As part of starting the new year with a clean slate I decided to clean out my closets. I was fairly ruthless when it came to work and casual clothes and shoes, quickly filling 3 bags. However, when it came to getting rid of old race shirts and socks, I just couldn't do it. This is despite the fact that I have a massive quantity of both and that most of them are in terrible shape. The shirts have pit stains, a permanent sweaty odor, and many are streaked with stains from cooking or housework. The socks are equally bad- worn throught at the heels and toes, gray instead of their original white, and not so fresh smelling. But each sock and each shirt has a memory, or has done something for me. There are the socks I wore to do my first 20 miler and my first marathon, the socks that I did a mud run in, the socks I won at Reach the Beach. There is the long sleeve cotton shirt from my first Trek Across Maine, the short sleeve shirt from the 5k I did with my whole family, the too big ugly gray shirt I tried to hem myself from my first marathon. Each item now has a special significant and I can't bring myself to throw them out, no matter how ratty and stinky they are. So I piled them back in the closet and bought some air freshner.
The Peak's Island 5 miler is one of my favorite summer races. Unfortunately I've been unable to run it the past couple years because...
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My wife set up a bin in her closet that has worn-out clothing - shirts, socks, etc. - that we could someday use for rags and whatnot. I also think that this facilitates the need to hold onto every piece of clothing for that sentimental value.
ReplyDeleteMy recommendation - invest in a bin! Easier to maintain, plus it contains the smell!