much as I loathe the friendly skies, I love the destination, especially when it involves a new race. A new course means new sights, new people, new altitude (usually lower than the 5,280 lung-sucking feet of Denver), new excuses to rationalize not meeting my goals (no idea the hills were that bad. no idea: an excuse I used quite copiously in at the Austin Half-Marathon). I’ll take a virgin course over retracing my steps at a familiar race anytime: something about that demon you don’t know. One of the few times I’ve done the same race is the Nike Women’s Marathon. As you know, I ran the full in 2007, and then returned in 2009 for the half, which was definitely the order to do it. Felt like I’d choked down the Brussels sprouts in 2007, and two years later, I got to return for a fat slice of chocolate cake.

But there’s also something to be said–a huge thing–for staying home. For sleeping in my own bed. For knowing that I can toast my pre-race English muffin exactly how I like it, then slather it with my preferred peanut butter (365 brand from Whole Foods, if you care: one of the few things I find is cheaper there than other grocery stores). For being done with a race by 10 a.m. and being able to get on with the day and sleep in my own bed again. For knowing I’ll see familiar faces on the course, even though that usually means I’ll only get one sip of the post-race chocolate milk and a nibble on the bagel before my support crew whisks them away.

The Merrell Charade in sangria: like the drink, makes you happy and warm.

Whether you’re a newbie racer or a veteran of hundreds of races, what do you prefer: home or away? Why? Let us know and one random commenter will take home a styley, brand new Merrell Charade jacket, a lightweight, insulated (and v. cute) jacket that multitasks as well as any mother does. It works for travel (the coolest feature: stuff it into one of its own pockets to form a neck pillow); it keeps you warm while spectating (the Primaloft insulation, made of half recycled and half new fibers, keeps you toasty when the only body part you’re moving is your vocal cords); it stuffs easily into a post-race bag, so you can ward off the shakes after you cross the line; it makes you look like you put some thought into your clothing as you taxi over to hockey practice on a random Wednesday night.

So. Do you prefer to be a homebody or a frequent flier?

p.s. The winner of the K-Swiss Ironman-inspired kit will be announced on our Facebook page today. (Getting the Wednesday/Wendesday drill down? I think I finally have a system.) Be sure to like our FB page if you’re coming to it or here for the first time.